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Story
May 30, 1908
The Colville Examiner
Colville, Stevens County, Washington
What is this article about?
At the start of the Civil War, short-statured Noble Prentis is rejected for enlistment due to height but accepted after muttering a witty remark about his country's fate, as reported in the Kansas City Times.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
Saving His Country.
Noble Prentis was a man of small
stature, and the story goes that at the
beginning of the civil war, when he
sought to enlist as a soldier, he was
found to fall several inches short of
the minimum height required by army
regulations and was ordered to step
aside by the recruiting officer. Mr.
Prentis did so reluctantly, muttering
as he went, "I suppose I'll have to let
my country go to blazes because I'm
not eight feet tall."
The recruiting officer overheard the
remark and called him back, saying,
"Young man, you'll do," and Prentis
was enlisted and mustered into the
service.—Kansas City Times.
Noble Prentis was a man of small
stature, and the story goes that at the
beginning of the civil war, when he
sought to enlist as a soldier, he was
found to fall several inches short of
the minimum height required by army
regulations and was ordered to step
aside by the recruiting officer. Mr.
Prentis did so reluctantly, muttering
as he went, "I suppose I'll have to let
my country go to blazes because I'm
not eight feet tall."
The recruiting officer overheard the
remark and called him back, saying,
"Young man, you'll do," and Prentis
was enlisted and mustered into the
service.—Kansas City Times.
What sub-type of article is it?
Biography
Personal Triumph
What themes does it cover?
Bravery Heroism
Fortune Reversal
What keywords are associated?
Civil War Enlistment
Height Requirement
Witty Remark
Army Recruitment
What entities or persons were involved?
Noble Prentis
Story Details
Key Persons
Noble Prentis
Event Date
Beginning Of The Civil War
Story Details
Noble Prentis, too short for enlistment, is rejected but accepted after a sarcastic remark impresses the recruiting officer.