The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers, Series 3Newell, R. H. (Robert Henry)
History
The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers, Series 3
Newell, R. H. (Robert Henry)
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Fiction
The Proprietor of the City of Rome changed color, and says he:
"Well--ahem!--it can't be that--" Here he looked more closely at the
body, and says he:
"I am at a loss to explain this remarkable phenomena."
A venerable juryman, of much shirt-collar, coughed to attract
attention, and says he: "I should take the present attitude of our
departed Confederate brother to be that of a man who smells something
obnoxious."
Here the Proprietor of Rome suddenly dropped the left hand of the
deceased Confederacy, and says he:
"Why, he must mean to insult the Great North-west."
"Yes," says the venerable juryman, "there can be but one construction
of the present offensive attitude of this dead young being."
The thoughtful Proprietor of the City of Rome deliberately took off his
spectacles, blew his nose, buttoned his coat up to his chin, and says
he: "I have always advocated a vigorous prosecution of the war, and
believe that full nine-tenths of our gallant troops are Democrats.
What's the werdict?"
The shirt-collared juryman waved his hand impressively, and says he:
"We find the deceased guilty of contempt of court in the Last Degree."
Then the Democratic chaps from the Great North-west held an
enthusiastic mass meeting on the spot, and unanimously resolved that
neither Kentucky nor Indiana would resist the Conscription Bill, should
it be found unsafe to do so.
Believe me, my boy, when I say that the great Democratic party is
stanchly loyal at heart, however strangely its head may seem to err at
times; and never will it take a side with the enemies of the country,
even whilst those enemies make offers to it not only aside but affront.
Upon going down to Paris on Friday, I found the well-disciplined and
spectacled Mackerel Brigade greatly excited and demoralized by the
insidious report that their famous new General, the Grim Old Fighting
Cox, had actually washed himself. This injurious rumor, my boy,
suggested such humiliating national recollections of those days of
consummate strategy, when a certain egotistical commander indulged in
the vanities of soap and hair-oil, that the Brigade were naturally
terrified. Finally, however, the absurd story received a decisive
quietus, when the Grim Old Fighting Cox was seen riding slowly on his
unostentatious steed, the "Pride of the Canal," dressed in the
unassuming republican habiliments of a stern and inflexible
coal-heaver. It is needless to say that he had not washed himself. This
war is at length beginning in earnest.
It is beautiful to see how the Grim Old Fighting Cox is improving the
morals of the venerable Mackerels, and winning their affection,
confidence, and respect. Coming, unexpectedly, upon a Mackerel, who had
just laid aside his umbrella, and removed his spectacles, in order that
he might weep the more freely, he fired a pistol over his head, and
says he:
"What is the matter, my dear sir?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account