"
I then gave him a talking-to, saying that he had been a
great disapointment, as I thought one should rise to the
Country's Call and not wait until actualy needed, even when an
only son.
He made no defence, but said in a serious tone:
"You see, it's like this. I am not sure of myself, Bab. I
don't want to enlist because others of the Male Sex, as you
would say, are enlisting and I'm ashamed not to. And I don't
want to enlist just to wear a Unaform and get away from
business. I don't take it as lightly as all that."
"Have you no Patriotism?" I demanded. "Can you repeat
unmoved the celabrated lines:
"Lives there a man with Soul so dead,
He (or who) never to himself hath said:
This is my own, my Native Land."
I then choked up, although being Captain I felt that tears
were a femanine weakness and a bad Example.
Mademoiselle had at that moment felt an ant somewhere and
was not looking. Therfore she did not perceive when he reached
over and put his hand on my foot, which happened to be nearest
to him. He then pated my foot, and said:
"What a nice kid you are!"
It is strange, now that he and the baskets, etcetera, have
gone away, that I continue to think about his pating my foot.
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