The Palatka news and advertiser., 1917-11-23
The Beloved Captain :
From Student in Arms" by Donald Hankey

He came in the early days when drills
September TALL erect smiling; first him.
At the he knew little of SOL
dierng being drilled by the sergeant;
watching peculiarly his He look
ed bored. learning were fact
his job and from the first he that his job
orders His job to lead So he
watched things and found the time hang heavy
watched voutons learn the correct
the right Of command the
which secured the most prompt response watched
every individual characteristics We his men,
Already took the who tried hard but naturally slow and
distinguished them from those who nattentive
marked the keen efficient amongst Most
of all he studied those who subject moods who were uky
willing the These the who to turn
the scale If only he could these his d the battle would be
days just watched Then he started work. He
picked of the awkward and accompanied by
corporal away themselves ngenuousy he
planned himself but he thought that
they they drilled by themselves bit and that
helped and they helped him. they would learn His
thm and they looked at
him. and the pulled themselves together and determined to do
surprised themselves His patience in
exhausibe His simplicity could fail be understood His
kenness and optimism carried all with them Very soon the awk-
found themselves awkward onger and after that
they be a squad and back to the platoon
Then he drill the platoon with the standing
by his mistakes OF he made mistakes and when
happened admitting He would explain what
mistakes he had made try again began
take interest pride his progress he did
in We his and he leader We felt that he
credit resolved to be credit him. There
stronger and stronger as the months He had smile for al
everyone he different smile
We looked for it, and disappointed
On parade, long trying his smile encouraged
Off parade if passed him and saut his looked straight into
his smile greeted 1t wonderful thing, that
smile his 1t something worth living for and worth working
1t bucked when was bored tired 1t seemed
things different point of point
of view point nothing
like the smile of "Sunny JIM" 1t
something
his that he proud
o.o1,r
platoon And made determine that would When failed
him. disappointed did
He just looked disappointed and that
with ourselves than swearing
DONE He made feel that playing the
1t what he said He very talking
just how he looked And his look of dpeasur and disappointment
thing that would do anything avoid The
he had his way affections there
isn't anything stronger than love when as said DONE
He good look He big tall himself
upright His looked his athlete He moved with
of athlete His skin tanned by wholesome outdoor life
his eyes clear wide Physically prince
among men We used to notice we marched along the road and
other officers pleased
They greeted him with coiay which
the general to have singled him
approval him. Somehow gentle though he he
familiar He had kind of nobility
above
He justification for aris-
tocracy all nsincvey superor-a man
temper than ourselves of" in his own right suppose
that that why he could be humble
he humble if that is the right word and think is No
trouble of small for him
they often first would have thought that
feet from the trouble he Of there
always inspection of feet That He in
and he
the floor and look at carefully he had
he would prescribe and the remedies hand
by the sergeant.
If blister had to be anced he would likely
there and then make that
die and that dirt allowed aectaton
about this striving after effect 1t that
feet pretty that were
y careless So he thought best the
ter himself Nevertheless there
gous about this feet touch the
Christ about it, and we loved and honored him the
We knew that should lose him. For
he would be promoted 1t some dav
would command the Also would be kill
ed He amazingly unselfconscous that reason we
knew that he would be absolutely fearless keen
the job hand and anxious for his
about his danger So proved captain when we
went out to the front Whenever there to
DONE he there charge If moment of dan
ger ne was on the spot If there
where the shells falling bombs dropping more
tcky than in other parts that he was
ceted and imagined himself Indispensable that he was
so keen that the would do their act worhv of the
regiment He knew that fellows turning out at night for
in a FraStc