davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
WHERE TO GET GOOD MEAL

His auditor happened to be salts
factorily fresh from another sort OF
restaurant. i Just now had g good
dinner at the Y. M. C. A." he ven
tured.
cob. therei" said Astor. "Of course
you did The Y. N. C. AS the best
eating place in town"
Mr.. Astor ought to know, because
that eating place IS Of his wife's
making. She bought and turned over
to the association the one really good
restaurant that could be found. and
she has ever since been personally
active in its arrangem ents.~
you get real food there" q sailor
recently told me. Real food. You
know what mean-ham an eggs an
steak an fried-oniors."
It r. said that Mrs. Astor used to
help wait on table when the service
was shortharded, and that one of the
first persons upon whom she waited
was newly enlisted man in the
United States Navy who. until a
month previous, had been the dining
room steward on Mrs. Astor's own
yacht
Gee" the steward Is repQrted to
have commented, "whsn / used 70
wait on her, lad 20 wear evening
clothes"
The sOrt Of men. then, with which,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17

bringing are formed, under maternal
chapsronage, to meet sailors Of their
own sort that have some knowledge
of the French language, It IS at
these gatherings that the sailor talSs
most freely, and most lightly, Of lis
work.
Looking for subs?" heard one
say to his newly met companion. y
am going blind doing it! There is tho
sub that makes up TO look like a sail
ing vessel, and the one that hides its
periscope behind an imitation shark
fin, and now they've got one that
spouts water like a whale The por-
poises drive US crazy: something
came dashing at our boat the other
days it's track was exactly ike a tor
pedo's. Humphrey saw it first. He
pointed it out to me. We're gone
this timer he yelled. Then it jumped.
and we saw it was n porpoise. We
call Porpoises Humphrey toTPedoes
now" 8
The French girl wanted to know
about rescues at sea
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
FINDING FRITZ OBSERVERS JOB
BY CLARENCE BURLINGTON KELLAND

wares on his pack-cakes, cookies. canned stuff.
cigarettes.
@2duch obliged for running over" said the Ieuten
ant, I'VE sure appreciate It."
That seems to be the attitude Of the officers and
men at the front towards the Red Triangle. Much
Obliged and we appreciate it-Say, If it wasn't for
the ~" would be up against it,
I'm going ahead to of the observation posts"
the ''Y" told me. want TO take a chance?"
We arrived at town and found lieutenant sit
opened into a pe-and into utter blackness.
HOW OBSERVER WORKS
Observation post" said my conductor.
The lieutenant was glad to see US, especially when
I told him I recently from home and took
within. There, in little room in which could
barely stand upright, the paraphernaa by which
the Hun is supervised IN his goings and comings. and
mark.
me wal. over this hung curtain because Fritz In
his observation posts across No Mans Land might
that slit through his glasses If light allowed
TO pass through It and then very shortly there would
be no observation post Provided it suited Fritz
humor to abolish It
We looked through the glasses at the beautiful
mountain slope opposite, famous in the history Of
the war, and which now is the most formidable bar
IN the way OF our troops If they set out to take back
from Germany a city which France claims for her
own. With the naked eye this mountain slope seems
quiet and peaceful. There is no sign of life not
even OF smoke from mess fire. Through the glasses,
as they are directed by the lieutenant barbed wire
placements and what not can be sharply distn-
guished.
WHAT FRITZ IS DOING
Look along the top of that ridge What do you
make out?"
Nothing"
Right under the hair IN the glass now. Sharp
The hair is touching the top OF it."
Stil made cut nothing. D
"Camoufage"
just then q she'll came over and burst on top OF
q stone wall behind US. Maybe it intended for
as, and maybe it was just warning for US to be
have ourselves. Anyhow 1 impressed.
See" said the lieutenant, They could get us II
they wanted to. Say Wharton" Wharton was thu
''Y" secretary, Give mo a can of peaches on the
strength OF that
High in the air over our heads could hear the
planing-mil hum of couple OF American aeroplanes
taking look-see. They not fighting planes
but observ alton planes Their duty was to get NOR
direct and accurate information than could be haC
from any listening post.
This morning the Boche got one out there" said
the lieutenant. They were after him with machine
guns. 1 saw he in trouble and saw him comin1
down. His machine on FIRE and he jumped out
with his hands up. He hadn't a chance. And they
came and got him."
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17

at our navy's ports in France, the
Y. VI. G. A. has to deal, is all sorts.
They are Of the two extremes and
every grade between, but once they
are in Uncle Sans navy there is no
distinction. Each man is offering all
he has to his country; that makes
them kin. Let me exemplify:
I was Just coming in from ny first
cruise with the Mosquito Fleet. The
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
COLLEGE BOYS FIRST.

