The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-03

him, and that she was going to take him home.
/ found that the fellow was OF age and had been
mustered in; 20 l couldn't do anything about IL.
hadn't any authority TO expel him from the
II explained that ne kindly as l could. but
tho old lady wouldn't listen to 1t, She said /
had two sons she would give me ono, but that
l couldn't have this enc. She simply. raved
Snd SGFY Tx" a Creek Gre chorus. y" You So ms ,in.'T heard T5I
sonally didn't have tho hoy, that the Governments
was employing him; but l wasted my breath.
They called mo names and called on all tho
saints to witness that they would never have DO.
lievod such n nice.looking man could be such
q nasty, cruel creature. The old lady said her
son ought not 10 have been accepted any way
for he had weak eyes and catarrh and his III. ,gs
weren't, strong, and he had such bad feet that
he wouldn't be. able to march Mt all. From her
account, you'd hayc thought he was q first. class
that couldn't be true. since our surgeons had
passed him. | suggested. politely, that tho
mother planted, herself in that big char, and tho
daughters and snnsinlnw sat down behind
her, Then she said she would stay right there
until l. turned her son loose.
~ don't care what you do TO me- she said.
You can KIN me, hut won't move. II, will XIII
care which way l die: l won't move from here
'Thcn tie chorus all walled that they wouldn't
move either. Now, what was a fellow to do
in y situation Ike that Sympathy for tho
mother was all right, but / couldn't stand siege
pAt huls anu lN ultn aIONllu lltTO III kIlll-
ming at me like blooming idiots. Reasoning
was no good, So had To call tho guard and
have tho family turned out, and now there are
four women aud three men who think I'm q
cruel, malicious brute"
While the Captain was talking a man came
across the floor. Ho was secdy and battered,
broad.shuulderod and cnrricd himself like a
Major. His face had been strikinElv hand some
and was still worth n second look. and in spite Of
his clothes he Enthusiastically, had what Hazlett
called tine gentleman look"
tD11Nhr In npr Nj ieaty va aprvfrp " aaid tha rn-
porter, softly.
Tho man saluted and looked squaroly Mt the
Captain. He didn't lean on the desk as tho
others had, nor speak condd cntialiy, nor appear
eager and excited, lie stood there, tall. straight,
and tho reporter thought idly how umcommoniy
we'll he would look in uniform. or even in n dress
suit. Tho Captains formula varied for tn"
where have you seen s~ervicel" he asked,
instead Of Have you had military experienced
Ten years In England and India, sir"
The other questions were a mere form. Tho
mans physique spoke for itself. He was turned
over to tho officer at tho other end of the room.
saluted as impassiVely as ever, and swung away
with an air that made the Young soldiers in the
room look AT him obviously.
II wonder how it happonedf said the Cap
"Looks like ono of the fellows in Ouida's
books" commented n private with literary
The Captain greeted the next arrival with q
"Well, you're the most persistent man ever
saw he said; but his voice didn't sound for.
midable. The man before the desk flushed. but
stood his ground.
'''Oh, please, Captain, can't you do somcthing'
1 know l could lose that forty pounds. I'm
sure of 1t; Do please take me; III make Won
I'll never fail you" 1t was honest pleading
and the mans face was a guarantee OF good
saw any one so anxious to enlist. lie fairly
d dont aG me u and ! hat hate to shut him out but
Tho man waited with his gaze glued to the
officers face in search of some sign OF r~elenting
The Captain looked puzzled; Finally he said;
authority. but III tell you what III do. I'll re-
port your case and do my best to get you in
ITS hard luck for q good man to be rejected
because he's q little over or under weight III
went on as the man turned away. Now
there's a splendid boy. See him over there
He's tried several times, but he can't get up I,
to fatten up, dieting and drinking cod liver OF
as II 1t were water. Hos como up again to
day and hop. he's up to weight, for he's TIL
The young fellow started toward the sur
Tap the water tank on the way NJ, my boy,
advised a friendly orderly. Fill up to bursting
point. 1t may just pull you across the notch
"Do you have many forcigncrsi" inquired tn,
reporter, with the German and the Englishrnar
Not a large percentage. Most of our mel
rallied foreigners sprinkled through the ranks
mostly Irish, English, and German. Ameri
thiio tphIu " u5 Iuli III oNCI lhO OuulT INV
adays. There's, u chap who strOlled In from
Texas last week. with wads Of hundred.dolla
thought he would like to go out with our regi
ment, but it evidently: wasn't because he needed
the ~rations and pay
it would have no end. and tho Captain wen
through the work as though it were too old
story to interest him greatly. He was buyini
machinery of a fine grade. not studying drama
but a man must be . keen judge Of human ma
ture to sift out such Il heap of humanity as pre-
| RpntAL Itself thnt mnrninU ThDr0 Nynrn mo
with good clothes and sell. reliance who wer
turned down,reasons not given. There wer
unhesitatlngly accepted for examination.
It's not the clothes. but the look in a man
eyes that tells the story said the Captain.
Two;thirds. of the men in answered. the cues
tIoH work @Wh nov is T2SF e %ss sSs ks sRi ID the they ,,i hS,
ton, Some, Of them couldn't find Work an
would be glad to make a living in the army
More wouldn't work and wanted to DO pro
yided for; and. moreover. loved a good scraI
for It's own sake: Along with thom came mel
who were leaving good places for patriotic
thirst for change and excitement. The in
surance business seemed to furnish the larges
contingent, of men who had employment, bu
even plumbers swelled tho ranks. Surely on
must credit n plumber with unndulterated pat
riotism. 1t can't be decline OF business tina
winter season tho test OF his resolution woul
be greater, but he Is enlisting for two years, 3
iext winters bursting pipes can have no weigh
On some faces there was reckless indincr
once, on others,oager excitement, and on other
steady resolve. It is a question which men Wi
make tho best soldiers. A famous Russian Ger
eral once said that a soldier didn't need intelli
genco. Only two things were necessary-tha
he shouldn't know the meaning of danger. an
should know the meaning of obedience. View
different ideas about those things over here
The man who understands n danger and face
1t for love of country may fight as well as tn
one who Is utterly reckless. Evidently tina
is what tho Captain thought, for the larges
number of accepted men Ind the serious face
and the firm. mouths. They will tight-an
then-the regiment unjust have decent fellows.
ED TWENTY sPANIARDs,