# J. N. Armstrong explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

A brief poetic tribute to J. N. Armstrong, manager of Western Union in Chicago, who was wounded at the Marne and recounts a story involving a nurse.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The narrator who asks Armstrong to tell his story.

## Key lines

> He was wounded, you know, at the Marne, And I asked him to spin me the yarn, “It might have been worse But for that little nurse.” He said, and turned red as a barn.

Armstrong was injured at the Marne and, when asked to tell the story, blushed and credited a nurse for saving him.

_The narrator prompts Armstrong to share his war experience, highlighting his modesty and gratitude._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/j-n-armstrong
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters