The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-01

with pride Child though James was.
i the father knew that the lad was a real
soldier at heart
You shall Co. my son." he said, and
may you be brave and strong hearted"
Imagine how James mother felt.
Imagine how your own mother would
feel If. when you were thirteen and a
half, you went off TO war in a comra ny
of rough soldiers-especially. II you, like
young James. were none too strong and
robust in health and needed her mother
ly care
But for all her mothers tears the boy
and his father started off one hot July
day and James felt sure that his brav-
cry would win immediate applause. and
that when he came back home he would
come back as a hero. He pictured to
himself how the people would come out
to cheer him as he returned-how the
boys he had said his lessons with IN
school would now be proud to know him
and press around him and urge him to
tell them Of the deeds he had done.
Butte make a long story short
James military career was suddenly cut
short. Before he saw any fghting--even
when he was still on the way from Eng
land-he grew so pale and III that his
father put him on board a ship sailing
for home and went on without him. Back
to school the hov had I" 20 and "
may be sure It was hard for him to have
TO study with boys whom he had hoped
to entertain with stories of his bravery
when he returned.
Had to come back cause you were
sick, the boys would say at him some
times. Couldn't get along without your
mother But these taunts only made
James all the more determined some day
to do himself proud on the field of battle. |
James with this one idea in mind. |
spent all the time he could spare from
his books to exercise his body, because
he knew that unless he grew stronger and |
more robust he could never be the great
warrior 1t was his secret ambition to be-
come. All this time George Warde, his
James told him that he wanted to grow
stronger by exercise he promised to help |
him all he could and the two boys used |
to sperd many pleasant afternoons to-
gether after school hours. fencing and
riding horseback together.
One day when James was visiting his
friend during the Christmas holidays. a
few days before his fifteenth birthday. |
the two boys were together in a little |
brick summer house behind the Warde |
mansion. This little house had been used |
for a pigeon house. but now that there |
were no pigeons there the two boys used |
It for their fencing quarters.
This fencing has done much to bring |
back the color to your cheeks, James,"
said George. after a bout in which |
James had shown no small skill with the |
foils. When your father comes from |
the wars he will SEQ a great change"
When he comes repeated the boy. |
Alas! that will not be for many q month |
perhaps not for years To think that |
I might have remained with him and |
that might have seen some real action |
II had been strong enough to stand It. |
He was no doubt ashamed to have a son |
who could not endure hardship even for |
few months. He will perhaps not be
willing to take me into his service
again
When you get to be a man. when
you are twenty-that will be only FIVE
years. James-then you can enlist sure
ly."
''Five ysarsr' exclaimed James. why,
the wars may be over by that time"
George could give his companion no
further encouragement. He knew how
hard It was for James to stay at home
whsn his heart was all in the war. but
he didn't want to hold out any false
hopes to him.
Come said George. 'let US go back
to our fencing. Wait, there IL the post
horn At the gate. I wonder who gets Q
letter"
As IN those days letters vere not near