Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-06-26
CHAPTER XXI.
~
About Turn.

FtBCdG VI Use
The next evening we were relieved
nv the til brigade, and once again
returned to rest billets. Upon arriving
at these billets we were given twenty
four hours in which to clean up. had
Just finished getting the mud from my
uniform when the orderly sergeant in
formed me that my name was in orders
to leave, and that I was to report to
the orderly room in the morning for or
ders, transportation and rations.
I nearly had a fit, hustled about
packing up, filling my pack with SOU
yenirs such as shell heads, dud bombs,
nose caps, shrapnel balls, and a Prus-
sian guardSman's helmet. In fact, be-
fore I turned in that night, had every
thing ready to report at the orderly
room at nine the next morning.
was the envy of the whole section,
swandng around, telling of the good
time l was going to have, the places
would visit, and the real, old English
beer I intended to guzzle. Sort of
rubbed it into them, because they all
do ii, and now that it was my turn,
took pains to get my own back.
AT nine I reported to the captain, re-
Ceiving my travel order and pass. He
asked NE how much money l wanted
to draw. I glibly answered, "Three
hundred francs, sir" he just as glibly
handed me one hundred.
Reporting at brigade headquarters,
with my pack weighing a ton, waited,
with forty others, for the adjutant to
inspect US. After an hours wait, he
came out; must have been sore because
1e wasn't going with US.
The Quartermaster sergeant issued
Us TWO days ratiOns, in a little white
canvas ration bag, which we tied to
our belts.
linen two motor lOrries came along
ana We piled in, laughing, joking, and
III Ihe best Of spirits. We even loved
ne Germans, we were feeling so happy.
our journey to seven days bliss in
bIgAty had commenced.
Inc ride in the lorry lasted about
Two hours by this time we were COW
cred with fine, white dust from the
'oau, but didn't mind, even if we were
aeariy ch. king.
At lhe railroad station at F. we
reported to an officer, who had q white
gau4 around his arm, which read "R.
= y. lRoyal Transportation OfTicer).
~ Us this officer was Santa Claus.
1Ae sergeant in charge showed him
VI, orders; he glanced through them
ala sad: Make yourselves comfort
sO'e On the platform and don't leave:
Le Train is liable to be along in five
4!nuteS-or five hours"
II came in I've hours, a string of
eS'ea match boxes on big, high
@a5eiS drawn by a dinky little engine
III 'Ne con-" These match boxes
-sIe cattle cars, on the sides of which
" ~gS painted the old familiar sign.
nommes 20. Chevaux s."
Tue II. L. 0. stuck US all into one
1'. we didn't care; it was as good
Is Pullman to US.
Two days We spent on that train
s SrIplng' stopping, jerking ahead. and
sY'-elllneS sliding back. At three Sta
s sUuS We stopped long enough to make
NJ YEA nut were unable to wash, so
- we arrived at B, where we
we're TO embark for Blightv. we wara
~ OLack as Turcos and. with our nm.
tr -, Il faces, we looked like a lot of
happy. ''u OUT we were
sa, we mad packed up. preparatory to
800 su@illng, when R. T. O. held nm biS
a1Iu Tor Us to stop where va voro
81 I3a zane over. This is what he said.
~ oUss I'm sorry, bat orders have inst
v zen received Canceiling all leave IF
- 80 uau been three hours earlier Won
tb ot'I nave gotten away. Just stav in
NIL, T' nam as it is going back. Rations
t. ,i oe Issued to you for your return
p11neF to Your respective stations
1S9y rotten know" Then he left
ste. usaa silence resulted. Then mon
tSa .eu 10 curse, threw their rifles on
~, tns moor of the car; others said not ~
had seemed Sc to be stupefed, while some
cbao,e De tears running down their
tan Oi''ef disappointment