The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1918-05-08

was fired by a desire for revenge, by
ordinary spunk and stamina he would
have succumbed. He has never
whimpered once since his first COM
ing here, sfasaA Agtla
THE other day he shouted to me
bring me that long pencil; I want to
see what I can do with this dummy,
and waved his arm stump at me,
Well ne tried and tried and finally
made something that looked like let
| ters. I don't know what thoughts
went through his wind as he didn't
express them aloud, and giving up
finally, just grinned. Do you know
that some Of the grins we have seen
here have meant whole volumes?
Hes brave lad, all right, and has
only one thing bornering him. He
has several times said to me, ri
only wish I could be sure that I got
a couple of the devils before they
plugged me.
HE merely laughingly tells all
his friends and the others who call,
| to pick off couple for him, and from
the expression of their faces which
have noticed as they have left his
ward room. am under the i'm
| preston that you boys will do what
| he asks
"Brave!" A new word must be de-
vised for the stoicism with which
the American boys take their misfor-
tunes Of war. "Over there, she said,
pointing, sis q lad who underwent
one of the most difficult operations
I have ever seen or heard Of being
performed" ,a.9
I shall not attempt to describe it
as she did to me. for medical terms
and professional expressions are be-
yond my ken. It was necessary for
some reason. to cut the muscles OF
the back. slice them free from the
spine. Once a day this wound Is
opened and bathed.
Never heard that boy even groan
but once she calculated. That
was when he was told he would re-
cover but could not go back into
the trenches again: And now he is
to be moved to another hospital for
convalescence."
Full Awakening Not Vet.
Yes. of course, you are eating war
bread, digging deep into pockets Tor
Liberty bonds, flying flags and wish
Ing some one would have gumption
enough to hang a few L w. w. trail
tors and others of the same ilk, OF.
whom there are many in the north
west, but even though the casualty
lists are coming in, | don't believe
the full significance Of the war has
yet been brought home to you.
When you can watch for or rather
let casualty reports come to you, and
peruse them with at least outward
calm; when every fibre of your body
demands cleaning up of the trail
tors at home; when you have made
up your mind that everything you
have, every cent you possess. and
every thing and person you hold dear
are not yours but your governments,
when YOU come to realize that the
United States is entered in the
greatest war of all time and in it to
do it's damndest until freedom lis as
sured to the peoples of the earth;
when you steel yourself to pray for
revenge for bleeding France and out
ragged Belgium, a revenge con1men-
slrate with the barbarities perpe-
trated; and when you have reached
that state of mind you viii approx
mate the attitude Of the French peo-
pie.
Don't let worries about your boy.
over here bother you. He is doing
his bit and viii continue to do IT,
Chances are he will come through
unscathed- the odds are vastly in
his favor, records Of the war show
that, but above all don't be merely
a flag Wa;ver, but a true American
Forget the worries and be as brave
as the lads over here