The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-01-30
A PRIVATE SOLDIER.
HIS LIFE IS NOT BY ANY MEANS AL
TOGETHER UNHAPPY.

DE Is Generaliy eel Fed, Clothed,
Lodged and Has Plenty Of Good Soci-
ety-The Men Fine Lot of Fellows.
While it must be confessed n great
many questionable characters are enlisted
in the army, the main part of the enlisted
men are as fine set of men as one could
wish to command. The blacklegs and the
drunkards are soon dismissed, even if they
manage to get in, and today Uncle Sam re-
quires every man who wishes to enlist I'M
der his flag TO bring a certificate of good
character from his last employer, and to
satisfy the recruiting officer in many other
ways that he has no evil habits This rule
has been in force only few years and has
already improved the character Of the en-
listed men and decreased the number Of de
sertions to a wonderful degree.
The army is better thing for the aver
age man than is generally supposed. While
the pay-thirteend dollars months small,
it must be remembered that it is thirteen
dollars a month Overland above all expenses
for food. clothes. lodging, hospital attend
ance and education. The clothing allow
anceks so large, too, that every man is able
to save more or less Of it according to the
care he takes of his clothes, and some Of
them make a very considerable item of
this
Whenever the enlisted man re-eniists be
receives an increase Of pay, and he has the
opportunity of becoming through efficiency
4 noncommissioned officer. with a still
greater increase OF pay. Moreover, if he
IS ambitious and has or gets a fairly good
education, he is afforded every help rather
than hindered, as is popularity supposed,
from becoming a commissioned officer.
THE SOLDIERS HOME.
The army Is to the enlisted man home,
an insurance company and a bank. The
government permits him TO draw interest
on any sum of money ne may deposit, and
it i a tolerable safe institution. II he j.
injured or used up through sickness he is
either nursed back TO health or pensio1ed
for life If he grows old in the govern
meut service he is retired on a pension pre-
cisely as an officer is. And after all, the
work Of soldier is not particularly hard
That II i not a disagreeable one IS attestei
by the fact that great majority Of the en-
listed men. and necessarily the better ouez.
re-enlist and practically spend their whole
lives il the army.
The happiness aud comfort Of the soldier
depend principally up5n the commanding
officer Of the company 10 which he may b.
assigned. Tee company l. a family, and
good company commanders 50 regard Il
The average soldier IS . child IRON his
very training He must eat. sleep and
work 81 q certain time named by another
ana be j. well I'D and wei clothed accord
ing 20 the ability Of the captain OF lieuteH-
ant VINO has charge % him He cannot
even bay d handkerchief without the per
mission Of such an officer
Il man =. drafted into = good company
there j. no reason IN the world why he
should hos enjoy life 70 tbe utmost. II
VIII 5e Furnished al abr ndance of good
clothes. and viu D. taught 70 take pride
in Keeping them III good condition lie
will he furnished g.l1h iooz4- mss Gully gslea-
tifIl. Iut ef ene b~.E quality and of suati-
Client variess-
asa ES THE Es-EE
Ont Of a.. salssll lssy an English soldier
In, a. Iay Tor hiS vegetables arsd 2slv eE-
TIA n.eae lie ulay have. Oaar >s.I1i-gs --s
,nur- ;hau They can eat of ever5f hirG tiszs
- farss lr5 73i.d are permitted 70 tra1.1
glls. surplus saT fo9 aas Lasas.e, frsEa sia-
lltsagil5 ssssry sis-p&gS gssrat taas Eiseg 1nay
wish AZ govern ssezf egntTs. 8 price j zen
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