Arizona republican., 1899-08-19

| climb on a lunch counter stool he has
made his living selling papers, running
er1ands and doing odd jobs. The or
dinance forbidding minors to frequent
saloons has not been rightly enforced
at all times in his case, as his circum-
stances were known and the fact that
it was visit a saloon or stay outside
anw freeze, has blinded many an Of
ficer to the letetr of the law. But with
all these temptations before him he
has grown up in a moral atmosphere
some times pretty densely clOuded, into
husky, good natuIed chap about II,
| strictly temperate and well meaning.
| Whatever of good there IS in him has
come through the discipline of hard
knocks in a cold world. When bust
ness has been good he has enjoyed
three meals per day. When business
was bad no one but Robert knows
what he did or did not enjoy. But
through it all the fires of American
patriotism. have ever burned brightly,
, and when the first shot was fired in
the Spanish war Ire longed 30 be a
soldier Early last spring his father.
who through life had been unable by
reverses to do for him what most
/ l.athers do for their offspring, got the
/ war fever and enlisted at Fort Grant.
/ He went to Cuba and was killed las:
July.
Though family life had not been
much of a gilded dream for Robert,
he thought a good deal CT his father
and revenge was then added to his
war spirit But no more soldiers were
wanted, and had they been Robert was
/ too young, and all he could do was to
talk His friends laughed a. him,
told him he was not brave enough to
fight, and otherwise tried to dampen
his ardor, bur it wets no use.
When Lieutenant Luna came here
fist seeking recruits for the Thirty
fourth Robert was among the first to
eoply. Still his friends laughed and
thought he was only joking, and one
man said he was only an animated
Josh" anyway. But Lieutenant Luna
took a liking to him and tried his
best to get him into the service. The
frs. difficulty was his youth Robert
scraped around and brought plenty OF
evidence that he had no friends, no
guardians and no "nuthin' to inter
fere, so he turned him over to the ex-
aiming physician. Robert was happy
when he went in and peeled before
the doctor, but when he came out his
lip hung down on his waistband. He
always thought he had a good heart in
him In fact it was all he did have
that he was proud CT, but the doctor
told him that even that was a mere
fancy and tkat it was what might
be called a tobacco heart, the result
OF having drawn the greater part of
his inspiration in early life through |
the stub end of a little yellow cigar
cite.
Robert picked up his lip and his |
ciothes and went out. Soon the news !
came that the Thir,y-four-th w:ss full
aid Lieutenant Luna was coming hack
to get recruits for the Thirtv-third /
Robert was again the first man on tn,
ground. and the lieutenant gave him |
ano.ner chance If he had only had
enough foresight to change his name
he would now be rolling away toward
Fort Sam Houston. But he didn't
His SecoEd examination showed an
Improvement in heart Opposite the
word heart the doctor had written
the simple word ''eXcfed." and passed.
him. Lieutenant Luna was accom-
panied on his second visit by anotaer
clerk who did not know the circum-
Stances III rumaging through the
desk he found the former paper mark
ed rejected" When he sent off the
second enlistment he pinned the form
er examination paper to it. Robert
IN the meanwhile was told that he was
to be ranking sergeant of the squad
that was to 90 to ForJ Sam Houston
and was to have charge of the men.
All that was lacking was transporta-
ton So he packed his grip and
waited. meanwhile visiting all III town
that he had a friendship claim upon
and bidding them a long farewell. He
was at las going TO be a soldier ard
prove his bravery, as we'll as avenge
his fathers death. He was also to
have the advantage of army discipline,
which advancing years had taught
him he stood so ruch in need of For i
the first time in his life he felt real
proud. He was to be of service to
his country and incidentally to make i
man of himself He was even going
TO be Z sergeant-at least for a few
days.
Yesterday the transportation came 1
for the squad of recruits. Robert was =
on hand when Lieutenant Luna got
his mail. When he opened the en-
velope the transportation was there I
for every one but Robert. For him
there was special document 1t did
not take him long to read it for it
said. 'Honorably discharged for dis
ability" Had the opportunity pre-
sented itself just a. that time the
chances are there would have been
vacancy made at once in the clerical
staff of the recruiting officer. But
Robert had learned in his valiant ser
vice for the preceding three and one
1rarter days r,ll5 the first duty of a
soldier was to take his medicine, so :
he saluted and went out.
Commenting on the event late last
night. he said: "Well it was hard to ,
give up all those ambitions and the :
three square meals ard a bed that :
have been enjoying for the last three !
lays and a quarter, but 1 has to do it.
MY name is still Robert DeBaud. but l !
don't know how long it will be. !