The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-08-18

Of il, I was safe from that rookie
! for tho present. at least.
! sncalcd forward To tho quarters
! where my husband was hunklnE. az
! soon as lights out" ! WAS anxious to
/ tell him wha, had happened. He was
worried. but he tried not 10 show IT,
| He told ME 10 cheer up that no ina'-
ter what happened he would stand by
:, Was | happy" Ask me. After All. ne
might weaken and let me go with him
i into France. Right then wouluh
; have traded my trusty old pouGhnoS
! outfit, for the swcllcst wardrobe in New
/ York City. and from what We hear oack
: In Arizona. that is saying a heap'
| didn't sleep much. felt there was
| something in the air Before midnight.
; there was a submarine alarm The old
| timer TN the bunk under me hadn't hit
! the floor before he began to sQuawk.
! "Some son of sea cook has shared
my life belt" he complained loudly.
He WAS digging up his bunk like a
| dog after a rabbit. Blankets. Shoes.
, clothes were flying In all directions.
| The alarm sergeant whose duty II was
to see that all hands were out of quar-
| ters and on deck was rrodding him
! none too gently to hasten him. A SOL
dler from H company a pal Of his came
! running UP.
law g'wan you rummy." he called.
stoprine long enough to- have good
laugh You've got 1t on YOU.
The old-timer beat 1t quick. 1t was
! the first tip we had he was taxing
| no chances on being kissed by sub
! marine. AfterIard. he insisted he had
i been trying 1t on and left 1t there by
mistake. but the boys wouldn't listen
to him. You're just as likely to get
! fitted to coffin and forget about hay
! ing it on as one of those sea-Eoing life
! preserrcrs. They had his number
| The next morning. l decided not 10
risk going up for drill The rumor
about the woman was too fresh TO ne
safe. II 1t had reached any OF the Of
ficers, they would be on the watch.
| We turned out at o'clock. Pulling
on our shoes. we next folded our
! blankets, placed them at the head OF
! our hunks, and prepared for inspection
Everything was as neat and clean as
! pin. Not a scrap Of paper or hit or
refuse could be found anywhere Amer
/ lean soldiers are always clean. II Is a
hard and fast rule OF the service They
never wait until Saturday night to take
a bath. A regular always looks as II
he had just been laundered.
| remained below. busyinR myeeit
around the hunks. The men had been
on, only few minutes when heard
voices. glanced toward the entrance
| Of our bunk room. Two lieutcnants
/ we're coming toward me between the
/ tiers. I slipped in between two hunks
so I would be out OF sight as much
as possible and became very Industrious.
! One of them saw me. I know how he
was looking for mo. and then there was
a faint hope he was merely on regular
| inspection. Since. I have been told
! every man on deck was carefully
scrutinized. He sfode up.
| What are you doing here" he de-
mandcd.
| I knew in a minute the rockies ru-
| mors had reached the {. O.'s I decided
Ito bluff it through to the end. There
| was nothing to DO lost by trying.
I'm room orderly, sir" I replied.
coming promptly TO attention and sa7
lutins.. The room orderly stays below
to see everything is in order and ship
shape.
J. your name
Garter. sir. X company"
Let me sec your chest"
We'll. look at II.
I stood up squarely in front Of him. II
! was my last chance.
| II will" hn said. at the same time
/ reaching out and grabbing my shirt to