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THE MAN WHO WOULDN'T STAY PUT
(Copyright 1914, by the Newspaper Enterprise Association.)
Jimmy Crogan -was such, a natural
born warrior that it-was a great ef
fort for him to endure that season of
the year when peace on earth and
good will toward men are supposed
to abound. He read constantly the
history of wars. He studied con
stantly the theory of war.
And so it was that when the regi
ment was ordered South with de
cisive action a certainty and Lieuten
ant Jimmy Crogan was left behind
in charge of the post, all his military
training went for nothing. He
damned the department, damned the
colonel, damned fate, and was
damned sorry he had ever been born.
Anyhow, that's what he said.
It was humiliating. It was degrad
ing torturing.
Long trains lumbered up through
the tropical jungles, crammed with
men who talked a strange language
and who were backed by a history
replete with gigantic successes. It
needed nd appeal from Mexico to
send the army across the border.
The officers of the National Guard
were ordered to fill their ranks.
Three days later the militia was or
dered under arms, to move at an
hour's notice, and Lieutenant Jimmy
Avalked alone, with a white face and
a stiff tread.
In the morning Lieutenant Cro
gan was missing from the post. The
colonel's lady and the post washer
women talked about it alike, and in
whispers. When two days passed
and no sign of the man in command
had appeared, the information was
wired to headquarters. The colonel
Jimmy's colonel read a copy of
the message just as the recruiting of
ficer of a National Guard regiment
was taking the measurements of a
decidedly well-put-up chap, who an
swered all the requirements and
seemed to be a whole lot bettor than
most of the men who made up the
militia, .
The new man listened with, a bored
expression to the sergeant who was
detailed to school the rookies. He
grasped all the movements on the in
stant, it seemed; once he shook his
head and uttered what might have
been the first syllable of a protest
when the sergeant launched into a
new explanation. Evidently he
thought better of it, though, for he
stared straight ahead in silence,
while a deep flush stole from his col
lar to his hair.
Private Crogan, under another
name, moved south with his regi
ment. Jimmy enjoyed it immensely,
in spite of the fact that the van-of
the army was 50 miles to the south.
They were to be moved, went the
rumor, after a week of drilling under
the hot sun, among the cactus plants.
Great was the resultant excitement.
The next day they moved southward.
And one private was so hilarious, so
boyishly jubilant, that he almost
laughed aloud in the faces of the offi
cers at inspection.
It took all day to go those 50 miles.
At sundown they left their train,
marched up a rise, gained the top,
and drew one great breath in unison
as they looked at the army spread out
before them.
War! An army! Before, over the
dun country, the enemy! Unknown,
powerful, aggressive! War!
"God!" breathed a private whose
first name was Jimmy, and the word
carried a thankful reverence.
In the light of early morning Jim
my Crogan, stepping lightly, a smile
in his eyes, delighted. anticipation in
his heart, followed a string of army
mules to the railroad water tank.
Toward them, walking stiffly, came
a man who wore the decorations of
a colonel. His gaze fell on the squad
of National Guardsmen and, recog
nizing their rank, he looked them
over curiously. His gaze fell ou James
