Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1918-01-30
He WANTS JUST A CHANCE,
THAT'S ALL

Say, ycu, DO you see that little fellow
over there with his ovorcoat down to his
heeis2 The fellow with dark eyes and
a head covered with black, bnsfy hair9
lis skin is ruddy, tanned by a hot 81
en- an sun. Dago kid? Dago; if you in
sist' but a white one. and no kid He
IS everything but a kid His age is per
hans rs and his experience thas of one
ueuDie ms age. Notice the strange eX-
preston on. his face. It is hardly one
q sadness, but rather Of disapDo ntment.
a d foreigner? No not that. We
nave no foreigners in cur army now. He
IS United States SOLDIER, and you
my friend, haven't one thing on him.
BY the way how do you happen to DC
IN the army? Y Gu were drafted2 Well
you surely haven't anything on him That
fellow happen to know. His name is
Tony Manacjco, He was fruit dealer
n an Ohio town. His business was fair
and he gave value received fer every
dollar spent with him His honesty and
SIhlllhg race brought many customers and
always they became his friends. lie
dreamed Of that day when his savings
would warrant bringing a girl, dark eyed
and beautiful. from the olive groves of
Sic ~, where she, too. was ST 7ging'
dreams of the time when he could proudly
walk into the humble little house with
the flower beds about-the house that
he'd her, and where she made home for
him. He dreamed his dreams even as
YOU and l, and smiled the while he pol
tshed his apples and arranged his pears.
His thoughts daily went on to his coun-
try new and wonderful and his heart
swelled with pride because of his Gil
1enship newly gained. He thanked hir
God in his own way for the wonderful
opportunities this land afforded the man
who wants truly to make his way. He
worked on and smiled But where il
that smile now? Study his face.
One day the newsboys hurried by and
Shrieked the news that war had beer
declared. Tony bought an Italian paper
In hot NO. oil n hC11f md fHT
got his apples. lie read the paper and
faced the truth. Hopes were crushed
dreams dispelled, and ambitions long -nur.
tured were as nothing. The shop was
toners passing from The picture show
homeward bound, who usually bought
peanuts wondered what had become Of
Tony, Little did they think he was sit
ting in the back Of his stand reading ii
all over again, thinking and facing
situation that tore numerically his SEN
sitive, emotional heart to it's very core
The following day the shop was closed
The paSSerSby looked at the apples neg
lected and in need of polishing, wondered
again, and forgot. Tony fought his hgh'
and WON. He figured he was an Amer
lean citizen. He was proud OF that fact
America was at war and needed men
More than that America needed HIM
His duty was clear. He weu!d give hia
all for the country he had learned to love
At tho recruiting station, in his broker
English he made his wishes known and
enlisted. There no is.
/ heard YOU say a rather unltind and
unnecessary thing about him yesterday
You sneeringly wound up with an oath
and called hin-but let that go. DO you
get lonely sometimes? DO you know what
''the blues" are? Imag ne what he suf
fers then His sacrifice is as great as
yours; his senstiveness equally as great
his NEED greater. Can't you take him
some evening and help him out with his
English lesson? Can't you tell him he
is making good and that some day he
WI have the opportunity to show his
mettle in actual combat? Can't you say
10 him, that he is coming back to his
fruit stand and that the black eyed girl
who is waiting for him will be the glad
der 10 come over and plant his flower
beds and make that home? Can't you
bring back his smile?
Say, you full-blooded American you
who love fair play, can't you give him
what he wants, a chance, Just chance,
that's all c. NJ O.