Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-11-22
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER u.
WHEN HE WENT TO WAR
Written for This Paper.1

When John w. Marie enllsteO IN cOnpauy
A, - regiment of infantry, Iowa national
guard, there was not the vestige of war
cloud above our national horizon. Private
Karle, or Johnny as he was known to his
family. was but % years of age, and so had
to secure the consent of his father before tho
state of Iowa would accept his services 40 .
soldier. That was easily accomplished, and
for three months or more afterwards his
mother and sisters were visitors at the hall,
which served as drillreom for Johnny's
company. at every weekly drill. They
watched with much pleasure his advance
ment in the duties Of soldier; they ex.
pressed their feelings in affectionate en-
braces when he graduated from the awk-
ward squad into the ranks Of the company,
and after he had been in the service for six
months and more they felt that the COM
pany captain was negligent to the best in
terests of his command when he had not seen
fit to decorate .Johnny's arm with pair OF
chevrons.
But there was to come day when their
pride was to give way before crushing sor-
row, when they were to regret the day they
had given permission that Johnny should
enlist as a soldier. That day was when the
first tiny war cloud appeared. Johnny, sen.
sible boy that he was, said nothing OF it.
The rumors OF possible war did not disturb
him in the least. He had been soldier long
enough to learn that it was his duty to obey
when the order to march came, and not to
speculate on the chances of the order com.
ing
It was his father who first discovered signs
of war as he read the morning paper at the
breakfast table. His sisters were still asleep,
and his mother was in the kitchen giving the
groceryman her orders for the day.
Here is chance for trouble, John, said
the father; .'better scour up that musket OF
yours little.
Johnny was not enough interested to in
1uire where the trouble was coming from
and the subject was dropped.
After father and son had left for the Office
the mother found time to read the morning
paper, and the first thing she saw was the
scare heading announcing a possible war.
Goodness me, what If Johnny should
have to TO-" she exclaimed. 81 must speak
to his father and have him get him out OF the
company right away
Johnny's sisters did not read the paper
that day, and it was two or three days later
before the rumors OF coming war warranted
another scare head sufficiently large to at.
tract their attention. Even then they dld
not realize that it was anything serious and
attempted to have fun with their soldier
b. other over the possibility of war and his
connection with it. The sisters comments
did not worry Johnny much, and they soon
etopped 1t was not until week later that
the first little war cloud had grown to such
proportion that it reached from horizon
to horizon, and Johnny was still member
Of the company.
"Pa, have you asked for Johnny's release
from the company" asked the anxious
mother at the breakfast table.
Don't think have, mother" he replied;
guess Johnny is old enough to ask for him.
self now if he wants out"
But, %, you know he wont do it, and
here is this dreadful war coming on"
Cant help it, mother. am not making
the war"
IT don't believe you care bit if our boy
does have to 60 and get shot down. am
going down to see che captain myself thus
very day. I'll Just tell him he has to let my
boy out of his wretched company"
Ills mother saw the captain, but did not
secure Johnny's discharge, although she
came away with feeling that war was yet
long way of. The captain had not yet been
swept away by the wild rumors he had
heard. When he got orders to move ne
would believe that there was trouble in
sight, until then he preferred to wait.
Shortly after Johnny had joined the COM
pany his grandmother had visited at his home
and was as proud of him in his uniform as
his mother and sisters were. Now she
wrote to ask If he was still member OF the
company, and If he would have to 60 II there
was a war.
II gave one son to the nation" she wrote,
land do not feel that l am called upon to
give q grandson now. II he Is still in that
company for goodness sakes have him get
out"
But Johnny did not get out. When the
night for their weekly drill came around his
mother and sisters tried to keep him from
attending 1t, and when they did not succeed
in that they decided TO accompany him to
the ball 90 o. to bid him good-by If he should
not be able to get back home again.
At the hall the company executed "fours
right" and "fours left, column right, etc.,
and at the end Of the drill the first sergeant
published an order promoting Private Karle
to corporalcy, but no one said anything
about war, or about leaving for the front
that night.
Johnny's promotion caused his mother
and sisters to forget their enmity for the
captain because be would not let Johnny re-
sign, a. they termed It, and Il was not until
a letter arrived from his aunt the next day
asking II Johnny was out Of the company
that they thought Of the war again
II wont pat ND with this nonsense sny