The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-12-04
CHAPTER II.
Right Among the Army Dough
boys"

TT may not seem far to most folks |
from a barge moored alongside a
transport. over the side and aboard.
but it looked like long. tough journey
to me.
Three days and nights | toiled and
y sweated and worked on that barge I'M
til thought l would drop. but all the
time | was figuring and watching
watching for the chance to get aboard
the big dun colored ship on which my
husband and another piece of the
Pershing expedition were to go to
FRANCE. This watchfu waiting wore
on my tired nerves and weary body.
From the time we left the train |
hadn't seen my husband. and l began
TO think one look at him would be a
great tonic for sore eyes. Continually
/ strained in vain for single glimpse.
On the barge had no trouble conceal
ing the fact l was a woman, because
everybody was too busy loading sup
plies to pay attention to me, and
found a place to sleep of by myself.
which was a comfort. At least l sneak
ed my uniform off-for q short time.
Finally there was even more activity
than on the previous days. and tugs
began to hustle and cluster and fuss
busily about us, so | knew if l ever
were going TO make break it would
have to be then. 1t gave me a good
idea Of how a soldier feels before he
goes cover the top" for the first time.
Aboard at Last.
They were getting ready to cast Off
the barge, and most of the officers
were lining the rails Of the transport
astern when l made my try. Once l
had my feet on that deck | decided to
/. go below and stay as quiet as possible.
so l lost no time in ducking into the
first companionway | saw. Unfortu-
nately for me. a second lieutenant hap
pened to be ducking out at the same
time, and we bumped hard. He reeled
back and said:
what the devil are you doing?"
had come to attention at once and
saluted.
II was going below. sir" I mumbled
in my deepest voice.
"Who are your"
- Garter. sir. X company"
Garter, be more careful about turn
ing corners and going in and out of
uOOIS ulltI Ills. nt Soiu lOu(nliy anu
moved off.
yes. SIR" l answered and saluted.
When he had gone | was trembling
all over, and | proceeded more care
fully, you may be sure 1t was the
first time had ever been aboard a big
ship-the first time / had ever seen salt
water. in fact-so ! didn't know my
way around very we'll However. when
l got downstairs | found that one OF
the transports decks had been made
into a big bunk room with the parti
tons knocked out and hunks in tiers
of three each all around the sides.
Luckily | spotted a couple Of the
boys from Company X and followed
them to the section in which they were
Quartered. They looked like old home
week to one lonesome girl. and | got t.
thinking of the nights down in Dougla.
when they used to come over and si
on our porch and spill close harmon,
all over the place. But they didn
recognize me- so threw my outfit int,
a middle bunk that was empty wa
lucky to find one to spare. because the'
were using all the available space a..
that ship. The hunks were made on
OF canvas. stretched very llsht. ant
they rode comfortably enough whel
we once got started
l could feel the ship getting unde
way, and | was a little sad. with IL
one to talk to and longing to get ont o
my clothes and stretch out my wear.
body on one of those hunks | was 81
a.tired of inhabiting that uniform | knew
~ h would give anything to feel a littl
soft lingerie next me and perhaps hav
on a petticoat again. although the.
tell me the girls down east don't wea
any of them nowadays only the OLE
fashioned girls.