The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-15
SOLDIERS AND THE GIRLS.

Tramp, tramp, tramp, the boys are marching,
 Cheer up, comrades, they will come,
 And beneath the starry flag we shall breathe the air again
 Of freedom and our own beloved home"
 Since publishing the letter of an
 army man of high authority, asking
 me to warn young. needless girls not to mingle too freely, unchaperoned,
 with the soldiers on the border, for
 the reason that the gay, handsome. young soldiers made love to pass the time away while the girls took 1t se-
 riously-aye, alack and alas-some
 loving unwisely and too well, an ava
 lanche of letters has poured in from the soldiers asking that their side Of
 the story be printed.
 Hundreds of thes, letters are mas terpieces their extreme length pre- venting publication. Each and every
 one invariably upholds the dignity of the soldier and his calling. Each frankly expresses the loneliness of the writer, enduring hardships far away from those at home who love him and signing wistfully for the companion ship during leisure hours of fair mo- ble women to keep their thoughts, hearts and courage uplifted.
 Tn every flock there is usually to be found one black sheep. In every regi- ment of soldiers there is likely to be found one ne'er-do-well daredevil who neither fears man or reveres God or women. The great majority should not be judged by the. follies of this one.
 The country's call struck deep into the hearts of young men in all walks of life Among those now wearing the soldiers garb are to he found young lawyers. architects physicians, the sons of great merchants. aye, and of money kings, men whom parents
 would be sincerely pleased to have their daughters receive attentions from. no doubt, If they could single them out. The majority are heart
 whole and fancy free. Many have left homes of luxury to enter army life. anxious to know the rough and hard side of life and profit thereby. 6Fa One young man. q millionaire's son, told me just before leaving for the
 border Che having enlisted as a sol |dier): 'I am tired of living the life of the pampered rich. need to rough it. T have not married any one of the society girls here because the majority
 of them have an eye +o 2 mans inner Perhaps as an ordinary soi- dier. asgyne nice youn q girl may be-
 come {Mferested in me for myself
 alone. If she wouldn't love me as a. soldier she would not get the chance to marry me for my fortune"
 This Is but one case among thou sands In making pleasant and showing hospitality to young soldiers, many a family on the border might be entertaining angels unawares. Don't judge man by the ,csat that is but
 toned over his heart It is a great les-
 son and privilege to refined, courteous soldiers to have an entree to good
 homes where there are Christian pa
 rents and cultured sweet daughters Their influence for good is far reaching and of great importance. Withhold ing such benign influence from him is a mistake. In every community where
 there is large gathering of men who are away from home influences, cer- tain kind of foolish young women will flock. Such girls should be held under strict surveillance and discipline.
 These are of the kind who love excit- ing danger and will perish in it. Who can foresee how the bravest of men will fight against and conquer temp tation which causes others to fall?