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| 71 "Never since the days when the favorite regiments of our own State were returning from long and eventful absence has the drum-beat rallied to door and curbstone more eager and enthusiastic welcomers. Never were the faces of lookers-on more radiant with joy and pride, or cheers and hand-clappings more hearty and contagious. An electric stream of sympathy ran through the crowd, pressing almost lovingly and caressingly on the ranks of the Southerners, and the guests seemed worthy of it all. A finer-looking body of citizen-soldiers never paraded our streets. Gentlemen, too, they appeared to be in the better sense of the word, so much over-used both North and South. Soldiers they clearly are, with their steady, straightforward, soldierly bearing, their trim ranks and their elastic step. As men and gentlemen they are again our brothers ; as soldiers they are under the old flag of the whole country, and we are by so much the richer in our kin and the stronger in our national strength. The great celebration to which Boston gives herself up this week will not have been in vain to bring this to realization. The first dress-parade was held on the evening of the first day. Among the other Southern organizations at the celebration were DeMolay Commandery, Knights Templar, from Richmond, and the Charleston Light Infantry. This last battalion brought with it a crimson flag, embroidered, and surmounted by an eagle, with the Roman legend, "S. P. Q. R." on its folds. The flag once belonged to Colonel William Washington, of Revolutionary fame. KEVEILLE. "I can't get 'em up ! I can't get 'em up ! I can't get 'em up this morning. I can't get 'em up ! I can't get 'em up ! I can't get 'em up at all! The Corporal's worse than the Private, The Sergeant's worse than the Corporal, The Lieutenant's worse than the Sergeant And the Captain the worst of them all." |