The Johnson City comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1916-1917, 1916-03-02
SQUAD ROOM STORIES.

The days of sun worship early in
the month have gone, but members
of the cult now make the radiator
the center point for companionship.
When the spirit moves, good stores
sub rosa news, "reminiscences and az
guments pro and con entertain TIL
bedtime after this fashion:
In Tennessee, several years ago.
there was a strike of the free miners
against working with the conylcts
who had been leased to the owners oi
tho Coal Greek mines, and several
comnanies of the national guard
were on duty at the mines for over
two years. One evening several ol
the Third Tennessee boys were sll-
ting around talking about their eA
periences during that strike. A guard
told of his capture by the strikers
who held up a train and took all me
soldiers off who were returning TO the
camp from visit to Knoxville. lie
told how the strikers faced the de
tachment about and gave them or
ders to hike back to Knoxville. And,
he said. "tO add insult to injury, they
took every crumb of tobacco l hau.
eyes" said a voice in the background,
"and 7 was the one that got your to-
bacco." He had, in those days. been
a striker.
In Forest Home Cemetery there is
an open grave waiting for Francis
Marion Collins, a resident of the Sol
diers' Home, Milwaukee. Five years
ago after Collins had been denied
permission by the cemetery authorl-
ties to dig his own grave, he went tc
the cemetery one night and, by the
light of lantern, made ms owl
grave. Collins is SO years old. Attel
making preparations for the last ac
of the long drama of his llle' III
turned eagerly to life and love. ii
fact, he has a sweetheart now. oIl'
is keeping the veteran interested II
life by writing him love letters AM
visiting him at the home at pension
times.
"After a soldier reaches so years,
saws enc of our surgeons, lit be
hooves the vet. to pay attention u
what he eats and drinks" Atten
ton! Why we all display positlv
devotion.
AM officer during the Civil War me
a nrivate on the road and stoppin
him. asked his name and regimen
The private was Tennessee moul
taineer. and this is the answer h
gave I'm Private Brown, OF III
Third Tennessee; the devil couldn
drill us, and all HI couldn't wh'
u.s."
An old sedate member who took
oO-dav furlough to Philly, retulnt
inside of twenty days with new al
ment-buck ague caught in pok'
game.
An accident happened to a soldi
Yesterday. While about to enter
car for the Home he dropped Du
die of laundry and broke all four DC
ties.
NcElhinney-" Jimmy the whe'
barrow man quit his job today
noon"
Donohue-"And for why?'
McElhinney-"Thew whistle blew.
Then the scrap commenced.
az am in favor of more than az
ouate preparedness in all things, a
especially for our protection agali
invaders, and l guess all us vetera
are" said Dan Grosvenor.
Same here, and then some,' 81
Bill Peacock.
I'm not" said Couch; 'as r
I am particular about the compan!
keep; yet | feel constrained to ms
an exception and stand with the m
listers in opposition to militarism."
HI, if a man punches me in
face, | do but more fully apprecl
the meanness of his nature,
when any soldier pulls that peace
any price it creates mholy desi
to try for swift punch to his sou
ern exposure" said Welsh-and Il
the bugle sounded taps.