The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-02-01
LIVE BY A BUCLE.
Soldiers Eat, Sleep and $50
West, to Its Notes.
Fighters Make Verses To Go
With Every Call.
MESS CALL MOST POPULAR
Taps Is the Most Beautiful OF
All, Many Think.
There Also Is a Sick Call and a
Stable Call.

camp Funston. Kan, Feb. 1.-The
1lrst thing that newly arrived ma
tiOnal army man hears when he enters
camp Funston is a bugle call and he
1lnds that after he has become a SOL
oler, nearly every movement he makes
Is directed by the notes of his COM
pany busler. A call is the first thing
ne hears in the morning-and the last
at night. 1t is the first thing he must
learn to know when he becomes a
soldier, and when his lfe's work is
complete, the call that is played over
the little pine box. the most beautiful
one of all is the one that sings the
men to sleep-taps
The buglers and their calls are pro-
Nioed for in the servise regulations.
Nothing is said, however about words
TO them But from the earliest days
or the American army there have been
verses. Every call has its own words
IN the minds of the dough boys, and
theie are as many variations as there
are organizations
Words to Calls.
The reveille call is the first in the
morning, and is probably the best
known to the civilian-and most un-
popula- with the soldier. The oldest
verse to its tune follows:
can't get EN- up. can't get 'em up, 1
can't get EN- up in the morning.
can get EN- up cant get 'em up, l
can't get EN- up at all.
geants worse than the corporals
Lieutenants worse than the sergeants
and tn captains worst of all.
Then the chorus is strong with II
can't get EN- up etc.
The words to the mess call are an
other standard verse. This is the most
popula' call in the army and never
has to be repeated. 1t is a curious
fact that none of the men ever have
any trouble hearing it plainly at its
&c 70
Soup-y. soup-y. soupy without a single
Pork-y. pork-y, pork-y without streak of
Coffee. coffee, coffee. without any cream.
The Sick Call.
Sick call is just adapted to camp
life at Furston as the others. 1t goes
like this:
Come and get your quinine, come and get
Oh come and get your quinine, come and
get your pills.
The stable call that sounds when it
comes time for the Funston mule
SINNERS to feed and water their
'hardtails'' is little more poetical:
Come all who able, and go to the
l. stable.
And water your horses and give ,em |
For if you don't do it the colonel will
know it.
And then you Will rue it sure, as |
you're born.
The last call of the soldiers day, |
the one that follows lights OUT and !
puts him to sleep in whatever part of |
the world he may happen to be, is the |
most beautiful of them all Taps has |
singularly soothing sound to the |
tired Funston boy as he woos sleep |
on his cot after the strenuous day of |
training. 1t has several versions of
which here is one: /
Fades the night and afar goeth the day |
COmeth the night;
And n star. leadeth all, speedeth all,
To their rest.
When soldier ha, gone west as
death is known in the army, taps is
sounded as, he is being lowered into
the grave. The words to the final call
are:
When your last day is past
rom afar. some bright star,
Oer your grave watch will keep,
While you sleep. with the brave.