The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-04-29
DEVELOPMENT
 l OF A SOLDIER
foriGinAll


 longed to neither of thess classee
 Willie Huggins was q delicate child. He shrank from frecrackers on the Fourth of July. and sharp report close to his ear always made him start. He grew up to be just such a man as he had been child-timid. shy. reserved
 When Willie HueEins was twenty he was still called Willie instead of will.-he fell desperately In love with Helena Gunter. He was captivated by Helena's flashing dark eyes and regu- lar features, of c commonplace type. it is true. but the kind likely to attract 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 VII He's confidant in the matter. Mary ad- vised him either to let Helena alone or woo her in e more practical way. since she would not know the difference be- tween poetic fervor and doggereL About that time war broke out. and Willie was given to understand that Helena would not bestow her favor on any but soldier.
 Willie did not wish to be a soldier. but he wanted Helena: SO he enlisted His friend Mary told him that 1t was well enough for him to serve his coun- try, but to take up arms for Helena Gunter or any other girl was. to say the least. unwise. This remark im- pressed him. and he resolved that he 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 1t, be fell Into violent tremble. During the march be recovered somewhat. and when the men began to deploy for an attack he experienced a mild excite ment which he mistook for bravery. The Illusion was dispelled when bull lets began to cut the twigs above his head. singing their spiteful little songs. His legs. over which be had no control. turned him around and were carrying him In the opposite direction when he ran up against the point of sword in the hands of an officer and was forced to turn about and face the enemy.
 Willie had gone to the war for love and had decided to be brave from q sense of duty as we'll Neither of these avalled to Induce bravery. In vain he fixed his mind on Helena: in 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 unlmportant af- fairs and soon ended. If he was so frightened In a skirmish. what would be hlS condition in a battle? He began ,o dread the terrible disgrace that he was sure was in store for him more than the battle itself. When it came. be nerved himself to go through 1t without flnching. He did better than before because he had become a vet eran. though there was the same cow ardly heart. His regiment was drawn up behind a bill. the men resting on their arms In reserve They could not see the enemy. but shells coming over the hill were dropping among them. Then they were 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 10 lie down and fire from behind low breastwork. A bullet came along and grazed his el- bow. hurting him. He felt momenta- " desire to bit the man who sent 1t. Then bis hat was knocked on. He be- gan to be irritatsd By this time he had suffered co 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 gry. A soldier beside him gave Q groan and rolled over on his back. Willie began to boil. A man crawled out of hole a dozen yards in advance. got up on his feet. tottered a short distance back toward cover and was knocked down by e fragment of shell. Willie felt that he would like to head regi- 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. VII lie. unconscious that such a 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 hay. ing been killed in the battle. Willie was made captain. Having found 1t 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 q 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 home. he found that l-A NAI l..a.f