The daily Alaskan., 1906-05-17
A Feminine Instinct
tOriSina.l

COmDleNlOneQ ana IaLE udlEtur NlIl pAuh 1 cheeks. He had all the dellcacy and seusltiveness of a girl. His comrades called him Polly. There was another thing about Peter that was different from his assOciates-he was much bet ter bred than they. He seemed to me to be the son of some country gentle man.
 I felt sorry for little Peter from the first and shielded him as far as possi- ble. excusing him from the most ardu- ous and dangerous duties. hoped that my leniency would not be noticed, but 1t was. Some of the men who would have liked to be cOddled them selves called him Captains Baby and said that though he was too fine for picket duty, he would soon be lOrding 1t over them as an officer" But the best men in the company did not feel in this way. They recognized in Pc ter something that had been created on different lines from themselves and would often insist on relieving him from certain severe duties from which could not well protect him.
 The first time Peter was under fire watched him anNiously to see how he would behave. I greatly feared that after the fight was over his position in the company would be far worse than before. We were supporting the arul- lery, standing at rest while our guns sent their compliments to the Japs. Peter appeared to be interested in try ing to see the shots that left the mug zles of our guns as they sped toward the enemy. There was in him all the intensity of a child watching the work ing of a new toy. Presently there came a reply. It went far above us and pleased Peter as much as our own shots had pleased him. The enemy gradually drew nearer our range until their shots all struck within a few yards of us. Having nothing to do, kept my eyes on Peter. I judged 1t had not occurred to him we were in danger. I failed to see how he could be unconscious of what was so ap- parent but fanCied his obtuseneSs came from the gradual approach of the projectiles. At any rate, Peter seemed to be delighted at the sport and was shouting and laughing like a boy playing ball
 Another battery of ours was doing greater damage to the Jap works, who turned their guns from us to 1t, ! without having done us any damage. 1 was congratulatng myself that the fighting, so far as we were concerned, ] was for the time being over and our boy had not disgraced himself, but at that moment a wounded man was | carried by, the blood streaming from ! a cut in his scalp, and what should 1 Peter do but shudder and turn pale. | He cast a frightened glance above, as though 1t had just dawned upon him that this wound had come from the shells which had so delighted him, then turned to run.
 Stand fast, you little fool. Don't you see the danger Is over" thundered the lieutenant
 Peter gathered his nerves and return ed to bis place. wished I could send him home to his mother, for he the more impressed me as boy not suf- fciently developed to warrant his be- ing yet loosed from her apron strings.
 At the first battle we were engaged ! in the lieutenant was obliged to strike Peter with the flat of his sword to keep him in the ranks, but when the fight was on little Polly" was wild with the excitement of battle. When 1t was over he fell in a dead faint.
 I determined to make an effort to procure Peters discharge, and sent up an application to headquarters to that effect, based, first, on the fact that he was physically incapable of perform ing the duties of a soldier, and, second, that be was mentally deficient in this he could not discriminate between the presence and absence of danger. He was invariably undisturbed when his life was at risk and in terror when the risk had passed.
 l did not hear from the application for long while, then received an order to report in person at the colo neIs tent. l found there a young man whose resemblance to Polly" startled me The colonel, taking up a paper, said to me: This Is your application for the discharge of Private Alexia- witch. Owing to the mental deficiency stated, I referred the case to the med ical director. This is his indOrsement:
 '"The idiosyncrasy of being unconscious of real danger and terrified when there Is no danger Is peculiar to women. l would recommend that Private Alexiavitch be examined to determine his or her sex.
 Having been constantly engaged of late" the colonel went on, with the enemy, this application has been unat- tended to. Now this young man comes with the story that Private Alexia- witch IS his sister, who took his place when be wes cousCripted. l desire that you, if convinced of the truth of the story, take him Into your company and discharge his sister"
 Returning to my camp with the young man, asked why his sister took his place In the army. He said