The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-07-08

nurses, has enrolled with the depart
Cane said THAT means war" and de-
cided then and there to have nothing
to do with it; it was somebody else's
turn, and he felt he had done enough.
Then came August 4th, and England
was true to her destiny; and then
came Lord Kitchener's appeal for
men Sergeant Cane had family to
look after and a nice little house; he
had left the army ten years.
In the next week all the men went
who had been in the army before; all
that were young enough; and good
sprinkling Of the young men, too. who
had never been in the army. Men
asked Cane If he was going, and he
said straight out, NO" By the mid
die of August Cane was affecting the
situation He was a little rallyfng
point for men who did not want to go.
He knows what it's like" they said.
In the smoking-room of the Big
House sat the squire and his son
Arthur Smith, and Sir Munion Boomer
Platt, the member for the division.
The squire's son had been in the last
war as a boy, and like Sergeant Cane
had left the army since. All the morn
ing he had been cursing an imaginary
general, seated in the war office at an
imaginary desk with Smiths own Let
ter before him, tn full view but I'M
opened. Why on earth didn't he an
swer it, Smith thought But he was
calmer now, and the squire and Sir
Munion were talking Of Sergeant Cane.
Leave him to me-" said Sir Munion.
VERY We'll" said the squire.
So Sir Munion Boomer-P1att went
off and called on Sergeant Cane.
Mrs. Cane knew what he had come
for.
Don't let him talk you over. Bin"
she said.
'sNot me-" said Sergeant Cane.
Sir Munion came on Sergeant Cane
in his garden.
"a fine day" said STR Munion. And
from that he went on to the war IF
you enlist" he said they will make
you a sergeant again at once. You
will get a sergeant's pay and your wife
will get the new separation allow
ance."
Sooner have Cane" said Mrs
Cane.
yes, yes, of course" said Sir Num-
ion
But then there is the medal, prob
ably two or three medals. and the
glory of tt: and it is such splendid
life"
Sir Munion did warm to a thing
whenever he began to hear his own
words He painted war as 1t has oft
en- been painted, especially in Ger
many; one of the most beautiful
things YOU could imagine. And then
it mustn't be supposed that It was
like these wars that there used to
be. a long way off: there would be
houses where you would be bi1leted,
and good food, and shady trees and
villages wherever you went. And IT
was such an opportunity of seeing the
continent (the continent as 1t really
is" Sir Munion called it) as would
never come again; and, (of course
he only wished he were younger. Sir
Munion really did wish it. as he
smoke. for hts own words stirred him
profoundly; but somehow or other
they did not stir Sergeant Cane. No.
he had done his share, and he had
a family to look after.
Sir Munion could not understand
him: he went back to the big house
and said so. He had told him all the
advantages ne could think Of, that
were there to be had for the asking,
and Sergeant Cane merely neglected
them.
Let me have try" said Arthur
Smith. He soldiered with me be-
fore"
Sir Munion shrugged his shoulders.
He had all the advantages at his I'm
gers ends, from pay to bi1letfng;
there was nothing more to be said
Nevertheless young Smith went.
'eHullo Sergeant Cane" said Smith.
'Hullo, sir" said the sergeant.
'Do you remember that night at
Reit River?'
Don't 1, sir!" said Cane.
"One blanket each and no ground
sheet"
81 remember sir" said Cane
Didn't it rain?' said Smith.
"It rained that night, proper
Drowned a few of the lice, 1 sup
pose
Not many" Smith reflected. The
Beers had the range all right, that
time"
Gave it to us proper" said Cans