The Twin City star., 1918-05-04
"How would you like 1t putp' he


or dashing forth to grasp the flag from
hostile hands; or picking up burn
ing bomb; or throwing yourself in
front of your captain to save his pre-
cious uniform from an approaching
bullet-or shall it be just plain case
an empty knapsack and visiting card
to tell the story of life cut down in
the bloom Of youth2"
"You can fix it as you please" said
the young man solemnly. II suppose
you newspaper fellows have to put
things in to fill up and as am going
to die it won't make much difference
how it happens. But I'll be satisfied
with just line-just say Pm dead.
That's all ask"
II suppose" he said, "that you have
never taken time to consider why my
paper keeps me out here or why stay.
1t isn't for the fun of the thing, as
sure you. They are not paying me a
salary and expenses merely to spend
their surplus or to enable me to tele-
graph bogus news. II you had had
four years of the work only to get
complaints from alleged editors, who
sit in easy chairs and think they rule
in the country with headline or a
dOuble-leaded screed and who know
more than all the generals and corre-
spOndents in both armies you would
understand things better. It's hard
enough TO persuade these omnipOteDts
to recognize real news when they see
it, much less to send them statements
which are not true" .....
Harner's sarcasm went for naught.
The soldier did not comprehend it apd
apparently did not care to. His Only
reply was vaguely put. II suppose I
would" he said, "but you'll do this for
me, won't your
'Of course not"
"Why won't yOu?"
"Simply because WON'T" said Han
ner with emphasis.
The soldier stood as If undetermined
what to do. Then he looked up and
said: "Well, never mind, for you'll
have to do it anyhow"
Il hope not" replied Harner, and
more seriously, you're too young to
die. Your country needs you even If
your sweetheart doesn't"
Blushing deeply and stammering
something which Harner did not un-
derstand the soldier turned and walk.
ed rapidly away.
The battle was, fought. Throughout
the conflict Harner was here, there
and everywhere getting facts and
names and details. There was no time
In that awful slaughter to notice
trifies. Human lives were as cheap as
grass and were moved down as mer-
cilessly. So it happened that it was
not until several days later when the
papers containing the reports reach
ed the moving army that Harner OBJ
served his own report: ."E re- .
"MonsOn, William H.-Private Com
pany c. Enlisted from Spring Falls.
Shot through the shoulder while saw
ing cOmpany's colOrs."
In the next issue was Dispatch
from Spring Falls saying that Mon
son was one Of the best young men of
Spring Falls and that his death was
universally deplOred.
"Well that beats me-" said Harner.
II wonder If my memory served me a
trick. I'll see" The command had
moved many miles but the company
was still with it and he Immediately
sought out the captain and asked
him about Private Monson.
"Poor fellow!" was the reply. "He
was the bravest fool / ever saw. l
suppose they buried him with the
rest"
After the war Harner did not return
to his paper. The editors who had
mutilated his copy and against whom
he had an accumulated antipathy
equal to that which the war CORE
spOndents, whose usefulness Harner
could prove was first pointed out by
General George Washington, were
still in charge and he did not feel like
coming directly under their orders. So
he tried other things, but as the years
went by and the other things did not
make him rich, he succumbed to the
inevitable and entered Journalism
again. To him was given rowing
commission to visit and write up the
places where the conquests Of industry
were making the wealth that was to
pay the debts of the war;.
In the course of time his duties took
him to Spring Falls, village which
had become city, with its splendid
water power utilized, with great manu-
factories on every side. He saw 1t
all and finally he saw upon the side of
large mill, william III. Monson." The
name seemed strangely familiar, and
yet he could not place it. 1t was gone
amid all the thousands of forgotten
things in the crowded years.
But the next morning it came like
a flash.
And then the story. Colonel Mon