The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1918-08-01
! YANK POLICE IN LONDON

BY GEORGE r. BYE.

BY GEOHGE T.. BYE.
Picadilly circus these nights Is q pin.
wheel that whizzes with the glory Of
armies and navies Of allied nations. the
sparks flying up Regent street, Shafts.
bury avenue, Piccadilly and Coventry
street. In the day time It's i'll assorted
buildings have the disappointing drab-
ness Of Broadway, Manhattan, but al
night. in spite Of heavily shaded lights
1t is brilliant with its military mael-
strom, and hauntingly seductive al
ever-the gateway to London's theater-
land, cafeland, clubland, the rendezvous
OF light spirits.
All tides Of London humanity lend
toward Piccadilly. and. 1t Is no wonder
that we should find Americans there n
some profusien, probably more officers
h a men because there arsimore Of
ficers than men Of the A. E. Il. In Lon
DON. But there are enough Yank pri-
Yates drawn toward Piccadilly each
night to warrant some attention paid
to their good conduct.
When / had been wheeled by the
crowd around Piccadilly twice !
stopped in a little doorway next to the
Pavilion theater, where Maud Allan Is
dancing this week. and studied the
saunterers. A major took q beautiful
young m to the theater entrance,
said he would leave his club at 1915
and be waiting in a taxi for her at
1880. Soldiers recognized each other
and paired off to talk over old trench
days, after separation caused by
wounds and redistribution Of forces.
Two noncommissiored officers were
upbraided by a little white faced WON
an, who cried: you ave no right to
whistle at me in that way, soldiers or
no soldiers, cause l ave a good man
at me 'ome, n a dear wee baby"
whereupon the soldiers protested their
innocence and disappeared. A Jap Of
ficer mingled in the circling throng and
dered at his rank. "Then TffCome Back
to You When the Daisies Droop with
Dew" sang a woman under her breath,
and smiled. Then she quickly changed
to something that sounded like when
the Sweet Magnolias Bloom. My Boy,
I'll Wait for You in Illinois," I looked
to my right and there stood two khaki
statues made in America.
I'm from Missouri" I said. They
were from New York, one from Man
haitian and the other from Syracuse. I
further introduced myself and offered
them a smoke. No, they couldn't
smoke: they were on duty. On duty?
Yes, military police. One turned and
showed his NJ. p. brassard on his left
arm.
Both Of them looked a. tidy as tall
ors' dummies, and one wore his uni
form especially well. He was tall with
steel grey hair and the easy name
Of a matinee idol. No question now
as to whom the strolling chantress w2a
attracted.
And he had beer an actor for II
years, His last name was Parker bv(
I couldn't coax him to give the other
Come IN, Parker. It's time we werd
UP the street" interrupted the Other
military policeman Of Uncle sam
whose last civilian occupation had beer
leader in a theater orchestra in SYRIA.
cuSe.
Fine pair of policemen. aren't we?'
laughed the actor. I'VE haven't beer
over long-were at a base in France
for a few weeks. They look out a few
men who had been to Europe before thu
war to act as VI. Ps. I've been ovet
often; in feet, l know this grand old
town and Paris nearly as well as New
York, SO l suppose I'll be walking a
eat for the rest Of the war"
l strolled along with them.
W. haven't found any boys n trou-
BILE yet" they said. They all act like
gentlemen. We're Supposed to keep
take charge of them II they become dis
orderly. So far OuT only work has
been to act as guides. Some boy Will
want to know the way to his under
ground station. He LOCKS for ar Amerl-
can M. p. and we help him out"
Soon we reached tie point Of juno
ton of their e with that Of two other
Yank M. Ps.. then they returned &c
Piccs dilly Circus where the merry-go
round had lost much OF It's density In
the open doors OF theaters.