Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-01-29

HI, YOU, THERE-LOwER THAT MUSKET!"
sympathy with the noncombatant the
of the half century since
his death have borne him out.
During the latter part Of the eight
zenith century a Quaker family came
Champlain. ANY one who looks upon
its placid waters will at once recognize
it as a place of peace, one fitted for
those who shrink on account Of con-
science or preference from contention.
This family occupied the largest of the
islands in the lake and for three-Quar.
tiers of a century pursued their peace
full avocation there. Then came to
their native land a gigantic struggle,
such as up to that time the world had
never seen and for length and breadth
and intensity may never see again.
When the war drums beat in 1861
thousands of young men on both sides
fiocked voluntarily to the standards.
Two years passed, the end was not in
sight, the enthusiasm among the
youth had cooled, or, rather, many of
those who had sprung to arms had
been killed, died Of disease or sent
home disabled. Then came the draft.
Among the descendants of this Quak-
er family who years before had settled
on Lake Champlain was Faithful Law
renee, a widow with one son. Pardon
Lawrence had been brought up by his
mother in the Quaker faith that it was
sinful to fight. He was boy of strong
character, and that character had been
nodded by his mother under the inhu-
ence of her peaceful religion and in a
peaceful location.
Pardon was but little more than
eighteen when the draft came, and his
was one of the names drawn. He CON
suited with his mother, who counseled
him that their principle of nonresist-
ance directed him to obey the govern
ment. So he submitted and was re-
ceived into one of the regiments then
forming in the region in which he
lived.
Though l am forced to bear arms
against my fellow beings" said the
boy, 81 shall never injure any OF
them"
What do you mean by that?" asked
the recruiting officer.
My mother has taught me it is sir
to fight 1t is her religion and my ia
TIERS, and his fathers to the THIRD
generation. / shall never raise my
hand to kill any one"
How do you propose to help it,
asked the officer, amazed.
'Thee may place gun in my hand
but thee cannot compel me to fire it Of
/ may fire up in the air where there il
no one to be injured"
The recruiting officer laughed ant
made no reply.
For the ordinary duties of soldier
Pardon Lawrence was found to be al
excellent man. He was quick to learI
those duties and submitted readily +
discipline. While the other boys. uset
/ to the far different life of the farm
! were slow to acquire that respect dul
an officer by private. Pardon fell int,
1t easily. Where they would now ant
again prove refractory the Quaker bo.
{ WIS always SuDSSENleuL 10 U1llJdC.
/ discipline.
Then came the day OF battle whel
the natural makeup of the man stand
forth. There are some who finch
some who grit their teeth and marcl
up to death supported by strong vii
and few who seem rather to EMO
the fray. Pardon, had it not been 70
the principles that had been instille
into him from babyhood. would hav
been one of those who take NATURAL
to fighting. On his face was the rel
olute look of the man who was forC
ing himself to endure the test to whic
he was subjected, but 1t was ther
from a different cause. He was bra
ing himself against not only the e
fort on the part of his officers to max
him fight. but against that hot bloc
which sooner or later comes to moi
men on the field Of battle Pardo