The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1917-06-15

to fire until the native gentlemen
closely associated with Emilio Aguin.
aldo opened up. Suddenly in front Of
Vi from the direction Of our skirm.
ishers came the spiteful 'boom" Of
n Of our old-fashioned black
powder Springfields. l went with an
officer to find out who disobeyed or
ders in opening fire and why.
We found q man rolling on the
ground, thrashing a bloody hand
around; the little finger had been
shot off. The man began an inco-
herent explanation Of how he had
been jumped by a nigger-the enlist
ed man always called the Filipino
brother a niger, even the Ninth Cav
airy and the Twenty-fourth and
Twenty-ffth infantry, most of whom
were the color of your old black hat.
We looked at the wounded mans
hand and found it full of powder. We
examined his Sprinfifield and found
the barrel warm. There was an ex-
ploded shell in the breech; the mar
had stuck his little finger down the
muzzle of his rifle and pulled the
trigger. We accused him of the deed
and he admitted it, meanwhile cry
ing Historically and praying for US
to shoot him.
II jest knowed he would do that"
said the corporal of the squad with
the same reckless disregar dior the
English language that the wounded
soldier had shown for his finger.
"He's a good boy an would make a
good soldier in time, but he's jest been
crazy homesick and went clean loco.
If we had dun had a Y. NJ. C. A. out
fit along with US this wouldn't hev
happened"
We called the litter bearers and
SEN the wounded mar back to the
hospital, from which no doubt he
eventually graduated into Jail, and
l tarried with the corporal to find
out how the presence of the Y. M.
C. A. would have kept a soldier from
shooting off his little finger. The adj
vance had been halted to wait for the
navy to start shelling. There was a
good opportunity for a quiet CAB
fest.
"You see," began the corporal, "the
only thing the matter with that guy
was inconsistencies. He wuz jest crazy
to get back to his pa and ma and
some skirt whose picture he had in
his watch. He thought of 'em SC
bad he vas jest plum crazy that boy
was. He wuz too skeered he was
goin' to git killed in this first fight
we're goin to hev as soon as the navy
gifts through with their breakfast an
their finger bowls and have read the
mornin' papers an cussed out the
marines, that he jest couldn't stanc
it. That inconsistencies is the worst
feelin' in the world. I've seen fellows
blow their brains off instead of theil
little fingers, and this here boy, think
in if he jest got a nice little hurt hi
would be sent back to hospital and b.
out of it all and finally go back tx
his pa and ma and the skirt, jes
natcherally stuck his finger down tn
muzzle of his gun and blew it off,"
But" l asked, "where does the Y
M. C. A. come in? You said thi
thing wouldn's have happened if a Y
M. C. A. outfit was with the regiment
And l gathered from your remark
that you are not a religious man."
Ihaint," said the corporal. "Bu
the Y. M. C. A. knows how to tax
care of the boys; they keep 'em fror
going nutty. They do plenty of goo
everyways, but their long suit is
keep fellers from getting so home
sick that they jest 60 fairly Graz,