New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-07-08
boys took leave OF
r. mothers and sweethearts IN Wv"
War days, as they are taking leave

motbers and sweethearts IN ClVil
War davis. as they are taking leave
Of them to-day. There are the SAM
wrenchings and the same counsels--ior "
e merely another war, not another planet
Over twenty years ago Stephen Crane
wrote a book called THE Red Badge OF
Courage" which pictured the Civil war
very wildly; and from it may advantage
ouslv be drawn at this time such snatcheS
as the following, which depicts what was
probably typical departure to join the
colors:
"He had, of course, dreamed OF battles oil
his lfe-of vague and bloody conflicts 'ha'
had thrilled him with their sweep and hre'
II visions he had seen himself in many strug-
giles. He had imagined peoples secure IN the
shadow Of his eagle-eyed prowess But awake
bod reoarded battles as crimson blotches
on the pages of the past. He had put them as
things Of the bygone with his thought-images
81 heavy crowns and high castles. There was
=. norton of the worlds history which he had
regarded as the time of wars, but it, he
.ho,cbt had been long gone over the horizon
and disappeared forever.
"From his home his youthful eyes had
,ootsd pnon the war in his own country with
dis.rust It must be some sort OF play
affair He had long despaired Of witnessing
Creeklke struggle Such would be no more
he had said Men were better, or more tImid.
Secular and religious education had efaced
tho throat-grappling instinct, or else firm
finance held in check the passions.
ssTIE HAD burned several times to enlist
l. l. Tales of great movements shook the
land. They m ght not be distinctly Homeric, but
there seemed to be much glory in them. He
had read of marches, sieges, conflicts and ne
had longed to see it all. His busy mind had
drawn for him large pictures extravagant in
color. lurid with breathless deeds.
"But his mother had discouraged him. She
had affected to look with some contempt upon
the quality of his war ardor and patriotism
She could calmly seat herself and with no ap-
parent difficulty give him many hundreds OF
reasons why he was of vastly more impor-
lance on the farm than on the field of battle
She had had certain ways of expression that
told him that her statements on the subject
came from deep conviction. Moreover, on
her side, was his belief that her ethical mo-
tive in the argument was impregnablc
AT last however, he had made firm rebellion
against this yellow light thrown upon the
color of his ambitions. The newspapers, the
gossip of the village, his own picturtngs, mad
aroused him to an uncheckable degree. They
were in truth fighting finely down there. Al
most every day the newspapers printed ac-
counts of decisive victory.
"One night, as he lay in bed, the winds had
carried to him the clangoring of the church
hell as some enthusiast jerked the rope fran
ticaly to tell the twisted news of great
battle. This voice o. the people rejoicing in
the night had made him shivec in pro-
lcnged ecstasy of excitement. Later, he had
gone down to his mothers room and had
spoken thus: Ma, Pm going to enlist
'"Henry, don't you be a fool his mother
had replied She then covered her face with
the quilt. There was an end 20 the matter for
that night.
hale h. ox+ linz H. toI
farm and had enlisted in company that was
forming there. When he had returned home
lis mother was milking the brinde COW. Four
others stood waiting. Ma, I've enlisted he