The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-11-29
CHAPTER I.
I Decide to Go to France.

IT'S a long way from Douglas, Ariz.,
to some port in France" but l
made the trip rugged up as n dough-
boy. and | would go farther than that
to be near my husband. However, the
old man. as every commanding Off
Ger is called in the army sent me back
on the same transport after had spent
five days in port within sight of my
husband, but out OF reach and five
nights walking the floor and without
sleep.
am going back again and pay my
own way and get behind the lines and
take care of the boys | know so well
when they are hit The income from
these stories is going to help pay my
fare. and then | won't have to fool the
officers. as | did. with the regulation
salute and heels on the same line and
as near to each other as the conforma-
ton of man permits, knees straight
without stiffness, body erect, from the
hips inclining slightly forward; Shout
ders squared and falling equally, arms
and hands hanging naturally, back of
hands outward. little finger opposite
seam Of trousers, head erect, chin
slightly drawn in without constraint
eyes looking straight in front. catching
about fifteen PAGES forward. That is
he position Of soldier"
ooed them all right.
| ! think the authorities were mean
not to permit me to land in France.
rs long as | was there, it seems to me,
hey might have stretched a point and
allowed me to have had look at the
war But they were firm. They said
citing me by might set an example for
ther girls to follow and the first thing
hey knew Uncle Sam would have
ruup of lady soldiers on his hands.
II that | cannot see why / shouldn't
he soldier and a good one too. My
grandfather fought In the civil war.
My father was a regular in the Seventh
avalry am the wife of a soldier,
one of the bravest. best Sammies under
he flag. He is over there now on the
lob. doing his bit to make the world
safe for democracy. as they say. And
am over here praying he won't stop
German whiz- bang while at it.
Exactly when the idea of posing as a
rookie" came to me | do not remem-
her My husband. John j. Carter, was
corporal in the Eighteenth infantry,
ancamped at Douglas. AriZ. He belongs
to X company. There was lot of talk
among the boys for long time about
being ordered out. None of them knew
where the Eighteenth would be sent
They used to come to our house in
pritleville. right outside of Douglas
when they were Off duty and do heap
of surmising and guessing. Some Of
them thought they would be kept on
the border to see that things remained
quiet there and kid with the Mexicans.
Others had a bunch they would fol-
low Pershing to France. The old tim
ers were pulling for the latter.
AS look back now l must have had
the germ of the idea in the back of my
head even then, though 1 never voiced
it even to myself. You see. was mar
ried only last December. and the
thought Of my husband going away
and leaving me behind stirred my i'm
aginatiOn. We went together for a
year anu Il udll utiOIe We Jug UP buC
parson. | wish l had that year and a
half with him now.
One day Corporal Carter came home
from the supply depot. where he had
been on guard duty. The minute
saw his face knew he had his orders.
He was not excited. because he is an
old timer at soldering. He told me he
was leaving the next day under secret
orders There was not much warning.
The troops just packed up and left.
| did not tell him l was going, too,
because he knows | always go through
with anything l take a notion to dc
and 1t might have worried him. But
had determined to make a try at 1t any.
how. That evening and the next morn
ing. while he was busy attending to the
details of packing and getting off,
was pretty busy myself. | knew where
there was a discarded khaki uniform
regulation army. that would fit me. BY
the uniform l mean the trousers. coat
shirt and campaign hat.
Ready to March.
Getting the rest of my wardrobe wa:
easy. bought shoes. boys size. which
looked exactly like the army shoes
Canvas leggings and boys underwear
completed the outfit. | was ready an(
eager to be on the march. was TWEEN
ty-two and full of health and boyish II
appearance.
My husband said his farewell abou
81 noon. He was pretty blue, because HI
thought 1t would he goodby for lonl
time. perhaps for always. But he 4
% first. last and always soldier. and h.