Year: 1879

Many boys and girls have heard these words applied in derisive way to raw reiruits. who were making beginning on their military education by learning to march; but very few young people or old ones, either-know low the terms originated.

 During the war of 1872 there was great deal of training and drilling among the militia-men all over the country, especially in the larger cities and towns, where the principal recruiting stations were situated. In New York city much of the drilling of newly enlisted men was done in what is now City Hall Park, in front of a tavern which stood where the Sun newspaper building is | located. Many of these would-be sol diers were from the country, and these, of course, knew nothing at all about marching in military fashion. They could walk far enough, some of them, and work as hard and bear as much fatigue as any soldier in the regular army; but they walked as they pleased, and had no ideas about such things as s'keeping step.n It is even said that there were fellows among them who did not know their right foot from their | left, and who were therefore continually getting themselves and their companions into disorder by mixing up their legs that is, moving out their right leg when the office who was drilling them called out '' Left, and the other leg when he called out '' Right" If they could have put both legs forward at once, it is prob- able that they would sometimes have done so.

 To make these men understand exact | ly which leg was meant when the officer gave his orders, a curious plan was de- vised. Around the right leg of each man, just below the knee, was tied a wisp of hay, while a wisp of straw was tied around his left leg. Now, these country fellows knew very well the diff ference between hay an! straw, and so, when they were ranged in line and the officer gave the word to march, and called out, " Hay-foot straw-f foot! hay foot! strawfoot." each of them under stood exactly which was the foot he must put forward.

 It sometimes happened, however, that a man would be so busy observing Iris companions-an perhaps making fun, at the same time, of their attempt to walk like soldiers-that he would forget his own business, and forward his '' straw foot" when hay-foot was called for. It must have been very funny to see these raw recruits-here country ostler in high boots and striped shirt; there a farmer in his shirt sleeves and broad straw hat; then, perhaps, village doctor or schoolmaster, with his high beaver hat and his spectacles, with a tall boy near by in cap and short jacket all marching side by side, with hands down by their sides, thumbs turned out eyes fixed on the officer as he stepped | backward before them, and all keeping time to the monotonous call of '' Hay 1 foot! straw-foot! hay foot! straw-footr' The regular soldiers who may have been drilling at the same time probably smiled, if they did not dare to laugh, at these queer looking men, with their hay and straw-bound legs; but the mothers and fathers and sisters of the recruits, if any of them chanced to come to town to see their sons or brothers drill, doubt less thought the affair fine military display, and that Jeremiah or Caleb would be a general yet, if the W ar lasted long enough.-&. Nicholas.