The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-30
A YANKEE
TRICK
BY WARREN MILLER

Two men were talking about modern
bomb dropping when third came up
and remarked that there was nothing
new to him about dropping bombs
over European cities, since he had
done some of that sort Of work him
self. He admitted that there was a
difference In the height from which
the bombs were dropped, but beyond
this there was no difference.
when the big war broke out" he
continued, that sucked into its vortex
pretty nearly all there was of the CIV
ilized world was third mate of ship
sailing under the British flag. She
was owned by Americans, but sailed
under those colors for the same rea-
sons the big ships did-because she
could be worked cheaper
Now, what I'm going to tell you
happened on the high seas, and there
were things about it that 1t was agreed
shouldn't come out So all of us who
were concerned in the affair signed
pledge that we wouldn't say anything
about It. You needn't expect names Of
men or ships When the war broke
out we were carrying ammunition to
the Servians. We were on the Adriat-
ic sea with load of stuff which. If 1t
had exploded, would have blown US
all into the region of the aeroplanes.
I'VE got the news that everybody
had declared war on everybody else
or was about to do so. from an Italian
cruiser going southwark, we pointing
north. There were warships of diff
ferent nations In the Adriatic, and II
we met any of them except the British
we would be captured sure. OF course
we didn't want to lose our ship and
cargo, at least the captain didn't, for |
he was one of the owners. But there |
we were right In among them and liza |
BILE to meet one any minute.
1T wasn't long before we spied on
the horizon a film of smoke, and the !
captain as soon as he saw 1t looked a
bit anxious. But he kept right on, for
II he turned back he was just as liable
to meet something as bad. We soon
saw that the craft making the smoke
was coming for us, and by the glass 1t
was plain II was some sort of a war
vessel
Il was standing by the captain, and
be handed me his glass. brought 1t
to bear on the craft and saw gun
boat about an eighth the size Of our
ship. but bristling with cannon. II
reminded me of one of those little bull
dogs the ladies use for pets. She new
The Austrian flag.
Captain said 1, its Notifying to
have to surrender to snarling little
beast like that, isn't itT
II don't know that viii surrender
lie answered, drawing down the cor
lers of his mouth.
what can we dor
"He came close up to me and whis-
'ered in my ear. / went of and sent
man down into the hold for some
hing and ordered another to get the
errick we used for loading and I'M
oading ready so that IL could be swung
D a jiffy. When the man | had sent q
rlOH ~ ht had boA 1
rms. told him to put II on the deck
nd go aloft on the mast to which the
errick was swung He took rope
nth MIN that be put through pulley.
Meanwhile the Austrian gunboat
ras coming nearer, stirring up the wa
r and making a lot Of fuss. We were
ying the British flag. and war had
cen declared between England and
ustria- So the gunboat signaled US
heeve to and was getting ready to
md boat aboard Of Us. She was in
'mmand % a little fellow in a fancy
aiforn. and he was dancing around
D bis deck Ike eEure IN q Punch
"a Judy show
INSTEAD Of stopping entirely our ship
as moving 20 slowly that il wouldn't
} Nodded that we we're moving az al
\. oARtatn- took IN. wh@~i kinSals