Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-09-04
A coy ASKS QUESTIONS

sorry education.
A BOY ASKS QUESTIONS
And Draws Out Considerable Valuable
Information.
To the Editor Of the RsgtStsr;
A gentleman from little town in
the interior OF one Of our western States
paid a visit to relative in a small man
uiacturlng and commercial town In
Eastern Ohio. While be could not take
with him all his family, to break the
monotony Of the trip, he took with him
his eight year old son. This son was
bright and apt and his disposition to &C
uire knowledge was not different from
most all boys Of his age. He had the
disadvantage OF being raised in the
country, where there was very little OF
the modern Improvement to be seen,
and for this reason he was constantly
plying his father with questions about
things that would attract his attention
on all sides. On pleasant evening In
August these two, father and son, were
taking a walk along the main thor
oughfare of the town in which they
at first, but with growing interest,
heard the following conversation which
was opened up on the boys seeing a
man in blue uniform, with large brass
buttons, leaning against the corner OF
building on the opposite side OF the
street smoking a cigar:
Son-Pap, who is that man over
there?
Father-That's a soldier.
"What do soldiers do?''
"They fight for their country"
SIS he going to fight for his coun-
tryP"
mo, he has already fought"
"And don't they do anything more
after they have fought for their coun-
try?"
"Some do aud some do not"
And what do the some do who do
anything?"
like other people"
"Why don't the others have to work
too? have they got money!"
Eyes, they have little money!"
Chow do they get the money il they
don't work?"
1.-The Government gets it from the
people and gives 1t TO them"
"Do all the people who get money
from the Government live without
working p
mo, not all; some were wounded 10
the battles, and some contracted dis
ease from camps and fields. These gen
orally were good soldiers, and while
they receive money from the govern
ment, they are also good citizens and do
not waste and dissipate the remaining
vitality left them, but put IL TO good
use, by providing yet better support for
families than their government pay Will
get, or add TO the general prosperity OF
the country by adding to its wealth.
Ought the government give soldiers
money who got hurt or sick in the
army"
Decidedly it ought, for 1t does not
offer II TO them in consideration OF any
service OF theirs for the country, for
that would offend the honor OF a true
patriot, who went TO the defense OF his
country In time of its peril, he consid-
ers the sacrifice OF his time and personal
interest as his duty in,return Tor the pro-
lection the government gives him at all
times, In peace or riots, at home or
abroad. He knows that the govern
ment in defense OF his rights at home
would exhaust its treasury, or abroad,
would defend him with its entire army
and navy. So he realizes after all how
insignificant are his sacrifices compared
to what his country would do for him.
These men are pensioned for the phys
ical damage done them while In service,
and not for the service itself. "
"Does that soldier over there get
money and was he hurt in the army?"
l don't know; we will see presently.
We will walk over that way. The
father and son maintained silence for
awhile and approaching the ex-soldier
the father accOsted. him by some in
curry about the name of a street, when
conversation led up to army matters
and the facts were ELECTED that the SOL
der had served sixty days, was ma
chinist by occupation. and three years
previous had met with an accident ne
cessitating the amputation OF two OF
the fingers of his left hand. For this
be informed our Questioner he was
craving a peuslOu VI bNOi'O NO'ioAS
q month and worked at his trade occa-
sionally, earning, when working, $3.50
per day, but stated that he only worked
occasionally when his former employer
was short OF men,"
R"Was il In q machine shop that Uncle
John lost his hand?"
mo, he lost it in saw mill"
"WaS he in the army?"
mo, your grandfather was suddenly
killed the year before the breaking out
of the war, and the sudden news threw
your grandmother into spell OF sick
ness which left her 3 helpless invalid
ever since. There were six children be-
sides your uncle John and myself. the
Oldest being but fourteen years OF age.
was nineteen at that time, five years
younger than your uncle. Together
with a great many other young men Ia
our nslghborho0d, got the war feveA
having little idea Of where was goins
or wk would be required OF me.
had : aRue idea there was going to b
a good time In Il and lot OF experI
enee. SO under this spell disregardef
argument, aud the advice Of my rela&
- neIFhoors. and enlisted in 4
= was then being orga7{