The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-12-16
SHAVE TALL TAMtS
SAVAGE ORAFTtt
souzk fasutsnsmt At rsuhank Made
Angelo Commando Sec Light
Of Duty.

Of Duty.
Camp Upton. L. l.. December H.
This story might be called only
suhaltsrn," or. TO Amertcanixe Kip
iing's india army term to national
army slang. Muffin But q Shave
Tall
Second Lieutenant 0utmAn, Com
pany r. s0sth infantry. the shave tail
in the piece. hasn't the least idea that
st's going to be written. but Sergeant
F.. s. Grey and High Private Burt But
der have.
mo, sir. there ls not any news
around here" Sergeant Grey. formerly
-dstective-sergeant attached to police
headquarters at Brooklyn. announced.
There isn't anything doing st alive
haven't any heroes or ortpDies or cry
sng men or company mascote or any
thing of the kind"
Saugh, there aiu't nuttins." III Ugh
Private Butler ooincided. Unless you
wants say that Company rs the best
company In the regiment. Amt she.
ssrge7" h.
Sarge Grey, outstanding. broad. with
s1le square and fair look OF one of
Woods men In his eye, smiled down at
hsip you any today. Drop around
again 'Tention. 'tention. you men"
Sergeant Grey and High Private
Butler brought their heels together
and saiuted as a rather younsish Lieu
xenant walked through the barrack
sorrider into the orderly room. As
soon as the door hadslammed behind
him, Private Burt dropped back into
his SLOUGH, but made a esestion with
xauch more enthusiasm than Burt
casually exhibits.
Lisutsaans sa . "nearcns."
Say. would you write little piece
about the lieutenant there?" he asked.
Say, would you do that for the sarge
and II Honest, that guy Is the whitest
wuy that you ever saw around this old
camp He's bearcat. Can't you say
chat In your piece? Honest. he de-
serves IT,
Array tradition. policy. convention
msfsy ana the whole scheme Of mill
xAry things were tum bled head over
heals. Here was a rookie In a selected
army who. BIZ all the dope sheets and
form figuring. should be oursing his
luck. swearing AZ his superiority and
4rothing 81 the mouth with hatred
But instead. he was begging that
auioxy be written about hts lisuten-
Ant.
'@ThArd DO nne II you could write a
little piece about him,'' Sergeant Grey
announced. All the men think a lot
OF him and they'd all be glad II you
could write up something. He ism,
sven In our platoon, but everybody Is
outs about him. Don't you think you
could m ND somethingT"
with painstakinK effort II wac ex
planned to Burt that stories must have
something else than wish or hope
oppressed behind them and that there
~ere q thousand ifeutenants IN camp.
ssH~'s Such q Waite Gay"
But Ia such "a white guy" Bert
insisted. @He pulls away his old
pips during rest periods when we're
: smoke and five run second over our
nfteen minutes he doesn't get all het
ap and bawi US OUT
But again ~ was explained to Bur;
that you couldn't hang a story on
pipe and dfteen minute rest periods
Listen. telia you s. story about
dat L.oo'tent" said short swarths
soldier who had been standing around
in the group gathered In the hall. MY
name eec Angelo Commando. anna
wen come here say. TO hell wild
the arme~, no gonna work; ! no carry
gun. / no fight
~walia. was YER bad solger.
gotta de punishme nt--theese keetchen
police. guarda datee. everything, May
10 get put In da coop after while
K Gotta Dc hate in usF heart, | no
~wanta serve FIRST.
'isoms ncn~corns they try make me
work. but at back 1 gotta da hate
here In my heart An do more
keescheu police an guards dntse.
think run away some day. I-what
you cali htmf~-yes. / desert some day.
Then wanna day theese Lootent--
xftx beeg nne Loo'tent Gutman. ne
como 70 me anna he say. Angelo, you
snaka tn bisga fool wild yourself You
no Gamma do thsse kinda work. BE
kfsaf1. regular man. Angelo. serva yonr
countres--your countree yook after
you good. You promise me you be tn
good man and spsek your captain.
You seginnaall good ana we forget
everything past. Promise, Angelo
.<He Maka Me tsesS Soldier"
Anna for that nne man, that Loo
tent. I promise. anna everything she
nae now. 80 to da hell for my Loo
tent. " he cay Angelo. you SO. He
maka me good solser-ro one else do.
susta my Loo'tent ut for him, 1 do
Angelo, finished with hts sutogy.
turned ana shurled on upstairs shak-
ing with suppressed emotion.
On the steps outside buKle blew
for retreat ana there was scramble
ana rush for hlousss and guns Ser
xsant Grey and High Private Burk
Aurriedly excused themselves n q
toined the iins forming IN the COM
pany streets
A srea. RED cold sun was dropping
. Behind a low hill to the west, Another
dsy IN the fife OF this great. wonder
-rui democratic army OF freedom was
officially being brought to a close,
! Tho nrst sergeant calling the roll
FINISHED the As and the rs.
Commando" he sang out
-Here." shouted short. stafky,
swArthy soldier. And there was con-
ndenos and willingness and pride In
: the tone OF his voice.
~ NJ q A. Workers san for Europe