The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-06-18

49,
Hard is the fate of the ilincher. Every
man dcspises a coward and is willing to
show him neither mercy nor sympathy
There is little of the yellow in the Aneri-
can make up, but as. there are bound to
be exceptions to every rule SO is there
bound to be at least one chicken hearted
fellow in every community.
The chicken hearted who were unfortu-
nate enough to be members Of the militia
when the call for troops to fight Spain was
made were particularly unfortunate. Per
haps never before had their courage been
put to the test, and for years they had
passed for ordinarily brave men.
Those who, realizing that they had not
the nerve to go to the front, trusted that
they would never be called Upon to show
their colors and went to the state militia
camps there to exhibit their faint Of vel
low before the whole regiment, were most
unwise.
The average American is born brave.
He does not pride himself on his individ-
ual courage because it is SO common
among his fellows. When he finds that
one of his companions, to whom he has
given respect and esteem, is not worthy OF
either, he gets angry. He says things and
uses his fists. Sometimes when in this
mood decaycd vegetables, clumps of dirt
and back number eggs are handy to his
throwing arm. Then the man with a
streak of yellow wishes he had never been
born.
1t is not much of a national disgrace to
say that out of some $50, 900 men who
ave been summoned to go to the front a
small number of individuals have shown
the yellow. The rough treatment which
they have received has been a breach of
army discipline, q disturbance of the peace
and other things, but it has shown a
healthy American contempt for the shirk,
the fincher and the coward.
There have been few if any mistakes
made too. The men who declined to en-
list for good cause have been treated with
consideration. One instance of this kind
shows the other spirit. A company had
been assembled at the first call, and the
captain called for those who did not want
to go to step to tho front. There was q
moment OF silence, and then o private,
with flushed face and trembling chin,
stepped out.
IF my brother won't stay, ! suppose
Ill have to, captain" he said. Some
body's got to take care of mother"
The company understood and, led by
the brother who staid in the ranks, they
gave the man who had courage enough to
stay at home three rousing cheers.
Very different was the treatment of the
men at Camp Black, Long Island, who,
having passed the physical examination,
refused to be mustered in. They were in
stantly made tho centers Of excited crowds
of soldiers, who tainted them totheir faces
and hustled them over the ground. They
stood silently, with faces pale and jaws
set, wincing under the verbal lashing from
men they had known from their youth
up.
In the crowd every other man had two
or three eggs in each hand. Members Of
other companies came from their lines aaL
joined the hooting throng. Officers went
here and there making half hearted at
tempts to disperse their men.
go back to your streets, they said
several times. There must be no disor-
der.
These were requests, net commands,
and the men simply moved away a few
feet and returned. A member Of the COM
pany suddenly burst through the crowd
and flung q pair of overalls on the ground.
Take of that uniform and put these
on, = he commanded.
II will not, z shouted a lunxer.
A movement was made to hustle him
into o tent when an officer threatened to
arrest the first Inan who touched him.
Al moment LATER another shirker started
from the other end OF the company street,
followed by q bowling crowd. They scat
tered to either side, leaving him alone in
the wide, open space. He had q bundle IL
his right hand
Suddenly an egg flew out of the crowd
and struck him squarely on the head. A
fusiilade followed and the wretched man
fairly staggered under the assault. He
turned around helplessly and flung up an
arm to shield his face while the eggs flew
from every side, breaking on his back, his
head and his legs.
All the while the men kept up o fire OF
epithets. Some of the eggs went wild and
shattered on the tents az broke on the