The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-10-10

out or their hunks. SeaSick as most o
them were.
ran back to my place just. in tim
to hear the rookie quartered over MI
arguing with the sergeant.
"Get up out of therer' shouted tn
mon CON-" That's the u boat alarm.
II don't care whether we sink O
not" answered the poor boy. 81 hop,
she does. Don't bother me-
The sergeant routed out the rookie
without much ceremony, and follow
ed along to place assigned to me OF
a life raft, putting on my life belt as
went. All the men had orders to dor
their life preservers first and then &c
in an orderly manner to their places
Already there had been two or three
drills in the daytime. and the disci
plined man soon catches on.
When I reached the deck there was
no confusion and no excitement in the
pitch black darkness. The men were
proceeding quietly to their places, fas-
tening on their life belts, although most
ing sleeps, and l was proud of the be-
havior Of the soldiers Uncle Sam was
sending to the trenches.
Ii all our boys who are going to
France obey instructions as well as
that shipload did there will be no ex-
cuse for the loss Of life. 1t all moved
like clock work. No one lost his head.
My seasick rookie. however. climbed
into the wrong boat and got call from
the corporal.
Don't you know" beloved the cor
poral. that lifeboat is reserved for Of
ficers? Get out of there!'
II don't think this is a very demo-
cratic army" grumbled the youngster,
'if they're fussy what boat you get in
at such time. I'm going to Russia to
enlist, where there's some freedom, if
they don't drown me. and don't care
if they do"
The alarm was only intended as
night drill, and we were soon ordered
back to quarters. | trailed along with
the rest, almost boldly. because there
was little danger of detection in that
inky darkness. rolled into my bunk
and was soon as sound asleep as any
body. AS dozed off | knew | was not
afraid of submarines, for the alarm
had not scared me at all, and thought
we had sighted sure enough U boat.
After that we had many Of these
drills at all hours. Most of the men
soon became calloused to the danger of
submarines. and some Of them got so
they would sleep through the alarm
that is. they would sleep until the SER
geant. whose duty it was to see that
every one was out, came along and
stirred them none too gently from
slumber. A few began to think they
would miss one of the sights of the
trip if they didn't meet Dutchman
and looked forward hopefully to the
prospect.
Disappointed Through Failure to
See o Boats.
However, these optimists were DOOM
ed to disappointment, for our ship did
not see German pOrpoiSe'' the whole |
voyage, nor did we hear a gun fred
Since returning to the United States
have heard Of the attack on some Of |
he ships of the transport fleet, but it |
vas not on the part of it we were with. |
It would have been impossible for us |
o have been attacked and not to have |
1nown Of 1t. AS / say lots Of the boys
we're disappointed because they could
lot write home to the folks about the
narrow escape from the subs. and the
loughboys are great letter writer's.
Perhaps some Of them did, anyway, so
IS to let those at home know they
missing anything.
By this time | felt almost like a SOL
Ter and had learned to smoke tailor
nade" cigarettes. although I had tried
only once before this trip as an ex-
eriment when | was at school and had
bandoned it after a couple of puffs.
n the privacy Of my bunk | devoted
whole lot of time to trying to roll
lem with as much carelessness and
cal economy of tobacco as are shown
y. the U. S. soldier. | had acquired
le "makin's" and spent hours at the
isk
About the third or fourth day out /
1T was pretty proficient and got out
~ brown papers and tobacco on deck
nd went to it. Near me was sailor
t one of our biggest battleships who
as in the gun crew assigned to defend
lie transport from attack. He was ,
f duty, and | saw him watching me
osely as / rolled the pill. Finally be s
died up. +
"Say," he asked you're a Jane. amt ,
,u?"
"What are you doin'-kiddin' me?" l G
ked him.
Il guess you're kiddin' me-" he an q
yered. 81 pegged you by the way
III wrap up one of those pills. No re- a
uit is so raw he can't roll one better J
an that They wouldn't let him in
e army if he couldn't. But what p
u're doing on this joy ride is none of
= business, sis. Don't be afraid I'll d
, you off. I'm in the navy, and what t
e army does amt my affair so long n
we get you over there all 0. K" v
didn't admit l was girl, but he il
ew. He was nice boy, who had a
me from Iowa originally. and l got II