The Sylvester Family of Plainview, Minnesota*

Byrl Sylvester finds a wild rose; enjoys a poem; letters begin to reach home

June 22, 1917

PAGE 90

joined is absolutely the best.
When you write, tell me all the news. Send the papers and anything it might say about men who have come over or any that are coming soon.
While out along the woods the other day I plucked a wild rose "somewhere" in France. Keep it. There is also a very good poem I cut out of a paper which means a lot just now.
Much love,
Byrl.

The Reveille
(Bret Harte, 1860)
Hark I hear the tramp of thousands
And of armed men the hum:
Lo! A nation’s hosts have gathered
Round the quick alarming drum-
Saying, "Come,
Freemen, Come."
Ere your heritage be wasted," said the quick alarming drum.
"Let me of your heart take counsel:
War is not of life the sum:
Who shall stay and reap the harvest
When the autumn days shall come?"
But the drum
Echoed, "Come!"
Death shall reap the braver harvest," said the solemn sounding drum.
"But when won the coming battle,
What of profit springs therefrom?
What if conquest, subjugation,
Even greater ills become?"
But the drum
Answered, "Come!"
You must do the sum to prove it," said the Yankee-answering drum.
"What if, "mid the cannon’s thunder.
Whistling shot and bursting bomb,
When my brothers fall around me,
Should my heart grow cold and numb?"
But the drum
Answered, "Come!"
Better there in death united, than in a life a recreant - come!
Thus they answered- hoping, fearing,
Some in faith and doubting some,
Will a trumpet-voice proclaiming,
Said, "My chosen people, come."
Then the drum
Lo! Was dumb.
For the great heart of a nation throbbing answered,
"Lord, we come!"
June 22, 1917- All Plainview called to colors to aid Red Cross.
First Plainview Boy to France writes of trip.
Byrl Sylvester in Letter to Parents, relates Experience During Long Voyage
Across Waters
No Submarines are sighted

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* SOURCE: Manzow, Ron (compiler), "The Sylvester Family of Plainview, Minnesota - a collection of information taken from the Plainview News, other newspapers, letters, and diaries beginning in 1884": Plainview Area History Center, 40 4th St. S.W., Plainview, MN 55964. Compiled in 2001.

NOTE: from Ron Manzow, December 2001: "Feel free to reproduce the pages for anyone who wants a copy. It was compiled to be shared... All I ask is that they consider sending a check to the [Plainview Area] History Center to help us out. That should be enough."