Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-05-29

"When the door opened and the gen
eral beckoned to me, my knees started
to play Home, Sweet Home against
each other.
my interview was very short.
). "Old Pepper glared at me when ]
entered, and then let loose.
"tOf course you don't know anything
about 1t. You're just like the rest.
Ought to have nursing bottle around
your neck and nipple in your teeth.
ISoldiers-by CAD, you turn my stom-
ach to look at you. Win this war,
when England sends out such samples
has have in my brigade! Not likely =!
Now, sir, tell me what you don't know
about this affair. Speak up, out with
1t. Don't be gaping at me like fish.
ySplt it out
II stammered, Sir, know absolute
! lyfpothing.'
"'That's easy to see,' he roared ;
that stupid face tells me that. Shut
up Get out; but think you are a
ID liar Just the same. Back to
your battery .
u saluted and made my exit.
That night the captain sent for us.
With fear and trembling we went to
his dugout. He was alone. After sa-
s,tlng we stood at attention in front
II him and waited. His say was short.
"'Don't you two ever get 1t into your
leads that Morse is dead language.
we known 1t for years. The two Of
W had better get rid of that nervous
'abit Of tapping transmitters; it's dan.
arous. That's ALL
1--WE saluted, and were just going out
he door Of the dugout when the cap.
gin called up back and said:
"'Smoke Goldflakes? Yes? Well,
mere are two tins Of them on my table.
10 back to the battery, and keep your
ngues between your teeth. Under
andY
1--WE understood.
AFor FIVE weeks afterwards our bat
nv did nothing but extra fatigges:
Q were satisfied and So were the
zen. It was worth 1t to put one over
Old Pepper, to say nothing OF the
sury caused to Fritz feelings"
When Wilson had finished his story
looked up and the dugout was
mined. An artillery captain and two
Ulcers had also entered and stayed
IF the finish. Wilson spat out an
4ormous quid Of tobacco, looked up,
aw the captain, and got as red as
arnation. The captain smiled and
It. Wilson whispered to me-:
'Blime me, Yank, see where click
* cruclfixion. That captain Is the
anne one that chucked us Goldfakes
|, his dugout and here I have been
chucking me weight about In his
learing.'"
Wilson never clicked his crucifixion.
B Quite contrast to Wilson was an
,ther character in our brigade named
Scott; we called him "Old Scotty'' on
account Of his age. He was f1fty-seven,
Though looking forty. "Old Scotty"
1ad been born in the Northwest and
lad served in the Northwest Mounted
police. He was a typical cowpuncher
md Indian fighter and was dead shot
with the rifle. and took no pains to
disguise this fact from us. he used to
lake care of his rifle as If 1t were a
laby. In his spare moments you could
,.lways see him cleaning 1t or polish
ing the stock. Woe betide the man
who by mistake happened to get hold
81 this rife; he soon found out his
error. Scott was as deaf as mule,
md 1t was amusing at parade to watch
aim in the manual Of arms, slyly
slancing out Of the corner Of his eye
1t the man next to him to see what
lthe order was. How he passed the
.octor was mystery to us; he must
have blunfed his way through, because
The certainly was Independent. Beside
him the Fourth Of July looked like
Good Friday. He wore at the time a
large sombrero, had Mexican stock
addle over his shoulder, lariat on
his arm, and s.forty-five" hanging
,from his hip. Dumping this parapher-
malta on the floor he went up to the
recruiting officer and shouted: I'm
from America, west Of the Rockies,
and want to join your ID army.
Eve got no use for German and can
shoot some. At Scotland Yard they
turned me down; said I was deaf and
30 am. I,don't banker to ship in with
Ia id underwriting outfit, but the
tcavalry's full, so I guess. this regi.
ment's better than none, SO trOt out
your papers and I'll sign 'em." He told
them he was forty and slipped by.
was on recruiting service at the time
he applied for enlistment.
It was Old Scotty's great ambition
to be sniper or. "body snatcher," as
Mr.. Atkins calls 1t. The day that he
was detailed as brigade sniper he cele'
bpated his appointment by blowing the
whole platoon to flags.
Being Yank, Old Scotty took Ik'
ing to me and used to spin some great
yarns about the plains, and the whole
platoon would drink these in and ask
for more. Ananias was rookie com
pared with him.
The ex-plainsman and discipline
could not agree, but the officers al
! liked him, even Il he was hard to man
49, =. @-g~,