The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-05-28
Tom Faxon' S
Transformation
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

uen SOIOnel bankDeau OK tue bEit-
ish army went to fight with the allies
in Belgium his daughter. Gladys, in
sisted on going also to the front as a
nurse. The colonel endeavored to per
suade her. but she was u girl Of strong
will and strong character. and his OBJ
jections proved futile.
About the time the war broke out
Thomas Faxon. al American, came Of
age. His mother, a widow. had previ-
ously had the w%hiphand Of him, for
his fortune had been left to her in trust
for him until he should attain his ma
1ority. Meanwhile Mrs. Faxon con-
tinued to regard her son as a child, and
when he was twelve years Of age he
was in care of a nurse who the moment
he started in for some boyish sport that
would soil his clothes or by which he
might possibly get hurt would clap
her hands on him and drag him away.
Tommy, as he was called. while he
occasionally rebelled against such
treatment, could not help being lamen-
tably affected by it. Indeed, SO maiden
~ did he appear that no n would
suspect there was a spark Of manliness
in him. However, Tommy became the
possessor of his estate just before the
war broke out abroad. shifting the air
of liberty and of battle at the same
time. He resolved to go abroad and
see what was going on. So accustomed
was he to obeying his mother that it
was with great difficulty that he broke
away from her, but once the breach
had been effected he struck out with
what manliness there was naturally in
him, mingled with the feminine effects
of his training.
One day Tom turned up on the north
ern coast Of France occupied by the
English army. He told a soldier that
he wanted to enlist. The man looked at
the Immediately dressed Tommy, with
difficulty depressing a smile at his spats
and kid gloves, and pointed to the quar-
tiers Of Colonel Bankhead. Tommy pro.
ceeded there and found the colonel with
his daughter. who was in Red Cross
uniform.
II want to be q soldier" said Tom.
The colonel looked ut him in surprise,
asked him If be knew anything about
soldering and when answered in the
negative told him he had better go to
England and enlist there to be trained.
This didn't please Tommy, and he de-
clined the advice. Then spoke up Miss
Bankhead:
Il think the gentleman would be Of
more use as a Red Cross nurse"
Now. Miss Bankhead was q very
comely young woman, and Tommy,
who was like a bird that had just left
the paternal nest, was ready to wing in
any direction that pleased his fancy.
Thank you very much" he said.
with a low bow. Can you tell me
where to go to work.
"Come with me-
When Tommy was put to work nurs-
ing the sick and wounded it was re-
marked that he should don the uni
form Of the women nurses. 1t was
l%aughable to see him perform his du-
ties. but in time he grew accustomed to
them, taking his instructions from
Miss Gladys. with whom he at once be-
came violently enamored. She laughed
at him. but at the same time soothed
him.
With the first fight that came on aft
er Tom joined the Red Cross he was
sent forward with others Of the corps
to pick up the wounded. While doing
so a hailstorm Of bullets swept the
field, and every man Of the corps
sought cover. Tom was at the time
ministering to a youngster Of eighteen
who was badly hit. Since he was look
ing in the direction from which the
bullets came Tom did not. see that he
was the only nurse left on the field.
Then. turning and seeing what had
happened. he took the wounded boy In
his arms and started with him for
cover
Now. the soldier weighed pretty
nearly as much as Tom, and Tom stag.
gered under the load. The boy begged
his rescuer to drop him and save him.
self. but Tom staggered on amid the
storm of bullets and finally entered the
British lines in no worse condition
than a bullet in the fieshy part Of his
leg. from which streamed the red
blood.
Tom put down his burden and. not
heeding a cheer that greeted his feat.
turned aercely toward the enemy.
Near by he saw q regiment sallying
forth on a bayonet charge.
II want a gum" cried Tom, the hot
blood boiling In his veins. Where can
1 get a gum"
Take mine." said a wounded SOL
| der.
Tom seized the piece and ran like a
deer to the advancing regiment and
fell into its ranks. When he came In
from a bayonet charge he was carried
part way. being faint from loss Of
| blood flowing from a wound Of which
he was ignorant.
Such deeds usually become quickly
known. Miss Bankhead heard of Toms
exploit and reported 1t to her father.
the colonel. Tom soon stood upon his