ＷＥＢ絵本『いなか、の、じけん（模範兵士）』

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Private Westmoreland entered the service.
He never lived in luxury.
しかし西村二等卒は入営しても決して贅沢をしなかった．

He spent no money from his salary.
When he was on cleaning duty, he gathered buckles and buttons on the ground around the barracks. And he stored them.
He sold them to his colleagues who had lost such things and had been in trouble.
He charged 1 cent for a piece. And he deposited the obtained money in a post office.
給料を一文も遣わないばかりか、営庭の掃除の時に見付けた尾錠や釦を拾い溜めては、そんなものをなくして困っている同僚に１個１銭ずつで売りつけて貯金をする．

He was really looking forward Sundays.
And every Sunday, he went back to comfort his mother.
In his regiment, he had good reputation about this.
そうして日曜日を待ちかねて、母親を慰めに行くことが連隊中の評判になったので・・・

And finally, he received an award from the Colonel.
You are extremely docile and gentle in nature.
You have a good attitude in the service.
You are well-behaved.
Your performance is very good.
... etc ...
... etc ...

・・・遂に連隊長から表彰された．

性質は極めて柔順温良で、勤務勉励、品行方正、成績優等・・・曰く何・・・曰く何・・・

After that, the reputation of Private Westmoreland reached its peak.
Every Sunday, the babysitters of the village went out to "Upstream" enthusiastically.
They gathered around the small community.
And, they watched him taking care of his mother.

西村さんの評判はそれ以来絶頂に達した．

日曜になると村の子守女が、吾も吾もと出かけて、川上の部落を取り巻いて、西村さんの親孝行振りを見物した．

Private Westmoreland was washing dirty clothes of the sick woman at the river in a frost morning together with his shirts.
The babysitters were gazing at the sight.
"I'd like to marry and help him."
"Surely ..."
Some babysitters were moved to tears.
西村さんが病人の汚れものと、自分のシャツを一緒にして、朝霜の大川で洗濯するのを眺めながら「あたし西村さんの処へお嫁に行ってあげたい」「ホンニナア」と涙ぐむ者さえあった．

Soon, donations arrived at the newspaper company or the regiment one after another.
One of the donations was big money "50 dollars" from a woman.
そのうちに新聞社や、連隊へ宛ててドシドシ同情金が送りつけて来たが、中には女の名前で、大枚「金５０円也」を寄贈するものが出て来たりしたので・・・

Private Westmoreland seemed to have become rich suddenly.
He got help from the community members. And he rebuilt his shanty, where his mother had been sick in bed.
His newly-built shanty looked like a house with sheets of corrugated iron.
・・・西村さんは急に金持ちになったらしく、同じ部落の者の世話で、母親の寝ている蒲鉾小屋を、家らしい形の亜鉛版張りに建て替えたりした．

"Well, you should take good care of your parents. Something good will happen to you!"
The village people sighed with each other.
「親孝行チウはすべきもんやナア」と村の人々は嘆息し合った．

But soon, an incident occured.
ところが間もなく大変な事が起こった．