We'll, sir, the first to volunteer
were the college kids-and Four
Stripes gave them the job.
by squads of four, with a petty
officer to each, they jumped into thai
he'll. Shovel! You ought to have
seen themi Three minutes a shift,
they were to work, but they were
gased so quickly that eleven kids
were carried out, one right after the
other, on the backs of their ship
mates. Sawbones stood on deck with
the pulmotor and pumped them
through, but a lot were caught
sneaking out of their hunks to 20
back and fight the gas again. It was
as tough job as I've ever seen al
sea, but those boys did it; thee con-
quered the fire and saved the ship,
Since then, you don't hear much
laughing at the College Kids
Somehow that quarterma ster had
given me a hint about himself.
What's your college1" I asked.
yale. 'ninety-four," he said. "Rus
I'm an old hand. II was these kids
was talking about. Don't mention
my being college man ia, ANYBODY
aboard. I don't want to seem to be
fANIAHk Oh biuC+
other:
To an orderly entertainment at a
I. NJ. c. A. building came one night.
brilliantly illuminated boatswain's
mate. He was a splendid specimen
Of physical manhood, six feet three
inches, and as hard as nails. But he
was intent on starting something"
He stopped, with one believing
command, the singer on the stage.
He knocked down two of his protest.
ing friends. spilled a crowded bench
and staggered up to the secretary in
charge with the majesty of breaker
sweeping toward the beach.
Pm going to break up this show"
he said.
1t looked very much as If he
would, too.
Now, the secretary in charge was a
quiet and unassuming man. He had
done wonders in his work among our
fleet in French waters, but he spoke
in a small voice and moved gently.
''If I were YOU said the secre-
tary. II wouldn't interfere"
"T'he hell you wouldn't" said the
boatswain's mate and shook
mighty fist
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
American Girls Smile U-Boat's Worst Enemy

been a shower-water causes such
fires, you know--and now, away pt
the bottom of the pile, that coal was
white hot All we could do at hrst
was 20 play the steam-hose on it and
hold it from gaining for twenty.four
hours.
Il was on the bridge at $3.50 next
morning had the midnight to 4
A. NJ. watch-when the starboArd
bunker blew out. The fire had
crossed the ship. We did our best.
but before 4 O'Clock there were three
explosions on the port side, and then
we knew that it was time for des-
perate measures
'The captain called for volunteers.
He said he wanted men that would
go down into that furnace bullying
with fatal gas-fellows that would
walk straight into those lungs Of
death and shovel away tho top coal
90 as to uncover the burning core.
That was the only way to save the
ship.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
sYREaINAuo WRIGHT KAuFrmAN

goodbye and cried a ittIs and tod
you TO send home all your socks for
mending, and yeur father'd shaken
hands with you and cleared his throat
and said you'd be coming back to
put him out of business, and you'd
held your head high and joked-if
you remember that you will agreD
with me that to be homesick Is e
be as miserable as it is possible for
the human being to become. But
be hemesick and yet to give a heme
to the HON eless is to be something
very nearly heroic. OF that I saw, in
this port, a recent instance:
came across three little children
-boys-standing in a doorway on a
quiet street, the eldest perhaps
twelve years old, the youngest not a
day over five. They would have been
remarkable among the ether children
OF this somewhat rewdy port If only
for their cleanliness and for the
cleanliness of the elderly wpnan that
WIS manifestly caring Ter them.
They were the more remarkable be-
cause each wore q sailors cap, on
the band Of which was inscribed the
name Of a certain boat in the Mos
quito Fleet, and because they were
all dressed in an infantile replica of
the uniform of able seanen in the
United States Navy.
They were shy little boys, but the
woman in charge of them explained
their habiliments:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17

