A
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TVlany of "These Will Be Taken From'
CivilLife AndNowIs Your Chance
of a Lifetime, if You Hanker for the
Glitter of An Officers Career No
Ivlatter'Whether You Have Ever
Touched "Musket or Sword or 'Not,
if You Have Sufficient Education!
Uncle Sam Will Soon Teach You
Tactics After You Have Been Com
missionedGraduates of Universi
ties and Military Schools Preferred.
Just What to Do to Get In Exam
inations to Be Held on September 5
i
! y . . - -a
7 ):, 1
A TITLE bfore your tm, pre
eminence la the fror of milady
fair, a carer r of fu and feath
ers, braes buttons and irold lace; the
jcuarantee of home and salary, so
Ions; as you ehail live honorably, and.
when you die. a free funeral with a
bras band thrown In youns; man,
hanktrrth thou for theee?
If doit, sit up now and take lively no
tice likewise nota bene! For if you
are still enjoying single bleasrdness
and are neither under one-and-twenty,
aor above one srore and seven; If you
ran stretch up to five feet four In your
naked feet and tip the beam la ac
cordance with your stature; If you can
exhibit a chest bellows that has a man
ly circumference and expansion why.
lor aueht that you know, you mar be
"Olv
. H. Jimmy, I think It Is perfectly
darling to go camping! I ald
ose to believe you when you
aid It was aucb great fun. but now I
know. Do look at that lovely sunset
fleet through those green fir trees,
and "
"Cut out the rhapsodies now. and get
that free lunch counter started. I'm
hungry enough to eat both horses,
tails and alir
"Oh, so am L I Just love camplngl
Isn't It exciting? What shall we have
to eat. Jimmy?
"Food."
"No. but really "
"Well, aome bacon and eggs, potatoes
nd gravy, a little pork and beans on
the aide, some bread and Jam. coffee
avnd doughnuts "
"Oh. lovely, lovely, but you'll have
to start the fire, and show me about
that Iron thing. You know I never
went camping before."
"That's right, but you'll soon get wise
to the game. Here. I'll fix up some
tones to rest the corners of the sheet
Iron on. This Is much better than a
camp stove. You see. its two feet
square and that gives you lots of room,
, and It's easy to build a Ore under It"
"You always have such perfectly
wonderful Ideas. Jimmy. But won't X
(burn my fingers every time I pull it
off the fire to put more wood on!"
"No, no; Just stuff the wood under
neath like a fireplace. Ill be back In
a minute. I must finish putting up the
tent."
"Oh. look at the leaves waving In
the wind, and Juat see that daring little
chipmunk. He looks so so "
-Chipper, eh? Better get busy with
that muck-a-muek. Did we bring the
fcammerT"
"I don't know. Yon said you'd look
After the packing yourself. Oh. this
fire smokes so, I 'm nearly blind."
"Never mind. 1 "11 fix that In a minute
tor you. Come here and hels me with
this confounded tent."
"I will. Jimmy, but where are you,
jar? I can hear your voice, but
"Well, !' no pocket map of this
"35.'
-ir . in
1
on of the ISO lucky fellows upon whora
will now be heaped the honors and flc.
ries of such a picturesque career.
As a result of the recent Increase
of that service the Army now finds it
self short over ISO more second lieuten
ants than West Point can supply. So
to fill these vacancies appointments
will have to be made from enlisted men
In the ranks and .from eligible young
men In civil life.
On September 5 the final examination
for all candidates will be held at the
various military posts throughout the
country, and if you are a cltlsen of the
United Btates answering the require
ments specified also some more In the
bargain now. perhaps. Is your chance
to add a military handle to your name
and to earn suitable for framing and
hanging upon the wall an engraved
commission signed by the President of
maze which some Idiot call a tent,
but I think I'm under the upper left
hand portion of the middle ridge near
the fly or awning, and would Ilk to
be dug out or have food sent down to
me p. d. q."
"Well. I can't find you. and this tent
Is so heavy to lift. Oh, dear, I've stum
bled over those old ropes! Do they
need so many!"
"Gad. yes. those are guy ropes, Ethel!
Take the place of the manufacturer,
who'd like to be here grinning his head
oft at my efforts 1 I know now where
we get the expression, fall guy. I'm
It all right.-
"Oh. there you are, Jimmy, with
your hair all full of dry grass and
ferns. How funny you look."
