OCR Text |
Show HERE. An old soldier named Burr who was sergeant of the Fourth Illinois regiment, recruited at Paris, 111., and mustered in June 4th, 1846, has for several sev-eral years held a reunion of his company annually. He Is now 84 years old, and the sole survivor of the company, but the original rol of the company was put in his custody, as Sergeant, and now he repairs to the cemetery and calls that roll. When it comes to his own name he answers "Here, ' but for all the others there is the silence that will never be broken. Reading the incident one thinks involuntarilj of certain gentlemen who will today be leaving St. Louis. Their memories will be filled with thoughts of the old company that were so strong for them not long ago, but who, when the roll of States was called in the great convention, answered an-swered no more for them. There will be Bryan and Gorman and Wall and the others. They will be sitting in the cemetery where their hopes will be buried and the ceremony wil not be umike that of the old Illinois soldier, save when they call their own names. Then they will not be quite sure whether they are "Here" or not. Politics are a little like mining. Some few strike Bonanzas, but the great company work on and on until when the final roll is cahed they have not strength enough to answer "Here," for "Life is but a mocking mock-ing shadow; a poor player that struts and frets his little hour upon the stage, and then Is heart no more." |