Up at the front with the American army are two
jobs SO closely related they are one-the artillery
mans and the observers. The first delivers the
goods the second tells him what doorstep to leave it
on, and c0rrects any misapDrehensions he may have
to where he is leaving it.
During the night there had been q tremendous bar
rage. hundreds Of guns Of all sizes and voices had
made It exceedingly uncomfortable for Frtzie, who
IS perched on a famous mountain which seems only
a stones throw away. The guns had fired for two
hours and cur fellows had gone over the top and
come back with prisoners and captured machine
guns. y the morning went back to the nearest bat
terry to ask how they went about it.
The battery consisted of French nineties and
seventy-lves. They were hidden away in bomb
proof cnplacemeIts Of interesting construction The
construction had to 10 interesting because Fritz
knew the battery there, and paid it consider
able attention. Every in while he would drop
shell near by.
A general showed his wall map Of the vicinity
which marked every German trench and post
every stone and blade Of grass, it seemed, and then
explained the barrage.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17

quartermaster leaned against the
starboard rail.
That boy" he said. as he nodded
to q blackened, barefoot lad emerging
from 4 hatchway, got honors in
French at Harvard last spring"
and hes here as a. common sea-
mani" I wondered.
"As a coal HEAVIER" the quarter
master corrected me. 'We've got q
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
PICK UP SURVIVORS

last trip" she was informed, eve
picked up three small boats with
fifty nine men in them About half
Of those men were from a ship that
had been torped0ed the day before.
They got away and were taken on a
passing steamer, and they hadn't
been aboard her for twelve hours ne
fore she was toTpedoed, too. We got
those fellows into the drum-room and
laid them over the boilers. When
ever we sight Il life boat the com
missary steward starts supplies of
soup and coffee, so we had plenty Of
the warm stuff ready for them, and
we lent them our clothes while their
own were drying"
His companion laughed
'yVhy don't you tell tho rest?' he
asked.
"Ob, what's the use.' grambIed the
FIRST sailor.
Then I'll tell it." persisted the
second. Our crews clothes were so
much better than the slops the
rescued men had come aboard in that
some OF the rescued forgot to change
back to their own duds before they
went ashore. If you see any stray
uniforms walking around this town,
they're ours"
However, if good company IS n
moral force not 10 be neglected, SO
is good food, and in that particular
the y. N. G. 4 has thus far been
fortunate. There IS n story told in
one port, where Vincent Astor has
been staying when on shore leave, to
the effect that he was complaining of
the restaurant In his hotel
"You can't get a really good meal
there" said Astor.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17

lot OF college men aboard. They're
volunteers. OF course, they've all
had yachting experience, but the
bred -the-sorvice fellows laughed at
them till a certain little thing hap
pened on the voyage over.
"a fire started in our port coal
bunkers when we were three days
out of the port we were bound foE,
A hatch d been left open and there d
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
MANY DIFFICULTIES.

At no one place are there often
more than three hundred men ashore
at time, and 90 it is easier to
establish the personal relationship
between the association worker and
the sailor than between worker and
soldier in the soldier huts at the
American camp. But the ports are
cities, whereas the camp stretches
among mere villages, SO that the
forces against which the naval
branch of the Y. NJ. C. A. has to
contend are the stronger.
l went to an evening entertain
ment given by the British Y. NJ. C. A
for the American y. NJ. G. AS
patrons in the rooms of the French
equivalent of the association. There
was a reading room full of magazines
and a growing library, free writing
materials, piano around which was
grouped a day-long chorus of sailor
men, moving picture shows, a hail
for basket ball, a baseball grounds.
fifty clean beds at q franc apiece a
highland q clean bed Is q luxury
as well as q moral force-an apart
ment house for seventeen petty
officers permanently employed ashore.
pbonograph over which I've seen a
lonely lad sit all afternoon running
off songs reminiscent of his child
hood, q canteen that sold chewing
gum, and candy. These may sound
like trifies to Americans at home, but
TO the American sailor abroad, to
whom only the V NJ. C. A. provides
them, they become something large
and vital. They become America.
There's good grub on our tub, but
not enough that's sweet. Gimme
some more of those gum-drops"
WHAT'S thisy Lemonade? Yes.
but what's it made off Citron-
syrup and seltzeri And Won call that
lem onades oh. wei. give Us another
glass of it; it's as close as a fellow
can come to it over here When are
you goin' TO be able to afford a
soda-fountain?" s.
MEETING FRENCH GIRLS.
If I heard those comments once
during an afternoon that I passed in
naval Y. N. C A, heard them Il
dozen times. Unbelievable quantities
Of chocolate are sold in q form that
NAV be easily heated and drunk
during night-watches at sea, and the
millionaire that wants to do effective
work against alcoholism could do
none more effective than to donate
soda fountains and hot chocolate me-
chimes to the association in these
ports.
One innovation introduced recently
Is thus far working well: parties Of
young French women Of the best up
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17