"Well, get to work at that corner,
will you? You're not playing peek-a-boo
with the Brockhurst kid!"
"Why, I though you said this tent
was self-adjustable when you bought
itr
"So It 1st It wrapped me up In Itself
like a mummy the first shot out of
the box, and If you don't do something
mighty quick. I'll be branded as the
first, man on the Pacific Coaat to wear
a sheath skirt."
"Jimmy, you are such a dear and so
good natured. I dearly love this oolor
for a tent. too. It Just- matches my
khaki shirt and your suit, see? Oh.
how soft and fleecy the clouds"
"Come out of the clouds and get
down to business! Can't you hold up
that corner a little higher?"
"Oh. yes, dear. Which corner?"
"Any corner, confound It, so we get
something started. I never saw such
hard ground to drive stakes In. I
don't believe I'll do them all tonight."
"What's that lone rope hanging
down In front for?"
-Oh. that belongs to the " awning.
We won't put that up tonight. Be
sides. I may want It to hang myself
with If things get much thicker around
here."
"Why. I thought you Just loved
camping! You always said "
"Well, I never .went camping with a
woman before, and they're always
likely to get things all balled up. I
I commission signed by tne .resident oi o enier in a mopiie army or tat coast i r mm nmmij - " y j --
I lin V. '. :V v V. - MITRES
the United States, also O. K.'d by the
Senate thereof.
. In the filling of these vacancies ac
cording to the law and the prophets
preference over the man In civil life
must be given to the soldier In the
ranks If the latter's "fitness for promo
tion shall have been determined by
competitive examination." But the
chances In this exceptional year appear
to be that ISO civilians will be needed
after the men who work up from the
ranks have qualified. Bo there now
are exceptional opportunities for our
young men who have never shouldered
a musket or flourished a saber In the
paid service of the U. S. A.
How to Get There.
There are lots of ins and outs to be
understood before you can get even so
far as the examination room. The first
step la the filing of an application with
the Adjutant-General of the Army at
Washington. This done, you are merely
an "applicant for designation," and It
rests with the War Department whether
or not to grant you the statu of a
"candidate for examination." Tour ap-,
plication must state your date of birth,
cltlsenshlp, marital status and the
branch of the service In which you
aspire to become an offloer whether
the Infantry, cavalry, field or coast ar
tillery. Then If your statement Is satls
tory you will be authorised to report
for examination at aome military post
as near to your home as the Depart
ment can arrange.
The course of sprouts through which
you must now be put will depend upon
the diplomas whloh you can show. If
you oannot prove yourself a graduate
of a flrst-claas university or military
college If you are a mere graduate of
the university of experience or the col
lege of hard knocks you must, before
September S. run the gauntlet of a
"preliminary mental examination'' dif
fering according to whether you aspire
to enter the mobile army or the coast
ee right now, ril have no supper to
night." "Oh. I'd forgotten! And the fire's
out! Where's the paper to start It
withr
"In the wood box at home, probably.
Why didn't you think of that your
self? I can't remember everything."
"Now, Jimmy, don't ba cross. You
said you wanted to do all the pack
ing" 1
"Well. Til whittle some shavings for
you. but don't use them all up on this
one fire."
"No, of course not. Jimmy dear.
Isn't camping exeltlng? I can't find
any coffee pot. though. Jimmy."
"By Jlngl Well never mind. Use
that pall I had to water the horses.
They'll never know the difference, , and
we don't care!'1
"I should say not. I love toughing
It, don't your'
"Roughing It, you mean. Say, Jhese
mosquitoes are "
"Oh, dear, there's no frying pan.
How can we fry the egge. Jimmy?"
"Confound Iti Didn't you I mean
I how did I happen to forget that?
Have to boil them, I guess."
"Yes. that will be lovely. Tm so
fond of bacon and hard-boiled eggs,
aren't your
"Humph, not so as ou could notice
Iti Don't forget to salt those eggs
when you put them on."
"Oh, no, I won't. Jimmy, Just as soon
as they come to a bolL I know that
much, even If I'm not a good cook."
"Learned that at cooking school,
didn't you?"
"Oh, Jimmy, where are the potatoes?
