Evening star., 1918-05-21

!AoNn III SAiAo "SuAy A0hos SAoSNs s-N~
lonly odd thing I noticed was that he
Ibid not swear. An Australian singing
man sat in the rear seat along with a
cottage organ that folded up and went
in a large suit case. He held pro-
lnounced views on the use of the
Istraight left in fistic combat. He did
not swear, either. That was the only
lway that they could be picked out as
Y. NJ. c. A. men.
| Needed to Keep Steam Up.
We were on our way to entertain
the Americans in the little town. The
ldriver's part was to see what the local
lsecretary needed and to carry him the
cigarettes and peanut candy and
chocolates the boys would be clamor-
ing for. The Australian was to give
a ''sing-song" that night. No religious
Isongs. he explained. He would lead
the boys in singing songs that every
one knew and could sing. They need
that sort of thing to keep their steam
Iup. On our way back we would visit
Ia 7. NJ. c. A. movie show in another
little town.
There were no lights on the little
car. because few days before 1t had
bounded into a shell hole and had
smashed the lighting apparatus. We
dark road, twisting our little mechan-
ical tail over the ruts The driver
Icraned his neck out sidewise to see
around the windscreen. Once he OBJ
served that he did not mind this at
all. few nights before. however,
forced to drive in a gas mask for
several miles, and he had forgotten
to oil the eyepieces, and SO they
steamed five minutes after he put the
mask on. =
1T was most Irritating" he OBJ
served. jrdicially.
Sensitive Sense of Humor.
Considering that he was called on
to drive blindfold along an unknown
road. and that severe gassing was
the least penalty he could hope for
II he missed the road. his statement
seemed to be conservative. The story
recalled "a very funny thing" to the
Australian singing mans mind. A
little while ago he was conducting a
sing-song just behind the front, and
the boche dropped gas shells in town.
| l have forgotten how many shells he
said, but they were in the hundreds.
$50 when we heard the alarm we
put on our masks" said he. laughing
heartily at the recollection. land
there we sat for an hour, like some
Ku Klux Klan. unable to say a word
laugh for fear I would eject the
mouthpiece. 1t was very funny"
1t must have been. Life on the
| Y. NJ. c. A. line develops a most sensi-
slept for some weeks in the upper
story Of house over which the Ger
mans were lobbing their shells to
reach battery in the valley below.
1t semed-to him. he said, that the
shells did not pass more than four
thing about the affair, to him. was
that he developed a blind faith in
German efficiency. He was quite sure
they would not fire a short" and
smash through that ridgepole and
secretary Nor did they. He. too,
thought this was very-very-funny.
Took or the Pressure.
The masked and gagged sing-sone
made the driver think of another ex-
perience. He had undertaken to hold
returned from the front. They had
been pretty serious and thoughtful
he said. and he had been afraid they
! would not warm UP. But it devel-
oped tnat this slng-song was Just
what they wanted. 1t took the pres.
sure of.
They threw their husky youns
shoulders back and opened theil
young mouths and whooped with theil
young lungs. and had the singing ex.
perience of their lives. He had never
enjoyed himself SO much. All he hat
to do was to start the first line ant
roar of harmony followed. Sudden
ly a masked figure poked it's wal
through the candle lighted tobacco
smoke and made signs. Every on
understood.
There had been a gas alarm an,
we had not heard it," said he. wv,
had been making 80 much noise"
1t got him into trouble. 1t appears
The officer in command Of that are,
refused him permission to hold sing
songs for a time. Eventually a spe
cial sentinel was posted at some dis
tance from the tent to give the sing
ers the alarm II the alert was sound
I ed. 1t was necessary to keep the sen
tinel at distance. or he might no
I have heard the alarm himself The,
J were fine meetings. the driver said
} He sang his throat sore, and he ha
} a good tough throat, too.
We reached the little town.