A little book of tribune verse A number of hitherto uncollected poems, grave and gay |
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THE KANSAS VETERAN. |
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 | A little book of tribune verse |  |
162
THE KANSAS VETERAN.
The old man's face was creased with care
And drooping was his head—
“Why have you such a languid air
On this proud day,” we said.
“Alas, I am a Kansas man”—
“No more,” we joyous cried,
“To Kansas and the Kansas men,
Our doors are open wide.
And drooping was his head—
“Why have you such a languid air
On this proud day,” we said.
“Alas, I am a Kansas man”—
“No more,” we joyous cried,
“To Kansas and the Kansas men,
Our doors are open wide.
“Our hearts are widely open too,
For Kansas in the fight,
And Kansas men all wore the blue
And battled for the right;
So welcome, veteran, to our arms
And to our hearthstones, too,
Now tell us of the war's alarms
And bloody times you knew.
For Kansas in the fight,
And Kansas men all wore the blue
And battled for the right;
So welcome, veteran, to our arms
And to our hearthstones, too,
Now tell us of the war's alarms
And bloody times you knew.
“And do you on your body bear
Grim-visaged ghastly scars?
And do you on your person wear
The finger-prints of wars?
Oh, tell us sir that we and ours
May bless you brave and true,
Who in our country's darkest hours
Marched forth and donned the blue.”
Grim-visaged ghastly scars?
And do you on your person wear
The finger-prints of wars?
Oh, tell us sir that we and ours
May bless you brave and true,
Who in our country's darkest hours
Marched forth and donned the blue.”
163
The Kansas veteran smiled a smile
And o'er the counter bent,
And quaffed a deep libation while
We gazed in wonderment.
“I come from Kansas,” with a sigh
He then went on to tell,
“I am no soldier man, but I
Have garden truck to sell.”
And o'er the counter bent,
And quaffed a deep libation while
We gazed in wonderment.
“I come from Kansas,” with a sigh
He then went on to tell,
“I am no soldier man, but I
Have garden truck to sell.”
July 24th, 1883.
| A little book of tribune verse | |