The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1898-05-24
RECRUITS FOR THE ARMY
ONLY HERE THERE A MAN
TAKEN AmoN' THE APPLICANTS.

ONI' heHe THERE A MAN
TAKEN ANON, rHE APPLICANTS.
Army in a Jingle Day at Ono Re-
cruiting Onice-Perhaps Only m Dozen
Observation-Disclosures OF Recruits.
Old Glory flying from O second.
story window shows TINT the tenant is
uncle Sam. Over the entrance is the
legend ~. s. Recruiting Office"
The office is up one flight of stairs. a
small, business-like looking room.
furnished with some chairs, two desks
aud typewriter stand. At the main
desk sits the sergeant in charge. A
corporal sits at another desk WORKING,
steadily at a ledger; another corporal
performs upon the typewriter, and
third corporal goes back and forth
between the Office and the room for
medical examination, further down
the passage, where the surgeons sit in
secret state. Such is the place at
which they apply who wish to serve
their country III the ranks for SI3
month.
1t is very busy place at present.
Not infrequently 200 men apply there
In a single day, of whom, perhaps, a
dozen are accepted as soldiers and be-
come the approved property of Uncle
Sam after it is certified that they are
good bits of machinery. At G O'Clock
In the morning the corporal of the
ledger is at his desk, and two hours
later the typewriter is clicking, the
other corporal is waiting for business.
the sergeant Is in his place, and the
office is open for the days work of
Transforming raw material into army.
Not uncommonly the raw material is
waiting about the entrance for opera
tons to begin, and as the sign, coffee
open, goes up on the door they
shuttle, saunter, tramp and march in.
The first to come in is, perhaps, a re.
spectable-looking fellow with his coat
buttoned so tightly around the neck
as to suggest ali absence of collar to
his shirt The sergeant beckons TO
him and he walks over to the desk.
''Do You want to enlist?"
Eyes, sir
How old are you?"
Twenty eight"
HIN; you look moro. Can Won
bring proof Of your age?"
Il was born here They told mo I
conld get proof at the City Hall"
Have you got any references?"
"No L didn't think of that"
Come back here tomorrow with
references for the last six months"
That terminates the interview.
Three ont of four of the applicants
forget to bring references, or exhibit
surprise at learning that the nation
requires certificates of good character
OF its employees Just IA any other en-
ployer does. Next in line comes an
eager-faced lad, who takes off his hat
as he approaches the sergeant and
says:
II want to join the army"
How old are you?"
"Twenty-one.
"When?"
"Next October"
Come back then. You're too
young"
Wont You put my name down.
sergeant says the young fellow
wistfully. "I'd like to have my name
on the list
'That's all right, sonny" replies
the sergeant good-naturedly. "We1l
remember You when you come back in
October"
"War'll be all over by then" NUT
tiers the applicant discontentedly as
he leaves the place.
Forward marches n short man with
an intelligent face and an alert man.
ner.
whats your hoight?" asks the
sergeant.
about five feet four inches. I amt
very big, adds tho man earnestly.
but I'm strong and quick, and I can
stand more'n most big men"
I'm afraid you're under the height.
Are you five feet four as you stand or
in your bare feet?'
"As / stand"
Cant take You, then. That's the
required height, and your shoes add
half an inch. "
Don't wish they didr" exclaims
the man "a he looks down Mt a sole
worn to the thinness of paper. 'No
chance for me, ser9eaut?"
Not unless you grow. Those are
Jue regulations.
Out goes tho man, commenting
upon his hard luck and followed by
two other men somewhat shorter than
himself. Into the place left vacant by
him steps n stalwart young fellow.
with somewhat dull face. After he
has answered the preliminary ques-
tions satisfactorily and produced his
references tho officer asks him if he
can read and write English.
u kin read good" is the reply.
IAN ] kin write if got to, but amt
much on It,"
Armed with n pencil he toilsomely
inscribes a few sentences on a piece of
paper.
'Thatil do, says the sergeant
what's your name?"
jerry Flynn"
We'll, Flynn, you come back here
tomorrow, and if the doctors find
you're all sound we'll make you a bet
ter man with n musket than you are
with a pen"
I'm that easy" says Flynn. as he
strides ont with shoulders squared and
chin uplifted
That looks like No ] for to-day"
remarks one of the corporals.
So comes and goes the stream of ap-
plicnnts. Now it is a couple of fif-