The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-06-10
(By Flight-Lieut. Henry C. Ruther-
ford of the Royal Flying Corps..)
NAVAL CASUALTY

SlumDery occupants OF the Inlrd CLASS
carriage.
A pale-faced youth yawned and put
his head out of the window. At that
moment all the lights went out. The
youth was "Tubby."
"Hi!' he shouted to a train official
who was passing by, swinging Ian
tern along the railway track. Whats
the matter?"
"Zepps," grunted the official.
You'd better get inside and sleep;
we amt moving for some time.
For the first time in his life, Tub
by told me, he felt an unselfsh fear.
You may understand that fear the
better if I tell you that he was a very
done scarcely a thing worth while in
his few years of business. He was
just twenty-one.
Tubby's Great Love.
my main idea in life was to duck
work." he confided when we became
real chummy after he had been as
signed to ''X'' squadron of the East
Coast Defences. when the army
wouldn't take me and the board said it
wouldn't be fair to initiate another
chap at the chemical works I was
only passing sorry. I wasn't an ex-
pert, you understand, but 1 copied
and compared all the drafts of the
formulas and it requires something
like an apprenticeship of two years
for accuracy. Put greenhorn on
my job and he'd be bound to cause
trouble. Once learned, however, it
was 'cushy.'
PLENTY of Tags all the time and
once a week to a music hall in Lon
don, whence I was returning this night
and I was happy.
But I did love my mother" He
blubbered a little and went on. "She
was the one big bright spot in my
life. Nothing was too good for her
and all that was good in ne 1 owed
to her"
When "Tubby" heard of the Zepps
near where he lived he was stricken
with fear at the danger of his mother.
He knew that he was not more than
five miles away by road, so he decid-
ed to walk there. He had not COM
pleted more than half his journey
when four bright flashes right ahead
|
denoted that one of the murderous
Zepps was overhead, and was drop
ping it's bombs perilously near his
own home.
"Tubby'' trudged on and at the end
of an hour and a half's walk found
himself near the familiar street of his
home life. Whats the matter" he
asked the first person he saw. A
crowd, amidst which could be dis
cerned the uniforms of the police,
now surrounded the spot where his
home-now a mass of ruins-had once
stood.
"Ouse blown to bits, and every one
inside" replied the person addressed.
"All in bed; nobody saved
A Tooth For Tooth.
Such was "Tubby" Smiths home
coming. Tears streamed down his
ugly, young old face as he narrated it.
The next morning pale-faced young
Smith appeared in Whitehall and sent
up his name to the Air Service Re
cruiting Department
On the day of the funeral he re-
ceived an oficial-looking document
commanding him to appear in White
hall, two days after, for examination
: Accordingly, "Tubbys was hailed be-
!, fore a board of five officers, who ask
ed him questions as to his private life
| education, pastimes and work.
Not a one of the five gave ''Tubby'
an encouraging look when the exami-
ration was finished. THAT will do
Smith," said the senior member
Leave us now and we will ring wher
we want you again.
Out went "Tubby," knowing full
well that he had made a poor show
irg.
But if they wouldn't have him how
was he going to accomplish ,the tasl
. he had set himself? "Tubby' told me
that again the scene of the wreckagt
of his home on the night of the raid
t with the poor, shattered bodies of hi!
: relatives on stretchers, the gaping
crowd and the smell of charred WOOD
/, came up before his mind. He mus
get in! He would have them taxi
> him! He started from his reverie a
a tap on the shoulder from the. burl.
l !, old messenger.
"Come on, the committee wants yo1
: again."
'Tuhby appeared once more DeIor'
the board. The president addressed
him.
Smith," he said. 1--WE are afrai'
s that we cannot recommend YOU
/. Tears filed "Tubby's" eyes but h
y managed to blurt out Might I speal
g to you alone, Sir?'
. Certainly, my boy, if it will be an
;, consolation to you. Come to the in
ner office" The senior led the wa
L into small room adjoining.
''Tubby's" PitifuI Plea
Once there, Tubby Smith laid bar
D his heart, and told all the happening
of the past few days.
Knowing '"Tubby," I imagine !
= must have been a miserable tale, pitt
fully told, and with frequent pause
to keep back the emotion that threat
Tened every moment to overcome hin