Boys of Mosquito Fleet, Who Find
French Ports Dreary and Full
OF Inconsistencies Germs" Go
Back to Their Ships Cheerful
and Ready for Anythi ing after
Meeting the Women Workers
Who have Gone cover There
to Make France Look as Much
Like Home as Possible.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
A MISS AND A HIT.

"Please don't" said the secretary.
The big fist shot forward
1t didn't hit anything. 1t was
shunted aside as a little twist of the
slim switch shunts a train of coal
cars. 1t dragged the boatswain's
mate after it into vacant space-and,
as the boatsmain's mate went by,
something caught him-something
uncommonly like an express engine
on the point of the jaw, and sent him
smashing to the floor.
Then the quiet secretary picked the
giant up in his arms and carried him
to back room, of which the two
were the only occupants.
Il hope I haven't hurt YOU said
the secretary. Il tried not to-"
The secretary was Presbyterian
minister. He was also a Colorado
rancher. And also he had been the
best boxer in Princeton during his
day there his name is o. t. Gardner.
He nursed that boatswain's mate
back to sobriety and got him on his
ship in time 10 escape reprimand.
The next night the sailor turned up
again at the y NJ. c. A. building.
1--WE come here to apologize" be
said.
Chats all right" said the secrs-
| tary.
q made a nuisance Of myself before
all this crowd, and it's before ths
whole crowd that I've got to apollo
gize. Here, you swipes!" he bell
lowed.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
BoATsWAIN's APOLOGY.

Every man in the room fell silent.
The boatswain's mate addressed
them:
81 want to tell you fellows" he
said, "that l was a fool last night.
and got what was comm to me; but
Pm not such fool but what I can
learn a lesson. I'm cuttin' out the
booze. That man there treated me
square, and saved me from troublS
aboard ship, and after tonight if any
slob tries to get fresh around this
place, why any such guys got to
tackle the two OF US"
Some college men and some men
that have hardly been to school at
all, group Of millionaires and u
scattering of rough-necks. but every
one sound at heart and brave in
action-these make up the Mosquito
Fleet. The worst aren't bad, they arc
only lonely. Tho best arc enduring
dangerous, and, what is more. a
hideouslv monotonous, life afloat and
one beset with the temptation Of
emotional reaction ashore. For both
sorts the choice lies solely between
the sordidness of . foreiga port and
the Y NJ c. A.
Which are you for-the Y. NJ G. A.
| or the ports
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
WHY SAILORS ARE WORTHY.

But, yes, monsieur. They were
all that was left Of a family. The
father was killed at Verdun, the
mother died in an accident at a fac
tory Of munitions; so that good sail
ors upon one of your country's little
ships have adopted them, and arc
keeping them, and/will educate them.
The have rented for them rooms in
this house, and they have employed
me to keep them, and, whenever their
ship is in port, these sailors, they fail
not to come here and receive word
Of their wards, and they give them
chocolates till the little ones are i'll"
What do the chocolates matter7
There is something worth doing for
men who Will take upon themselves
such obligations as this.
Something worth doing-and the
7. NJ. G. A is trying to do it. There
are headquarters and other build
ings in every French port that ia
used by our navy-ffty buildings in
all-condueted by workers whose paw
does not quite meet their expenses
and whose tasks continue from sun
to sun,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
LTHoUGH be was a mere

