Show by a disabled veteran for over forty years I 1 have been a member of the gleat army of patriots who fought over again the great fight for liberty on every recurring fourth of july ever since I 1 was able to strike a match or touch off powder I 1 hive have gallantly turned out with the rest of the revolutionary army with grand tabers s sober by side my great grandfather s old flintlock musket on my shoulder and my pockets full of powder and shot firecrackers and torpedoes I 1 have aln alu aj a s been in the very thick est of the fight and when night came on and lack of ammunition forced a cessation of hostilities I 1 have retired to my well wel earned learned rest with joyful pleasurable sensations feeling that the enemy were routed horse foot and dragoons true I 1 have suf feied much I 1 have lost a thumb my scalp has been torn off in several places my eyebrows are not what they should be my face la is badly freckled with powder marks and a portion of mf ni ear is on the battlefield bit it what of thata am I 1 not a patriot a citizen of this great nation that can whip all creation 7 pooh I 1 guess y ps es but I 1 am growing old now and al though I 1 still feel enthusiastic as much as I 1 ever did I 1 prefer to look on an and d hurrah instead of falling in with the procession besides I 1 deserve a pen sion slon if any soldier who fought in the cause of liberty ever did why not pension all our fourth of july soldiers A grand idea indeed with a pension in view the whole country would be in the agony of battle from daylight to dark and several hours after 0 on n every fourth of july I 1 think I 1 va will I 1 try to make this a political issue in the next campaign for town mashal it will win for every man woman and child will go in on it tor for the sake of the persian you think they won wont t eha eh well you will see hurrah for the fourth of july hurrah for pen alons to everyone that can hold a fire cracker |