It was the funeral of a young man from my district--a bright boy that I had great hopes of.
When he went to school, he was the most patriotic boy in the district.
Nobody could sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" like him, nobody was as fond of waving a flag, and nobody shot off as many firecrackers on the Fourth of July.

And when he grew up he made up his mind to serve his country in one of the city departments.

There was no way of gettin' there without passin' a civil service examination.

Well, he went down to the civil service office and tackled the fool questions.

I saw him next day--it was Memorial Day, and soldiers were marchin' and flags flyin' and people cheerin'.
Where was my young man?
Standin' on the corner, scowlin' at the whole show.