The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-20
NOT CLOTHES ALONE.
Il TAKES MORE THAN THAT TO MAKE
A SOLDIER.

A SOLDIER
So the F1ippmnt Youth Learned When
He Undertook to Pose In the Uni
form of q Boy In Blue Home en- q
FurIOugh.
A young officer of one Of the local COM
panies is home on furlough. Naturally
he Is the recipient of a great deal of atten-
ton. This comes not alone from his
numerous friends, but from the general
public, which still-althOugh the novelty
is wearing off-regards the returned SOL
diers with special eye. This applies with
special force to the feminine public.
Well. his particular chum is a loud
youth whose soul is filed with regret ev-
cry time he thinks of his lost military op-
portunities. Nevertheless he CHATS his
soldier friend numerically over what he
calls cheap nOtoriety.
81 tell you, he said, ''it's nothing but
the uniform that they care for. 1t isn't
the man by any means. If they devised
cornfield scarecrow in soldier clothes,
you'd find pretty girls by the score throw
ing kisses at it across the rural fence"
NO." said the soldier stoutly, you're
wrong It's @ mixture of man and uni
form. The man alone wouldn't be run
after, and as for the empty uniform
well, there wouldn't be anything attrac-
tive in that either; but take the man and
uniform together, and there you have it. "
"Wouldnt any man doP' asked the
sarcastic youth.
''No, he wouldn IT, retorted the soldier
"I6 takes a man who looks as if he be-
1onged in the clothes to draw the right
sort of attention. -
Nonsense" said the ohum. "Any old
masculine would do, and III bet on it,"
Chow much?" queried the soldier.
- tod Fell AI-rk
can put on your uniform, go down town
and attract the very same kind of atten-
ton that you do"
The soldier reflected a moment.
"It's a CO. he said. '''Fry it this even
ing. Put on the clothes and let me know
the result. -
So the confident youth donned the natty
suit and trimmed down his flowing mus
tache, and put on the jaunty cap.
"You make a very sweet looking war
Tior, - said the real soldier.
Don't Fps fippantly returned the youth
as he gracefully touched his cap and pir-
Ouetted through the door.
With his shoulders squared and his cap
pulled down over his eyes he started for
the nearest car. He swung himself aboard
and took a seat Immediately in front Of
two pretty girls.
He noticed as he came in that everybody
on board turned to look at him, and this
filed his heart with delight. He sat bolt
upright, wondering what the pretty girls
would think of him. He didn't really
expect to be kissed, but he was prepared
for almost anything.
Pretty soon he realized that the girls
were whispering about him.
A word or two came to him above the
smooth roll of the car. His ears were
strained to the utmost, and his hearing is
abnormally excellent.
pretty, isn't her" murmured one girl.
Eyes, quite too pretty giggled the
other.
"Just out of the bandbox,'' whispered
the first girl. r.
''Or the moth bag" said the other girl.
"Why, Sylvial' then a soft duet of gig
giles.
Hasn't he lovely complexion"
Hasn't hep Not mite of tan.''
perhaps he wears a veil"
''Why, IlauraI' More gigg1es.
"Can't be real soldier, can he2''
''No-o-o. The ideal'
'But the uniformf''
perhaps the real soldiers went away
and forgot him. -
Prolonged giggling.
''Oh, Laura, I've guessed it"
"Well, what is it?'
tHe ism It soldier
"I guessed that
"He's a recruiting officerr'
A few moments later the make believe
soldier stopped the car and alighted. Then
he walked back.
"Jim,'' he said as he flung the cap on
the chiffonier, you've wOnP'-Cleveland
Plain Dealer.