You surely haven't lost the potatoes V
"Have I lost my right arm? No. by
Jlmlny. here they are one. two. three,
four, five, six, seven, eight of them,
each wrapped In tin fall and packed In
a box with a Sheffield lock. Oh, you
food for millionaires 1 You look good
to ma"
"It was perfectly darling of yotf to
buy them for our trip, Jimmy. How
could you afford Itr
"Couldn't really, but I had a chance to
sell our lot In Lostmere the other day,
so thought we'd Just have a treat on
It"
artillery. If you would become an in
fantry, cavalry or field artillery lieu
tenant the preliminary teat will In
clude English grammar and orthogra
phy, algebra, geometry and trigo
nometry, geography and history. But
If you would enter the coast artillery
the examination In mathematics will be
made stlffer by the addition of calculus
differential and" Integral. In all cases
a showing In mathematics will count
you much more than proficiency in the
othor subjects. If you do not make a
general average of .70 you are down
and out at your first pitfall.
This ordeal of the preliminary ex
amination you will entirely escape if
you can prove yourself a graduate of
either a "recognised college or uni
versity, or of a college or school that
Is essentially military and to which an
officer of the regular army is detailed
as a professor of military science and
tactics.
But whatever your educational ad
vantages have been, you must report
September 6, at the designated military
post, there to be taken in hand by an
army board of medical and line officers,
for the final examination that Is to de
cide your fate.
Searching Physical Test.
First will come a careful physical
test to determine whether you are big
and strong enough to uphold the honor
of the army and fight your nation's
battles. In addition to proving up to
all of the pbysloal standards required
of recruits enlisting In the ranks you
will have to show that your degree of
vision Is good and that you are not
color blind for red. green or violet.
In the vlsslon test your eyes must show
a degree "less than 20-40." the mean
ing of which any oculist or optician
can readily explain, thus, perhaps, sav
ing you the trouble and expense of
taking the final test.
Should you apply for a commission
In the mounted service the cavalry
or field artillery you will be put
"Eight potato 1 What bliss! How
much are they a pound now? Do you
suppose the price Is still coming up?"
"Sure, sure! That's the reason for
eight of them. I thought we'd have
one each day the week we're camping,
and I count on the prloe being up so
high when we get back, I'll Just turn
In the extra potato to pay for our liv
ery bill!"
"Oh. Jimmy, you certainly have the
most wonderful head for business."
"Right you arsl When It comes to
fancy flnanoe, I've got Law son lashed
to the mast believe met"
"I should say you have. Oh. these
mosqultos are killing me!"
"Bee here. Where's the wash basin?
I must wash before I eat"
"Why, Jimmy, I'm cooking the beans
In It You know you you brought so
so few kettles '
"Never mind, give me the dish pan.
That'll give my hands more elbow
room, any way I"
"Why, Jimmy, we the milk Is In the
dlshpan! I had to put It somewhere,
you know, and then when the beans are
cooked, I'll empty them out and put the
milk In that pan."
"And then empty the dlshpan, I sup
pose, to put the beans In! Well, cut out
this ring-around-a-rosy business, and
give me the water pail to wash In."
"No, don't you remember, we're mak
ing coffee in thatr
"Say. by Jlmlny. we got to do some
thing about these mosquitoes, kid. Why
didn't you bring along some mosquito
netting or something or otherr'
"Why. Jimmy. I've never been camp
ing before. I didn't know you alwaya
had mosquitoes in camp."
"Well, you always do, by George, or
rather, the mosquitoes have you. See,
they're all over my wrists and hands
and face. I can't stand this!"
"Oh, I know the very thing, m tear
up my veil. See? Then we can tie up
our heads and. arms, too."
"Not for mel What'd I look like
with a veil switching around my ears?
And a purple one, tooT'
"Oh, but you'll have to. We can't
eat If we have to stop and brush mos
quitoes off every, minute. I'll cut a lit
tle place for your mouth, see?" -
astride of a nag upon whose back you
must trot and canter around a ring,
while a "supplementary board" of
officers takes notes upon your ability
to weather the Journey. V
The physical teat is your second pit
fall, and unless you escape it it were
futile to pass on to the line officers
who await to fcive you your final
mental examination, which, too, will
vary according to whether you wish to
enter the mobile army or the coaat
artillery.
