The Washington herald., 1917-09-30
Saved by Game of Cards,
But, Gambling, He Feared
Irishman Pictures Life in War Which Cements
Friends Among Soldiers on Firing Lines
and in Camp Life.

'.And won it all fro me. ye limb iv
perdition,' said the Irishman.
And you borrowed ten francs from
me the next day, and I've never got
1t back since" Spudhole remarked in
mock-serious voice. "Of course,
we've saved my life a couple o. times
since then" he remarked, as an aft
erthought
Then wen cry quits" cried the
Irishmen, though yer life is dear
enough at the price. Now, hold yer
tongue till finish me story. Where
was I? Oh, yes; twas the card
playin' in the barn at the Somme."
Some barn it was, too," Spudhole
remarked, and ducked in the straw
to avoid the mess-tin which the Irish
man threw at him.
Losing the Game.
There was no money on the table, -
Gahey went on, ''and I was losin'
hand over fist. Spudhole and meself
had a dispute. What lit was about l
misrimimber, but / was nettled and
1 took some money out iv me pocket
and handed it to him. That's yers'
reling?" asked the rookie.
Were the two of you always quar-
reling?" asked the rocky.
Always. except when We wer KILN
Germans" said the Irishman. Then
We always agreed. save once, when
I had to give a lesson to Spud on
the best way iv usin' a bay'net.'
II was a done one, a goper. that
time II old Gahey hadn't risked his
bloomin' life to save mine" Spudhole
remarked, addressing the barn at
large. "I went a bit too far forward
and -
Hold yer tongue. ye =" ex-
claimed the Irishman. rising to his
feet and gripping Spudhole by the
shoulder with a big callous hand. He
twirled the Cockney round, buried
him in the straw and set on him.
Now I'll get on with me story"
said Gahey. "I handed Spudhole the
money. as I said. and who should
come into the barn at that moment
but Sergt. Sharon. He was a divil
for discipline. but at heart a good
fellow. and one that I'D stand up for
his platoon. Sharon looks at me
and 'Gahey,' said he, what's this
that I see?' I'm payin' Spudhole back
a debt that 1 owe him. says /. Shar-
ron bends down and lifts the cards
and puts them in his pocket NO more
playin' cards this night he says. and
there wasn't. not in that barn anyway.
Meself and Spudhole and the others
goes out then, and what we did when
We went out doesn't matter. I'm not
here to bring evil into the minds iv
young rockies by tellin' them things.
They'll learn soon enough. Anyway
we went out and we worn't gone five
minutes when along comes a shell and
away goes the barn and them that
was inside iv 1t.
How Two Were Saved.
$50 this shows ye how a game iv
cards saved me life as well as Spud-
holes life on that OCCASION" Gahey
concluded.
IF you. you big hulkin' Irishman,
don't get up from sittin' on me at
once, I'll lose my bloomin' life on
this OCCASION" said a mufhed voice
from the straw. IT wunner why men
like you are allowed to Join the
army?"
We're allowed in to teach civility
to things like yourself, Spudhole,"
said the Irishman, getting to his
feet. Now come out iv 1t and keep
a civil tongue in yer head. Also
help me to make a mess-tin iv tay
for that last parcel that / had from
home is not finished yet"
Spudhole crept out, shook himself
and became busy over the tea. Prob
ably the two men would have an
other argument before their meal
came to an end, for though they
loved one another greatly, they
quarreled like twin brothers. The
friendship of Gahey and Spudhole is
a friendship cemented by war. made
durable by argument and whole by
quarreling. The readiness of one to
risk his life for the other has almost
become an article of faith with the
battalion.