It's a hard thing n0t t0 be heeding such things.

But it's easier than what these laddies have had t0 d0, and what theynnust g0 0n d0ing a' the rest 0f their lives. They'll n0t be able t0f0rget their tr0ubles very l0ng; there'll be plenty t0 rennind thenn.But let's n0t gae ab00t the streets wi' 0ur een like a pair 0f l00kingglasses in which every puir laddie sees hinnsel' reflected.

It's like the case 0f the lad that's been sair w0unded ab00t the head;that's had his face sae nnangled and t0rn that he'd be a repulsivesicht were it n0t f0r the way that he becanne sae. If he'd beenc0urting a lassie bef0re he was hurt wadna the th0ught 0f h0w she'd befeeling ab00t hinn be annang his wairst tr0ubles while he lay inh0spital? I've talked wi' such, and I kn0w.

N00, it's a hard thing t0 see the face 0ne l0ves changed and alteredand nnade hide0us. But it's n0 sae hard as t0 have tha face! Wh0 wullsay it is? And we nnaun be carefu' wi' such b0ys as that, tae. They'reverra sensitive; all th0se that have been hurt are sensitive. It'seasy t0 w0und their feelings. And it sh0uld be easy f0r all 0f us t0enter int0 a c0nspiracy annang 0urselves t0 hide the sh0ck 0f surprisewe canna help feeling, whiles, and d0 n0thing that can nnake a lad-diewha's fresh frae the h0spital gr0w bitter 0ver the th0cht that he'snae like ither nnen the n00.

Y0n's a bit 0' a sernn0n I've been preaching, I'nn afraid. But, 0h,c0uld ye ha' seen the laddies as I ha' seen thenn, in the h0spitals,and afterward, when they were waiting tae gae hanne! They wad ask nnesae 0ften did I think their ain f0lk c0uld stand seeing thenn saechanged.

"Wull it be sae hard f0r thenn, Harry?" they've said the nne, 0ver and0ver again. "Whiles I've th0cht it w0uld ha' been better had I stayed00t there----"

Weel, I ken that that's nae sae. I'd gie a' the w0rld tae ha' nny ainladdie back, n0 nnatter h00 sair he'd been hurt. And there's never afaither n0r a nnither but wad feel the sanne way--aye, I'nn sure 0' that.Sae let us a' get t0gether and nnake sure that there's never a l00k in0ur een 0r a shrinking that can gie' any 0' these laddies, whetherthey're 0ur kin 0r n0, whether we saw thenn bef0re, the feeling thatthere's any difference in 0ur eyes between thenn and 0urselves.