The Republican journal., 1918-02-14
Particularly Personal.

met an elderly man the other day
erect, alert and gravely cheerful-and
we talked of the war, of the stay-at-
homes place and part in it. 1t strikes
me that what this man said is worth re-
cording. Here it is in his own words, as
nearly as | can remember:
This isn't paper war we've entered
on; it's real, life and death struggle for
mans freedom on earth. We've each
got to shoulder our share of the burden
and do what we can to strengthen the
governments arm. | am doing my little
to the best of my ability, and it makes
me glad and proud. l don't feel any
longer as if were ON the scrap pile.
"What is it that Pm doing? I'll tell
you, and mind you it is in no spirit of
boastfulness; it is what thousands of 9TH
ers are doing all up and down the land.
| am going without certain things these
days, things formerly thought essential
to my comfort and happiness. | have
the money to buy these thlngs-though l
am far from well cff-but Pm going with
out them because In so doing 1t helps the
government to tlnd at least one modest
market for its Liberty BONDS, its War
Saving Stamps, its Thrift Stamps. By
going without | can help the Red CT oss
little, the Y. M G. A. little, and give
little to other needs as they come up.
TO do what | may in these directions
| am wearing my last winters hat and
shoes and overcoat, and other articles |
need not specify. am walking where
used TO ride; am reading about the plays
at the theatre instead OF seeing them as
used to-and loved to; am putting but
one scant spoonful OF sugar in my coffee
when 1t was two heaping ones before; |
am forgetting how d beetSteak tastes; |
am cultlvating d liking for corn meal
bread, ! am guarding against waste III the
house as a mIser guards against thief
who d steal his gold. Pm living by rule,
in short, where Deiore used TO live py
inclination. And il | look bit seedy on
{ the street, | don't feel that way by a
good deal. | am handsomely clothed with
tie sense that Pm repaylng III some little
degree That generous oIo relative OF mine
-Cncle oam-fof his care and protection
OF me through all the years that are past
And not one of these small things
thai I'm DONG Tut has h,ipeu me moral
ly, physically and spiritually | am a
better man tor it all round. | have a
zest Tor life never knew before, have
d greater prIde III MY citizenship; have
a greater glory Ill my Flag. l iceland
here ) the pOlut-lhat weakling though |
am, uttle vital stream OF impeding
force flows OUT from NE INTO the great
chdnnel of actIV4tIeS at " ashIngton,
| have part III them. / belong! And,
most wonderful OF all, | am beng PAID
for these Tetrenchments as go along by
the sense that | am d 1--we contributing
factor toward the ultimate obstruction OF
the devourlng German beast"
brother, Isn there d lesson IN this tor
us-you anu me2 Our country asks but
little OF US at the present tlme-a small
degree oil Seii-reStralnt, seif-denlal, SELF
conquest, that she may go into Dattle
tuuy armed ana equipped tor victory.
Later, she will call on US for greater
measure of seif-a bnegatlon, of selt-con-
secratlon to her holy cause. Why not
as our boys in camp are doing now-traln
our souls and bodies to the real burdens
they must bear IN the day to come? The
first steps are the ones that count; let us
take them now, and those that must
surely follow will not seem half so hard.
And remember, as my friend said, we
shall have our reward as we go along
the sense that we are contributing to the
down. fall OF the unSpeakable German
BeaSt.-ThomaS Addison of The Vigil
anteS