If the service with the later Is your
aim, the examination will Include ele
mentary electricity, mechanics and
chemistry; and In addition either ad
vanced mathematics, electricity or me
chanics, as you may elect? also the
Constitution of the United States, the
organization of the government and
the elements of international lw.
But If you choose to become a lieu
tenant of cavalry, field artillery or In
fantry, your examination will be en
tirely different, save in the subjects
of Constitution, government and inter
national law. You must qualify in
general history, elementary French,
German or Spanish and such of the fol
lowing "advanced optional subjects" as
you may choose: Calculus and analy
tical geometry, or "a thorough work
ing knowledge of any modern lan
guage," such as covered by a four
year course at a university, or "a gen
eral knowledge of the English lan
guage or English literature," which as
sumes familiarity with the great au
thors from Chaucer down through Ste
venson. Before being "designated"
for examination by the Adjutant-General
you must Inform him as to which
of these optional subjects you wish to
be examined upon. All making .86 or
over In the whole mental examination
will be graded invthree lists.
These Will Be Favored.
Every year certain of the big mili
tary schools and colleges, having pro
fessors from the Regular Army, desig
nate eaoh an "honor graduate." Such
of these as pass the examination will
be given the first commissions, and
after them will be- favored all gradu
ates of schools and colleges (essentially
military) and all young men naving
And then stick a slice of bread in
It like you were mailing a letter, ehr
"There, you look very sweet In
purple." ,
"Makes me think of that verse I
never saw a purple oow, I never want
to see one' only I'd like to, if that's
all the milk we got over there."
"Yes, end that has to last us two
days."
"Well, now can we sit down and eat?
I'm starved. Ha! I see our potato has
me skinned for politeness. It has its
Jacket on, bless Its little heart! And
me In my shirt sleeves!"
"Jimmy, you must let me tie a dish
apron around you. That's the only
shirt you brought end you mustn't have
It ruined the first night"
"Well, hurry up about It Now can
we eatr'
"Yes, dear. Won't everything taste
good? Oh, I love camping, it's so ex-
"Here, give me your plate. Where are
the knives and forks? Give me a spoon
for these beans, little one."
"Why, Jimmy!"
"Why. Ethel!"
"Why!"
"Whatr
"Why, Jimmy, I haven't I haven't
seen any spoons, or forks, or anything
but the knife I cut the bacon with
that big butcher knife "
"Do you mean to tell me that you
came off without any knives or forks
or spoons!"
"Well, you said you knew Just what
to bring, and "-!
"Confound It Quit ragging ' about
that! I'll never "
"Oh, look, Jimmy, one horse got
loose and Is going off."
"No, no. she's all right. That's Jen
nie, she won't go far while the other
horse is tied up, so I give her a little
more range." -,
"I don't mind eating with my fingers,
do you? Really, camping is so "
"Seems to me I smell burned rags!"
"Yes, I do, too." ',
"Did you drop your handkerchief near
the fire, or the dish rag?"
"No, I forgot to bring a handkerchief.
But, oh, isn't it Just lovely to go camp
ing? Do listen to the wind in the
had three years creditable service In
some state militia who have passed.
The remaining competitors who have
made .85 or more will next be appoint
ed, after which, if any Lieutenancies
still remain, those making between .75
and .85 will be accommodated in the
order. of their averages. Ellglbles who
have never been to military schools
or served in the militia will be as
signed Immediately to posts where they
will be "broken in" to tactics and the
handling of troops.
Your salary during your first five years
as Second Lieutenant would remain at
$1700 a year, or $141.67 per month. At
the end of the five years you would re
ceive a 10 per cent increase, raising the
total of J1S&5.S3 per year. A year or two
later. In the ordinary course of events,
you would be promoted to the grade of
First Lieutenant, drawing $3000 during
your first five years, $2183.33 during
your second five years and $2200 during
your third five years in this rank, at
which you are, under present arrange
ments, liable to stick for from 10 to 15
years. ,
Salary Meager In Middle Life,
In other words, 20 years hence, when
You are along in your 40s or perhaps
mighty near to your 60s, you will prob
ably bo entitled to only $2300 a year.
