Graham guardian., 1900-11-09
THOSE WHO ENLIST.
Their Reasons for Wanting to En-
ter Uncle Sans Service.
Unrequited Love I'm Many Instances
La the Reason-Trick of an Un-
feeling Guardian-Cuilins
Ont the IneIigibles.

| Out the In neIigibles.
In one of the smaller cities of Texai
is big man with small conscienc,
who has accomplished one of his chic
objects in life. He has got rid OF Z
small boy whose dying parents con
signed him to the big mans care. HI
did il by sending him to Chicago to EN-
list in Uncle Sans navy, though h,
must have known that the boy coulC
not pass physical examination. Wher
the boy arrived at the recruiting sta
ton in the Masonic tempe and related
his story TO Commander lliockinger
who has charge of il, he was sent ia
the officers of the Y. NJ. c. A.. and by
them was found work and home in a
city in central Illinois, says the Chi,
cago Tribune.
VI the many strange cases that have
come into the recruiting station here,
that of the boy excited the greatest in
terest.
tie was not more than IS years old,
and had been left by his parents when a
small child in the care of a guardian
who never liked him. There wasn't
much of an estate and the old man wan
not half the friend to the boys parents
after they died that he had been before.
So he hunted for some means to get the
youngster off his hands. He found it
when he saw a big advertisement call
ing for recruits and which said appren.
tees were wanted in the navy.
There is a suggestion attached that
the boys must pass a physical examina-
tion and had better be examined by
their bone physicians before they start.
SO that if they are deficient they NAV
be spared the expense OF car fare to
Chicago. The big man kept still about
that. gave the boy box of lunch TO
last him till he got here, put him in
day coach, with ticket and no money.
and went home to have a quiet laugh
by himself on his own cleverness. The
boy arrived here and was found TO be
lame, deaf in one ear, and near-sighted,
but he told such pitiful tale that he
was well cared for.
Commander Blockinger has MANY
strange cases among the hundreds OF
young men who enlist. There is some
thing in the evolution of youth that
makes him peculiarly tragic in his love
affairs when he has about reached the
age at which he is eligible for an ap-
premiership in the navy. As a result
thcre are many bitter-hearted Young
" J, !
started either on the road to fame or to
obIivion-for they are usually divided
in opinion between becoming great and
disappearing as the best means of max
ing her" sorry. Not long ago young
man, son of rich New Yorker, was
brought TO the local office for enlist
ment. He had had money all his life
and had misused it until he was a moral
wreck The old man decided nothing
but naval discipline far at sea would
make man of him, so he came out here
where the boy was living. "corralled"
him and took him up TO the office and
pound him over to Uncle Sam. 1t is safe
to say the boy will learn TO do without
some things during the term Of his en-
listment.
From 60 to 100 boys pass through the |
once IN the Masonic temple every
month on their way from farm or city |
home TO the sea. Of these the greater
number are from the city, but out Of the
total number of applicants from eoun-
try and city the percentage accepted |
is larger among those from the farm. |
lhese boys are sturdier, and the most |
OF them have taken advantage of the |
apartments notice and have had |
themselves examined first in their coun-
try town before CHANGING trip to
chicago. This preliminary examine
non culls out those who are obviously
unfit As between city and country
ads when once enlisted there is said
10 be little choice. Each is about the
pest there is.
NJ army recruiting quarters on West
Madison street,on the contrary, there
S demand for city men. The recruit
ng sergeant declares that the country
men are not so apt TO pass the rigid ex-
limitations, and they do not make as
rood soldiers as the city men, having
ot as much endurance. Many colored
men are being enlisted just now over
here, as there is a demand for men to
III the Twenty-fourth and Twenty
fifth regiments, both OF which are in
he philippines with "depot battal-
ons' at Fort Wright and Fort Bliss in
his country. The white men who are
aiken on are sent, II they desire home
ervice, to Fort Wayne 10 join the Four
eenth regiment, or if they wish TO go
Immediately to the Philippines are
ent to Columbus barracks, Ohio, to
wait the sailing of transport.