Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-04-20
ARMY WRECKS.
An Ex-Army onlcer's Chat About Unfor-
tunAte Comrades.

An Ex-Army onlcer's Chat About Unfor-
tunAte Comrades.
"You want to know why gave the
old fellow dollare" asked an ex-army
officer on Friday as questioned the
propriety of the donation that he had
made to rather rough specimen Of
humanity who had asked for money
enough to get him dinner knew
that my friend was no more able to be
liberal in such matters than thousands
Of men whose first impulse is to help
street beggars. He resented my i'm
piled criticism of his conduct, and after
a time broke out with the question
quoted above.
1.-THE case stands this way" he said:
'there are men who ask RE to help
them who can not GET their own con-
sent to ask others. This is not because
am under obligations to them, but
because they know that know tho
stuff they are made of. Now, this poor
fellow was always down at the heel in
the army, but he was an exceptionally
brave man. have seen him do great
many things that l felt at the time |
could not have done. His one good
quality was his capacity to do the right
thing in time of battle or in time OF
great excitement, and l have compli-
mented him scores Of times upon deeds
of uncommon bravery.
"While he was in the army his
mother died, and his father made dis
reputable marriage. In the very last
year of the war his wife ran away with
an old rival, and the boy he cared most
for went to the bad. The first thing
this good father did when he left the
service was to use his pay and extra
bounty in prolonging disgraceful
spree. He got into all sorts of trouble
and disgrace, and no body cared to
have much to do with him. l found
him sick and ready to die. Remember
ing what the man had been, and re-
Numbering the discouragements that
met him when he came out of the snrv-
ice, made an attempt to save him.
II did save him in so far as prevent
ing him from becoming a drunkard is
concerned, but since the last engage
ment in front of Atlanta the man has
not had the spirit of squaw. He has
worked hard, but nearly always at q
disadvantage. When he gets down he
comes to me because he knows that
will understand that no is in need. He
is the sort of q fellow, yod know, who,
rather than summit to any humiliation
from an old comrade, would walk on
the pier and jump into the lake. My
heart is sorely troubled over the ques-
ton Of what we shall do with such men
There is another type of the un
fortunate soldier Of higher grade thar
this that ought to be looked after. The
young man who went into the army
from the purest and highest motives
who lost his health and strength ant
capacity to do in the hard service o
actual war, and who came out of thu
service saddened, proud and high
spirited, as only thoroughly edu
Gated soldier can be, and took up tn
burdens-the new burdens--of civi
I
life without murmur, with scarcely
hope--such man stands for a class
There are thousands of men who's
army education stimulated and cult
waited natural pride that was yer
great. Their experience in the arm
contributed also to the growth of asen
sitiveness that has become morbid.
Their struggle in life since the wa
has not made them grumblers, but
has not blunted their sensitivenes'
They have never asked for pension o
for favor OF any kind. Some of ther
are burdens to their family, or are dc
pending for their support upon apprt
ciative friends. They are dropping o
by the hundred every year, going dow
without murmur, without any cred
mark, with simply crooked leg or a
; empty sleeve or an ugly scar polntin
to a record of rare courage in the arm.
1t is not strange to me that such me
would rnther come to an old conrad
for help than to 60 to soldiers HON
or to the public. l can't explain il
but can understand it, and so l CAV
the man dollar" - Chicago Int
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