The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1901-10-03

w lily LOU uOll any iEeS u =
there; this is .headquart rs" said the
other sergeant.
Headquarters indeed! You can get
passes up there to go into town and
get bath. You don't have to loaf
around in an atmosphere of coal-dust
all the time. And they have barrel
of ice-water at the camp"
what! Ice-water! You don't mean
ftp"
Eyes, | dol" grumbled Bob. "The
majors orderly told me SO when he
came down here. He had a bath yes
terday, regular swim, with plenty
of water. We have to tramp a quarter
of a mile to get drinking water, and
not much of that ! tried bathing in
one of hose bitches. Stood in a wash
basin to keep from sinking in the
mud Il wasn't & success, and I've got
clean things in my l<napsacs, too. BY
George, we always Get the toughest
detail OF he whole lot"
"Oh, quit your growing"
Its all very well for you. You're
not a duty sergeant, and don't go on
guard"
no; but l have to stay here, and
it's Sergeant, do this, that and the
other all day. Then there are the
reports and acquisitions; and every
time one of you fellows wants tc
grumble you come to me. Yesterday
you wanted to know why | did not
give You coffee after dinner"
81 didn't! | Just asked if you eX
aected Us to live on corned beef al
The time. Say, we got fired on three
| litferent times at the bridge last
night"
any one hurt?"
NO"
Did you shoot any one"
Don't know. We fired back, but
guess we didn't hit anything Speer
| If company II. night before last, shot
/ man who tried 10 run the line; al
least that is what Speers reported
n he morning; but | notice that com
oany H's eating fresh mutton. an(
he commissaiy hasn't issued any
either. Why can't one of our fellow.
shoot one Of SPeer's mea? Lazy beg
gars!"
Bob" said the other sergeant, I'm
| lead broke, and my credit is not coco
n the store over there. They dom
'lnow me. and"
They do know you, you meant
| chuckled Sergt. Bob.
Keep still As | started to say,
| have no money. and I'm tired OF the
| food myself. | want to buy some
| crackers. Now if you have any cash
md will get me a box of crackers, II
tell you where you can get a bath
! wash your clothes and feel like IA mar
! and brother once more
Sergeant. the crackers are yours
| Where is that corner of Daradise?"
Hold on! Don't be in such a hur
ry. You go up and persuade the com
| missary sergeant to give you a bal
of that imported yellow soap, while
go and use my influence with one o
the hospital corps to get a couple o
big towels"
"Your influence! You've got abou
as much influence as a lance-corporal
ana that's next to nothing. Besides
! ! have towel"
'SoNe L. but we want to do this
thing in style. Wen take our blank
| cts for togas, and do the Roman sen
ator while our buds are drying. AnC
my influence is all right, because tn,
big towels are hanging behind tn,
| hospital tent, and the fellows are a
| the surgeons tent. hearing a lectur,
on bones. Skip along after that soap
now
"Where is this place you're talking
about?"
Robert. you pain mel Can't yot
take it on trust? There is a we'll
"Yes, at home. And | wish had {
barrel of water from it now"
Don't interrupt my eloquencc
There is we'll a deep well. with clear
cold water, on a hillside near ruined
tog house. BY that well is a quarter
section of hogshead, once used fol
watering cattle, now converted by my
genius into bath-tub. \ big elm
spreads its outrageous arms ovel
soft grass. where"
THAT will do. I'm going for tn,
soap on a rum" and Sergt. Boil
struggled into his blouse and departed
An hour later two blanket-drape pee
boys lay on the grass under the elm
The camp was out of sight behind {
| shoulder of the hill. On the fenc,
near by various garments were dry
| ing. Flecks of sunlight struggled
through the leaves overhead, and mad,
a gold and green patchwork of the
| grass. 4 barren cornfeld, with las
years stalks cut close to the ground
stretched away up the hill to a firing,
of bushes, the advance guard of tn,
! forest. An old well. with a rottinl
shed above rough stone curb, wai
near the tree. Against the well-shet
leaned two rifles, with bayonets, belts
and cartridge-boXes hung on the ram
rods.
"Now this is luxury" said Sergt
Bob; "but if that fat lieutenant of the
guard caught us outside of lines, wee
get into trouble"
| e, -, - +.