The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-10-04
CHAPTER /.
I Decide to Go to France.

e I Decide to Go to France.
IT'S long way from Douglas, ARK.
to some port in France" but
made the trip rugged up as q dough
boy, and l would go farther than thai
to be near my husband. However, the
"old man." as every commanding off
Ger Is called In the army, cent me back
on the same transport after had spent
i've days III port within sight Of my
husband, but out Of reach, and five
nights walking the floor and without
sleep.
! am going back again and pay my
own way and get behind the lines and
take care of the boys l know so well
when they are hit The income from
these stories is going to help pay my
fare, and then l won't have to fool the
officers, as ! did. with the regulation
salute and heels on the same line and
as near to each other as the conforma-
ton Of man permits, knees straight
without stiffness, body erect, from the
hips inclining slightly forward; Shout
ders squared and falling equally, arms
and hands hanging naturally. back of
hands outward, little finger opposite
seam of trousers, head erect. chin
slightly drawn in without constraint.
eyes looking straight in front, catching
about fifteen PAGES forward. That is
the position of soldier" |
fooled them all right. :.
l think the authorities were mean
not to permit me to land in France
As long as was there. it seems to me.
they might have stretched a point and
allowed me to have had look at the
war. But they were firm. They said
letting me by might set an example for
other girls to follow and the first thing
they knew Uncle Sam would have Il
troop of lady soldiers on his hands.
At that, cannot see why shouldn't
be a sodier-and a good one too My
grandfather fought in the civil war
Ny father was a regular in the Seventh
cavalry. | am the wife of a soldier.
one of the bravest. best Sammies under
the flag. He is over there now on the
job, doing his bit to make the world
safe for democracy. as they say. And
I am over here praying he won't stop
German whiz-bang while at it.
Exactly when the idea Of posing as II
rookie came to me | do not remem-
Der. My husband. John j Carter was
corporal in the Eighteenth infantry.
encamped at Douglas. Ariz. He belongs
to K company. There was lot of talk
among the boys for Il long time about
being ordered out. None of them knew
where the Eighteenth would be sent
They used to come to our house in
Pritleville. right outside of Douglas,
when they were OF duty and do heap
Of surmising and guessing. Some Of
them thought they would be kept on |
the border to see that things remained |
quiet there and kid with the Mexicans. |
Others had a bunch they would fol-
low Pershing to France. The old tim
ers were pulling for the latter.
AS ] look back now must have had
the germ Of the idea in the back of my
head even then. though | never voiced
it even to myself You see. l was mar
ried only last December. and the
thought of my husband going away
and leaving me behind stirred my i'm
agination. We went together for a
year and half before we dug up the
parson. | wish had that year and
half with him now.
One day Corporal Carter came home
from the supply depot. where he had
been on guard duty The minute !
saw his face | knew he had his orders
He was not excited. because he is an
I'D timer at soldering He told me he
vas leaving the next day under secret
orders There was not much warning
Che troops just packed up and left.
| did not tell him | was going. too.
because he knows always go through
With anything | take a notion to do
nd it might have worried him. But
ad determined to make a try at it any
ow. That evening and the next morn
ng. while he was busy attending to the
etails of packing and getting off,
vas pretty busy myself. | knew where 1
here was a discarded khaki uniform, (
equation army, that would fit me. By l
le uniform ! mean the trousers, conf,
hirt and campaign hat
- Ready to March. |
Getting the rest Of my wardrobe was
asy. | bought shoes. boys size, which
'oked exactly like the army shoes !.
anvas leggings and boys underwear ,
,mpleted the outfit. | was ready and
ager to be on the march. / was TWEEN
1.-TWO and full OF health and boyish In
Dpearance.
My husband said his farewell about
BON. He was pretty blue, because he
fought it would be goodby for a long
me, perhaps for always. But he Is =
st, last and always soldier, and he :,
d it as soldier should. suppose he