Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-07-09
WHY HE ENLISTED
BY BARTON PlTTMAN.


colonel of the regiment. After the sal
utations had been exchanged before tht
cent of the commanding officer the vol
uuteer addressed the colonel, saying;
"-Cap'n If you need any more of Han
cock county boys, III get'm for you.
eff they're al as fne-looking pEysica
specimens az. vourself," said the colonel
.1vially, 10 like to have a whole army
cf them; our regiment will be filled VI
in day or so, but I'll let you know il
time"
After they had left the quarters Of
Che colonel and were stretched uror
die grass in the shade the newspaper
mHn took occasion to put his favorite
question: "Why did you enlistP"
Sometimes this question elicits an out
burst of patriotic ardor which fills the
air with stars and stripes and eagles;
sometimes (most frequently it calls
forth hard-luck story, which paints in
glowing colors the virtues of the victim,
but on this occasion the answer was
merely: We'll, have nothing to lose"
But" protested the newspaper man,
there's no telling how long you'll have
10 be from home, and there's no man
that will take the same interest in rum
ning your plantation that you do, for l
presume you are a farmer?"
That's true, sir; that's true" was
his deliberate response; but you see
things amt just as they was. Before
Mary left l took interest in everything
but now-I jes' turut the farm over to
a couple of fellows and though nights
wells to come to the front and fight for
my country. I'm "a years old, and !
.nint never done nothin' but farm, and
L thought I'd take little fghtin' in
mine ies' at this stage"
Here forced smile played over his
rugged, care-worn features. The cor
respondent wished to follow the clew
just thrown out about the desertion of
Mary, but didn't know just how to pro-
'ceed. We'll, l don't want to discour-
age your patriotism" he said, "but
you're giving up the peaceful leisure of
rural life for the dangers and excite
'ment of campaign in which disease is
sas much to be feared as Spanish bull
lets"
Stranger" said the volunteer, that's
Jes' it. From the way you talk bout
peaceful leisure l see you amt never
lived in the country. Farmin's good
Shing if mans got money or don't
mind workin', and don't, but that was
les' the whole trouble. l bleve now
when 1 think of it that if l had a had
more time to make her happy she'd a
been contented TO stay, but it seemed
TO me we was married at the busiest
ftime of the year, and then afterwards
it looked like l had ies' as much to do
at all times. always had to look after
the milkin' at daybreak, and then be-
sides the regular work there's enough
chores and the like TO keep a fellow
nustlin' all the time. Even on rainy
days there's harness to mend and such
But, FRIEND" and here his face bright
ened up until it was radiant with the
'if you could have seen
that little wife of mine in the dairy.
you'd seen the preitiest sight you
ever saw. In a little speckled calico,
skimmin' the milk and washin' the
crooks, singin' the whole time, jes' as
happy as lark. Sometimes it seemed
TO me she was more like an angel than
"a woman. But beg your pardon, sir"
lhe concluded, refilling his pipe, you
said yOu wanted to meet all the Han
cock boys here, an 1 guess I'd better
go make you 'quainted with 'em stead
of tellin' you all my personal affairs,
which isn't the right things to tell to
strangers"
This sudden halt in the narrative an
moyed the journalist, who had inter-
viewed woman sutfragists, heard the
confessions of criminals, synopsized
the prayers of ministers and even in
Vaded the sanctity of the home for the |
purpose of publishing to the world the
secrets of private life. The story had
somehow placed him in that super
sympathetic condition from which tact
takes fight, but, summoning the little
skill which remained, he determined TO
make the man lay bare his heart.
NO" he said, don't apologize for
anything you say to me. I'm interested
in it all. When man is manly and pat
riotic his life is always interesting to
me. We all have our sorrows, and it's |
q relief to tell them occasionally. Did
you say your wife is no longer with
you?"
Blundering as this speech may seem
10 mind which seeks and finds hidden |
motives, it was sufficient to satisfy the
simple son of Hancock county, SO he
continued:
Yes, sir; it's over three months
since / saw her. UDderstan', now, / |
amt blamin' her al all. She was young
and pretty and full of life, an SO I'd ies' |
rather to think Of it all as big mistake.
Eo' little tsIne after we was married |
sh. seemed 90 be happy, but then /
noticed that she didn't pear to take the
same intercs' in things. 1t was jes'
after she had spent the day at Sulphur
Springs with a lot of young folks. l
drove her o'S~ there to a picnic one
mornin' and then come for her in the
etseuin' TherS ,g2ra dozan ~ ,,,o,.a