The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-04-18
Martial Adventures of Henry
and Me- OF Presses.
1t Is Written in EmpOria Au-
thOr's Best Style.
"SOUSED" IN KAN. LANGUAGE
1t Is First Close Up View OF
War by a Kansan.
Famous Story of Pants That
Failed Elaborated.

Authors copies OF Wlillam Alien
Whites new war story. THE Martial
Adventures of Henry and Me- are in
the hands of the Emporia editors inti-
mate and personal friends and the
first copies from the publishing house
are coming to the Kansas book stores.
Whites new book is an ingenious and
clever story of the trip to Europe last
summer by the author and Henry J.
Allen of Wichita. Using a character
istiC White expression, the book is
"soused" in Kansas language. Yet
there isn't a headache in barrel
of it,
1t is the first closeup view of the
war by a Kansan, and is chock full
of the thrills of the two widely known
Kansas editors who went to the west
ern front for the American Red Cross.
That the book might have immediate
printing of a book which has been in
preparation nearly two years. The
new war book has much to do with
the first-hand observations of the
business of war and Hun brutality and
inhumanity. 1t has also to do with
genuine love affair which started on
the boat and terminated Somewhere
in France" The Eager Soul was the
heroine and Allen bet on the Gilded
Youth. White bet on the Young Doc
tor because he was the only contender
left in the race.
From a Forty-third street store in
New York Allen and White bought
their new uniforms. They were told
by Red Cross officials that uniforms
were essential. So the Kansas edi-
tors-being real sports and reckless
with their cash-squandered S17.93
on each outfit. Whereupon they
started across the pond holding in
low esteem the pride, pomp and cir
culnStance of glorious war, as exem-
plified by these military duds.'
White and Allen landed in Paris at
night and rode thru dark streets to
tho hotel.
Picking a Hotel.
I'VE went to the Ritz" White ex-
plains, because it seemed to me that
as a leading American orator, Henry
should have proper European ter
minal facilities. And the Ritz looked
to me like, the proper setting for an
international figure. There, it SEEM
ed TO me, the rich and the great
would ccngregate to invite him to
dinners and to me, at least, who had
imagination, there seemed something
rather splendid in fancying the gen.
try saying: 'Ah, yes-Henry ]. Allen
of W;chita-the next governor of
Kansas, I understand
''It was in the morning that the
for Henry. He. had pulled bath
and found it cold; they are conserv-
ing fuel and no hot water is allowed
in the hotels of Paris excepting Fri
day and Saturday nights. The Eng
fish who are naturally mean, declare
that the French save rs per cent of
theiI use of hot water by putting the
two hot water nights together, as no
living T,renchman ever took a bath
two conSe cut:ve days"
Then came the hasty preparation to
go to the front. Those s17.93 uni
forms were unpacked. Sorrow, sad
ness and gloom seized the pilgrims
from Kansas. Four thousand miles
| from home. without their wives and
only limited stock of tangible French
in stock. Allen and White almost
| missed the trip to the firing line.
when we reached our rooms that
| midnight, Henry lifted his voice not in
pleading, but in command. For we
were to start at z the next morning
| and it was orders. So each went to his
| bedroom and began unpacking his
bundles. In ten minutes Henry ap-
peared caparisoned like a chocolate
divinity. With me there was trouble
Some one had blundered. The shirt
went on easily, the tunic went on cos
| lily. but the trousers-some one had
| Shuffled those trousers on me. Even
| a shoe spoon and foot ease wouldn't
1
| height. Inspection proved they were
| SO. Now So doesn't do me much good
as a waist line. There is net deficit
of eight tragic inches and eight inches
| short in one waist line is a catastro.
phe.
Called in Chambermaid.
yet there We were. 1t was hall
| past twelve. In six hours more we
must be on our way to the front-tc
| the great adventure. Uniforms were
imperative. And there was the hiatus
Whereupon Henry rose. He rang fol
the valet; no response. He rang fol
the tailor; he was in bed. He rang fol
the waiter; he was off duty Their,
was just one name left on the cal
card, so Henry hustled me into al
| overcoat and rang for the chamber
maid. And she appeared as innocen
of English as We were of French. T
| was an awful moment
But Henry began slowly making
gestures and talking in clearly e
nun-ci-a-ted tones. The gestures wer,
the well known gestures of his vail
dictory to the Republican party a
beautiful gestures and impressive
The maid became interested. Thel
he took the recalcitrant trousers
placed them gently, but firmly agains
his friends heart-or such a matte
showing how far from the ideal the,
came. Then he laid on the bed
| brown wooden shirt and in the tail o
it marked out dramatically "V'
| slice about the shape of an old fash
| Toned slice of pumpkin pie-a seq
ment ten or a dozen inches wide tina
| would require two hands in feeding
| Then he pointed from the shirt to tn
trousers, then to the ample bosom o
his friend, indicating with emotion
that the huge pie slice was to go int
the rear corsage of the breeches
1T was wonderful to see intelligence
dawn in the face of that chambermaid
The gestures of that Bull Moos
speech had touched her heart. Sud
denly she knew the truth and il mad
her free, SO she cried 'wee-wee' An,
oratory had again risen to its prope
: place in our midst. At o'clock sh
: returned with the pumpkin pie sic
from the tail of the brown shirt neatly