Even upon becoming a Captain you will
get only $2400 to begin with, and when
you are a Major and Lieutenant-Colonel
you can start out with only $3000 and
$3500. If things continue to drift along
as now you will be within a few years
of your forced retirement when you at
tain the rank of Colonel, with an in
itial salary of $4000. Then you will be re
tired as a Brigadier-General at $4500 for
the remainder of your life.
It must be added, however, that by the
slftlng-out system of enforced retire
ments the Army hopes to greatly relieve
this stagnation, and if this proves a suc
cess there will be a better chance for
the civilian who now earns a Lleutea
antcy in his early 20s to become a Brigadier-General
on the active list at
$6000k or even a Major-General at $8000.
Of course, there is even the remote pos
sibility of reaching a Lieutenant-Generalship
at $11,000.
If unattached as ne must De upon en
trees, and those dear little birds twit
tering."
"Great, but say. Isn't it warm this
evening? Come on so sudden, too; bon
der if we're going to have a thunder
storm."
"Oh, I hope not, but It seemed to me
it was getting cold."
"Gad, I'm hot! Say, I smell those
rags again. Y,ou must have "
"Oh, Jimmy, you're all on fire your
dish apron's on fire! You're sitting oii
it! Oh, what'll I do what'll I ever
do?"
"By George, I'm all ablaze! Confound
these women fixings! How do you get
the blamed thing off?"
"Oh, you'll burn to death! Oh, Jimmy
oh oh-h-h! Sit down In this pall of
milk! There!"
"I knew I'd need that rope! I'll never
go camping wtth a woman again! Put
a crazy apron on me, and then run the
strings under that sheet iron like the
fuse of a firecracker "
"Jimmy, dear, I'm so sorry."
"Sorry you spoiled the pan of milk.
I suppose! If there's a bounty for put
ting out fopest fires, I'll apply. Bay,
examine me, and see-how many layers
deep that fire burned!"
"You're only scorched a little. Won't
you help me do the dishes?"
"Hm, that won't take long. One ket
tle and one knife."
"Yes, but we have to put all the eat
ables away."
. -"No, let's go to bed now. we've got
to get up early In the morning and
move this tent somewhere. Too many
mosquitoes here."
"Well. I am terribly sleepy, too."
' "I'm all In never worked so hard
I'm so si "
"So am I, but this ground is so hard.
Jimmy, are you asleep?"
Snores.
"Oh, dear, I can't sleep. I hear,
something In the bushes, Jimmy."
More snores.
"Wake up. Jimmy, something awful's
the matter!" -- - - - "
"Huh? What's happened now? An
earthquake? Where am I? Ethel what's
up?"
"Oh, Jimmy, the tent's gone blown
right off over our headsj" j
tering through this civilian examina-
fAn hAtrlna nnst lift in bachelor
quarters a two-room and bath apart
ment, proDaoiy in ,tne oiucma u
building ...
But when ne marries ne is nneisncu iw
a "Lieutenants house," wnicn ai me
modern post is a semi-detached cottage
n.t.i. .-aa lamiiv KhamWi on the sec
ond floor and two servants' bedrooms
on the third, besides a snug arrangement
of parlor, reception hall, dining-room
and kitchen oeiow.
Serving away from a post, he is al
lowed "commutation for quarters."
amounting to $12' per month per room
with a maximum allowance of two
rooms, or $24 per month, which, when
he becomes a tirst ueuienam, jui
..-. "5 n a t 1 l-O i -TT) f"l TT1 Ml fl X 1 mil 111. Or
$36 per month, and So on up through the
grades, as in the case of post houses.
which increase in size ana emuuiaura
as an officer Is promoted.
Perquisites That Help.
And at the same time tha"t he is sepa
rated from his post as when on special
duty in Washington, for example the
Secbnd Lieutenant also receives a
monthly allowance for gas bills and
coal, which the nearest Quartermaster
may furnish him at a slight reduction
on the commercial rate.
- If a mounted officer, owning hi
horse, - he is allowed $170 a year for
his keep $200 if he provides two
steeds at his own. expense. And while
he serves in the Philippines or else
where outside the United States, except
in Porto Klco or Hawaii, he is allowed
a 10 per cent increase In his regular
salary.
