Evening journal., 1914-04-21
SOLDIER SUIT
FOR OFFICIAL ON
WAR HERO LIST

Persons standing in the vicinity Of
Tenth and Market streets this morn
ing heard a strange mixture OF noises
coming from the Market street en-
trance of the court house. Arriving
at the Office of Clerk of the Peace
Harry A. Brown. they discovered that
the noise was caused by a combina-
ton of about fifty Of the heartiest
peals of laughter that have echoed
through the old court house for many
years It was evident that a joke
was taking place, and IL did not take
much investigation to discover that IL
was being played on Clerk Of the
Peace Brown.
Some kind friend who read In THE
EVENING JOURNAL several days ago
that Mr.. Brown was one of the pat
riotic officials in the court house who
are willing TO take up arms against
Mexico In the event of war had de-
cided that such bravery should not
go unrewarded. and therefore present
ed him with soldier suit. bullets,
sword and gun. The equipment was
complete, and ordinarily would have
delighted the heart of a real warrior,
but the suit was too small for Mr.
Brown The suit was originally in
tended for soldier about four or
/ five years OF age, the gun would not
shoot, the bullets we're of wood and
the sword would hardly cut butter in
/ August, but Just the same Mr.. Brown
was highly pleased and expressed his
appreciation to the donor In warm"
terms of pleasure.
] The small company in the Court
/ House who signed the agreement TO en-
/ list in Uncle SANS service at the first
call for volunteers are rapidly entering
/ the Hall of Fame One of this number
this morning. however. did not seem TO
appreciate his good fortune az becom-
ing famous in so short a time. and eN-
pressed his feeling in the following
brief. but comprehensive statement "l
would rather be down in Mexico fight
ing the Greasers than up here listening
10 these. kidders.'
Robert L. Armstrong, who is a clerk
in Mr. Browns Office has come IN for
a good share of 'ioshing' on account Of
his refusal TO sign an agreement. >.
Wallace Reynolds has also leaped into
fame by recruiting company OF "vol-
unteers" from among the Court House
employees. with the names on the agree
ment as charter members. Mr.. Reynolds
is captain. Norman Crouch is first lieu
tenant and Harry a. Brown is second
lieutenant. while all the rest are ser
reants and corporals. Mr. Reynolds
hopes. in a few days. 10 enlist at least
one private. THE EVENING JOUR
/ NAL reporter has been elected press
agent Of the company, which viii hio
60 Mexico at the first call for volun-
teers. maybe.
There is an amusing story back o'
the signing Of the agreement by som'
of the courthouse officials to 60 Il
war. Robert l.. Armstrong, clerk II
a courthouse office. soon is TO be
married. Some of his friends in th'
county offices drew up and signed thu
agreement and submitted II to Arm
strong. When he was handed thi
agreement. signed by various Off
cials, Armstrong frankly told tn
signers that he preferred staying a
home and marrying 10 going TO wal
He laughed at the iests Of his col
leagues. told them b 60 10 war
they wanted to. and that he intende
to become another kind Of a hero
His colleagues. with a laugh, cruple
ND the agreement and tossed Il int
waste basket. Armstrong saw hi
turn for a Joke Secretly he abstract
ed the agreement, signed by the Off
cials. from the basket. and gave it L
a reporter. That the signers wer
surprised when they read the agree
ment in THE EVENING JOURNAL
goes without saying. The "agree
ment" was as follows:
We, the undersigned, hereby
showing our patriotism and love
of country, pledge ourselves to
enlist for service in fighting Mex
leo. at the first call for volun-
teers.
II. A. Brown.
John l.. Wright,
G. Candy Hopkins,
II. c. S. Bauer.s
II II Newell