Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1918-01-04
WAR TALKS
By UNCLE DAN
billie and Jimmie VIII Take Military
Training.
Number SIS

sAAo 10 Jou iucL ulkht Win ub. Odu
you stay longerf We boys are having
. peach Of time," said Billie. i
swell, II you get more out Of It In
the way Of pleasure than l." said Un-
Gle Dan, "you are going some"
billie, have been talking seriously
with your father and mother about
sending you to q military academy end
they asked me to talk with you about
It"
"Whoopee" Billie screamed, like q
wild Indian.
"Now. hold your horses" said Uncle
Dan, "and listen to me. You know
sent my boy, Howard, to one Of these
schools for a year when he was about
your age. He was narrow chested,
stoop shouldered, rather loose jointed;
he had the big head and needed dis
cipline and physical development. He
was growing fast and wanted him to
be strong physically"
"Say, Uncle Dan," said Billie, II be.
lieve your description Of Howard FITS
me pretty well, eh2"
SWELL" said Uncle Dan, ITO be frank
think it does; you need the same
thing. Howard did not like 1t at first. I
am told for few weeks he had rough
sledding,' but after he found that the
only way was to obey orders, he caught
the spirit Of the institution and liked
It. We did not see him for about six
months, then he came home for few
days. We were astonished at his APP
pearance. He had gained about 20
pounds in weight, his muscles were as
hard as nails, he stood as straight as
an arrow. he was courteous, consider
ate and manly. His awkwardness had
disappeared. The change was wonder
full and 1t was all to the good. Here
Is a photograph showing before and
. after taking and I am sure no patent
| medicine advertisement could beat It.
"Well, mother and I were delighted.
That was ten years ago, and Howard
says the year he spent at the military
academy was the best year Of his life.
Snow" said Uncle Dan, with great
earnestness, "when such training does
so much good, makes better citizens and
at the same time fits man to defend
his country, why should not Uncle Sam
| furnish this training at the govern
ment's expense? The government has
the right to call anyone to serve In
case of war, and without training, a
man is worth nothing as a soldier. On
Gle Sam has splendid new training
camps that will soon be available for
the purpose, therefore, here Is double
reason why the Chamberlain bill for
compulsory military training should be
| passed at once, so that every boy ply
sically fit may have this training and
not leave it for his parents to pay for.
| On account Of the expense, not one boy
in so can take the training now. I am
glad that you can do so. These big
crops and big prices, find, make the
farmers rather 'cocky,' and that the
best is demanded by them"
Billie was up with the lark the next
morning, more excited and enthusiastic
than ever. He had plan. he knew
Jimmie owned colt worth 800; that
he would make almost another 500 on
his potatoes If they turned out well.
and that he had from his previous
savings, bought a 800 Liberty bond.
IBillie's plan was to have Jimmie cash
in and go with him. He was disap-
pointed to find that Jimmie would still
lack about $500 Of having enough to
see him through. His lip Quivering, he
said: "rm mighty sorry to leave jim
mie."
Uncle Dan was silent q moment or
two, then he asked Billie to go down
to the orchard and get him some APP
pies to eat on the train. While he was
gone, 1t was arranged that Uncle Dan
and Mr.. and Mrs. Graham would adj
vance the money necessary 80 that
Jimmie could go. When Billie returned
he was told about 1t. He ran to the
phone and called Jimmie. saying
~Come on over, run Just as fast as you
can, I've got the greatest news you
ever heard of