El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-05-31
'TUBBY' GETS
HIS REVENGE
London Clerk Gets Into Air
Service; Awaits Chance to
Bring Down Zeppelin.
BY HENRY {. RUTHERFORD,
FIiehf Litutenaut Royal Flying
COrus.l


casualty list contains this; Flight
Lieut.. Harold smith, missing during
flight"
II "Tubby' smith is alive and ia
a German concentration camp lie may
have a smile coming at that notice in
( the paper last February II poor old
-Tubby-' is out of luck for all time
some 200 miles out there in the North
Z sea. am afraid that the notice viii
l be his only epitaph- In any event
! ''TubbyT smith won't care Hes done
his Job and he's done il well sell
dom. il ever. have ] seen or heard OF
I q chan who was so single tdeaeQ on
revenge There are a lot Ike him ~
4 all branches OF the service. Dul
I "Tubby" was nut on the subject
No wonderi Just picture 20 your
self how the reason for revenge came
. to old --Tubby."
il happened one night last Septenl-
Der. The last train from Fenchurcn
4 street 10 Southend pulled up with
! Jerk that woke the crammed and
{ slumbery occupants OF the third class
] a pale faced youth yawned and put
his head out Of the window 1t that
moment all the lights went out Inc
youth was -Tuboy- 20,
-Hi-- he shouted TO a train off
I cial who was passing by. swinging a
! lantern along the railway TRACK
/ What's the natter
aZe3ps." grunted the official you'd
{ better get inside and sleep we am [
: moving for some time
! For the first time N MS IKE
! ''Tubby- told me. he felt an unseitlsh
fear. You may understand that Tear
Z the better il I tell you that ne was
very ordinary type OF a clerk Wno
I had done scarcely a thing worth While
in his few years OF business He was
~S' .sTubby,s- Great Love.
"2Iy main idea in life was TO duck
work" he confided when we became
real chummy after he had been. as
( signed TO X squadron OF me cas-.
wouldn't take me and the board said
il wouldn't be fair 20 initiate another
chan at the chemical works ] was
only passing sorrv- I wash an eA-
/ pert. YOU understand. bur I copied
and compared all the drafts OF the
formulas and il requires something
like an apprenticeship Of two years
] for accuracy. Put q Ereenhoru on my
Job and he'd be bound 20 cause trou-
bic. once learned, however. II was
PLENTY Of 'faEs' all the time and
n once a week to q music nall IN Lon
don. whence 7 was returning tnls
might and I was happy.
But I did love my motner- lle
Numbered q little and went on she
was the one big bright spot IN my
life. Nothing was too good Ior HeI
and all that was good IN me OWED
to her
Inear where he lived he was stricken
with fear at the danger 20 his mother
He knew that he was not more lnali
five miles away by road, so ne -e-
D cided 10 walk there he hac not COM
|Dleted more than half MS Journey
/ when four bright flashes right ahead
! of him. followed by loud detona tlons.
denoted that one OF the numerous
IZeups was overhead. and was drop
, lping its bombs perilously near MS
.Tu6bys trudged on and at the end
! Of an hour and halls walk iounl
! himself near the familiar street ol
) u his home life. What's the matter
= he asked the first person he saw 4
! crowd. amidst which could be DIS
s cerned the uniforms OF the ponce
4 now surrounded the spot where ms
: home-now q mass OF ruins-h1d
! ! once stood.
inside" replied the person addressed
An in bed; nobody saved
A Tooth for Tooth.
3 such was 'Tubby" smiths home
/ coming. Tears STRAINED down ms
: lurly. youngold face as he narrated iL
! The next morning pale faced young
: Smith appeared in Whitehall and sent
: iup his name 10 the air service re-
cruitinE department
on the day Of the funeral he re-
iceived an official looking document
Commanding him TO appear IN White
I hall two DAYS later, Tor examination
Accordingly. IuDbr- was hailed le-
q fore a board OF five officers, who
/ asked him questions as 20 his pri,
( Ivate lie, education, pastimes and
Not a one Of the five gave "TU5by'
I 4 an eucoura ging look when the exam
lnation was finished That VIII 90
Smith" said the senior nleulo Der
Leave US now and We VII rims WneI
we want you again
. out went "Tubby," knowing tull
wen that be had made q poor show
But II they wouldn't have him how
was he going 10 accomplish the tash
q he had set himself Iuoby toll
) line that again the scene OF the wreck
d age OF his home on the night OF US
raid, with the poor. shattered 1oales
of his relatives on Stretcners, lng
gaping crowd and the smell Of CHAIR ed
wood came up before his mind he
D must get in He would make tlem
J take him! He started from his rev
erie al tap on the shoulder -roH
Come On, the committee wants
fyou again
-Tu55y" appeared once more be-
, fore the board The president adj
smith" lie said. eve are afraid
, I that we cannot recommend you
{ Tears filled "Tubbys eyes, but hl
! managed 10 blurt out Might ! speah
. TO you alone, sir?'
Certainly. my boy, Il it viii b
any consolation to YOU Come 10 INC
Inner office" The senior led the way
Into a small room adjoining
'sTubby's' Pitifui Plea.
Once there, 'Tubby- smith LAID
: bare his heart and told an the nap
= Ipenings Of the past few days.
knowing 'Tubby,' / imagine y
! must have been a mlsera bic tale PHI
-Ifully told. and with frequent pause.
= Ito keep back the emotion that threat
: encd every moment 10 overcome hin
He lett me. shutting the door be-
S hind him without q word when ! gO
Through said "Tubhy-' But I'M
e mediateiy after. through another dool
I'd came the messenger with glass of
s water The drink made me feel bet
ter and ] commenced 10 have hopes %
view OF the presidents sympathy anC
kindness.
y Then the bell rang again and tE'
% messenger once more told me 20 to4
h low him into the committee room
q lost hope when I saw the bushes!
q like look on the presidents face. Blu
$ the next minute ] was the h1ppies
j chap in London. for he said.
Q smith, procure for yourself tbs
B. uniform OF a probationary flying OF
a I1icer and report to the training cen