Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-29
CHAPTER I FROM MuFTI TO KHAKI

IL was In an ofhce in Jersey City. l was sitting at my desk talking to a lieutenant of the Jersey National Guard. On the wall was a big war map decorated with variously colored little flags showing the position of the opposing armies on Western front in France. In front of me on the desk lay New York paper with a big far ing headlines:
 LUSITANLA SUNK AMERICAN LIVES LOST! l The windows were open and a feel ing of spring pervaded the air. Through the open windows came the strains of a hurdy-gurdy in the street. Didn't Raise My Boy to be 1 a Soldier.
 'Lusftania Sunk American Lives Lost!"-I Din't Raise My Boy to Be a Soldiers. To us these did not seem to jibe.
 The lieutenant in silence opened one of the lower drawers of his desk and took from it an American flag which he solemnlly draped over the war map on the wall. Then turning to me with grim face, said:
 How about it, sergeant? You had better get out the muster roll of the l hAOuAIOu SCOuIS dS lulIlh they VIII De needed in the course of few days"
 We busted ourselves till late in the evening writing out emergency tele- grams for the men to report when the call should come from Washington. Then we went home.
 l crossed over to New York, and as 1 went up Fulton street to take the subway to Brooklyn, the lights in the
 tall buildings of New York seemed to
 be burning brighter than usual as if
 they, too, had read 'Lusitania Sunk
 American Lives Lost!" They semed to
 be glowing with anger and righteous
 indignation and their rays wigwagged
 the message "REPAY!"
 Months passed, the telegrams lying handy but covered with dust. Then one momentous morning the lieuten-
 ant with a sigh of disgust removed
 the flag from the war map and re-
 turned to his desk. I immediately followed his action by throwing the telegrams into the wastebasket. Then f we looked at each other in silence He was squirming in his char and I i felt depressed and uneasy.
 The telephone rang and I answered it. It was a business call for me re- queSting my services for an out-of-
 town assignment. Business was not
 very good, so this was very welcome After listening to the proposition, I l seemed to be swayed by a peculiarly I strong force within me, and answered, t T am sorry that I cannot accept your 2 offer, but I am leaving for England , next week." and hung up the receiver 2 The lieutenant swung around in his f chair. and stared at me in blank as- S tonishment. A sinking sensation l came over me, but I defiantly answer
 ed his looks with, Well, it's so, I'm
 going" And l went
 s The trip across was uneventful y landed at Tilbury Finland, then got a [. string of matchbox cars and pro- e ceeded to London, arriving there about = 10 P. M. 1 took a room in a hote e near St. Prancaa Station for five ,. and siX-fre extra" The room was h minus the fire, but the extra" seemed e to keep me warm. That night there l. was Zeppelin raid. but I didn't sef
 much of it. because the slit in ths 5, curtains was too small and I had nc n desire to make it larger. Mex = morning the telephone bell rang, ant If some one asked, Are you there?" o was, hardly. Anyway, I learned tha 0 the Zepps had returned to thei e Father land, so 1 went out into tn, a street expecting to see scenes of aw s, full devastation and covering popu a lace, put everything was normal If People were calmly proceeding t n their work. Crossing the street, ac
 costed Robbie with:
 Il Can you direct me to the place o damage?"
 He asked me- What damage?" In surprise, I answered, "Why, tn
 damage caused by the .Zepps."
 With a wink, he replied:
 There was no damage, we misse
 them again."
 After several fruitless inquiries (
 the passersby, I decided to go on m IT own in search of ruined buildings an B. scenes of destruction. I boarded a bu lg which carried me through Tottenhar s court road. Recruiting posters wer Is everywhere. The one that impresse l. me most was a life-size picture
 Lord Kitchener with his finger pointl Id directly at me under the caption ( f. Your King and Country Need You ds No matter which way I turned, tt
 accusing finger followed me. I WE -e, an American in multi, and had a lii e. tie American flag in the lapel of m at coat. I had no kng, and my count1
 had seen fit not to need me, but sti st that pointing finger made me fe to small and i'll at ease. I got off u N. bus to try to dissipate this feeling it. mixing with the throng of the sid ch walks
 Presently I came to a recruiting o