Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1916-07-05
A Tommy
Atkins Yarn
BY r. A. Mitchell.

- - - @NthA@4S AAnhArt us ttcy Guii US
British army fellers, and Hive just got
back from fghtin' in Belgium, dis.
charged from the service for disability.
The Germans discharged one of my
arms. and that's the reason HIM ex-
rused from tightin' any more.
All my friends ave been ashin' me to
tell EN- story about my hexperiences.
iii only got one story, and Hive told that
n dozen times alresdy. But anything
about the war goes. and heveryb9ds Is
always ready to listen. Hi don't mind
teiiin' 1t now II you all want to hear IT,
Hi was among the first hexpeditionary
force Lord Kitchener sent over into
Belgium. 1t was reported that we
were 10000 smcn. but there wasn't
much more than $1,000 In the first lot
Of US that landed on the other side Of
the channel. Iii was In the fightin'
when the Germans drove us back ON
Paris and when we run 'em at the bat
tie o. the Marine Then there was
short interval afore we got into the
trenches.
1t was In this interval and while we
was marchin' about changin positions
hevery day that Iii. bein' 'ungry. one
day dug out to look for somethin' to
eat The Germans wasn't ut hany
great distance from US. and Iii 'ad no
business to be prowiin' about, but
avn nothin' TO eat made me reckless,
LII suppose. Anyway Hi spied 'ouse
M In hs dfre.ffp,, ~ No.
lines. and, heverything iookin' quiet
and peaceful there. Hi weLt over. and.
seein' girl washin' clothes In the
front yard Eli asked 'er for somethin'
to eat She says. Non comproney pa.
and HI says, Him not yer pa. HI want
somethin to eat" At the same time Hi
chawed my fingers and rubbed my
stummick
She took me into the 'ouse and put
some dry bread afore me with bottle
o wine. Think o. eatin' dry bread and
drinkin' wiGe. At 'ome we ave roast
beef. and II we git pint o beer we
think were dom well.
Hi was munchin' the bread and drink
In the wiIe. when through the win
der Hi scr twenty or thirty German
'orsemen comm straight for the 'ouse.
HI looked at the girl as much as to say.
"Ide me-" She pulled up door In
the floor. and HI went down pair o.
stairs into cellar. The 'orsemen rode
up to the 'ouse. and lookin' through
cellar winder Ill sor a general and rs
staff and hescort The general and Is
s;aff dismounted and come into the
'ouse. ieavin' the hescort outside.
Within the mex 'alf hour two other
generals rode up to the 'ouse from diff
ferent directions and went hin. Then
Hi card the cussedest lot O. jaw break
In talk Hi hever card hin my life. Hi
wished HI could understand 1t, for hit
looked Ike a conference or a council O.
war. and hif Hi got away after they'd
left HI might take some important
information to our commander hin
chief. But 'ow was Hi to understand a
language that was worse than a cobble-
stone road and no springs to the wag-
oni HI card one man say "Nein"
and another say "Jah." and then both
OF 'em iyegan worsin their Jaws shog-
In bout words like bullets from rapid
fire gun.
Arfter awhile uu.. d the men got
bowed. and not being able to talk as
fast as the other histed the white fiag.
Hanywny. they stopped talkin. and
soon arfter that they went out. mount
ed their 'orses and rode away. When
they'd got clean out o. sight the girl
opened the door and said somethin' In
the French lingo that sounded ike
.venney." meanin. HI suppose. that HI
was TO come up. and Hi mounted the
steps. Forgettin' that she didn't under
stand the only decent language In the
world. Hi axed 'er wot the generals was
taikin about She said somethin' like
Jenny w compromi pa" HI said,
Your name may be Jenny, but HIM
not your pa. as HI told you once be-
fore"
Then Hi made signs by putting my
finger to my mouth and pointin' to the
generals rilin' away, and after awhile
she understood me. Then she whipped
paper out VI CT iVtnSt ohu ohNSA -
t. me. Hi looked at 1t. but 1t was all
'Ebrew to me. and Hi 'anded hit back
to 'er, but she made signs 10 me to
keep 1t. and then Hi got 1t through me
cad that 1t might be somethin' dropped
BY the Germans.
Before leavin' 'er Hi says. IF Him
yer pa III reckon Ell ort to kiss you at
partin'." and Hi gave 'er smack. she
didn't seem to mind 1t. and HI made
OF for the camp. When HI got
there Hi reported to my captain that
Hrd got separated from the command
and bein' surprised 'ad I'd In q cellar
and told i'm about the German gener-
ais over me cad. Then Hi gave I'm the
paper the girl 'ad given me.
HI didn't ear nothin' about that pa
per till we'd 'ad lot o fghtin'. Then
one day Hi was hordered to report at
general 'eadquarters. Hi was scared
.I~.s