New-York tribune., 1917-07-14
The Making of a Soldier
Hon It incidentally Contributes The Making of Courageous
Ups.andng Man

this Won have 10 learn TO swim. box, wres'ie'
and TO be able 20 combat with bayonet'
This is what n good non. com. ought 10 10
know. and the enthusiastic ones do Sho" ~
and n whole lot more. Besides TINS an.
learning about the intensely complex SIDE OF
the army handled by the clerical departme"
and learning to run typewriter. beS'oeS
This am teaching a class Of Russians ana
Poles 70 read and write English. BESIDES
tbi, am drilling five hours a day ar'f study,
inc American Constitutional History ana
Snanish at the San Anton Library. The CIVIL
ians that are trying to find something 10
occupy the idle mind of the soldier during
his leisure time had better apply their eiior1S
toward something more profitable. The army
is n career, and even if you get to the TOP you
can only expect to know little about IT,
Altogether il is a fascinating game and one
which | like a great deal, particularly AZ
there is chance for rapid advancement ana
even for a commission, Of the present sta'e
of affairs. II is something | believe every
man in a country should have 70 do. that ls'
be trained for soldier or sailor. You give
three wears of your life 10 get back ten. |
certainly feel big difference in myself. You
oil seem to feel worried because look
tough. The fact is am tough l have the
reputation already of being one Of the hard
est guys in the company. | believe 1t must
he some of my Harbeson blood cropping out
I have had two of the most beautiful beat
irgs fellow could get. ! have been knocked
cold twice. but both times by fellows bigger
and older than myself, but | made them
sweat more than water before they did 1t.
have knockout TO my credit, too. peat up
q won for calling me a name l OBJECTED 70
He had me going. but | got in straight LETT
20 the pit of the stomach that staggered HIM
50 that he dropped his hands and then !
smashed straight rights and lefts to the face
about six times. until he didn't know where
he was. All ! had to do then was to take a
good swing with my left to the side OF the
law TO nut him to sleep. He was out ABOUT
three or four minutes Brutal, isn't II? But
am not bit ashamed of it. I'm mad at tel
lows when I start to fight, but after te"
cracks it's Just fun, a game of will he get me
or will I get him. like the smashy noise
and feel when | get in good punch. | don
feel n punch much myself when | am fight
ing. but do after, you bet. | was mighty
surprised 70 find had been knocked out
when | came TO. never knew It happened
But all that seems to be on the outside, just
the same as eating and sleeping.
enjoy the Had and Spencer Just as much
and more than ! did before. l know, be-
cause read some Of them the other night.
And then the least thing that resembles
music gives me the greatest pleasure. An
other thing: have been introduced into tho
Beethoven Club in San Antonio. That is the
TOP of the musical life of San Anton. | can
90 there and hear good singing and Bee
thoven symphony when the orchestra is play
ing. As TO going to France, the soldier
knows less about it than you do, but know
Il is going TO be soon now.
Don't worry about my health. I weigh l42
pounds and l have lost all my fat The other
day picked 10 pound sack OF potatoes OIL
the ground and carried it nearly a quarter
Of a mile on my back
Write soon. and do not send my fiddle or
bother to pack it, But please put an Every
mans Book catalogue in your next letter.