The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-10-10
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, INGERSoLL's TRIBUTE :
TO THE SOLDIER. .
Robt. G. IngersalI.


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| have but one sentiment for soldiers
living and dead: Cheers for the living;
and tears for the dead
The past rises before men, as it were,
like dream. Again we are in the
great struggle for national life. We
hear the sound of preparations-the
music of boisterous drums-the silver
voices of heroic bugIes.
We see thousands of assembIages;
see the pale cheeks of women and hear
the appeals of orators: we see the
flushed faces of men; and in those
assemblages we see all the dead whose
dust we covered with flowers. We lose
sight of them no more.
We are with them when they enlist
in the great army of freedom. We
see them part with those they love
Some are walking for the last time in
quiet, woody places with the maidens
they adore We hear the whisperings
and the sweet vows of eternal love as
they Hngeringly part forever. Others
are bending over cradles, kissing
ba bies that are asleep
Some are receiving the blessings of
old men. Some are parting with
mothers who hold them and press them
to their hearts again and again and
say nothing. And some are talking
with wives and endeavoring with
brave words. spoken in the old tones,
to drive from their hearts the awful
fear. We see them part. We see the
babe in her arms-standing in the
sunshine sobbing-at the turn of the
road a hand wave-she answers by
holding high in her loving arms the
child. He is gone and forever.
We see them all as they march
proudly away under the Haunting flags.
keeping time to the grand. wild music
of war-r1a rching down the streets of
the great cities-through the towns
and across the prairies-down to the
field of glory, to do and die for the
eternal right.
We 60 with them one and all We
are by their side on all their CORY
on all the weary marches. We stand |
guard with them in all the wild storm
and under the quiet stars.
We are with them in ravines run
ming with blood-in the burrows Of old |
fields. We are with them between
contendlng hosts. una Die to move. wild |
with thirst. tie life ebbing slowly away |
among the withered leaves. We see |
them pierced by balls and torn with |
shells in the trenches. by forts and in |
the whirlwind charge. where men be- |
come iron. with nerves of steel.
We are bound with them in the |
prisons of hatred of famine; but hu-
man speech can never tell what they
We are at home when the news
comes that they are dead. We see the
maiden in the shadow of her first |
sorrow. We see the silver head of the
Did man bowed with the last grief
These heroes are dead. They died |
for Hberty-they died for US. They
are at rest. They sleep in the land
they made free, under the flag they
rendered stainless. under the solemn
pines, the sad hemlocks. the fearful
willows and the embracing vines.
They sleep beneath the shadows of
he clouds, careless alike of sunshine
IT of storm, each in the widowless
"a lace of rest Earth may run red
With other wars-they are at peace.
In the midst of battle, in the roar
# conflict, they found the serenity
# death. I have one sentiment for
soldiers living and soldiers dead:
cheers for the living; tears for the
lead