The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-02
HIS BOY WAS OFF FOR THE WAR
He Did Not Like the Idea at First,
but In the End Was Proud of IL.

He was q tall. thin man. with white
hair and q carefully trimmed white
beard, and as ne settled down in . seat In
q suburb an train yesterday afternoon, he
said to the other occupant OF It,:
"Youne man, ] have just been down to
Camp Black to see my boy and 1 want to
talk to somebody. am going to staIk to
you II you don't object Then when get
home I'll talk To mother. Yen see,
mother 10 Just as interested In the boy az
i am, and she worries good deal more.
That is natural to women folks. They
don's know much about camp life. and
they think 1t is worse than it really is.
went through the whole business from
'6l to 30, and am none the worse Tor
IL. The government never had to give
me pension. Mother and didn't think
there was any danger of the boys going
when the war started. You see. he ts only
90 years old. and he never has had any
military training. He has heard me talk
about II, though. and guess that fired
him up.
Mother, she talked lot about the
| foolishness Of young men volunteering
unless they were needed, and didn't
| fancy the idea of the boys going. The
first thing I:knew the boy was drilling
away with q company at home. and he
| didn't say anything to rs about It,
| quieted mother by telling her that this
company would not be accepted and 1t
wasn't. Two nights later when came
| home, mother met me at the door and
| told me the boy had gone. He had been
afraid to tell me about IL for fear / would
| stop him. He just told m other good bye
and said he was going to Camp Black to
be mustered in at ths first opportunity.
Mother wanted to rix up lot of things to
| woUIdn't take anything. The govern
l ment would provide everything.
"WelI, was sorry at first, and then /
| thought how felt back In 81. and hon
| sstly, was proud OF the boy. just told
| mother everything could 10 cheer her
up. ! said would walt few days and
| give the boy chance to see what camp
| life really was and then / would 60 down
| to see him, and II he was honesick and
| wanted to come back 1 would get him
| ont ic some way. Mother said she hoped
| he would get enough of It. didn't say
| anything, but thought II the boy did
back out now / would feel very bad
| about It.
"WeIl, IL rainsd and poured and mother
| worried all the tune for fear the boy
| would get his feet wet. She thought he
| would take cold and be sick. She wanted
me to 90 and SEQ him. 1 said would
wait. This morning came down to New
York and bought the boy lot OF things
that from my own experience. knew he
would need. felt that II when got to
camp found the boy was ready to back
| down, l would give the outfit to some boy
with more coursge. didn't like to think
Of that possibility, though.
II bought him some light underwear,
| the best that could get, and got aim
| two pairs of shoes that i knew would
stand the racket. Shoes mean as much to
the soldier az gun, and the boy had gone
oil wearing very light pair. got MIN
a combination Of knife, fork and spoon,
such as had carried for four years and
knew the value Of got him lot OF
other things, and then went to q rood
restaurant and had basket filled with
| the best they had. 1t has been tough
weather, you know, end all the way down
TO Camp Black wondered what she boy
would say.
"Whsn he did see me, he said, 'Hullc.
iather hope you haven't come to ask
me TO 60 home.
Il was glad to hear him say that.
knew then would not have to give his
outfit to some other fellow. he was glad
to sea me and whom he saw the shoes he
hugRed rue. Then l opened the basket OF
lunch and te invited some OF his friends
to share 1t, and we did have good time.
i told the boys about my own expert
enoe In the army and they asked me all
sorts OF questions. 1t took me back to 81,
and l was glad that my boy was going
to nave q chance for the same experience.
Il am going nome now TO cheer mother
up. She will be- disappointed when she
sees the boy isn't with me. but 1 Will
make her just as proud of him as ! am.
tell you, feel young again; and / hope
/ haven't bothered you with all this chat.
ter. I was so proud OF the boy and his
grit that had to talk to some one. Good
by. This Is my station, ana mother will
be impatient to see me-"
AS he rose and walked out he threw
back his shoulders and straighteDed up
evidently filed with pride of the boy and
the memory OF other days. The Sun.