Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-08-15
Seaman Guard - A School
Composition - By lrma !
Crawford

I will send in one of my school COM
positions. The name of it Is Seaman
Guard"
Dick Ellerton lived in the country.
He liked to go boat riding on the small
lake near his home and sometimes
when he was out in his small sail boat
he would ina CINE himself a sailor away
on the ocean. and that he belonged to
the United States navy. He read all the
books he could find about sailors. sol
diers and wars.
One day when he was walking to the
house from the lake where he had been
boat riding, he determined to ask his
father If he might join the navy. lie
walked very slowly the rest of the way
to the house. thinking Of what he
would say to his father. He paused at
the yard gate and said to himself: My.
but hope father will let me go. Would
it not be fine If he would.
He went quickly into the house and
after supper, asked the question of
which he had been thinking that even
ing.
At first, the father seemed very much
surprised and refused point blank; but
when Dick talked and reasoned with
him, he said he would sleep on 1t,
and give his answer the next morning.
and refused to say another word about
the navy that evening.
Dicks mother was very quiet the
next morning while Dick talked excit-
eddy about his going away Qf his faith
er would let him) until his father came
into the house with the pals OF milk
well, father?" asked Dick.
"Well, my boy, since you want to go
so bad, If you mother will give her per-
mission and you are sure you will be
contented there, l guess I will have to
give up. But l always had hoped you
would stay on the farm"
"Oh. father" was all Dick could say
He ran over to his mother and asked
if he might 60.
Tears ran down her cheeks as she
answered.: Il suppose l must let you
I'll hate to see you leave the farm, but
I suppose 1t is better to let you fight
for your country"
Dick could hardly keep from crying
He had not thought of this part when
he had sailed on the little lake.
Two weeks from that night when he
had asked to leave for the sea, he and
his father were on their way to OF
tumwa, so that Dick might take his
examinations for enlistment Dick
could remember plainly just how his
mother had looked that morning when
he and his father left for the station
He held the lunch that she had fixed
for him all the way as he did not have
to change cars on the way
At last Ottumwa was reached and he
and his father got off the train and
started to the office of the man who
was to examine Dick. 1t was short
passed his examinations asily and
then his father LETT him, as he must at
tend to his wor. on the farm.
Dick went with a recruiting officer to
Des Moines where he had to, take his
final examination. In this he passed, al
thouh it was not nearly so easy as
the first had been.
From here he went to Great Lakes.
Ill.,, to the trainin station, where he
was to stay four months.
There were over one thousand boys
at the training station. Dick went to
barracks A first. In few weeks he
took the examination for barracks G.
and passed, thus skipping B. This put
him up with the high school boys and
he had never gone to high school. Soon
his officer received medal for having
the best class Of boys This made Dick
very proud, although he did not boast
He received letters often from his faith
er and mother on the farm, and from
his many friends. AS boxes or trunks
are not furnished there, he had to keep
his letters and cards in one of his
boots (when he was not wearing itJ,
and he soon Informed his mother that
he had nearly boot full.
Soon his four months slipped by, and
he was given ten day furlough He
returned to the farm and there spent
his vacation. T
Then came the hardest part-bidding
goodbye to his parents and friends be-
for going back. He had decided while
in Great Lakes to go as seaman guard
so he had to stay at the training sta
ton two months longer
At last however he was on his way
to the Golden Pacific. with many other
boys in uniform.
Irma Crawford, age Is, Eldon, Ia