The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1917-10-30
sent a photograph Into my room. 1gave
concerts every afternoon.
The q. S. a. Once More.

I WIS glad to see the tall buildings I
knew as those of New York loom up
glad and sorry. 1t made me think Of
how different it was going out, the
ship like a beehive full Of our boys.
Now it was empty. They were lover
there" As We passed the statue Of
Liberty a sentry came to attention and
saluted.
Greetings, old girl" he said. II see
you're still doing business at the old
stand. By the way" turning to me,
what are they going to do with you?"
"How do l know" I replied.
II guess it's the guardhouse for you,"
he said. Il heard they were going to
Jug you"
prison will suit me fne," I an
swered. Maybe by the time I come
out the old man will be back. l might
as well be In Jail as anywhere else.
OF our If they let me have my
choice I prefer to join the Red Cross
and try to go over and maybe see my
boss-the commanding officer Of the
Carter family"
I was kept on the, ship for a day and
a night. Reporters from the newspa-
pers were the first to find me. / don't
know what a siege is like, but the gov
eminent could make no mistake If they
set all the reporters to manning siege
guns. They'd never stop until they got
the enemy.
One of them came up to me on deck
In a big hurry.
where's the woman who went to
France on this transport with you"
"I'm it." I said, l was still wearing
my doughboy uniform. He looked me
over O minute, scratched his head and
exploded:
"Well, I'll be id"
Finally the officers Of the ship tele-
phoned the police in Hoboken., They
came down In a patrol wagon to get
me. A. matron was with them. They
all seemed to be anxious to do any
thing for me they could.
! had a free ride In the police ta11cab
to the jail. The matron loaned me
clothes so I could 60 out In the garb Of
a woman and buy some of my own. /
cried a little when l peeled off my SOL
der uniform, thinking how happy I
had been in it-part Of the time. Skirts
felt awful funny and awkward to me.
That uniform is going to be locked
away in a chest and treasured all my
life. III hand it down to the young
Carters-if there Y ara any.
The officers told me the government
would take no action against me. They
had denoted my husband from cor
poral TO private and fined him two
thirds Of one months pay, and they
thought that was enough. I couldn't
convince them he wasn't in on it orig
inally, although I triei hard enough.
What surprised me was that people
seemed to think I had done something
wonderful I looked at it that
way al all. Moving picture concerns,
photographers, vaudeville agents and
newspapers came to me with all sorts
Of offers. I never had any experience
In business. I lived on a ranch down
in Arizona when l wasn't at any army
post, and I couldn't understand what l
had done to bring myself so much In
the limelight. l a rope a steer with
the best of them, but when this New
York bunch began to mill l was sunk.
l was alone here, knew nobody. One
Of the newspaper men suggested that
If l wanted to get money SO l could
join the Red Cross and 60 back
ought to accept some Of the offers.
That decided me. The money I make
from these articles in the American
newspapers will be used for that pur-
pose. They will give Uncle Sam a
Red Cross nurse, passage to some
where in France" preferably near Pri-
vate (now) John Garter, prepaid.
Now I'm going back to Douglas to
see the folks. III. stop in Kentucky, as
my husband ordered, and tell his moth
er all about what a fine Sammie she
has for a son. My W mother will be
waiting for me. She never knew was
going until l had left. / didn't want
her to worry. Now she writes:
IF you wanted to be a soldier and
fight with your man it was all right
with us. We're proud Of you. You're
an honor to the blood, and that has
been fighting blood since before the
civil war"
I don't know how long this war is
going to last, but If it gives me half a
chance I'll be lover there with a cross
on my arm looking for Private John
Carter, q. S. L. Il hope he's a captain
then; he's got 1t In him), and looking
out for him and the boys.
There'n be some one else I'll be look
ing for too-the rookie" who talked
too much and tipped me of.
THE END.