The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-01
49,
&!IH=z& -
A Great Soldiers
First Commission
By MARY MARSHALL

By NARY MARSHALL.
years ago there hred two little boy. in
big. comfortable house IN England.
There were three people In the world
that these little boys loved, Betty Hop
Per. their nurse. was ono. and Il some
times seemed at nrst as II they loved
her best. for she tucked them in bed at
night and gave them THAR porridse and
never seolded them when they were
naughty. Then there was their mother
IA very tall beautiful hlaok-hetred
mamma" who knew tust how little
boys ought TO behave and Just what to
give them when they vere IN, When
they oooshed or had tho Group she had
some medicine she made herself out Of
green garden snails, beer cloves and .
lot OF other things. This waa supposed
10 mako them we'll at once, but II tasted
70 very bitter that the two little boys
always ran away when they saw her
coming with the bottle Then, besides
Betty and their mother there was
FATHER" a stout. Fed-faeed man, a col
onel in the army, who almost never
smiled. although the little boy. were
quite sure he sometimes felt like it.
Now, one of these little boys was
named James and the other was named
Edward, James was the one with the
light blue eyes and the red hair like his
father. and Edward had dark hair like
his mother
Sometimes. just before bedtime, their
grim soldier father. when he was home
from the wars. would gather his little
boys TO him and with one on each side
of his chair tell them of the battles he
had been through. OF the great MARI
erals whom he had known, and the lit
tie boys would stand with their eyes
wide open and round and their lips part
ed the way You, no doubt. look when
some one tells you exciting battle stories.
But the strange thing about /, is that
10 their rooms 10 bed, Edward he of the
lark hair. would sink off to gentle sleep
while the red haired little boy, Jamea
would dream all night aheut the time
when he, TOO. would be like Marlborough
and Prince Eugene.
When James was ten Years cid a bey
who was to become his best friend came
to live in the same town. His name was
George Warde and he was twelve years
old. James. Edward and George all
went to school together and although
they learned enough in school to keep
their minds busy, James could never get
mis- mind away from tine stories his faith
or had told him of the wars so ne grew
Ip with an ambition to he soldier and
he never. never did anything-joined in
game or read a book-that he did not
ihEnk would hefP HIM to he a great SOL
dter
20 these three boys went to school to-
gether and the black haired brother and
George Wade somehow did much better
at their lessons than James did When
George and Edward were deep IN their
books. learning Latin verbs and study
ing geometry. James would Sit al his
desk with his hook open before him and
think Of the time when he should be a f,
soldier like his father. Sometimes as he
sat there, he could almost hear the sennd
Of drums. the fanfaTade of trumpets. the
shouts of men, the neishing of horses
thick of the fight, pushing vsitantiy on |
at the head of his regiment.
Master James The school masters
sharp voice &euld call MIN hack to |
earth when he was off an such dreams. l
and II was small wonder that when
James didn't know his lessons his mas
ter thought him an idle hoy
At this time tine English were at war 1
on the Continent One day. when James \
was only thirteen and half. he came \
nome and found hts dsrk-haired mother \
in tears I suppose all boys hate to see l
their mothers crying and James was no
exception.
oh. James," she SAID, taking her son !
in her arms Your father must ieapa !
us again TO JOIN the army In the great .
has only now received his appointment (
as sdtutant generaH"
The boy was all excitement and his 1
face fairly shone with Joy.
"Ad1utant general! My father adiu-
tant geneFshsnd To tain now IN the |
grea, waEl aaiy think what bay 1t will
os for hirnF':
But In spite Of James jay thu mother |
thought only of the danger to which her |
husband would be exposed. Then great
idea came into James: head that made /
him forget his mothers sorrow, He was
thirtaen-ahnast fourteen. He toe. would |
go To the war with his father. He meant
to be a soldier soma day. and he couldn't
begin too soon. Tha next mornins he
went to his father and. stretching him.
self as tall as possible. told him that he
wanted TO enlist.
Il want To enlist as a xolunteer-as
member Of Hour household, siE"
The stern old soldier looked 1t the boy /