Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 162, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 July 1917 — This Excuse Should Exempt Him. [ARTICLE]

This Excuse Should Exempt Him.

During the past few weeks the favorite pastime of many of the men between the ages of 21 and 31 has been to search for reasons why they should be exempted. The majority of them are ridiculous and sometimes very laughable. However, Major Healey in his search for recruits relates the best one that yet has been brought to our attention, and the talp runs something like this: Major, approaching young man: “Young man, why don’t you enlist in Company M?” asked the Major. .... “Humph! Not this bird,” replied the Major’s prospect. “And what good reason have you for not doing so?” asked the Major. “Well, I’ll tell you,” said the young man as he flicked the ashes off of his cigarette and looked the Major straight in the eye, “for the past two or three years I have been trying to get a date with some of these good looking Rensselaer girls, with but little success, and believe me, I am going to wait now until these Company M soldiers and the drafted men get out of Rensselaer so I will have a chance with these fair young damsels. Pass up a chance like this? Not me,” quoth he, as he stalked off down the street leaving the Major too astounded to speak.