New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-02
BY SEWELL FORD

WHY a, the hotel one mornn' while he goes out for
little STROLL drifts down Newspaper Row, where the
red ink war extras are thick the street looks like
raspberry patch; follows the drum music up far AS
CITY Hail. where the recruits bcin reviewed by the
King; listens to the Greek substitute for "Ruh-ruh-ruh
Soak EN-, and the next thing he knows he "aVn ms
III and vcin' with the best Of en-.
II must have stirred mp some Of that old football
hghn blood Of his; for he'd organized regular chccrn
section night there opposite 20 the royal stand ana was
"ho"pin things mp Ike 1t was iouT'h down ana TWO 10
90 on the yard line when all Of sudden over pixies
a Colonel or something from the King staff and begins
pounlin' Skid on the back gccful..
lis "a young Grcc, that used To be in his cnginccrn
Glass; back in the dear old college days He says Skds
ju, the man he wants to come help him patch up the
railroad that the Turks have been putin on the blink
as they dropped back towards headquarters. Would
he, WIN him bcn railroad construction expert OF the
Corrugated this right in his lnci Sure he would
And when Mrs Mallory sees hun again at lunclltime
he's all costumci MAJOR in the Greek army. and IS
about to start for the scene Of atrocities hat SKID
al over He want brcathn out idle gusts either
He no, only rcblilds their bloomin old line bcttcrn
new SD they can rush soldier and supplies 10 the 'front.'
but after the mus Is all over he pnng5 ms order book
on the COVER incnt and lands such a whacln big con
tract steel rails and grdcr that Old hickory decides
10 work dv and night shifts IN roin mills.
Course since II was Mr.. Robert who helped me root
for Skid in the first place he's ticlcd to death, and he
tells me confidential how They're gon to get the d.
rtors together at big banquc; that cvcnin and have
q rcgTar oycf,as with Skid at the head Of the table
JUST now finds Mr. Robert pumpn' him for some Of
J the details Of his experience over there and after
lugs in an atlas they out for, Skid can point
out something on the map, just naturally hangs around
with my stretched.
All that's the place. says Skid, putin his finger
on a dot "Mustapha Well 1t was about SIX miles east
from there that We had our worst job. Talk about
rn,.;,,..i Those Turks may not know how 70 build
decent railroad but believe they re stars at wrccking
a line thoroughly, At Nu;tapha they'd ripped up the
rails burned the ties, and blown great holcS IN the road
bed with dynamite But | soon had dozen grading
gangs AT work on that stretch and new bridges started
and then pushed on alone 10 see what was next.
"That was when got nearest 10 the big noise. on
across the hills the Turks pounding away with their
heavy guns and was anxious for look. kept gong
and going; but couldn't find any Of our people. Night
was shutting in too and the first thing knew wasn't
anywhere in particular with nothing sight but an old
sheep pen tried bunting there but IT WASH reStiu
and before daylight ! went wandering on again
wanted 10 locate our advance and get cup OF coffee
81 must have gone a couple OF miles farther and 1t
was getting light, when most internal racket broke
loose not one hundred yards ahead Really you know,
thought I'd bundcrcd into the midst OF a battle Then
in minute the noise let up, and the smoke blew away,
and there sauatting behind a machine gun up on the
side Of a hll one lone Greek soldier Not another
soul in sight mind you: just this absurd, dirty smoke
stained person. calmly feeding another belt Of cartridges
a'HclIoi saws |. What the deuce are you doing
here Holding the hill, Sir says he in good United
States. Not all alone? says L. re shrugS his shou-
dcrs at that The others killed or hurt says he
The Red Cross people took them all away last night
Lieutenant Sergeant everyone. But Our battery must
keep the hi.'-'Whcrcs the rest OF the advance
thought says |. i don't know, says he And you
mean TO saw SAYS l. you've been here all night with
the Turkish artillery hammering away at you! They
are bad shots those Turks, very bad says he. Also
they send infantry to drive me away, many times Sce
There come some more. Down there! Ah-r-r-r! You
will, will you1 And with that he turns loose his big
pcDpcrbOX on 4 squad that