Show 210 STUDENT LIFE struck with surprise to hear the answer “Yes a soldier” His father told him that if he did not wish to appear more foolish than he really was at present he had better give p that idea but the boy could not be persuaded “Everything here seems to go the opposite with me perhaps it will not be quite so hard to die for my country” So one day he took his knapsack on his back and enlisted in the army Here the most amusing things happened It was impossible for the general to make Swen understand the different commands for he always did the opposite of what he He finally became the was told laughing stock of the whole army But he could not understand why they were laughing at him and went about as usual in his quiet in- offensive way At last war broke out It then became a question as to whether they should take Swen with them or not It was finally decided by the boy himself who said that if they would not allow him to go with the others he would have to go by himself so they allowed him to go with them They found no reason to find fault with him Although they called him queer he never gave them reason to call him coward One day a troop of twenty soldiers was sent out in advance of the main army to repair the roads and bridges and with them was Swen When they had repaired the last bridge all but Swen retired to a farmhouse near by to refresh themselves while he was left to watch the bridge which was only wide enough for one man to cross at a time When they came out again they saw the enemy approaching The captain some distance away to hold the men his to shouted bridge and not allow the enemy tc gain the opposite side’ If that was impossible they should fight to the last man But twenty men could i "!t hold out against an army and at the first assault eight men went down The captain saw that there was no use in fighting any longer and he shouted to them to retreat This they did as quickly as possible all except Swen True to his old habit he did exactly the opposite of what he was told and with hi: bayonet in hand he marched out on the bridge alone His great strength now stood him in good stead One after another the first three men went down Then he heard a shout of encouragement from the general ' as he rode up with But Swen could not hold out any longer and after one more effort he went down himself before help reached him When the enemy saw that had arrived retreated they Swen’s greatest fault had proved a blessing in disguise the had saved the day — E good-for-nothi- ng |