The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-10-20

secretary passed around song books
at last
"Finer' said q recruit. eve gotta
DO something" So they sang all their
bravado and animal spirits away. as
it grew dusk in the car, and it was a
husky chorus that finally took up the
words Of Old Folks at Home.
Got any Testaments?" asked one
OF the men at last
The secretary had. They were for
the men who wanted them particular
ly-who did? Every man on the car
except one Russian Jew pressed for
ward to ask for one Of the little
Books: the Russian Jew explained
not wanting one, and then began to
talk of Russia.
'Can she come back?" he said. ''she
sure can. Amt / got all my money
invested in Russian bondsT'
On another train a fine young col
lege chap who had just left home got
telegram that his mother had died.
The secretary tried to comfort him.
Your mother would want you to
keep your courage and fight the best
you can," he suggested.
II know she would" said the boy.
She was sick and dependent on me,
but she wouldn't let me claim exemp-
tion. That's the kind of mother she
well, I'm going to be-"
After the men receive their uni
forms, they send home their civilian
clothes; wardrobe room is an un-
known quantity at cantonment.
Some OF the men said that they hadn't
any home to send things to. But the
secretaries announced that these men
could send their clothing to the Y. M.
G. A. of their home town, which would
receipt the express company for it.
then send the receipt on to the SOL
der. If soldier hadn't the money to
pay the express, he could even send
his things collect, and the ~" would
take care of 1t.
demanded one of the Sammies. We've
got the r."
Near Admission, Ala, one of the
trains broke down, and fifty soldiers
rushed over to the nearst YIN. C. A.,
calling loudly for ham and eggs. 1t
was rush order, but IL was filled.
What would we do without the
'Y?' they asked with their mouths
full, as they rushed back to the train.
Several of the men on one train in
the south got on with as many as
four quarts of whisky. The men said
that some of the towns there had been
giving the enlisted men free of charse e
all the liquor they asked for, the bill
being paid by the business men of the
town. At first the secretary couldn't
be of much help to the men who were
really drunk. But after a time, when
he had gone through the car with
envelopes and paper TO write the
quietly pouring their whisky out of
the window.
Il don't want the stuff" one said.
Never did want IL. It's just this go
ing away that's got me. But the folks
back home expect me to be decent,
and I'm EeinE to be-"
The secretary told him and the 9TH
eF men about the "Y" huts in every
cantonment, and at every army and
navy encampment in the United States
those buildings that help the men
''be decent, that bring home to them
as nearly as possible, that encourage
the men and entertain them, and kesp
their fighting spirit up
"Tl be there" said a Sammy. eff
we get all this for nothing just on a
train, I'm game to see the inside of
those huts."
Three cheers for the Y. NJ. c. A."
called another voice. And every car
of the long train shook with those
Sammy-cheers. 1t was the kind of
thing to make every mother and sis
ter grateful for an organization that
goes with their men where the folks
at home can't go, and does for them
as nearly as IL can just what the folks
at home would like to do.