The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-06-22

TO '65. 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 IS only ~
years old, and he never has had any mil
itary training He has hearu me talk
about 1t. though, and 1 guess that hred
him up.
Mother, she talked lot about the
foolshness Of young men existing unless
they were needed. and l didn't fancy the
idea of the boys going. The first thing
/ knew the boy was drilling away with
a company at home. and he didn say
anything to us about II. Quieted mother
by telling her that this rmpany would
not be accepted and II wasn't. TWO
nights later when l came home mother
met me at the door and told me the boy
had gone. He had been afraid TO tell me
about It for fear l would stop him. lie
lust told mother good-by and said he was
going to Camp Black to be mustered in
at the first opportunity. Mother wanted
to fix up lot Of things for him to make
him comfortable. but he said he wouldn't
take anything. The Government would
provide everything.
well. ] was sorry at first, and then
thought how / felt back in 6l and
honestly. / was proud of the boy. l just
told mother everything | could 10 cheer
her up. / said 1 would wait a Few days
and give the boy chance TO see what
camp life really was. and then 1 would 30
down TO see him. and If he was homesick
and wanted to come back / would get
him out in some way. Mother said she
hoped he would get enough of it. didn't
say anything, but l thought If the boy
did back out now / would feel very bad
about it.
'Well It rained and poured. and mother
worried all the time for fear the boy
would get his feet wet. She thought n
would take cold and be sick. Sac wanted
me TO 20 and see him. l said / would
wait This morning came down TO New
York and / bought the boy lot Of things
that. from my own experience. 1 knew NJ
would need. l felt that If when ] got TO
camp ! found that the boy was ready TO
back down, i would give the ontht to
some boy with more courage. / didn [
like 10 think of that possibility. though
Il bought him some light underwear
the best that 1 could get, and l got him
two pairs of shoes that l knew would
stand the racket. Shoes mean as much
soldier as a gun. and the boy ha.
gone off wearing very light pair. |
got him a combination OF knlIe 10TH
and spoon. such as ] had carried for four
years ana knew the Ndiut VI S"e nm
a lot of other things. and then | went to
a good restaurant and had q basket filled
with the best they had. Il has been
tough weather, you know, and all the
way down To Camp Black / wondered
what the boy would say
when ne did see me, he said, Hello
father 1 hope you haven't come TO ask
me 10 go home
81 was glad 10 hear him say that. ]
knew then i would not have TO give his
outfit to some other fellow He was glad
10 see me. and when he saw the shoes ne
Rugged me. Then / opened the basket OF
lunch and he invited some OF his friends
TO share il. and we did have a good time.
/ told the boy about my own experience
in the army and they asked me an sorts
of questions. Ii took me back to 81. ana
vas CAD that my boy was going to
have a chance for the same experience.
am gong home now TO cheer mother
up. She will be disappointed when she
secs that the boy isn't with me, but
will make her just as proud OF nm as
am. / tell you, | feel young again; ana
| hope / haven't bothered YOU with all
this chatter | was so proud of the boy
and his grit that | had TO talk TO some
one. Good-by. This Is my station, and
mother will be impatient to see me-
As he rose and walked out ne threw
back mis- shoulders and Strengthened up
evidently filed with pride OF the 10y ana
the memory of other days.-N. \. sun.