The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-01

R~omhardier Wells gladdened the
hearts of all Englishmen by reenlisting
in the British army. Wells served be-
fore as a royal artilleryman in India.
When the war broke out Wells was cen-
sured FOR not Joining the colors. as many
OF the other English boxers had done
He said he had good reasons for wait
ing until he was ready TO reenlist.
Bitterly did they asssil his so-caned
lack OF courage. When he was good and
ready the big blond joined the colors as
al infantryman. His story Of why he
hes!tated is interesting inasmuch as
his is an unusual excuse for fail ng TO
go TO the front at the first call TO arms:
II am a married man. with "A wife
and two children, the youngest only a
few months DID," he said. 1T was my
domestic responsib!lite that so long
deferred me. and l do not think II Is a
discreditable thing for any man. stu.
ated as ! was then. to set his own house
IN order, with "a view TO falling In with
the call OF king and country. Ny po-
sition Vas unlike that OF many other
married men. ! was, SO TO speak. in
business for myself, in the precarious
capacity OF a professional pugil'st
whose reputation stood IN constant dan.
ger OF collapse as IA money earning fac
tor.
Il had no firm or employer who would
guarantee two-th!rds, or any fraction
whatever. of my salary 10 be paid 10
my dependents. As a matter OF fact !
had no salary At all except such ms
could win in lump sums with my hands
literally with my fists. In such cir
cumstances II was Wen to make SOM
provision for my wife and family first
AS soon as I was able to attach my,
self to the army again ! did so, and
am not making any fuss about II as II
there were any merit in II. ! enlisted
because I wanted to do my bit like the
rest OF the young men in the empire
| am still a young man and as 1T physi'
cally as any you will meet In an hours
walk through the streets Of London.
with the exception Of my two young
brothers. who are not yet eligible for
service. all our family OF boys have
given themselves to King and country
one OF my brothers was killed at the
front before he had been In the trenches
nan hours. and two have been wounded
you cannot imagine how deeply
used to resent the insinuations ~levellcd
against me by ~thoughtiess people durins
those months when II would have beer
almost m for me to have left m
family. az they evidently thought
should do. regardless Of all conse'
quenceS.
Il was as sensitive as any man or
such points of honor. and nothing but
the knowledge that l was doing my duty
to the best OF my lights could have KEEP
me smiling under the ordeal through
which / a W now triumphantly passed
To be misunderstood by ones fellow
countrymen at such a time as the pres,
ent and In such a connection was
painful to the last degree,
II thought of it day by day. and
dreamed Of it by night yes, even wher
In the ring at the Opera House fight
ing that great Irish American Franz
Moran / could still ind time to wonder
how many people In that audience wer,
regarding mo as that unutterably con
temptible thing-a shirker. The posi-
ton of married men is at all times 4
difficult one. Even In those cases wher,
wives are well enough provided for tn
fact remains that men are under othel
obligations to their children than tn,
mere duty Of providing for them. Their,
is their education and all that is mean
by the word 'upbringing' to be though
Of"
! Wells's wife used always to say tha'