Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1900-12-06
THOSE WHO ENLIST.
Their Reasons for Wanting to En-
ter Uncle Sans Service.
Unreauited Love In Many Instances
Il the Reason-Trick of nm Un-
feeling GuRrdian-Culling
Out the InelIgibles.


In one OF the smaller cities Of Texas
Is a big man with a small conscience
who has accomplished one Of his chief
objects In life. lie has got rid OF
small boy whose dying p.rents con.
signed him to the big mans care. He
lid u by sending him to Chicago 70 en-
list in Uncle Sans navy, though he
must have known that the boy could
not pass a physical examination. When
the boy arrived at the recruiting sta
tion in the Masonic temple and related
his story 20 Commander Blochnger,
who has charge OF It. he was sent 10
the officers Of the Y. NJ. G. A., and by
them was found work and home in a
city in central Illinois, says the Chi
cago Tribune.
OF the many strange cases that have
come into the recruiting station here,
that of the boy excited the greatest in
terest.
He was not more than IS years old,
and had been left by his parents when a
small child in the care OF GUARDIAN
who never liked him. There wasn't
much Of an estate and the old man was
no. hali Tie friea1 10 the boys parents
after tLey died that he had been before.
So he hunted for some means 70 get the
youngster of his hends. He found IL
when he saw a big advertisement call
Ing for recruits and which said appren-
tices were wanted In the navy.
There Is a suggestion attached that
the boys must pass a physical cxamina-
tion and had better be examined by
their home physicians before they start,
so that II they are deficient they may
be spared the expense Of car fare 20
Chicago. The big man kept still about
that, gave the boy a box OF lunch 10
last him till he got here, put him In a
day coach, with ticket and no money,
and went home to have q quiet laugh
by himself on his own cleverness. The
boy arrived here and was found TO be
lame, deaf in one car. -~d near-sighted.
but he told such a pitiful tale that he
was we'll cared for.
Commander Blockinger has many
strange cases among the hundreds OF
young men who enlist. There Is some
thing in the evolution OF yCuth 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
there are many bitter-hearted young
sters who come TO be examined and
started either on the road TO fame or 10
oblivion-for they are usually divided
in opinion between becoming great and
disappearing as the best means Of maxi
ing her" sorry. Not long ago a young
man, son Of a rich New Yorker, was
brought to the local office for enlist
ment. He had had money all his life
and had misused II until he was a moral
wreck. i'he old man decided nothing
bnt naval discipline far at sea would
make man Of him, so he came out here
where the boy WAS iiting. "corralled"
him and took him mp to the office and
bound him over 10 Uncle Sam. II is safe
to say the boy will learn to do without
some things during the term Of his en-
ustment.
From 60 10 100 boys pass through the
oflice In the Masonic temple every
month on their way from farm or city
home 20 the sea. or these the greater
number are from the city, but out Of tho
total number OF applicants from coun-
lry and city the percentage accepted
Is larger among those from the farm.
These boys are sturdier, aud the most
OF them have taken advantage Of the
departments notice and have had
themselves examined first In their coun-
try town before CHANGING trip 10
Chicago. This preliminary examina-
uon eulls out those who are obviously
unht' As between city and country
lads when once enlisted there Is said
to be little choice. Each Is about tho
best there Is.
AZ army recruiting quarters on West
Madison street,On the contrary, there
is demand for city men. The recruits
Ing sergeant declares that the country
men are not 80 apt 10 pass the rigid ca.
aminations, and they do not make a.
good soldiers az the city men, having
oot as much endurance. MANY colored
men are being enlisted Just now over
there, as there % a demand for men TO
OIL the Tweniy-fourth aud Twenty.l
nth regiments. both Of which are in
the Philippines with "depot battaI
ions at Fort Wright aud Fort Bliss 10
this country, The white men who are
taken on are sent, X they desire home
service 70 Fort Wayne 70 join the Four.
teenth regiment, or n they wish 10 90
Immediately 10 the Philippines are
sent 10 Columbus barracks, Ohio, 10
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