Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-01-28
'lAsla'lllH slHHA'N
ADVERTISING nATMN.
A STRUGGLE IN LIFE.
Army Wrecks, and the Way in
which They were Made.

"You want to know why gave the
old fellow dollarp" asked an ex-army
officer. as questioned the propriety OF
the donation that he had made to q
rather rough specimen Of humanity,
who had asked for money enough to get
him dinner.
"The case stands this way" he said
"there are men who ask me To help
them who cannot get their own consent
to ask others. This is not because I
am under obligations to them, but be-
cause they know that know the stuff
they are made OF. Now, this poor fell
low was alwaysrun down mt the heel I'm
the army. I have seen him do great
many things that 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 / nave compli-
mented him scores OF times upon deeds
of uncommon bravery.
"While he was In the army his moth
er died, and his father nade a disrepu-
table marriage. In the very last year
of the war his wife ran away with an
old rival, and the boy that he cared
most for went to the bad. The first
thing this good fighter 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 nobody cared to have
much TO do with him. 4 found him
sick and ready TO die. Remembering
what the man had been, ,and remember
ing the discouragements that met him
when he came out oe the service. I
made an attempt to saye him.
"I did save him in 50 far as prevent
ing him from becoming drunkard is
concerned, but since the last engage
ment i'm front of Atlanta the man has
not had the spirit of squaw. lie has
worked hard, but nearly always at
disadvantage. When he gets down he
comes to me because he knows that /
will understand that he Is i'm need. He
In the sort of fellow, you know, who.
rather than submit to any humiliation
from an old comrsde, would walk out
! the pier and jump into the lake. My
heart is sorely troubled over the Ques-
| tion of what we shall do with such
men.
"There is another type OF the unfor-
tunate soldier OF higher grade than
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 and
capacity to do in the hard service of
actual war. and who came out OF the
service saddened, proud, and highspir-
tied, as only thoroughly educated
soldier can be. and took up the burdens
the new burdens of civil life. with
out murmer. with scarcely hope
such a man stands for class. There
are thousands of men whose army edu-
cation stimulated and cultivated a nat
ural pride that was very great. Their
experience in the army contributed also
to the growth of sensitiEeness that
has become morbid.
"Their struggle i'm life since the war
has not made them grumblers. but it
has not hlunted their sensiliYeness.
They have never asked for pension or
for favor of any kind. Some OF them
are burdens to their family. or are de-
pending for their support upon appre-
ciatiye friends. They are dropping off
| by the hundred every year, going down
without q murmur, without any credit
mark, with simply crooked leg or an
empty sleeve or an ugly scar pointing
to record of rare courage in the army.
1t is not strange to me that such men
would rather come TO an old comrade
for help than to 90 TO q soldiers home
or to the public. can't explain it, but
I can understand it, and so gave the
man dollar. ~ Chicago Inter Ocean.
AN ANEHnOTM