Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1881 — A Colored Camp Follower. [ARTICLE]

A Colored Camp Follower.

“ You ran at the first fire, did you ? ” said the Colonel of a regiment. “ Yes, sah,” was the unblushing reply, “ an’ I would have run soonah if I had knowed it was cornin’.” “But have you no regard for your reputation, Sam ? ” “Reputation is nuffin to me, sah, by i the side of life.” s “ Well, if you lost j your life you would have the satisfac- I tion of knowing that you died for your | country.” “What satisfaction would' dat be to me, sah, when de power of i feelin’ it was gone ? ” “ Then patriot- , ism and honor are nothing to you, Sam.” j “ Nuffin whateber, sah,” “If our sol- I diers were all like you, traitors might i have broken up the Government without resistance.” “Yes, sah, dat’s so; dere would hab been no ’ help for it. I wouldn’t put my life into de scales ’gainst any Gubernment dat eber existed, for no Gubernment could replace de loss to me. I ’spect, though, dat de Gubernment would be safe ’nuff if all de soldiers were like me, cos den dere couldn’t be uo fifin’.”— Buffalo Express. I