The Mena weekly star., 1917-10-11
THERE WILL BE NO
 BETTER SOLDIERS
Willie smith and Charlie NiIcoNen Are at Camp Pike and Mighty Glad of It--Why They Liked ShcriG
 Finger.

Sberiil H w Finger returned last Saturday from Camp Pike, where he escorted Willie Matthew Smith and Charlie Floyd WilcoXen, who after staying out nearly two weeks after called. came in and placed them selves in his charge Both the boys are in Camp Pike. and t is practice ally assured they will start into the service on equal footing with the others and with no punishment, be- cause the officers, thru the stories of the boys and the aid of Sherin Fin- ger. being convinced that it was ig- n0rance instead of wrong intent that caused their conduct
 Sheriif Finger says that young WilcOxen, before starting to Camp Pike, had never been on a train, ex- cept Co ride from Potter to Hatfield on local, and the experience of the trip and what they saw and learned meant much to both the boys. They were joined on the train by Donald $. Long. son of Dr. l.. W. E. Long of this city Young Long, who left high salaried posi- tion with Marshall Field of Chicago, to do his part in his country's scrv- toe, and has seen much of the world, took almost as much interest in the boys as did the sheriff On reaching Fort Smith, they were shown thru the big station and given n chance to view the sightsan all was won derful to these mountain boys. Then Mir Long took the entire party to picture show, and soon the young mems laughter was heard all over the place. They rode to Little Rock in a Pullman sleeping car and cer- lainly this was more experience,
 Arrived at the Camp headquarters, Sheritl Finger, with Smith and Will cOxen, were escorted to the colonel iii rommand. in gruif Dut kindly manner the officer questioned the boys. bringing out their history and their reasons for failure to come in when called He had heard that these boys and others had threat nned to shoot officers passing thru their settlement and these two stat- cd they were two miles from the place at the time the officers were thcre He asked young smith if he had anything against Sheriff Finger, and hc replied. No. I like him. Asked why. he said Why. he used tn be my teacher in Sunday school, and ha always liked him" Asked if he would have shot Mir Fineer if n had come fer him, he said he would not Asked what he would have done. he replied he would have run away
 Young Wilc0xen asserted that he had nothing against Mir. Finger say tnE. Why. he helped us get home.
 The old colonel turned to Mir. Fin ger and asked if he did not think ig- aoranee was responsible for the trouble the boys had made, and Mir. Finger repIied
 q know it.
 Going into the matter as to why the boys came in. the officer brought oit touching little story
 When The Star was issued last week it carried on the first page proclamation by Sheriff Finger. which was an appeal to these two bows and young David Harrison and Robert Manlay and to the parents and friends f all It pointed ont in kindest manner, the situation ani the desire to save the boys from iheir error,
 A e0pv of the paper reaehed the camp where NMlne Smiih an WI coNcn were hianr ltt one evenin WilC0Xen can n ither read nor wrl smith eoulf and read the procla- matiaa After awhiln Nileoven re- auesle him io rea t again and he did Tho first ihin in lhe m0rnin the request was repeated and com piled with, and then WilroXen stat ed he believed they were wrong and soon they had decided to come in and give themselves into the hands of the officers.
 Before Mir. Finger lefl them they had bren released from custody and had heen assured that their errors would not be held against them if it was found they had told the truth. and of this there is little if any doubt And, agoin and again they assured the grulf old army officer that they would make as good sol diers as he had in camp