EIHOUGA' re was m6re
n Liable didn't look a day
over ssventeen-he wore the
uniform Of a sailer in the
United States Navy. He had come
into this little room, opening of the
main street Of the dresry French
poH, with just bit of swagger.
''Des cigarettes" he said, and flung
upon the counter a ffty-franc bill
What brand do you PREFER asked
the girI-behind- the-ccunter.
Instantly. that faint hint OF bra
~ado passed from the boyish face,
leaving it clean and -manly-giad, too,
and yet wistful
"Geer' BE cried. you're an
American, aren't your Great guns,
but it's good to hear American talked
sn this town"
He drew out. as long as he dared,
the details of his purchase He went
away slowly. and presently returned
and bought come more cigs rettes. He
hung about the room, and then
bought still more. He ostentatfously
pulled ont q shining cigarette case
from s pocket, and filed it.
The clerk couldn't help q smile
<SYou must smoke Il great deal" she
said.
The sailor bfdshed- ITS not that, -
he confessed, "but-well, just to
hear yoa talk is like home!' 20 He
fumbled with the cigarette case.
"See that?" he said Il got it to-
day from my folks in Boston That
monogram-they're my initials.
guessed maybe they'd send me ciga-
rettes, but l didn't expect the case
As It was, the case came alone"
TITS very pretty" said the clerk
''It's the first word I've had from
home for three months" said the boy.
They don't write p
He turned away. 81 guess the
mails are ell balled-up"
''SGll, you did get the case" -
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
PURPOSES OF BARRAee

fTbe theory was to wall in that section Of
trenches" he said. Part Of the guns enclosed the
locality in a barrage while others of played
the communicating trenches to Keep achievements
from coming up The idea is to keep in the all
the who are there and to let nobody come in to
help them"
But you can't see those trenches. How do you
know you are hitting themf'
"ObseTvers,' the curt answer. I'VE know the
location of the trench and then register upon It. The
observers correct our fire until have the range
exactly. and then wait for the time. Orders come
that there viii be such and such barrage on -"
day and zero hour. And ready"
The thing that tapped the shoulder about
these boys their attitude toward the guns. They
seemed TO feel toward them person might feel
toward splendid fighting bull dog
The seveuty-fves called out the highest esteem.
The nineties were good they did the business, but
the seventy-fyesl Now there were guns
They won't let us fire but six times minute"
sergeant said with the air Of a man who had been
personally offended.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
r TORN BY HUN SHELLS

All around the empacements the ground was torn
and upheaved by Hun shells which had been sent
over as compliment to this battery. Out in the
field were twogreat craters sharply visible the
rest
Hey" called man from the other end of the Inc
Of bomb proofs. there comes Y. II. c. A man with
eats"
Boys oozed out of and bomb proofs with their
tongues fairly hanging out Their station is with
their guns. and their mess Is on the spot SO they
have little chance to get 10 the canteen. The
and made frequent trips over with pack OF his
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-08-17
LETTERS, THE DEMAND

LETTERS, THE DEMAND
Sure; but I'd rather had a letter
than a hundred cigarette cases. OF
course I'm glad l enlisted; but, gee,
if the people at home knew how bad
US fellows wanted letters, they'd
write every day, even if they didn't
have nothin' to say except Yours
truly Ii they only knew -
That sailor was a fair example of
our young seamen in France: unfal-
tering in his determination to do his
duty, but unremittingly homesick.
The room in which he revealed his
heart was one of many such rooms
where. daily, many of our enlisted
men are moved 10 similar confessions !:
their one healthy substitute for home,
the 7. NJ. c. A headquarters at a
French port.
These boys are the keepers-up Of
commerce. the food -bringers, the
sleepless guides and guardians of our
troops that cross the sea.
''The work of the Mosquito Fleet
IS nothing short of wonderful" q
French admiral recently declared.
@'In the last report of two hundred
and fifty ships conveyed, only three
losses were reported; since the Mos
quito Fleet came here, the 5. O. s.
calls due to mines and submarine at
tacks have decreased Fifty per cent
These results are achieved only by
labor that is hard, dangerous, and
without recorded praise There are
days when men have to stand on
watch for fourteen hours without re-
lief; whole voyages when the gun
crews have never moved more than
five feet from their guns, snatching
sleep on the rain-washed decks /;
cruises when the men in the fire room
and before the engines have never
once been able to come up for q
breath of fresh air.
tsftrunFtT NUEIMpEP