The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-01-20

/ f''''' 10 thVy "tlt ldSl Week WHEN
~ men were sent overseas for active
service.
Lastly, come the parades. one at
$50 and another at 1870. Here we
are inspected, drilled in right turns.
about turns, left wheels, right
wheels, cart Wheels" right form.
squad form and all kinds of forms
TO cure us Of deforms so many of us
present; stretcher drill, wagon load
ing, etc. We are also trained las DO
tentlal commanders TO give orders.
sometimes with ludicrous results.
The man beside me, agitated by the
feeling that officers were listening
To his stentorian voice,-intending
To give the command load stretch
ers,' called out in tones audible a
block away, load patients. Some
Of the Highlanders at Hastings Park
must have heard him for Christmas
eve many Of the bonnie Scots i'm
kits, judging by their exceeding diff
flculty of maintaining straight
course were very evidently loaded
with considerable bottled enthusi-
assn. remember one in particular
at midnight standing solemnly be-
fore an officer, who was feeling the
LETT side Of his chest which bulged
with disconcerting prominence in di-
mansions, strangely suggestive of a
bottle. quart size.
speaking of parade inspection.
must say that at 9:20 the call comes.
stand to beds, We do, at attention.
and IN marches our Sergeant Mai
or,-than whom | have never seen
a man who was so completely and
profoundly well-satisfled with him
self. He is an Englishman To the
core, a veteran of old Indian SepOy
wars, has seen thirty years service
in the British army-and looks con-
siderably like Bismarck-only with
out the biz" the latter had. Well
he marches around the barracks
glancing with hawk-like eye at
blankets, folded beds, clothes. etc,
stamping heavy silver-headed cane
on the ground and looking for all
the world as if he had stepped out
of one of Dickens novels.
At $50 he inspects the men in
the same way. Every face must be
shaved-every hair, every day: ev-
cry coat must be brushed. A speck
of dust on a coat disturbs him as
much as if it were in his eye. They
say man never knows what humili-
alton is till he hears his love letters
read in court. The setting seems
70 be absent. Well. could amend
it by saying he knows what it is |
when Sergeant Major informs him,
as he did me before the whole COM |
pany, that his hair needs cutting, his
boots could be improved and that the
whitewash that some foul friend
had gotten on the back of my Leg
ought to be removed. Ach himmel!
how my high school boys would have
enjoyed that scene! But the army
is the army and we must conform.
On active service We are supposed to
possess mustaches-and So ooh Tenn
pOra! oh immortals0 after New
Year, I'll attempt the agricultural
enterprise of raising fungi on my
upper lip. must not forget to say
hat after parades we listen to two
ectures a day given by prominent
ocal physicians on anatomy and
and first aid. thus enjoy
ng a superficial sort of a medical
raining course. Among our number
Is privates are two doctors. who
we're unable to get commissions, and
get refused To stay home, two phar-
nacists, a dispenser. young man
who formerly was private secretary
u the Vancouver French Consul. a
Vancouver school teacher, two UNI
Of the University Of
British Columbia and certain high
chool teacher. Rather select
lunch to be employed carrying wood
md polishing spitoons!
When | shall be fortunate enough
o be moved overseas is matter of
'aguest conjecture. We go where
We are sent, some to field ambulance,
ome attached to regimental medical
tations in the trenches, some as
'rderlies TO galloping surgeons, etc.
Suffice il, we will be used if the
var continues till next fall and need
ess to say we are all anxious TO ex-
hange the monotony of daily drill
nd the company Of pots and pans. ,
Think of me on my knees scrubbing
barracks foorD for the satisfac-
DRY ministering to the wounded at
he front.
May pray for you all during the
coming year the felicity and safety
hat | know you reciprocate for me.