Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-07
LESSONS OF LIFE ARE TOLD
BY HEAD OF STA TIE POLICE
On Oun Resources Ten Years of Ag Captain Lumb Made Good
and Study Are Big Factors of This

! cents 1 breakfasted on beef hash, rolls
and coffee. In the little backroom I
was allowed to wash. My linen was
impossible. With the remaining three
cents l procured a clean paper collar.
A friendly bootblack allowed me to use
his brushes when l told him / was
going to try to enlist in the army.
4, At the recruiting office I found a
sergeant on duty at the entrance. As
/ told him my desire to join the cav.
airy he eyed my 124 pounds shrewdly
and asked.
How old are you?"
Eighteen, sir" (my father had
taught me to always hay sir or
'ma'am' and the habit has always
stuck
Come back after dinner when you
are twenty.one and don't forget the
year you were born; .he Old Man don't
take kids
Disappointed turned away thinking
1t over. At the euro ! turned back
with sudden inspiration. with stud.
led diplomacy l saluted the sergeant
and asked with a smile Cant l be
| twenty-one in, say, an hour? l am
thinking about dinner, SIR"
The examining surgeon was not due
until l. but the goodnatured sergeant
| let me fall in the line at IL with some
recruits and marched US to the old
| Hanover Hotel. | remember that din.
| ner well. 1t began with Cantaloupe
and ended with rice pudding.
At l o'clock ] passed the doctor
| Three days later a Tot of US left for
the cavalry training school at Jeffer.
son Barracks. Missouri. Three months
later l was sent to Fort Sam Houston,
Texas, being regularly assigned to the
Fifth Cavalry.
Plans to Educate Himself
7 began at once in my spare time to
| master the common school elements of
an education. Always when / received
an order from corporal. sergeant or
captain I would strike a comparison,
asking myself What has he got on
me-" and always the answer 'EduCa-
ton" spurred me on.
But in those days when Uncle Sans
little army Of $4,000 men was an ex.
elusive family every recruit had to go
through his PAGES IN MIS- troop.
have known many good men to desert
because they could not stand the bully.
ing and arrogance that was meant to
try them out. A tough young New
Yorker in my troop who was bitter be.
cause the captain had wisely over.
looked him in a recent promotion of
a corporal resented my efforts at study
Recruits were considered preSumptuous
who dared 10 use the chairs, which
were few, in the squad rooms, so |
used TO lie on my bunk with my books
Occasionally a shoe or n cowl.ide boot
would fly in my direction. always from
the same source, striking me on the
head or knocking my book from my
hands. This was followed by peals OF
laughter from my comrades and looks
of perfect innocence. Mack" Devlln
had taught me to never ma Ike any
threats, TO wait until was ready, then
do 1t quick.
/ took occasional trips out into the
chaparral prairie behind the post
where, l measured off a hundred-yard
stretch for running and exercised with
a pair of improvsed dumbbells.
When was satisfied with the condi.
ton of my wind and muscle 7 waited
for my chance to square accounts with
Red" the New Yorker.
Ready for a Good Scrap
At last it came. The old sergeant
in charge of the room was the only
man present beside my ;.nnoyer. when
bang! came a boot knocking some
skin off my nose and sending my book
flying.
Very quietly I got up.
Sergeant, how much Of that are
you going to allow"
"All you can stand, sonny"
We'll, can't stand any more"
"All right" He lit his pipe and left
the squad room, closing the door be-
hind him.
Red and I were alone.
Red go over and pick up my
book" spoke very quietly.
He turned crimson with rage and
surprise. What the--Who the
1t was all over in three minutes. AT
stables that evening the old sergeant
reported Red" sick in quarters. The
following night the bully asked me to
take hand in a game of five hundred
as casually as though we had been
friends since the Civil War.
l was established In the troop and
had learned my second lesson. Before
this little incident 7 had always. felt
a profound reverence for everything
and every one tagged New York: