Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1918-03-22
With smile, 1 replied, 'W.sl, It's up

With a smile, replied, 'Weil, It's up
the state little"
Then l was taken before the doctor
and passed as physically At, and was
issued a uniform. When l reported
back to the lieutenant. he suggested
that, being an American, l go on re
cruitlng service and try to shame some
Of the slackers into joining the army"
"All you have to do" he said, us to
go out on the street, and when you see
a young fellow In mutt who looks
physically At, Just stop him and give
him this kind Of talk: Aren't you
ashamed Of yourself, Britisher, phys.
ically At, and In mutt when your king
and country need your Don't you
know that your country is at war and
that the place for every young Briton
Is on the firing linei Here I am, an
American. In khaki who came four
thousand miles to fight for your king
and country, and you, as yet, have not
enlisted. Why don't you join? Now
Is the time
"Ths argument ought 20 get many
recruits, Empey, so go out ari see
what you can do
He then gave me small roset' q Of
red, white and blue ribbon, with three
little streamers hanging down. This
was the recruiting insignia and was
to be worn on the left side Of the cap.
Armed with swagger stick and my
patriotic rosette, went out into Tot
tenham Court road In quest of cannon
fodder.
Two or three poorly dressed civil.
ians passed me, and although they mp.
peared physically fit, l said to myself,
"They don't want to Join the army
perhaps they have someone dependent
on them for support" so l did not a..
cost them.
Coming down the street saw a
young dandy, top hat and all with a
fashlonably dressed girl walking be.
side him. | muttered, "You are my
meat" and when he came abreast OF
me stepped directly In his path and
stopped him with my swagger stick,
saying:
"You would look fine In khaki; why
not change that top hat for a steel
helmet? Aren't you ashamed Of your.
self, a husky young chap like you In
mutt when men are needed in the
trenches? Here am, an American,
came four thousand miles from Ogden,
Utah. just outside OF New York, to
fight for your king and country. Don't
be Stacker, buck up and get into uni
form come over to the recruiting Of.
fee and I'll have you enlisted"
He yawned and answered, ~ don't
care II you came forty thousand miles.
no one asked you to-" and he walked
on. The girl gave me a sneering look ;
I was speechless.
recruited for three weeks and nee r.
ly got one recruit.
This perhaps was not the greatest
stunt In the world, but II got back at
the officer who had told me, Eyes, we
take anything over here" I had been
spending good lot Of my recruiting
time In the saloon bar Of the Wheat
Sheaf pub (there was a very attractive
blonde barmaid, who helped kill time
| was not as serious in those days as
I was a little later when reached
the front)-well, II was the sixth day
and my recruiting report was blank.
l was getting low In the pocket-bar.
maids haven't much use for anyone
who cannot buy drinks-so looked
around for recruiting material. You
know n man on recruiting service gets
a bob" or shilling for every recruit
he entices into joining the army, the
recruit is supposed to get this, but he
would not be recruit If he were wise
to this fact, would he7
Down at the end Of the bar was q
young fellow In muftl who was very
patriotic-he had about four "0ld
Six" ales aboard. He asked me II he
could join, showed me his left hand,
two fingers were missing, but said
that did not matter as 1--WE take any
thing over here" The left hand Ia
the rifle hand as the piece is carried
at the slope on the left shoulder. Near
ly everything in England is "by the
left" even general traffic keeps to the
port side.
/ took the applicant over to head
quarters, where he was hurrledly ex
amined. Recruiting surgeons were
busy In those days and did not have
much time for thorough physical exam.
nations. My recruit was passed as
at" by the doctor and turned over to
corporal to make note Of his scars.
was mystifed. Suddenly the corpo-
raj burst out with, "Bllme me, two Of
his fingers are gone" Turning to me
he said, "You certainly have your
nerve with you, not 'alf you amt. tc
bring this beggar in"
The doctor came over and exploded,
"What do you mean by bringing In q
man In this condition."
Looking out of the corner Of my eye
noticed that the officer who had re-
cruited me had Joined the group, and
l could not help answering, swell, sir,
I was told that you took anything over
here"
l think they called 1t yankee i'm.
pudence," anyhow It ended my recruit
Ing.