Charlie French


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This poem was included in the original 1915 edition.

DID YOU ever find out
Which one of the O'Brien boys it was
Who snapped the toy pistol against my hand?
There when the flags were red and white
In the breeze and "Bucky" Estil
Was firing the cannon brought to Spoon River
From Vicksburg by Captain Harris;
And the lemonade stands were running
And the band was playing,
To have it all spoiled
By a piece of a cap shot under the skin of my hand,
And the boys all crowding about me saying:
"You'll die of lock-jaw, Charlie, sure."
Oh, dear! oh, dear!
What chum of mine could have done it?
 

Comments


Jay Bushman , 8 months ago

Is this really the Charlie that Nellie Clark talks about?

In the Annotated SRA, the note mentions that this is based on the story of a 14-year old who died when hit by accidental cannon fire.

Or maybe Nellie Clark's father killed him and made it look like an accident.

 
 

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Prominent Words


Charlie (in 2 documents)
band (in 2 documents)
cannon (in 2 documents)
Captain (in 2 documents)
pistol (in 2 documents)
skin (in 2 documents)
snap (in 2 documents)
Dear (in 5 documents)
crowds (in 3 documents)
Jaw (in 3 documents)
cap (in 4 documents)
toy (in 4 documents)
fires (in 5 documents)
French (in 5 documents)
lock (in 5 documents)
piece (in 5 documents)
spoil (in 5 documents)
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