The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1918-07-04

officer was defending himself against
those who wanted eggs by the well
based defense that he couldn't beat the
men to 'em. No sooner do they reach
a new town than squads start out on
the hunt for eggs. Within halt an hour
the village is eggless. The gas officer
was trying to talk on his specially to
other officers who had heard MIN before
and had specialties of their own.
"My first letter from home in three
months" the tall young lieutenant
from Nebraska had just declared.
Every one in Red Cross envelope. l
guess that if there is any one in little
town who doesn't belong to the Red
Cross it is because he can't get down to
sign"
The door opened and the adjutant
came in with orders. The colonel calls
him Mammals Boy" which is term
of affection and not derision. Once the
colonel saw a pair of pictures IN
weekly paper in which mammals idea
of her boy was contrasted with the grim
boy himself, away in France. This
Mammals Boy" had distinguished him
self by leaping into German dugout
and taking prisoner when the Intelh-
gent department sent out word that 1t
wanted Boche to question. The Ger
mans throat was thick and muscular
and ne had squalled Justify. 1t had
taken the adjutant some time to subdue
him and drag him out.
Il could have killed him easily enough
and shut off all that noise" said he
atterward, alphabetically, but he
wouldn't choke
eve leave tomorrow, said this ad-
jutant.
Every one protested. They all want
ed to go but it is the army rule to kick.
Every one kicks, but the kicks mean
nothing. They all thought that we
should have more time to get ready.
At least two days, they SAID. The ad-
jutant listened quietly, with a slight
smile on his thin young face. Then he
added in his softest tones:
I'VE clear the town at 6 o'clock in
the morning."
That was the signal for business. In
spite of all the protests the regiment
was essentilly ready. The colonel's
long years of regular army experience
had enabled him to see to that. Every
order was ready for the issuing. The
pleasant tower room, dark paneled and
stone ceiled, was emptied at once. Two
hours later every man was in bed, ex-
cept those on duty, and every man in
bed was sleeping as only army ex-
perience teaches one to sleep, without
preliminary mapping. At $3.50 O'Clock
the first call was sounded. By O'Clock
the bed rolls had been corded and the
strikers had carried them to the wagons
and the officers of the staff were sitting
at breakfast. At o'clock the regl-
ment had taken up the sturdy trudge
toward the front through the darkness
At o'clock the town had been cleared
and We were on our way.
Hiking is easier than walking, be-
cause the rhythm of the marching feet
carries one along. At first one thinks
of the..time. Eight o'clock was long
time coming. 1t seemed that 8 would
never come. After that one goes along
half uncons ciously, his thoughts wand
ering from this to that, his feet march
ing on automatically. Toward noon
the hike began to tell on the weaker
members. The stragglers' squads had
long ago been told off to punch into line
those who tried to loaf. The surgeons
rode along the line with their orderlies.
Here and there it was necessary to
bandage mans feet. Some of those
who had been ''roughed up" to use the
soldiers new term, were protesting
that they could not walk farther. But
they did. Hiking is held to be, if not
cure for drunkenness, at least pallia-
tive. Some were really sick, and the
wagons were.well filled.
We trouged into the town where we
were to spend the night tired and dus-
ty and above all thirsty. .e bilietting