Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1917-11-09

played Black Jack, favorite card
game OF camp aigners and one In which
they win and lose big II wasn't long
before a few of them had all the mon.
ey The youngsters wrote letters until
thought some OF them would never be
able To handle a gun ON account of
writer's cramp. One young fellow
didn't slight a girl In the state OF Tex.
as. and | suppose he told each she was
the only one. He ought to get lots OF
mail "over there"
Because of the breaks In the sleep on
account OF submarine drills and for
other reasons | am ordered not to dis
cuss some of the boys slept In the day.
time a good deal There were not
many duties aboard ship, and the OH.
GERS let all hands take II as easy as
they could. They knew there would be
plenty to do In France.
That is why the American soldier Is
fighting for his captain and not to
make the world safe for democracy.
He knows his captain as the fellow
who looks out for him. | speak of the
regular. the neat. soldierly looking fell
low you can always tell from guards
man, when | say this. And ! don't
mean that as a reflection. Soldering is
the regulars business.
In the daytime | saw little Of my
husband. but with the aid Of Cupid
Private Smithers | sneaked up TO his
berth often ut night. He still insisted
he would report me. The old timers
who knew me covered me up. and all
the men were very decent Whenever
an officer came along they would find
an excuse to gather around me. and
they did very little swearing. II fell
low forgot and cut loose he got call
from somebody The loyalty OF these
boys ! had known on the border
pleased me very much and battered me
a little. guess.
My headquarters were the kitchen,
where | was rated as one OF the cooks
and did my share. Here they called me
silent Joe" because talked so little
afraid my voice would betray me.
Glad that they gave me this reputation
was ready to live up to 1t.
Fools Husband.
One day was folding up my blan.
ket when | saw my husband coming
down between the tiers of hunks.
What are you doing there, rookieT'
he demanded. Don't you know there
is drill on deckT"
My back had been half turned toward
him | swung around and tore of my
hat. My hair had been clipped short
but he recognized me and laughed
The joke was on him,
You fooled me, kiddle." he said
you'd better go up to drill"
But the best could do was to helr
myself to good cry on his chest
There was no one who could see us
He was gentle with me as always, and
] was happy. | had needed that cry
long time. think he was littlt
proud. too. to know his wife would risl
so much and follow him so far Just I,
be near him. enjoyed that moment
! didn't care II all the officers on boar,
saw me, but none did.
/ IL was easy for me to go through tn
simple drills on shipboard, for ! wa
familiar enough with the army to shoy
up lot of the rockies at II. Some o
the men who did not know wa
/ aboard were curious about my shaving
"When do you get out your razorf
youngster asked me one day.
~ don't have to use II except ono
a week" answered. I'm kid YET
You 20 to 1t every day to look manly"
/ Once | did try to shave to play m
part.
or course there were always the sol
| der songs, and we had quite a colleC
/ ton of musical Instruments aboard
manned by amateurs. One doughbo
who had recently returned from serv
/ ice In Hawaii had brought a ukelel
along. and he went big. for the boy
liked those dreamy tunes.
1t is a strange thing about soldie
that he does not sing the stun writte
for him, but prefers the tear jerker
and sentimental ballads The sOldie
songs In France will be about bacl
home and not about beating the boches
Yet these boys were going to tn
trenches and that hell with smile an
q song. II any reformer kicks on tina
crap game he ought to 60 himself TIL
men are gambling their lives. Why no
their money?
The Rookie Who Talked Too Mucf
Most OF the soldiers knew and hat
served with and seen General Perish
Ing. He sees more Of the doughboy
than most major generals and gets Il
closer contact with his men. Yet the
talked little OF him except to shoy
they had faith in him. lie seemed t
be sort OF distant person who spen
his time in some indefinite place. TIL
captain Is The soldiers friend.
There was much speculation as I
what they would do when they reache
France. and all were eager to get int
action. They wanted to try II anyway
I'VE may he fed up on 1t year fror
now" declared one fellow who ha
been watchfully waiting severa
months I'm Mexico "but 1 hone we ge