New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

best to make themselves over into good
soldiers for their Uncle Sam.
The friendships that are brought
about between boys and men who come
from widely different social environ
ment is one of the fine things in army
life. Each side gets a new outlook and
fresh viewpoint that would scarcely
be possible in civilian life, except in
rare instances.
Social Extremes
Meet in Army
Young Artie Field and his friend
Witzer typify many such friendships
so unlike, yet drawn together by the
great common bond the war has Great
ed. Artie is tall and slender and blue
eyed, with a shock of drsb blond hair.
He was born and brought up in Yon-
kers. the son of one of the obscure
branches of famous family. A high
school certificate, two years an otfice
boy, one year clerk and the great
dragnet Of the government carried him
into Camp Upton. Witzer, popularity
known in his company as Oatmeal on
account of his initials II. o., christened
Henri Ouimet, is the son. of an ex-
patrated Pole, who won his sergeant
chevrons worthily as a L. S. regular
and died when the boy was ten years
old. Henri's mother is French. and
very bitter, for the old folks were from
Alsace-Lorraine and she only lives TO
see her birthplace restored to her be-
loved France.
II. o. played and fought his way up
TO manhood on the streets of New
York, below Fourteenth. Three years
at grammar school, then a plumbers
apprentice, two years in a machine shop
and he, too. was called to become one
of Uncle Sans soldier citizens.
Speaking Of friends we make in this
here military game" said II. o. "Artie,
here is one case in point, ahem-so
. speak. He stans me use Of lang
widge, which | know ain't accordin' 9
rool, an he's jes' as proud Of hayin'
me Wit me fghtin' ancestors for
friend as am Of him wit his folks
who tied tn continent of Urroop Z
America Wit rope. Then there's
that Looteneut," he continued remi-
nisccntly. Him that called a twenty
minute egg, because wit his smooth
ways and pretty face, an allus so quiet
ike "a boys tot he didn't know much,
not wit'standin' however as We had e
say he could han it . tn top serg.
an evry las one OF 'em as got a COM
mission title under i'm, bout that there
manual Of arms, even all tn time when
we wuz thinkin' OF i'm as hard boiled
one. But It wuz him, wen me mere
wuz sick who let me haY' a forty-eight
hour pass wich wuz by way Of savin'
'er life, tn doctor said-ker seem me
an Lnowln' that wuz not dead yet
and still able to git Alsace Ger US yit.
Oh. he's prince an he gotter pass
wcr ~ major Of tn reg. himself had
passed tn word that no more funerals
or waddins WIZ g be held in any nan's
family b'tween Saturday mornin's Z Mon
dsy revelle an that dyin' amongst
famlys an friends wud no longer be
fash'nble in tn best mliturry circles
in The camp.
But tn lootenent he b1ieyed me an
went . tn commander himself an IL
sure did save her life"
Officers Wonder What
Men Think of Them
There vas Q long. long silence among
the little group that had gathered
about one By one in The quietuds o.
the !. NJ. c. A. room as Witzer made
his eloquent apology to the absent Of
iicer who was probably sleeping solnc-
- at that moment in his quarters in
1istant part of the camp unconscious
Of the tribute that was being paid him
for one OF the many kindly deeds with
which his daily life is flled.
II often wonder all Captain --
as we stood watching ictreat one even
ing, "what thcsc 'a'a are thinking
about US when ~ stand before them
issuing orders. The army is just
great school, and we are the teachers.
You and / and all OF us can recall how
we used to pick our instructors to
pieces and mentally appraise them in
the class room, sometimes taking them
at their face value, sometimes prais-
ing, more often critieising'
Come to one OF our freside con-
fercnees some evening ! replied. "and
you'll find ont