Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-12-22
A. E. Johnson, in Royal Magazine

A. Z. Johnson, in Royal Magazine
1t is curious that, for all the
glamour which overhangs a soldiers
civilian of what the life really is
Perhaps If more were known the gla-
mour would be less. Life in barracks,
for instance; how differently from the
civilian the soldier orders his affairs
or, rather, has them ordered for
him. Consider briefly the daily round
of the trooper in the room"
But most remarkable of all aspects
of military life is it's effect on the
moral character. There is a popular
suposition that the army Is the best
refOrmatory possible for bad, or at
least Indifferent, character. The sup.
position is not always justified. In.
corrigibles there are, of course. to be
met with, but. as a general rule, there
is no gainsaying the bracing moral
effect of military discipline.
The army teaches a man sell.
respect-the first qualification of the
straight man. 1t sets the waster to
do mans work; moreover, it makes
him do II. He kicks at first, but, be
ing compelled. learns in time the
pleasures of honest employment. and
ends with a pride in the performance
of his duty, Then the life in common
teaches MIN that the respect of his
comrades is a desirable thing: to at.
tain that he must first learn to lie
spect himself. Gradually he works
out his salvation, and attains his
moral manhood.
Not always, il must be admitted. is
the influence for good. The case OF
the gentleman-ranker, associated on
equal terms with those who should be
his social and intellectual interiors. is
ticltlish one. If he has the right
stuff in him, he may yet rise superior
to his environment, no matter how
grave his past indiscretions. If not
To turn, however. to the grim side
of soldering. and a picture of war,
red and terrible.
There is muttered runtnr in the bat,
terry that the hills yonder are oc,
cup.ed by the enemy. AS we halt for
moment on the crest of the hin.
suddenly the scattering sound of rifle
fire snaps the stiffness of the morning
air. The noise pulls me up with a
jerk, MY half-1nished sentence ends
abruptly, and feel a shock within me
as of tug upon my heart-strings.
The talk has ceased on the instant
A curious silence falls upon us,
broken only by hoarsely whispered.
We're in it," from a comrade.
My emotions are hard to analyze
Ii is not exactly fear | feel. but
rather kind of uncomfortable ex-
pectancy. dare not look my fellows
in the face. To do so would seem,
feel. Ike impertinent curiosity. But
furtive glance shows me each man
bolt upright In his place, with
features set and hard.
The chatter OF maxim upon the
left swells into a Gathering chorus.
the irregular rattle OF the rife FIRE.
In the cold gray of dawn 1t is a chill.
ing. deadly sound, Then, with a
thunder of thudding hoofs, stan
officer gallops up.
"Walk-marchi" The sharp com
mand acts like spark that fires the
stiffened frame OF life. "Trot." and,
with jingle. jingle of accoutrements.
the teams. their wicked looking guns
Topping behind them, plunge down.
wards to the plain. The battery is it,
self again. Action quicsens the slug.
gish pulse, and in the excitement or
the resent the ugly jabber OF the
maxim falls on deaf ears.
At the bottom of the slope is an
awkward gully. through which the
teams scamper helter-skelter, and
come up with a gallop on the level
under heavy fire. Action 'front.'.
In trice the guns are wheeled rouna
and numbered.
Now for the first time begin TO be
conscious of the fire under which we
are acting. All round | see little
spurts of dust kicked up from the
ground by some invisible agency, like
goohets of dry sand thrown up BY the
impact of colossal rain-drops. Mo
mentarily | hear the mellow thins
whing-like deep vibrant note of n
oanto'S tight-strung bass-of an un.
seen bullet flying past me. An uu
comfortable sensation seizes ME in
the pit of my stomach. a kind OF SEX
ness that is hard TO describe in
precise terms.
Quoth Henry al Agincourt.
And he that hath no stomach 10
this Eight,
Let him depart"
Gladly would | depart. but that a