The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1918-02-28
CHAPTER ..
From Mufti to Khaki.

It was in an Office in Jersey City.
/ was sitting at my desk talking to
a lieutenant of the Jersey National
Guard. On the wall was q big war
map decorated with variously colored
little flags showing the position of the
opposing armies on the western front
in France. In front Of me on the desk
lay New York paper with big flaring
headlines:
LUsITANIA SUNK! AMERICAN
LIVES LOST!
The windows were open and q feel
ing of spring pervaded the air.
Through the open windows came the
strains of hurdy-gurdy playing in the
street-"I Didn't Raise My Boy to Be
a Soldier"
"Lusitania Sunk! American Lives
ost!'-"I Didn't Raise My Boy to
Be a Soldier" To us these did not
seem to jibe.
The lieutenant in silence opened one
Of the lower drawers of his desk and
took from it an American flag which
he solemnly draped over the war map
on the wall. Then, turning to me with
a grim face, said:
How about it, sergeant? You had
better get out the muster roll of the
Mounted Scouts, as I think they will
De needed in the course of few days."
We busted ourselves till late in the
evening writing out emergency tele-
grams for the men to report when the
call should come from Washington.
Then we went home.
l crossed over to New York, and as
went UP Fulton street to take the
subway to Brooklyn, the lights in the
tall buildings Of New York seemed to
be burning brighter than usual, as if
they, too, had read "LuSitania Sunk
American Lives Lost" They seemed
to be glowing with anger and righteous
Indignation, and their rays wigwagged
the message, Repay"
Months passed, the kilograms lying
mandy, but covered with dust. Then,
one momentOus morning the lieutenant
with sigh of disgust removed the
nag from the war map and returned
10 MS desk. I Immediately followed
tnlS action by throwing the kilograms
lnto the Wastebasket. Then we looked
dt each other in silence. He was
Squlrming in his chair and I felt de-
pressed and uneasy. i
Inc telephone rang and I answered
It, IT was business call for me, re-
queStlng my services for an Out-of-
'o"h assignment. Business was not
very good, so this was very welcome.
Ai'er listening to the proposition
SEEMED to be sWayed by a peculiarly
" o. force within me, and answered,
ain sorry that I cannot accept your
oner' but [ am leaving for England
n nc week" and hung up the receiver.
Inc Inc lieutenant swung around in his
,nair' and stared at me in blank aston
s'nlneht. A sinking sensation came
w. me- but [ defiantly answered his
IoOk with, well, it's so. I'm going"
And l went.
1ne TRIP across was uneventful. I |
,~ at Tilbury, England, then got |
Ivy string Of matchbox cars and |
ps to London, arriving there |
~Oout 1O ?. N. I took a room in hotel |
Io"r 81 Pancras station for give and |
~. "-Ire extra" The room was minus |
0 IRE, but the "extra" seemed to !
nVep ine warm. That night there was
- Zeppelin raid, but didn't see much |
49, IT, because the slit in the curtains |
n,a 'oo small and had no desire to |
onh ne IL 'arger. Next morning the tel
G ablIone Dell rang, and someone asked, |
wa e you there?" was, hardly. Any
tnr s' ! learned that the Zeps had re-
ont eu 10 their fatherland, so I went |
sCo. INTO the street expecting to see |
ort, Of awful devastation and q cow |
nonrs populace, but everything was
ina "ial' People were calmly proceed
stroo 1" their work. Crossing the |
80 l 2ccosted a Bobbie with:
dam ~an You direct me to the place of
~ asked me, "What damageT"
damoS9 ufprlse, I answered, "Why, the
age caused by the Zeps."