The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1901-06-12

| the other sergeant.
Headquarters indeed, You can ret
| passed up there to go into the town and
| set bath. You don't have 20 loaf
| around In an atmosphere OF coal dus,
| all the time. And they have barrel
of ice water in the camp"
What. Ice water, You don't mean
it,"
"Nes. do" grumbled Bob. Tho
majors orderly told me so when hc
came down here. lie had u bath yes
tcrday, regular swim. with plenty
of water We have to tramp quar-
ter Of a mile To set drinking water,
and not much of that | tried bathing
In one OF these bitches. Stood In
wash basin TO keep from sinking IN
the mud. II wasn't n success, and I've
got clean things in my linapsack, too.
BY George. we always get the toughest
detail of the whole lott"
"Oh. quit your growlng!"
ITS all very we'll for you. You're
not duty sergeant. and don't so on
guard
NO; but have to stay here. and It's
all day. Then there are the reports
and acquisitions; and every time ona
of You fellows wants to grumble you
come to me. Yesterday you wanted
to know why | did not give you coffee
after dinner!"
II didn't | just asked you II you
expected us to live on canned beef all
the time. Say, we got fired on three
different times at the bridge last
night"
ANY one hurt?'
mo"
Did you shoot any oBe?'
Don't know. We fred back. but I
guess we didn't hit anything. Speer o.
Company II, night before last. shot n
man who tried to run the line; at
least, that Is what Speer reported In
the morning; but | notice that Com
pany lis eating fresh mutton, and the
commissary hasn't issued any, either.
Why can't one of our fellows shoot
one Of Specr's men? Lazy beggars!"
Bob" said the other sergeant "I'm
dead broke, and my credit Is not good
at the store over there. They don't
know me, and'
They do know you!" chuckled
Sergeant Bob.
Keep still! As I 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,
and will get box of crackers. I'll tell
you where you can get bath, wash
your clothes. and feel like a man and n
brother once more"
Sergeant, the crackers are yours
Where is that corner of paradise?"
Hold on, Don't be in such hurry.
You go up an persuade the commissary
sergeant to give you bar of that i'm
ported yellow soap, while | go and
use my influence with one of the hos
| pital corps to get couple of big tow
| els"
Your influence, You've got about
as much influence as lance-corporal,
| and that's nothing. Besides, | have Il
| towel"
"So've l. but we want to do this
| thing i'm style. Wen take our blan-
| kets for togas. and do the Roman sem
ator while our duds are drying. And
my influence is all right, because the
| big towels are hanging behind the hos
pital tent. and the fellows are at the
| surgeons tent, hearing a lecture on
bones Skip along after that soap,
now."
Where is this place you're talking
about?"
Robert, you pain me! Can't you
take it on trust? There is we'll"
Yes. at home. And wish | had a
barrel of water from it now"
Don't interrupt my eloquence.
There is a well. n deep well, with
clear. cold water. on hillside near a
ruined log house. BY that well Is a
quarter section of hogshead, once
used for watering cattle. now convert
ed by my genius into a bath-tub. A
big elm spreads its outrageous arms
over soft grass, where"
THAT will 10! I'm going for the
soap on a rum" and Sergeant Bob
struggled into his blouse and de-
parted
An hour later two blankot-draped
boys lay on the grass under the elm.
The camp was out of sight behind a
shoulder of the hill. On fence near
by various garments We're drying.
Flecks of sunlight struggled through
the leaves overhead. and made a gol !
and green patchwork of the grass. A
barren corn-held, with last years
stalks cut close to the ground
stretched away up the hill to fringe
of bushes. the advance guard of the
forest. An old well, with rottine
shed above a rough stone curb, was
near the tree. Against the well-shed
leaned two rifles. with bayonets, belts
and cartridge-boxes hung on the ram
rolls.
"Now this is luxury said Sergeant
Bob but If that fat lieutenant of the
guard caught us outside Of the lines
we'd get into trouble"
This is worth it, isn't 1t? AS some
| ono said oncp yOu cannot take AWAY