Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-09-24
CHAPTER w.
Times Have Changed.

Times Have Changed.
The SD of the Browns had started
for La Tir on the same day that the
128th of the Grays had started fer
South La Tir. While the 12Sth was
going to new scenes, the SD was re-
turning to familiar ground. 1t had de-
trained in the capital of the province
from which it's ranks had been recruit
ed. After a steep incline, there was
welcome bugle note and with shouts
Of delight the centipede's legs broke
apart! Bankers, laborers', doctors,
Wallets, butchers, manufacturers and
judges sons threw themselves down
on the greensward of the embankment
to rest With their talk of home, of
relatives whom they had met at the
station, and of the changes in the town
was mingled talk Of the crisis.
Meanwhile, an aged man was ap-
preaching. At times he would break
into kind of trot that ended, after a
few steps, in shOrtness of breath. He
was quite withered, his bright eyes
twinkling out of an area of moth
patches, and he wore q frayed uniform
coat with a medal on the breast.
is this the 53d?" he quavered to
the nearest soldier.
1T certainly isl" some one answered.
Come and join US, veteran!"
rs TOm-Tom Fragini here?''
The answer came from a big soldier,
who sprang to his feet and leaped to-
ward the old man.
It's grandfather, as 1 IiveI" he
called out, kissing the veteran on both
cheeks. Il saw sister in town, and
she said you'd be at the gate as we
marched by"
Didn't wait at no gate! Marched
right up to you" said grandfather.
Marched up with my uniform and
medal on! Stand OF there, Tom, so
I can see you. My word! You're big
germ your father, but not bigger3n l
was! No, sir, not bigger'n l was in
my day before that wound sort O. bent
me over. They say it's the lead in the
blood I've still got the bullet"
The old mans trousers were thread
bare but well darned, and the holes in
! the uppers of his shoes were carefully
patched He had a merry air of op-
timism, which his grandson had in
herited.
We'll, Tom, how much longer you
I got to serve?" asked grandfather.
six months" answered Tom.
One two, three. four" GRANDPA
Their counted the numbers of on his
fingers. That's good You'll be in
time for the spring ploughing. My,
how you have filed out! But, some
how, l can't get used to this kind of
uniform. Why, don't see how a grid
/ be attracted to you fellows, at ALL"
They have to. for we're the only
| kind of soldiers there are nowadays.
/ Not as gay as in your day, that's sure,
when you were in the Hussars. eh?"
Yes, | was in the Hussars-in the
Hussars! l tell you with our sabres
| a-gleaming, our horses bits a-jingling,
our pennons a-fying, and all the color
/ of our uniform tell you, the girls
/ used to open their eyes at US. And we
went into the charge like that-yes,
sir, just that gay and grand. Colonel
/ Galland leading!"
Military history said that it had
/ been a rather foolish charge, a fine
example of the vainglory of unreason-
/ ing bravery that accomplishes nothing,
but no one would suggest such skepti,
cism of an immortal event in popular
/ imagination in hearing of the old man
| as he lived over that intoxicated rush
Of horses and men into a battery OF
the Grays.
Well, didn't you find what I said
was true about the lowlanders?" asked
grandfather after he had finished the
charge, referring to the people of the
southern frontier of the Browns, where
the SD had just been garrisoned.
No, kind of liked them. l made a
lot of friends" admitted Tom. They're
very progressive"
Eth, Ell? You're joking!" To like
the people Of the southern frontier was
only less conceivable than liking the
people of the Grays. That's because
you didn't see deep under them
They're all on the outside-a fighty
lot! Why, if they'd done their part
in that last war we'd have licked the
Grays until they cried for mercy! II
their army corps had stood its ground
at VoImer-"
so you've always said interrupted
/ Tom.
And the way they cook tripel
couldn't stomach it, could you? And
if there's anything l am partial to its
1 a good dish of tripe! And their light
beer-like drinking froth! And their