Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-03-06
CHAPTER I.
From Mufti to Khaki.

II was in an Office in Jersey City.
was sitting at my desk talking to
lieutenant of the Jersey National
Cu8rd. On the wall was a big war
map decorated with variously colored
little flags showing the position of the
OvDosing armies on the western front
in France. In front of me on the desk
Law New York paper with big f1aring
headlines:
LUSlTANIA SUNK! AMERICAN
LIVES LOST!
The windows were open and a feel
Ing Of spring pervaded the air.
Through the open windows came the
strains of a hurdy-gurdy playing in the
street-"T Didn't Raise My Boy to Be
q Soldier"
"Lusitania Sunki American Lives
LOstw-'I Didn't Raise My Boy to
Be a Soldier" 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
be SOlemnly draped over the war map
grim face, said:
"HOw about it, sergeant? You had
better get out the muster roll of the
Mounted Scouts, as I think they will
be needed in the course of a 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.
| crossed over to New York, and as
went up Fulton street to take the
subway to Brooklyn, the lights in the
tall buildings Of New York seemed to
De burning brighter than usual, as if
they too, had read 'Lusitania Sunk
American Lives Lost" They seemed
che glowing with anger and righteous
Indignation, and their rays wigwagged
The message, Repay"
Months passed, the kilograms lying
mandy, but covered with dust. Then,
one mOmentouS morning the lieutenant
with a sigh Of disgust removed the
nag from the war map and returned
70 his desk. I Immediately followed
.lls action by throwing the kilograms
Wlo the WaStebasket. Then we looked
a each other in silence. He was
@ulrming in his chair and 1 felt de-
pressed and uneasy.
Inc telephone rang and / answered
II II was business call for me, re-
eleSuhg my services for an out-of-
: ""u assignment. Business was not
,e'! good, so this was very welcome.
1''V' listening 20 the proposition I
sseA-Ieu TO be Swayed by a peculiarly
SIong force within me. and answered,
AIN sorry That cannot accept your
sDel' out am leaving for England
TyA' week. and hung up the receiver.
lieutenant swung around in his
I1II' ana stared at me in blank aston
Il ,.-lenI 4 sinking sensation came
I've, I'gI me- but I defantly answered his
wa wa Win, We'll, it's so. I'm going"
-e lFlp across was uneventful.
sa1Vu at Ttlbury, England, then got
~ string of matchbox cars and
.,'cecCed to London, arriving there
YVu' III ?. m. 1 took a room in hotel
-.aE st. Pancras STATEN for "five and
N-lTe extra" The room was minus
~ IRE but the extra" seemed to
ss5p NE w1rm. That night there was
-sppeiih raid, but didn't see much
It, because the slit in the curtains
-, .s 'oo small and I had no desire to
=, larger. Next morning the tel
s-'u' bell rang, and someone asked,
~7 you there" was, hardly. Any
NJ ! learned that the Zeps had re-
m. leu 10 their fatherland, so I went
s,. mo the street expecting to see
.-5S OF awful devastation and a cow
No., popu!ace, but everything was
~al' People were calmly proceed
/" their work. Crossing the
I accosted Bobbie with:
San You direct me to the place of
ps asked me, "wnat damage9"
= surprise, answered. 'why, the
aSH caused by the Zeps.'