The Washington herald., 1918-02-20
CHESTEK
. ..' AND LILLIAN CHESTER.
Confident In America.

AMI LlLLlf
Confident In Ameriea.
Paris, Feb. ls.-"say. What do you
think Of the French?"
Fine. They're immense"
That's the regular question and the
enthusiastic answer, when Americans
meet over here.
What is the French attitude toward
Americans? Confidence; calm con-
fidence; a confidence as superior as
that which they have in themselves!
And II isn't misplaced. Well make
good. That's our pet passion.
On the steamer, coming over, some
OF the helpful souls conceived and ex-
ecuted a counter irritant to the ap-
pretended danger zone, and a men,
Der of the medical staff of the United
States army, whom We shall call
Lieut.. Bill. was appointed chairman
Of the comrlittee of one on costumes
and properties, from which time forth
he was ignominiously called props" 4"
He was summoned Immediately after
the libretto committee had held its
preliminary session, and his first and
only question was characteristics.
We'll" he smiled producing pencil
and paper. "give me a list of what
you want"
They did. They laid it before him.
then loftily left him alone in his stu
pefaction. With reckless disregard of
wartime restrictions. they had plan
ned a grand, glittering allegorical
masque, combined with a magnificent
male ballet; and all they wanted was
costumes for Neptune, two golden
tressed he-mermaids, several other
principals, and fourteen beautiful
wavelets of the Atlantic Ocean!
Some five minutes later Lieut.. Bill
came briskly out of the little salon,
and confidently interviewed the six
lady passengers of the ship. He fin
ished those interviews a sadder and
a wiser man. Such ladies as were
aboard in these strenuous times were
on no frivolous errands, and they had
not, individually or collectively,
enough broad. blue ribbon to make a
filet for the hair, a bow, a streamer,
and a wide billow for even one beau
tiful wave of the Atlantic Ocean, let
alone fourteen. Thought on the part
of Props. He went to the second stew
ard who sent him to the first steward.
who sent him to the linen steward,
who sent him to the purser. The
purser listened attentively, gazing the
while on the unfaltering determine
ton of Lieut.. Bill, and mentioned the
only ray of hope. Among the flags
which were used as signals and sa-
lutes there might possibly be some
blue bunting, but the only man who
could give his permission to use that.
il there were any. was the skipper.
wayeIets Hard to Find.
Where is the skipper" asked
Lieut.. Bill.
HUH The purser laughed, and
shrugged his shoulders. The captain
is on the bridge"
1t was a beautifully clear and star
lit night, and the sea was calmly
glittering its diamonds from horizon
to horizon; an ideal night for subma-
rines, had any CHANGED to cross our
path: and we had just entered the So
called danger zone. Out on the dark
ened deck, where no smokers smoked
and no gleam or crack of light was
allowed to be visible from within,
went Lieut.. Bill, and considered. Up
there in the dimncss was the bridge,
with the head of the skipper motion
Iessly silhouetted against the. mid
night sky. To port and starboard.
amidships and fore aud aft, were the
gun crews, in their queer night uni
forms like goblins out of some weird
fantasy, and all motionless in their
catlike watchfulness. Equally mo-
tionless stood Lieut.. Bill at the bot
tom of the narrow companionway,
until at last duty drove him on!
Slowly he climbed the steps. On a
sudden, like the crack of q gun, there
came from cut Of the cool atmosphere
uu above the irascible voice of the
nerve-straiped skipper.
BIaxes for Bill.
who in blazes is that"
Lieut.. William So-an-So." returned
Props deferentially. standing in his
tracks.
Lieutenant what" rasped the skip
per.
lone Of the passengers, sir"
What in blazes do you want?"
well, captain" explained Lieut..
Bill, drawing a long breath as he
braced himself for the effort, we're
getting up a little entertainment, and
il you could let US have some blue
bunting"
Get to blazes down from there!"
yelled the skipper. in a justifiable
rage.
Yes. SIR" meekly returned Lieut..
William So-and-So, and, going aft,
leaned against the railing for long,
minutes.
The deck steward came past by and
by. taking in rags and closing up for
the night.
Say. steward. who's next in charge
when the captains busy7"
THE first officer, SIR"
Where Is the first officer"
'1n his room, sir" replied the deck
steward. and hurried away.
A good observer with an excellent
memory was Lieut.. Bill. He recalled
having seen the words first officer"
over a door somewhere. and he went
prowling about the boat until he
found that door. He knocked.
who in blazes is there?" came a
voice like the crack Of a gun.
Lieut.. William So-an-So; a-a-
passenger. sir"
What in blazes do you want?"
well. sir said Lieut.. Bill, clear
ing his throat, we're getting up a
little entertainment and IL you could
let US have some blue bunting"
Get to blazes away from that door"'
yelled the first officer, frantic for ev-
cry second of his four-hour sleep.
N.A