Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-03-18
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THE SOLDIER ..
;. WHO LAUGHED
BY CHARLES 8. LEWIS.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

One day there came to us of the
Third regiment, down at "the front"
recruit who entered camp with grin
on his face and chuckle in his throat,
and five minutes after he had been
turned over to us by the guard he put
his hands to his side and began laugh
ing. He laughed like u man who was
tickled half to death. His face got
red as paint, tears ran from his eyes,
and he seemed about to choke when
sergeant gave him kick to straighten
him up and then Indignantly demand
ed:
what sort of blamed fool are you,
and what nre you laughing at?"
Its SO funny-it's SO funny!" gasped
the man.
whats so funny?"
"Why, my being down here. A week
ago was hoeing corn ON the farm-ha!
ha! hal"
The sergeant said he'd be hanged If
he could see where the laugh came in,
nor could any of the rest of us, but it
was half an hour before James Thurs
ton could sober up his face. That was
his debut. Within three days he had
every man in the company. officers in
Guided, down on him for being a laugh
| ing man. His face was i'm repose only
when he slept. The rest of the time it
| wore broad grin and the most trifling
| thing brought a laugh. He was too
| geod-natured. He had such guffaw
of laugh that he disturbed every body
| in the company when he started. We
called him names, and lie laughed. We
| threatened him, and he laughed the
harder. He was kicked and cuffed and
he roared: "Ha! ha! hal" till men
came running from the other COM
\ panies. We demanded that the captain
suppress him, and that officer called
him in and began:
| Look here, Thnlrston, what is all
| this nonsense about?"
"What nonsense" asked the recruit,
| with grin.
"Why, your laughing SO much. What
do you see to laugh at so much?"
/ 'Why, lots of things-ha! ha! ha'
shouted Thurston, as.he got hold of his
| ribs. ut seems SO queer mot to be
milking the cows and feeding the hogs
nnd-and-h ha! hal"
"And you laugh about that, do you?"
"Yes-I can't help it-ha! ha! ha!'
do you know that you come mighty
near being a fool!" exclaimed the pro-
voked captain, as the guffaw died away
into gurgle.
II don't see why" answered Thurs
ton, trying his best to look serious for
minute. when think of hoeing
corn, painting the barn, washing
sheep and whitewashing the cellar,
and then look around me here and see
lot of soldiers and tents and mules,
why, I--I-ha! ha! hal"
After few days, in which James
Thurston did not cease to laugh. the
division commander asked for scouts,
and the new recruit was detailed to
report as one of them. The sole and
simple idea was to either get rid OF
him or sober him up. He had broad
grin on his face when he entered the
generals tent, and the general hadn't
J spoken ten words to him when he had
one of his It's"
1 what do you mean by such con
duct?" demanded the high and mighty
officer, In his sternest tones.
I TITS all SO funny!" gasped Thurston
"Only a few days ago was helping dad
TO put new shingles an the corncrih
and to-day I'm away down here talking
: with you-ha ha! hat"
The general happened TO have finel
i appreciation of hnmor than our cap
tain, or else he reasoned that laugh
ing scout could get the Information he
wanted better than minded
one. AT any rate it was reported tina
he finally grinned in unison witt
Thurston. and sent him of through
the lines to discover what the enemy
were doing and report, As a scou
2 Thurston wore the blue. and was arme.
t with only a revolver. The idea of hi
accomplishing anything was considered
: preposterous, but he not only made hi
, mark, but did it with that laugh of his
While he was scouting close to Thu
$ enemy's lines ne encountered con
federate colonel and his orderly, wh'
? were bound for certain farmhouse
! In fact, Thnrston stepped out Of tn
! roadside bushes almost i'm front of TIL,
I horse.
s His uniform gave him away, and h.
! was at once held up by the colonel
. 1t struck Ihurston as very funny tina
he should be greasing he farm Wagon
in Connecticut in May, and scoutin.
down in Virginia in June, and he begal
to laugh. lie laughed until he crict
] -rantil the colonel said to his orderly
r This poor fellow has been wonnde,
: in the head and is crazy. You had hes
0 take him into camp and be gentle wit
4 him"
I'll But as the colonel put up his re
volyer aad the orderly got down froH
= his saddle, Thurston sobered up lon
enough to cover them with his ow
weapon aud demanded their surrender
!, The orderly fired at him without effec
!. dropped his revolver and got away O
e foot. but the laughing scout disarme
e the colonel and brought him into gu
d lines, together with the two horse!
When he reported to the general wit
his prisoner he laughed until he wa
: threatened with dire consequences. /
9 a day or SO he was sent out again an
II brought in valuable information. but O
Is his third expedition he was captured
e His laugh gave him away andbrough
d 1t about He was creeping through tn
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