The Era-leader., 1918-12-12


tin their kukus dried up, standm' out
in the sun keepin' the trucks 1foin
a-gettin iammed ut the crosslns. Inc
Red Cross Man got umbrellas an put
'em on those platforms, an no" lle
NJ, Ps amt afraid O loosin' their think
boxes an are all scrappin' for shauy
crossin' Job. He's always doin' some
thin for the boys. Last winter, "heh
we most froze stiff, he got fifteen thou-
sand blankets, an sweaters, an mul-
fers, an gloves, an so1 to keep US
warm. They say he worked four DAYS
an nights fore he got US warm ana
feelin' timber. Last Xmas he give us
dandy boxes of stuff, candy an the
makin's, an lot of stuff. Made US
feel like ole Santa hadn't passed US
up but had come a-slidln down our
tent pole
Helped Him Out Then.
"Where'd you learn to know hlmT
"Him and me got real chummy last
spring when | wuz in the hospital aft
er that propeller blade mussed me up
some. He'd come aroun' to see me
most every day. Always had some
thin to say that made me feel better.
Why, the nurse'd get so she'd bring
me that damned hospital cocktail when
he wuz there, cause she knowed Ia
take it without cussin'.'
"a cocktail, an you cussin'? Quit
your kiddin'!"
"There you 60 again, shown what
gou don't know. Mike, my boy, hos
pital cocktail is just plain straight
castor oil, without any water as a
chaser. Take it from me an stay
! away from them docs at the hos
pital or you'll get one @ them COCK
tails. The nurse tOle me they most
run out of the burned stuff one day
an the next batch had got tied up with
red tape an couldn't get in. She salo
the patients wuz all a-gettin' SICK
0 cause they get well to keep from get
1 tin them cocktails, but the Red Cross
q Man went out an bought a hogsheat
e or two and the patients began to ge
u we'll again, SOS they could do withou
e their toddy. She tole me mustn't holt
Il it agin the Red Cross Man tho, caus'
the docs tole him to get it, an tha
u he gave right smart nicer things to tn
hospital than them burned cocktails
q it makes me cuss to think about 'en
4 Well, wuz a-tellin' you how me an
F. him got chummy. He saw / couldn
~ write, account my bum wing, an h
,s asked me if didn't want him to writ
20 my letters. I had him write to mott
to er, an, after we'd got acquainted,
"a asked him to write to Nellie, my bes
- girl back home / reckon he thought
ro wuz some mush on her all right, br
w he never said nothin'; just put it dow
~ Like l tole him. He looked funr
ri. aroun' the eyes sometimes, but
on reckon he wuz happy cause we WI
~ writin' to my Nellie. When the do'
as lets me 60, l wun't good for nothi
n an wanted to 60 home till got stron
NJ but l didn't have the coin for the fa
~ all the way up to Indiana. But dal
ol- my cats, that Red Cross Man got me
mr. leave an then loaned me the cash
Mt go.
ko Paying Back Loan.
M "He didn't charge me no intere
he neither. / got it most all paid ba
all nc'r, but he amt pushin' me none
er. j.. Nell says she's a-goin' to kiss t
ON Red Cross Man first chance she ge
wu Well, reckon he's the only bird abe
Ted this post she's got my O. X. to kiss
,ok she's got the nerve. The Red Gre
he Man says he can stand it, if she C;
bal, That's his quarters over there with I
a. red roof and the sign out in front. II
he got card in the door that says, Col
no. In an you don't have to stand at att
lin shun when you talk to him. He push
an out chair, passes the smokes,
him first thing you know you're tellin' b
The all about yourself and all your tr
I'M bles. It don't make no diff what's
hey your goat, he'll sure find somethin'
and make you feel better or forget it.
iftv you ever get the blues, or the will
him go see him; he's better than six d,
tier an ten hospital cocktails-darn Z
any Here he comes back again. Bt
helpin' some bird In the 73rd,
ONE reckon. He's goin' to stop"
an Hello, Thompson, how's the she
:" der?"
Fine, sir. Gettin' limbered up
IA right"
h;s "Who's your buddieT'
his mike O'Conner, sir. Just in "
+h;s the 195th."
tho "Glad you are here, O'Conner.
orS. Irish lads are the very deuce whel
bo comes to a scrap. Hope you get y
,,.+ chance soon."
.ho Eyes sir"
,,on 'How's the mother and Ne
h,n, Thompson"
on, Mothers we'll and Nell's as fine
- a. silk but lonesome"
; for "a good sign, Thompson. Just