The girls' march should be arranged to close about the time Liberty finishes speaking. One verse and chorus of MARCHING THROUGH GEORGIA is then played and as music ceases the small boys come on and march in the same way as the girls did, the drummer boy beating time softly, occasionally. While the boys march Liberty speaks: THE RESPONSE OF THE SOLDIER "War! war! _war!_ Heaven aid the right! God move the hero's arm in the fearful fight! God send the women sleep in the long, long night." "Never or now! cries the blood of a nation, Poured on the turf where the red rose should bloom. Now is the day and the hour of salvation; Never or now! peals the trumpet of doom!" "Lay down the axe, fling by the spade, Leave in its track the toiling plough; The rifle and the bayonet-blade For arms like yours are fitter now: "And let the hands that ply the pen Quit the light task and learn to wield The horseman's crooked brand, and rein The charger on the battlefield." "And how can a man die better Than facing fearful odds For the ashes of his fathers And the temple of his gods?" As Liberty concludes the lines and the boys march off, one verse and chorus of COLUMBIA, THE GEM OF THE OCEAN, is played, then music changed to a patriotic march and the boys in Blue and Gray march on in two companies. Grays come on at front corner of right and Blues at front corner of left, march up sides of stage, across to near-center of back, down to front of stage, to corners, up sides and at corners of back second boy in each line steps up by first, fourth by third, etc., and form double files. March to near-center of stage, down center to front, up sides, and at corners of back each company forms fours, march half way down stage and halt in lines of four each, thus: Liberty G G G G B B B B G G G G B B B B Music stops and Liberty recites: THE CONTEST