Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-03-20
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for the finish. Wilson spnt out nm
enormous quid of tobacco. looked up,
saw the captain, and got as red as n
carnation. The captain smiled and
left. Wilson whispered to me:
"Blime me. Yank. see where click
for crucifixion. That captain is the
same one that chucked us Goldfiakes
in his dugout and here l have been
'chucking me weight about In bis
hearing"
Wilson never clicked his crucifixion.
Quite contrast to Wilson was an
other character In our brigade named
Scott; we called him "0ld Scotty" on
account Of his age. He was flfty-seven,
although looking forty. "old Scotty"
had been born In the Northwest and
had served in the Northwest Mounted
police. He was typical cowpuncherl
and Indian fighter and was dead shot
with the ritie and took no pains to
disguise this fact from us. He used to,
take care OF his rife as II It were
baby. In his spare moments you could
always see him cleaning It or nolish-
ing the stock. Woe betide the mani
who by mistake happened 10 get hold
of this rife: he soon found out bis
error. Scott was as deaf MS a mule.
and II was amusing ut parade TO watch
him In the manual of arms, Slylyl
glanclng out of the corner of his eye
ut the man next to him TO see what
the order was. How he passed the
doctor was mystery TO ys: he must
have bluffed his way through, because
he certainly was independent. Beside
him the Fourth of July looked ike
Good Friday. He wore at the time a
large sombrero, had Mexican stock
saddle over his shoulder, lariat on
his arm, and "forty-fve" hanging
from his hip. Dumping this parapher.
MALTA on the floor he went up to the
recruiting officer and shouted: am
from America wee' OF the Rockies,
| and want TO Join Your d---d army.
| I've got no use for Il German and can
shoot some. At Scotland Yard they
turned me down; said was deaf and
so am. l don't banker to ship In with
id underwriting outflt, but the
cavalry's full, so / guess this regf-
ment's better than none, 40 trot out
your papers and I'll sign EN-" He told
them he was forty and slipped by. /
was on recruiting service at the time
he applied for enlistment.
1t was Old Scotty's great ambition
| to he snlper or body snatcber," ss
Mr.. Atkins calls 1t. The day that he
was detailed as brigade sniper he cele-
brnted his appointment by blowing the
whole platoon to flags.
Being n yank, Old Scotty took lik-
ing to me and used to spin some great
yarns about the plains, and the whole
platoon would drink these In and ask
for more. Ananias was a. rookie coln-
| pared with him.
The ex-plainsman and discipline
could not agree, but the officers all
liked him, even If he was hard to mnn-
| age, so when he was detailed as a
sniper sigh of relief went ny from
the officers mess.
Old Scotty had the freedom Of the
brigade. He used to draw two or
three days rati0ns and disappear. with
his glass. range finder and rife, and we
would see or hear no more OF him
until suddenly he would reappear
with couple of notches added to
those already on the butt Of his rife.
Every time he got German 1t meant
another notch. He was proud Of these
notches.
But after a few months Father
Rheumatism got him and he was sent
to Bllghty; the air in the wake Of his
stretcher was blue with curses. Old
Scotty surely could swear; some OF his
outbursts actually burned you.
| No doubt, at this writing, he Is
Somewhere in Blighty" pussy footing
1t on "A bridge or along the wall or
some munition plant with the 20. r."
| or Home Defense corps. \