South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-06-30


perstluous belief that destiny pick
e. me 20 FIRE the first gun for the
United States In tine war against the
Hun.
Personally take very little stock
IN destiny. fate or ans OF those
things OF the occult around which
sentimental. half-baked noVeIists like
20 weave impossible yarns.
According 10 my understanding o.
the case. ! was selected 20 send Cucle
sans FIRST shell message 10 the kali
ser because I put in many weeks Of
bard training. and got 10 know every
twist and wrinkle in the disposition
and temperament of my French rs.
But. Just 20 give the roma nticists
little consolation will conCede
that come Of a race OF red-headed
freckIed faced lighters. and am proud
Of IT,
Ny father Waiter de Narila was
a United states cavalry scout in the
early EOS. and helped 10 round up
the Apaches in Arizona
Dad was a red-head and had
freckles as big as copper cents. lie
was a fighter. and a good one. too
as United States army records VIII
show. Hemmed in by savages. while
on one Of his scouting expeditions.
be cut hts way out ia running Tight
using two Colts revolvers 10 excel
lent advantage The Indians dub
bed him Red the Brave"
Sly grandfather on the paternal
side fought for the Confederacy UNI
der Gen "Stonewall' Jackson. he
Lad hair like FURNISHED copper. Aly
mothers father served the Union
under Grant
There was a red-haired he Varila
With Mad Anthony" Wayne. when
he stormed stony Point. and pair
OF sOrrel-topped. lusty De Narilas
delivered hammer blows for democ-
racy Of the pioneer brand in the
French revolution.
Every one OF these lighting De
varilas had freckles as well as red
hair-God bless them all.
Aly mother was Of Irish descent
and my father French
Now you need wonder no longer
why I love 10 fight when the fghting
is good. When you get a French
and Irish combination. and breed
IS FOR several generations on the
stimulating soil OF the good old
United States. you are bound TO pro-
duce something that absolutely re-
fuses 10 let George do it, when
there is a scrap on deck.
The Fighting Lust.
/ was . years old when the kali
ser and his gang Of international
burglars set out to crack the safes
OF the nation OF the world and re-
vive the chain-gang methods of the
unholy old Roman empire.
I wanted 20 get into il then. hon
est / did, although I had just bios
sOmed out in my first suit of long
trousers. and was proudly wearing
my first dollar watch
Ny hair always has a habit OF
bristHng like a cats tail when 7
scent scrap. and when the kaiser
started to reach through Belgium 10 I
get az the throat OF France. I could
feel that red alfalfa Of mine crinkle
All over.
The hair Of some folks bristles
when they get scared. II Is just the
opposite with me. When mine starts
10 lift no. I'm just lighting mad. Ny
mother has told me that it was al
ways that way with the De Narilas.
Ny buddies In the battery over in
France used 10 get "a lot of fun
watching my hair when j got real
warmed up with my French - gun.
md was pumping shells into the
7oche hrst-line trenches They
found the effect particularly start
ing one DAY. when. in the height OF
battle. / put on my gas mask. After /
hat. they called me The Little Red
Devil
But that is pushing ahead Of the F.
Farn
As I started 70 say. I felt the old I.
De Verila fighting itch when the
5ermsn emperor began 20 blast his
way through Belgium. burning cities. /.
blowing 40 villages. and killing 4
women and children
Maybe it vas the blood OF some OF
hose French ancestors stirring i'm /
ne and urging me TO do something t
'or France. but more likely 10 was
hat unbeatable combination-
American. Irish and French
stood IL as long as I could and .
hen I told my mother q was going I
% Canada 10 enlist. I let her know .
thought it was disgrace for .
ighting De Narila 20 be wasting his
dme going Co school while a bunch .
" hoodlng Huns were running loose \
sver Belgium ard France. and do +
ng murder 10y the wholesale.
Mothers MILES
could see that she liked TO hear
ne talk that way for there were
ears IN her eyes. and she gave me
one OF those warm motheriy smiles
.hat make an American boy in his
3rst long trousers feel that be has
iuddenly grown three inches taller