Omaha daily bee., 1917-09-29
RECRUITING MEN
Busy AT CARNIVAL
Boys of Lucky Seventh" Have
Formal Retreat" Every
Night as Sun Goes
Down.

Uncle Sans live wire recruiting
officers stationed at the Ak-Sar-Ben
carnival grounds overlook no bets,
and they are pledging many recruits
to the colors even though the rush
days of the festival have not started
yet.
The recruiting crews especially
keep an eye open for stalwart country
chaps and they have high hopes OF
landing large number of sturdy SOL
diers for their Uncle Sam before the
festivities are over.
Boys of the Lucky Seventh" treat
carnival visitors to an impressive GER.
emony each night at S o'clock, The
Seventh lads have retreat" just as
if they were in a military camp.
Promptly at O'Clock bugler
blows the call for retreat and the
Sunset guf" is fred. This is small
rifle instead of large cannon, but the
enthusiasm OF the soldiers makes up
for the deficiency in firearms. The
flag that flies over the recruiting tent
is slowly lowered, while the carnival
band plays the "Star Spangled Ban
ner" ami all stand at attention.
The right hand side Of the grounds
as you enter might be called military row.
Flags and khaki uniforms, tents and ban.
ners abound. The first one Is the small
brown tent where the Lucky Seventh" the
No tuor in
cruits. n It comes the navy tent with
Its big torpedo, around which there 10 al.
ways a curious group. Blue uniformed Off
GERS are at hand to answer questions
Thursday they thought every query within
the range Of imagination had been asked
use Of the torpedo. They had explained
carefully to those who Thought soldiers
lived in the torpedoes," that this was
torpedo, not torpedo boat. They had
reassured anxious visitors who wanted to
know IF 1t was loaded"
Finally came an old lady who peered up
at the officer curiously: Say. Mister" she
began. ''They say you answer lots Of ques-
tions day Now, can you tell me just
how many you answer?" The officer re.
piled he didn't know, but he was sure that
made one more.
The army tent is popular with the Ak
Sar-Be visitors. Every young man who
, looks interested is halted by the recruit
ing men inside and invited to Join the
army.
F. B. Gibbs. one Of the men in charge
halted man who looked about s5. Don't
you want to join the army" he began.
The man looked up, with twinkle in his
eye. wait minute. friend" he replied
as he went around a neighboring booth.
The recruiting officer waited, hopefully
sure that he must be going to bring back
a friend to join also. In an instant he re-
turned.
With him were his wife and nine chill
dren. These, he solemnly ranged In a row
before the astonished officer, pointing to
them without a word.
II threw UP my hands and staggered back
into the tent" said Gibbs. ~"And there were
really nine-I counted them"
A man n years Of age spent an hour
coaxing Sergeant Patton and Lieutenant Zip
fel Of the Lucky Seventh to enlist him.
II fought in the civil war, and in the
Spanish American one" he said. "I can
fight as well as any OF you yet, you bet!"
He finally went away in great disappoint-
ment because he could not enlist The
boys of the Seventh were as sorry that the
age limit prevented them from enlisting him.
As the bugle call for retreat sounded