Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-04-10
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY.
The Development
- Of a Soldier.
IOriginal.I

" brave: there are men physically
brave and morally towards; there are
men physical towards and morally
brave. This is story OF one who be-
longed to neither of these classes.
Willie Higgins was a delicate child.
He shrank from firecracLers on the
Fourth of July. and sharp report
close TO his ear always made him
start. He grew up TO be just such
man as he had been a chiId-timid, shy,
reserved
When Willie Higgins was twenty
he was still called Willie instead Of
Willie fell desperately in love with
Helena Gunter. He was captivated 10y
Helena's flashing dark eyes and regu-
lar features. of commonplace type.
il is true. but the kind likely TO attract
n very young fellow with plenty OF
imagination To make them appear beau
tiful. He wooed Helena by some very
delicate compliments in verse. They
had no effect upon her. One OF his
schoolmateS. Mary Crane. with whom
he had always been friends. was VIII
lies confidant i'm the matter. Mary nd
viscd him either 10 let Helena alone or
she would not know the difference be
tween poetic fervor and dOggerel.
About THAI time war broke out. and
Willie was given to understand that
Helena would not bestow her favor on
any hut n soldier.
Willie did not wish to be a soldier.
but he wanted Helena; so he enlisted.
His friend Mary told him that ii was
we'll enough for him to serve his coun-
try. but 10 take up arms for Helena
Gunter or any other girl was. 10 say
the least. unwise. This remark i'm
pressed him. and he resolved that lie
would do his duty on principle as well
as for love.
When Willie heard that the enemy
was intrenched twenty miles away and
the command was going to dislodge il.
he fell into violent tremble. During
the march he recovered somewhat. and
when the men began TO deploy for an
attack he experienced mild excite
ment which lac mistOok for bravery.
The illusion was dispelled when bull
lets began 10 cut the twigs above his
head. singing their spiteful little songs.
His legs. over which he had no control.
turned him around and were carrying
him i'm the opposite direction when he
ran up against the point of Il sword in
the hands OF an officer and was forced
to turn about and face the enemy.
Willie had gone 10 the war for love
and had decided To be brave from a
sense of duty us well. Neither of these
awaited to induce bravery. In vain he
fixed his mind on Helena; i'm vain he
thought of his duty to his country. His
legs still took him in the wrong direc-
ton.
The fights in which Willie was at
first, engaged were unimportant af-
fairs and soon ended. If he was so
frightened in skirmish. what would
he his condition in battleI He began
TO dread the terrible disgrace that he
was sure was in store for him more
than the battle itself. When it came.
he nerved himself TO go through il
without hinching. He did better than
before because he had become n vet
eran, though there was the same cow
ardly heart. His regiment was drawn
up behind hill, the men resting on
their arms i'm reserve. They could not
see the enemy, but shells coming over
the hill were dropping among them.
Then they We're advanced into an open
plain. Willie felt somewhat relieved.
He found he did not dread an enemy
he could see so much as one he could
not see.
The men were ordered to lie down
and fire from behind n low breastwork.
A bullet came along and grazed his ell
bow hurting him. He felt a mOmenta-
ry desire TO hit the man who sent it.
Thea his hat was knocked off. He be-
gan to be irritated. BY this time he
had suffered so much from fear that he
had lost some of the dread of being
killed. The next tap he got was on
the shoulder, and it made him very an
CRY. \ soldier beside him gave groan
and rolled over on his back. Willie
began TO boil. 4 man crawled out OF
n hole dozen yards in advance, got
up on his feet, tottered a short distance
back toward cover and was knocked
down by a fragment of shell. Willie
felt that he would like to head rcei-
ment and take the battery that fired
that shell. The wounded man was ly
ing in an exposed position. and Willie.
needless of the terrific fire. got up,
went out to the man and dragged him
back TO cover. A shout went up along
the line of those who saw the act. Will
lie. unconscious that such coward as
himself had done anything remarkable,
did not suppose they were cheering
him for an act OF bravery.
All the officers OF his company hav-
ing been killed in the battle, Willie
was made captain. Having found ii so
hard to take himself into action, he
dreaded attempting to lead others.
Strangely enough, the responsibility
caused him to forget his danger, and
he made very good officer. He rose
TO be major, which office he was pro
NOTED to just before the close of the
war.
When he got hnmn he found TINT