The Complete Works of Artemus Ward (HTML edition)Ward, Artemus
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The Complete Works of Artemus Ward (HTML edition)
Ward, Artemus
American wit and humor
"Massa's in the cold, cold ground--at least I hope so!" sed the gay
contraband.
"March on, March on! all hearts rejoice!" cried the Colonel, who was
mounted on a Bob-tailed nag--on which, in times of Peace, my soul, O
Peace! he had betted his money.
"Yaw," sed a German Bold Sojer Boy, "we don't-fights-mit-Segel as much
as we did."
The regiment marched on, and Philander betook himself to his mother's
Cottage Near the Banks of that Lone River, and rehearsed the stirring
speech he was to make that night at a war meeting.
"It's just before the battle, Mother," he said, "and I want to say
something that will encourage Grant."
CHAPTER II.--MABEL.
Mabel Tucker was an orphan. Her father, Dan Tucker, was run over one
day by a train of cars though he needn't have been, for the kind-hearted
engineer told him to Git out of the Way.
Mabel early manifested a marked inclination for the milinery business,
and at the time we introduce her to our readers she was Chief Engineer
of a Millinery Shop and Boss of a Sewing Machine.
Philander Reed loved Mabel Tucker, and Ever of her was Fondly Dreaming;
and she used to say, "Will you love me Then as Now?" to which he would
answer that he would, and without the written consent of his parents.
She sat in the parlor of the Cot where she was Born, one Summer's eve,
with pensive thought, when Somebody came Knocking at the Door. It was
Philander. Fond Embrace and things. Thrilling emotions. P. very pale
and shaky in the legs. Also, sweaty.
"Where hast thou been?" she sed. "Hast been gathering shells from youth
to age, and then leaving them like a che-eild? Why this tremors? Why
these Sadfulness?"
"Mabeyuel!" he cried. "Mabeyuel! They've Drafted me into the Army!"
An orderly Surgeant now appears and says, "Come, Philander, let's be
a-marching;" And he tore her from his embrace (P.'s) and marched the
conscript to the Examining Surgeon's office.
Mabel fainted in two places. It was worse than Brother's Fainting at
the Door.
CHAPTER III.--THE CONSCRIPT.
Philander Reed hadn't three hundred dollars, being a dead-broken Reed,
so he must either become one of the noble Band who are Coming, Father
Abraham, three hundred thousand more, or skedaddle across the St.
Lawrence River to the Canada Line. As his opinions had recently
undergone a radical change, he chose the latter course, and was soon
Afloat, afloat, on the swift rolling tide. "Row, brothers, row," he
cried, "the stream runs fast, the Sergeant is near, and the Zamination's
past, and I'm a able-bodied man."
Landing, he at once imprinted a conservative kiss on the Canada Line,
and feelingly asked himself, "Who will care for Mother now? But I
propose to stick it out on this Line if it takes all Summer."
CHAPTER IV.--THE MEETING.
It was evening, it was. The Star of the Evening, Beautiful Star, shone
brilliantly, adorning the sky with those "Neutral" tints which have
characterized all British skies ever since this War broke out.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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