The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1918-06-13
We're q Long Way 5
from Home, Boys"
BY FRED S. FERGUSON

(United Presst Stan CORRESPONDENT.
With the American Forces in Pic
ardy. May 15.-"Gentlemen. MY order
ly has just brought me a box OF Gig.
ars." said the Major as he came into
the mess. They are probably the
rottcnest cigars ever made. Help
yourself
Despite the reputation given. the Z.
cigars everybody did. There was
laugh and suggestions of donning gas
masks. but little thing like bad Gig
ars couldn't dampen the spirits OF
the mess. And this is a story of tho
mess.
It started on the march to PicartShr
far back in little town in the mohy
ilization area. 1t sported pan cakes
for breakfast Then Il began TO pro-
duce pie-real pie From that. as
the march went on and new villages
became headquarters, II developed
steaks. roasts. boiled beef. asparagus.
caulifiower. peas. potatoes in various
disguise. including salad. and on to
the point of deserting French war
bread for the real American white
loaf But the climax was reached
when the mess-serEeant discovered
COW. Then real milk appeared on the
table. instead OF the canned variety.
The Fun Goes On.
Il wonder II there's any chance
this COW might be suffering from shell
shock and that her milk will curdie2''
asked Tie lieutenant from Chicago IA
he reached for the first glass.
Il don't mind an ordinary snore.''
~me from the other end OF the
table" but | hope the Roche gets all
lieutensnts that sleeps with both in
take and exhaust pipes open
'whoinheli snores?"
: This from a dark.haired. slender
lieutenant. who everyone happened to
know was biIlited with the snore ob.
iector
''i1i tell you. he's got a snore with
an intake like motorcycle exhaust
with the munlcr of and an exhaust
like dozen seltzer bottles was tho
comeback. Even IL you do sleep on
ne floor and never take bath. you
ought to hold on to Just li,tle man
ners"
Officers Troubles.
Enter the gas officer. Heated ar
gument on the concentration required
for specified results. The yeterin-
AIRY corps officer breaks In with tho
ciinchcr fhst he has mule for
patient that was gassed in less than
that" whatever that" happens to be.
He also has mule that was hit In
the stomach with a piece OF shrapnei
and Is going to get well
But thar doesn't interest the adiu-
tant's assistant. who wants to know
how he's going to get of an eight
page Telegram when tn. French lines
say they cart handle u.
We'll. well. no letters. or what's
up? Why the gloom from around
the table.
Letter Brings Sadness.
That's it. I've got letter. liza
from home. way back there in Port
land. Oregon My fathers dead. Been
dead five weeks. and here l am just
finding II out"
The laughter and han;erinE die out.
The veterinary corps Officer fumbics
in his pocket. He pulls out cable
gram.
II guess we are both getting H."
he says. without lifting his eyes from
the bit OF paper. II got this last
night Ten days getting here. Says
my father can't live two weeks. ue
may b. gone now
There are mumblcd expressions al
sympathy. Few look up from the
table. The guns can be heard pounf-
ing just little way on. But just
outside the morning song of birds
floats in with the sunshine. The mess
breaks mp. The lieutenant from Chi.
cago expresses his thoughts as he
goes out the door:
We're long way from home.
aren't we"
MoToRED TO DENVER