He never knew their rule;
And yet he marches by a man,
A hero, and no fool!
The wise years see him go from them,
Untaught by them, yet wise;
The lad who played where, yesterday,
Girls’ kisses were the prize!
They wonder whence his manhood came,
So well he lives—and dies!
R. R. Kirk, Pvt., G2, S.O.S.