The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1918-10-24

(By Corporal C. S. Sparkes Special
War Correspondent for the Herald)
The call to the local Home Guard
unit to report at Kimberly, Mimi, for
fire fighting duty at the earliest pos
sible moment reached Captain Park
er about A o'clock on Monday after
noon and within two hours nearly
every member of tie guard had re-
ceived call to report at the Palmer
House at z o'clock. Each man was
to bring a heavy blanket and rations
for two meals. 1t was short notice
indeed especially as nobody knew how
long we would be away, but true to
the oath which each man took when
he was mustered into service they
answered the call. Professional men
left their Offices, business men their
stores, farmers their farms and at z
o'clock the Palmer House corner was
the scene of great activity.
1t was here that the spirit of Sank
Centre first asserted itself. There
was shortage of automobiles to
carry the men to Kimberly and Cap
tain Parker was faced with his first
problem. He appealed to those on
the sidelinns and immediateiy the re-
Spouse came. Italvor Halvcrson of
fered to take his car, Adam Ingiam
would do the same, David Pangburn
Jr., would take a load and P. B, Han
son would lend lis car if some one
would drive it. The spirit IF .hese
citizens speaks volumes for the city
and nothing better could have nap
pened to send the boys off feeling
good than the knowledge that The
citizens were willing to back them up
in the work they were called upon to
do.
Shortly before s o'clock 10 cars
headed by Captain Parker set out for
the scene of action. The journey was
uneventful except for two punctures
which delayed the cars very little and
it was not yet a. M, when Kimberly
was reached, which meant that within
IL hours after receiving the call 45
Sank Centre Guards were ready for
duty $50 miles from home, mobiliza-
ton feat of which any Home Guard
company can be proud.
1t was at this point that we first
came into contact with the military
life which had come so suddenly to
Northern Minnesota. On entering
Kimberly Khaki clad figure stood in
the roadway and in military fashion
called us to shalt" which we did with
alarcity. Captain Parker was re-
quested to report at military head
quarters which had been established
in the Northern Pacific depot and was
in charge of Captain Carter of st.
Cloud. Then came the orders to rest
for the remainder of the night and
await orders in the morning.
Oh that night, long will it remain
in the annals of our history as a night
to be remembered. Men who were
accustomed to a soft bed in well
ventilated room, steam heated and
well lighted, found themselves curled
up on the cold drafty floor of stuffy
ill-ighted waiting room trying to rest
and keep warm with one blanket and
an overcoat for bed, mattress, pillows
sheets and quilt. Some must have
found a soft board in that hard floor
for they were soon rending the air
with sounds which were a cross be-
tween the roaring of bull and the
grunt of a hog. Some found the floor
too hard and too drafty and preferred
to sleep in the open under the canopy
of Heaven. One lone figure swan
about all night falling over our feet
and seeing that we did not freeze to
death when the smoky stove burned
low. Sleeping was out of the question
after $50 and by o'clock we were
dashing cold water over our flushed
faces and trying to appear rested and
refreshed though aching in every limb
from our two hours contact with the
soft side of that hard floor. Just as
IL SOO llS1lt VIC WC1C Del NOO liOI SVAlCC
and believe me Of all the coffee we
had ever tasted that was the best. It
is true that it was none too strong
and we had to stir it with our finger
and hurry up with the CLIP so that
some other brother might get a. drink,
but it was great stuff and it sent the
blood coursing through our veins and
revived our dropping spirits.
Then came an opportunity to see
the sights of Kimberly the place
which was to be our headquarters for
the next six days, though we knew it
not then. Kimberly boasts of Is
buildings including the depot, school,
post office, farmers cooperative store
and hotel. Don't ask the boys how
they liked Kimberly or you may get
into trouble; they want to forget it,
5but they can never forget the good
people of that city. They did their
best to make US comfortable. They
opened their homes to us and though
they did not like being under martial
law they knew the purpose for which