The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-11-11
A MANS MAKING.

A MANS MAKING.
The sjudge" paused long enough to
change the position of the stick he was
whiting, shift the chew of tobacco
from one side Of his mouth to the other
and then glance around at the two
young men sitting on the plank side
walk on either side of him.
The judge was 60; not fat and
40, but fatter and 60. His six feet of
height was burdened with the painful
necessity Of carrying 300 pounds when
he walked and Of supporting the same
weight when he did not move. The
judge supported it usually, and that
was the reason his clothes wore out SO
much more quickly at one certain place
than at any other. He went up and out
from his feet to his waist and then up
and in from his waist to the top Of his
head-an hourglass cut in two and put
together again with the large ends in
the middle. A fringe Of long, dirty
looking hair showed from under the
band Of his SLOUGH hat Through the
hole in the top Of the hat one caught
an occasional glimpse of bald and
thinning spot, the peak of his head try
ing to get through into the fresh air.
But the strength had gone from his hair
to his beard, for his whiskers were long
and bushy and his mustaches equally
10. Judge spoke, not with q drawl,
but with that slow movement peculiar
to fat and lazy people. Yet the little
gray eyes sparkled all the time, as
though they had absorbed all the energy
in the man.
Well, boya'' he continued, after
completing his survey, 'swhere'd you
be now if you'd enlisted?"
The youngero Of his auditors answered:
eff we'd gone with the state regi-
ment, we'd be at Manila probably. But
if we'd gone with Grigsby's cowboys
we'd be at Chickamauga, judge"
Yes, that s it, boys. And it'sd--d
hot there in the summer time. Ispent
o couple Of summers in that country in
1904 with the army. Had a good
place, too, boys, where didn't have
much hard work to do but it was hot
all the same.
"What did you do, father?' asked
Charlie. who was the judges youngest
| son.
tsI was judge advocate Of the regi-
ment. But soldering is hard work. nc
matter what you've got to do. It's a
dogs life"
eyes, we know that, judge" the 9th
or boy, Henry, said, ssbut we decided
we could stand it and had sand enough
to do what we we're told to do without
kicking, and we thought if we did all
that and did it we'll we might have q
chance for promotion. -
Well, boys, don't believe I'd &c
as private II any company. You can't
tell what kind Of an ass your going te
have bossing you. Some of the bosses
may be all right, but there's bound t.
be one you can't get along with. -
eyes, father, we know it would be
hard, but we bought we could stand it,
even if we didn't like it,
sThat's all right, boys but you don't
know anything about it. You've got te
enlist and see for yourself. It's bac
enough when you are an officer, but
when you're just g private it's do
bad. -
"Did you enlist as private, judge?'
Henry asked.
"No Hal; organizeda company an6
was elected captain and held that ranl
until got to be judge. You see, I came
out to Iowa from Ohio when Twas quite
a kid and had been living there for some
| time when the war broke out, SO every
body knew me, and as was always Q
good natured cuss they all seemed tt
like me-.
The judges stick and tobacco needed
attention, and he was silent while he
looked after them. Then he went on:
"We had colonel that was the big.
gest ass I ever saw. He got the office
through political friends, and he didn't
know B from bull IS foot. Our lieuten.
ant colonel was pretty decent sort OF
a man, and the two majoIs We're fair.
But that colonel! He was SO mean that
never saw hiia, but didn't want To
snatch a gun from one of my men and
shoot him. had enough sense not to
say anything, although the colonel did
know I didn't like him extra we'll.
Finally got the chance l had been
longing for to tell him what thought
Of him. But see here, boys, if you ever
get into the army don't you think of do
ing anything like it. was young then
and a little foolish.
.sfEla s4t45a o,sii 49,.