Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 October 1900 — THE "IDLE" SOLDIERS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE "IDLE" SOLDIERS.

From the Baltimore American. (“This country has a hundred thousand toldiers walking around in idleness.”— W. J. Bryan.) Walking around in idleness. Wherever the flag's assailed; Meeting the foe with an idle might That never yet has failed. Lawton, and Liscum, and Logan, too— Capron—the list is long— Went to their death in “idleness,” And their “idleness” was wrong. Grant and Sherman and Sheridan-^ Why should we call the roll? They idled away in the idle fight— In fights that tried the soul. “Walking around in idleness”— Braving the leaden hail; What of the glow of a nation’s pride? Is that but an idle rale? “Walking around in idleness.” Over the Pekin road; Scorched and worn by the galling sun, Lugging an idle load. Fighting with idle energy. Cheering with idle breath— Thinking, with idle love, of home, And dying an idle death. Private Smith, with an idle groan, Gone to a home above; And idle tears mark the idle woe And the idle mother’s love. “Walking around in idleness”— Lawton and Liseum, too: legions more will come idly when There are idle deeds to do.

Nail It Fast Forever.