If he dies in the line of duty his
widow 'will receive a half of his next
year's? unearned pay, besides a service
pension of from $12 to $18 per month
as long as she lives. And wherever he
dies he will be entitled to a free fu
neral, with doleful music, a bang of
guns and a parade thrown In.
But, despite these various perquis
ites, the officer who has neither a
"nest egg" of his own nor a rich
spouse- to help pay the bills soon faces
the realization that the social stand
ards of living are more extravagant at
army posts than in private life. Even
the bachelor subaltern must make con
tinual return for the constant round of
entertainment which he receives at the
post club. Uniforms are a considerable
drain upon his purse, for he has to
maintain a complete civilian outfit in
addition. Then the repeated movlngs
from post to post to which officers are
subjected prove to be a tax upon their
purse, for, as the old adage has it,
"three movings are as bad as a fire."
The married officer at frontier posts
or upon foreign duty finds no proper
schools for his children, who- must be
placed in boarding schools at a cost of
from $700 to $1000 apiece per annum.
Such expenses leave a very small mar
gin, if any, for life insurance, that they
may be provided for above the pension
pittance, that would not supply their
widowed mothers with pin money.
Secure, Leisurely, Social.
Yet .the career Is secure and leisure
ly, promising extraordinary social ad
vantages. Every army officer's wife
is expected to call, at least once a year,
upon every other- military matron in
her community, and these opportunlties
of meeting people are further enhanced
by the constant changes of post- Even
if he has the prospect of drawing only
about $2600 when he is still a captain,
past 50, the army officer usually shows
his wife and family the breadth of the
world. If not its length.
These social advantages account In
large part for the exalted ego of some
men and women of the army and navy
"Beta."
"Yes, my dear, they are all right
for civilians." the wife of an officer at
one of our posts was lately overheard
to say.
But outside the pale of the post Itself
the glimmer of the sword and straps
and the glitter of the braid and buttons
do not blind the civilian to -his sense of
proportions, especially in these times
of' peace. Except during periods of
war, worship of the soldier is almost
wholly feminine, commencing In the
kitchen and ending in the boudoir.
Moreover, It is the growing temper of
the taxpayer to regard the military
man as only a necessary evil, fast ap
proaching the status of an unnecessary
burden, and the young citizen who by
next month's competition suddenly
finds . himself metamorphosed into a
gaudy subaltern should gird on his
trusty blade in full appreciation of the
fact that no civilian outside of knick
erbockers or petticoats will stand in
any awe of him whatsoever until he
proves his mettle in the fast narrowing
field of his endeavors.
(Copyright, 1911, by John Elfreth Wat
kins.) Gar, my head nearly went too
There's no wind some one s snaked.
It off like we used to do the freshles'
bedclothes. But who the dickens "
"Oh, dear, do you suppose "
"By George, there it goes that light
streak way down the road. I'll find
the mucker that did It."
"Why Jimmy you know you know
that long rope that kept dangling at
at the front of the tent- "
"Yes yes
"Well, I I I got to worrying about
Jennie running oft, you know, and 4
and I tied it to the end of her rope 1
and and I didn't want her to run
away "
"You ninny! Unless she' took the
whole shooting match! Why didn't you
tie one of those guy ropes to my leg
and then you would have had the
whole camp to yourself!"
"'Don't Jimmy."
"Well! Jennie can go plum to '
"Jimmy!"
"Yamhill County for all I care! I'm
going to sleep."
"Oh! aren't you going to catch her
and get our nice new tent back?"
"I'm sleepy, I tell you! I don't care
a red poker chip what she does with
the tent. Let me alone."
"But it's moonlight"
"Don't care! Hope the man in the
moon drops down and runs off with
you, too, then I'll be left in peace with
no worldly goods but my pajamas! Give
him my blessing, but warn him not to
go out camping with you."
"Jimmy, -you're Just as mean as you
can be."
"All right Don't talk to me then.
Go to sleep. I'm going." '
"Well, anyway, you said you were
going to move the tent tomorrow, so
It isn't so bad after all we can go
where Jennie leaves it."
Peaceful snore.
!"Did you hear, Jimmy?"
Double-barreled snore.
"Jimmy!!"
"Oh, hang, yes, I heard."
"Jimmy, I Just want to '
"Huh?"
"I Just want to say that isn't camp
ing perfectly exciting?"
".Curses, yes!!!" , MAT KELLY