Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-03-25
Grandpa. tell us a story about the

Grandpa, tell us story about the
war"
i've told you so many stories about
the war that can't think Of any more
unless invent one, and that couldn't
do But can tell you one about what
happened when l came home FROM the
war. How would you like to hear
that?'
Very much. Go on"
The children ranged themselves
around the old man, boy of seven
climbing on one knee, a girl of six on
the other Veteran as he was, there
was nothing Of grim visaged war"
about him. His white locks made up
In length what they lacked in thick
ness. His eyes beamed kindly on his
grandchildren, and an arm encircled
the waist of the boy and the girl sit
ting on his knee. A lass of sixteen
stood behind him, one arm resting on
his shoulder. Altogether. the group
made q pretty picture Of age and
youth.
THE first thing have to do in tell
ing the story is to make you under
stand how different we old fellows
were when we were fighting the Con-
federates from what we are today,
was Just sixteen when I enlisted. I
was under age-that is, they didn't
take boys for soldiers unless they
were eighteen years old-and I ap-
Piled at several recruiting stations
before they would let me in. had
to do it all secretly, for my mother
was dreading that I would be OF for
the war, and when finally I was ac-
cepted she didn't know anything about
it. 1 went home and waited till after
supper, when she was sitting by the
globe lamp darning my stocking; then
/ blurted out:
Mother, I've enlisted
cit broke her all up for awhile. Then
she went to work to get me ready to
go for soldier, fixing up good deal
more of clothes than could STUFF in a
knapsack. l stepped out to see girl
who lived across the street Wen call
her Bess."
Have you forgotten her NAME
grampyT'
Not exactly. But since I've started
to call her Bess we'll let it go at tnat
Bess and 1 were great chums, and
knew she'd be interested in hearing
about my going to the war. She
praised me very highly for my patri
otism, and all that, but noticed some
thing glistening in. her eye, and thai
was quite a revelation to me-"
"You mean" said the girl standing
behind the chair, that you knew sht
loved you"
That's about it. But she had a 10
of stuff in her and didn't like to sh6v
how she felt about my going to thu
war. She realized what 1 was doini
better than did. Many boy VIII
went of full of enthusiasm, as 1 did
never came back. / can see certa1l
ones now whose bones are there We,
There was Charlie Mason. I saw hir
as we pushed by him sitting on tn
ground, his back braced against tree
shot through the lungs, struggling TO
breath, the blood pouring But thi
won't do for children. I'll get on wit
my story. AS 1 was saying. Bess IN
derstood that the chances were I'd new
er come back, and when our regimen
did return at the end of the war NOR
than half the men who had served i
it had been killed or died Of wound
or disease.
"Bess was really a jolly girl, and a
through that long, dreadful war sh
kept up my spirits by her letters
There wasn't one of them but ha
something funny in it, and these part
1 used to read to the boys to max
them laugh and cheer them up toe
Persons who make merry under diff
culties are treasures, so different fror
those dismal creatures who make ey
cry one about them feel dismal too.
~ said this was to be a story abou
coming home from the war, and SO
is. What I've been telling you is sin
ply to make you understand what TO
lows. / tell you that was happy da
when we boys heard we were ordere
home to the town where we had bee
organized to be mustered out Of tn
, service"
whats mustered out. grampy?
Outstanding, going from soldierin
back to being citizen. had severe
chums in my company with whom.
was very thick, and we were talkin
over getting home and seeing all til
: folks, and ] was the happiest one G
the lot, thinking how glad mothe
would be to get me back again afte
having escaped all the perils / ha
been through and
Wouldn't Bess be glad to see 20
too?"
"Oh, yes. I'm coming to Bess. an
there's where the point of my stor
) hangs. We boys were talking abor
one Of our company who was goin
back with one eye shot out, whic
spoiled all his good looks. to girl
E whom he was engaged to be marrie'
We wondered If his girl would lov
him as much with one eye as with tw'
Then some one suggested that / we
mighty lucky to go back to my ri
: with a whole body. and l said, If
bad lost both arms and both legs Bes
would lore me and marry me all ii
{ same
Zone Of the fellows. my particuls
hum. Billy WEIGH, said:
"'Archie. wouldn't it be a goa
? 20 hnET