The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-05-21
Home guard?' queried Peter Crit

showed a white-haired old man in a
colonePs uniform of the Civil War
period, and as he looked at it Peter
Crittenden, Sr., stiffened somewhat
like soldier preparing to salute a
superior officer His face darkened
as he turned again toward his son
and said:
cat least your heart is right.
Peter"
Young Peter did not raise his head,
but continued staring at the crack in
the floor which had occupied his at
5ention for most of the last hour
Home guard" he repeated.
Peter Crittenden, Sr., cleared his
throat and stretched himself to his full
five feet four and half inches.
"The home guard" he said, sis not
a disgrace"
His son made no answer.
And all Crittendens must find some
way of serving their country, no mat
ter in what capacity" went on the
elder man.
"The home guard" repeated Peter
What else is there you can do?'
asked the father a little sharply.
81 was bantam-weight champion at
college," said Peter vaguely.
How tall are your" asked Mr. Crit
tenden.
81 was coxswain to the crew for
three years." went ON Peter in the
same dull voice.
How tall are your" insisted Mr.
Crittenden.
81 subbed at quarterback for two
years and played ten minutes in the
last big game" droned Peter.
How tall are your" asked Mr.. Crit
tenden.
Peter raised his head and sighed
deeply before he replied.
Five feet three and three-quarters,"
he said.
Mr.. Crittenden strobe across the
room to the library table and picked
from it little handful covered with
large typeprint.
Your country needs you!" he read
You must have the will to serve your
country, be at least five feet four
inches high, weigh over enc hundred
and twenty pounds stripped; have
ho
tween eighteen and forty-fve years;
have at least taken out your first
papers. If you have any doubts, let
the surgeon look you over Be a man.
Join now!"
Give feet four inches!" sighed
Peter miserably.
A little silence came on them
again. Mr. Crittenden paced slowly
up and down the room once more,
with one arm folded across his chest,
which was swelled not to its greatest
capacity, while his other hand alter
nately tugged and twisted at his mus
tache.
81 am only a quarter of an inch
under height" said Peter.
"a miss" stated Mr.. Crittenden
philosophically, "is as good as mile"
81 am only two pounds under
weight" went on Peter.
when the country becomes hard
pressed for men, said Mr.. Critten-
den, you may be taken
Dad" broke in Peter, rising now
from his chair and appl oaching his
father with one hand extended in ap-
peal, you have lots of pull. You
know lots of the authorities. Some
of the men who fought with you
through the Spanish-American war
have big positions in the army now.
Can't you do something for me?"
Mr.. Crittenden turned his head
slowly and observed his son with
critical eye.
"a bad precedent" he declared,
shaking his head at will not do to
deceive the country even in these
small matters, Peter, my boy"
Johnnie Stillson enlisted in the
coast patrol yesterday" said Peter,
returning to his chair and slumping
into it as if the muscular frame of
his 1.-THE body had suddenly given
way.
Mr.. Crittenden coughed and turned
his head away quickly.
Johnnie roomed with you for three
years at college, didn't he?" he asked.
Harry Maxwell was accepted last
week; he went today to Join his unit, p
went on Peter, as if he had not heard
the last remark.
"There is no disgrace attached to
the home guard" insisted Mr.. Critten-
den.
Peter sprang to his feet
Damn the home guard" he thun
dered in a voice that shook him from
head to foot. do you think Pm a
fossil or a baby or neurathenic, or a
one-legged man or the father of
family or an applicant for an old
ladies' homer"
His father found it necessary to
cough again.
"J am going out now and do the