Perth Amboy evening news., 1915-08-28
MERRY DOGS OF WAR
Tale Of ''Ugly," Scared Hero OF
a Hundred Battles.
Wins Fame and Corpora's Stripes
With the British Troops In North
ern France-A Challenge
and What Came of II. i
BY GEORGE DUFREsNE.

BY GEORGE Dur RESNEs
International News Service Correspondent
Paris.-In the early days Of this
war, Ugly scrambled ashore IN north
ern France a stowaway on one OF the
channel packets. He was a khaki
tinted cur of the most disreputable
appearance. Nobody's dog; but with
a soul so tuned to the doings OF SOL
diers that as soon as he discovered
that the great game was going on, ne
swore to be in it and Of it. He was
natural fighter, scored and SCARED
with a hundred battles.
So they attached him here to B. X'
which means any sort OF job that
going at the base-"B"-standing for
base, and "X" being the recognized
algebraic symbol signdfying an un-
known quantity. He was signed on
the A. S. C. (Pickford's Light Horse)
to deal with the rats which rayage
the bales down by the docks. Like
the minister of munitions he was
given a free hand with his subject,
and so successful was he with these
gray-jacketed rascals that he soon re-
ceived a corporal's stripes double ra-
tions Che dearly loves jam), and the
offer, after another singularly success
full raid among the rodents, Of com
mission. This last he refused declar-
ing that he would never leave the
ranks.
Ugly's prowess was noised abroad.
It reached the fighting line. G. Fl. Q.
heard of it, so that presently dusty
M. r. driver, pulling up his car amid
the shell-strewn debris of the dock,
handed a packet to the young off1cer
in charge. demanding a speedy an
swer. The communication read as fol-
lows:
Dug-out Ssh, Battersss Rise, Tuesday.
We always congratulated ourselves
here In having the ugliest dog and the
fiercest fighter in Flanders. We hereby
challenge Corporal Ugly, A s. G. TO
meet Sergeant Smiler. q. H. O., to fight
at % rounds, catch-as-catch-can, at any
handy spot within or WITHOUT the mean
side money down.
Inquiries were Immediately made as
to the standing, skill and fighting
weight of Sergeant Smiler, and those
being considered satisfactory, the chal-
lenge was accepted, and Ugly was put
into strict training, much to his dis
gust
A heavy book was made on the
forthcoming combat, and when the
tense evening of the meeting of these
growing Greeks arrived, the arena
was packed with an eager, brown
faced crowd, all a-throb with the
sweet pleasures of anticipation. Ser
geant Smiler arrived, due to time, In
a carefully corded biscuit box.
Ugly was already in possession of
the floor, striding up and down in the
fierce pride OF ownership, and snarl-
ling a challenge to the whole category
of Crufts.
The box was dragged into the ring,
the cords unlaced, the lid raised, the
cage tipped at the necessary angle
by a brave Tommy, who leaped back
over the parapet as with roar the
incarcerated thunderstorm hurled
himself into the lists.
Alert, savage and with his back hair
bristling, Ugly crouched for the
spring-crouched, and then sat down
hard in absolute amazement; for
there in front Of him was his exact,
his complete double in size and shape
and color. Sergeant Smiler also
crouched and sat down suddenly, as
II frozen to the floor. In the silence
which follows, the breathing Of the
two dogs could be heard-jerkily,
like the spurts of a southwest squall
ct sea.
Then, with a glad gurgle Of canine
melody, the two animals flung them
selves into one another's arms in
brotherly caress, in which yaps of joy
were mingled with yelps OF rem
iniscence, almost tear compelling to
the sentimental soldiers gathered
around. For none could fail to read
the riddle.
Corporal Ugly and Sergeant Smiler
were twins, and this was their first
meeting since puppyhood. Truth is
sometimes stranger than fiction. This
is true tale, and the British army Is
still laughing over 1t. A good chuckle
now and again Is tonic.