The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-01-15
REGENERATION
OF A LAZY MAN
Strange Weakness of a One
Time Brave Soldier.

who at twenty-eight had served two
enlistments In the United States army
with credit. He had entered as a pri
vate and come out as first sergeant OF
his company besides having been men
toned several times for gallantry In
action. The reason why he did not en-
list for another term was because he
had fallen in love with pretty seam
stress. who adored him. and they were
to be married Ida Harker was very
proud of her lovers prowess,
The ex-sergeant found a job as por-
ter In store. The couple were mar
ried and went to housekeeping In lit
tie place purchased with Ida's savings.
All went well for awhile, but George,
ent life became FESTIVE under the com
monplace duties of porter. He miss
ed the out Of door life. the martial mu-
sic, the metallic ring of arms and espe-
cially the excitement and danger of a
campaign. Day after day he grew
more discontinued and at last began to
shirk his duties This in time cost him
his position. He was not sorry, be-
cause he thought he would find some
thing better suited TO his taste.
George tried several other occupa-
tions, but did not show any more ap-
titude for work in them than In the
first. From some of them be retired
voluntarily; from others he was dis
charged Meanwhile children were
born to the couple. and since there
were so many mouths to feed the wife
resumed the work of seamstress. which
she had lain down at her marriage.
She still had the same admiration for
her husband and delighted to hear him
tell his friends OF his battles, listening
herself demurely and watching with
pride the effect on the others. How
ever. Georges position as a do-nothing,
permitting his wife to support not
only herself and their children, but
him as well, at last caused the finger
of scorn to be pointed at him.
At last an event happened that open
ed Ida's eyes. So long as George was
an ex-hero of many battles she could
brook his inability to labor at ordinary
duties. though she was obliged to sup.
ply the deficiency herself, but one
night. being awakened by the smell of
smoke, she got up, opened the bedroom
door and found that the house above
was in flames. Awakening her hus-
band. she babe him go TO the upper
floor and bring their eldest boy, while
she carried down the other two chill
dren, who slept in a room opposite TO
her own. Leaving George to his task,
she executed her own. but since he did
not appear her anxiety led her back to
discover the cause of the delay. She
expected to see him battling with the
flames. half suffocated with smoke,
bearing their son to safety. Instead he
was standing at the foot of the stair
case which led TO the burning story,
shivering.
George. for heavens sake. go! The
child will be lost"
George turned toward her face
white with fear.
"Oh, Georgev'
This was all. She saw that he was
terror stricken. A veteran ut standing
up against shot and shell. he was a
raw recruit at meeting fire. She gave
spring and dashed up the staircase,
The act of his brave little wife was
needed to enable George Converse to
master a constitutional weakness. Ida
had not reached the top step before
her husband darted past her with the
cry GO back" How he got through
the fire and smoke that interviewed be- |
tween him and the boy. why he was |
not burned ,mortally by the one or
suffocated by the other, he nor any one |
else ever knew. Reaching the room he
sought. knowing that he could not |
bring the child out by the way he had
come. he cried to his wife:
"Go below the Window
Ida ran down and out, Selling a
blanket by the way. In the yard she
found several neighbors who had been
attracted by the fire. At the same mo-
ment George threw up a sash above.
Without a word those present seized
the blanket, and the boy was dropped
safely into 1t.
As soon as George Converse saw
that his SON was safe he began TO re-
the fear of fire that had par
alyzed him. 1t was all gone. the
shame he felt only remaining. But
one idea filed his mind-to wipe out
the stain.
Jump cried those below, holding
he blanket under the window.
George sat down on the window sill,
.ook pipe and tobacco pouch from
MS pocket filed the pipe, lighted It
md began to puff as coolly as if there
we're no fire.
"Jump" repeated the crowd. 1.-THE
'oof may fall at any moment"
'T'm going back the way I came"
he said doggedly.
"If you do you are dead man."
"Then III be dead man"
He turned from the window, but,
tearing the agonized call OF his wife,
,ent over the sill. The look she gave
i'm told him that he had no need to
indicate himself In her eyes. and he
emembered that II he were lost she
would be left TO continue to support
erself and their children. He jumped
nto the blanket
From that moment George Converse
ecame an industrious worker and