Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1917-12-27
An Ambulance
Driver
BYE. A. MITCHELL
Scopyright. 1917. western Newspaper Union

position to enter the fray, so Jimmie
could not enlist in fighting regiment.
But he could drive an ambulance, and
Americans who went over to assist
the western allies usually joined an
ambulance corps. This was the best
Jimmie could do to make a soldier of
himself without fighting under for
eign flag
We'll, Jimmie sailed for France and
In due time found himself at tne>front.
The only comfort he anticipated from
driving an ambulance instead of fight
ing in the trenches was that he would
be in less danger. But when he en-
tered upon his duties he found that
In war there is danger for every one.
One day while driving load of
wounded a shell burst near his am
bulance and took away his right foot
and ankle. When he recovered from
his wound he was discharged and re-
turned to his home in the United
States.
Now Jimmie was entitled to the en-
comiums due heroism just as much as
any other hero. He had decoration,
and he walked on cork foot and
ankle.
All heroes in war do not receive the
same treatment, circumstances having
a great deal to do with the matter
Time removes many of them from the
public memory. OF the heroes of the
war between the States only few of
the central figures are now household
words. On the northern side, the
names of Grant, Sherman and Sheri-
dan are about all that are generally
known. There never was a hero Of
that or any other war who died of
disease. A man must be killed in bat
tie to be q dead hero.
Jimmie Throclmorton was conf
dent on returning to his home that he
would be appreciated for the work he
had done. He had gone to the war
from large city, and absence from a
numerous throng is not noticeable.
Jimmie was walking along a crowded
street in ciliZen's dress after his re-
turn. He Wore an overcoat that COW
cred his decoration button and no one
would have noticed that the leather
over his right foot covered cork in
stead of flesh and blood. He met a
friend and they stopped for a brief
chat.
Hello, JIM" said the friend. do
you expect to be drafted?"
i "They wouldn't take me; I've got a
cork foot"
what are you giving me?"
.aTrue. I've been to the war and
had my foot shot off"
Jimmie had much trouble in con-
vincing his friend of the truth of his
Statement. The man didn't know that
Jim had been out of the city. Jim
was working up some interest in him
self as a soldier when he mentioned
the fact that he had been an ambu-
lance driver.
"Oh!" said his friend, 81 thought
you We're soldier and passed on
with $50 long. Anyway, you've es-
capped the draft"
Jimmie moved away, cognizant for
the first time of the fact that the man
who does his duty to This country
should not look for a reward in the
plaudits of those he fights for.
He received other reminders of this
fact. One person. noticing his decora-
ton button, asked him if it was the
badge of the Sons of the Revolution.
Another asked if it was the badge of
a Confederate Camp. Finally jim
gold inquirers that his grandfather
had been a pirate and the badge was
given his progenitor for long service
under the skull and bones flag.
But all this was a bagatelle to what
happened to Jimmie when he fell in
love. He had suffered so acutely for
having driven wounded men from the
battlefield, both in the loss of limb and
from Il want of appreciation, that he
never mentioned his military service
to his enamorita. She asked him why
he didn't go to the war, and instead of
telling her that he had been there, he
said he had enlisted, but had been
fired from the army because he was
lame.
Jimmie got engaged in the spring
and in the early summer followed his
fiance to Lake OF course,
there was plenty of boating. Jimmie's
girl was very fond of padding. Moth
ing would do but they must go canoe
ing. The girl was a good swimmer,
but Jim couldn't swim at all. In
changing places they upset the canoe,
The girl struck out beautifully, but
on looking about for her lover saw
only one foot floating on the surface,
She swan for it and righted it's owner.
The cork was so much lighter than
sany part of his body that it stayed up
while the rest of him went down
Holding his head above water, she
supported him to the landing, which
was close at hand.
This was the crown of ignominy for
.Jims pride in his service to his
country.
q. One evening Jim took his girl to a