davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
CHAPTER v.
NTH the "75,s.n

My pal Brown, of whom spoke be-
fore, had been put in the Infantry
when he enlisted in the Legion, be-
cause he had served in the United
States infantry. He soon became a
sergeant, which had been his rating
in the American service. ] never saw
MIN in the trenches, because cur out
fits were nowhere near each other, but
whenever we were in billets at the
same time, we were together as much
as possible.
Brown was funny card and l never
saw anyone else much like him. A
big, TALL red-headed, dopey-looking fell
low, never saying much and slow In
everything he did or said-you would
never think he amounted to much or
was worth his salt. The boys used to
call him Ginger Brown, both on ac-
count of his red hair and his slow
movements. But he would pull q sur
prise on you every once in a while.
like this one that he fooled me with.
One morning about dawn we started
out for a walk through what used to
be Dixmude-piles of stone and brick
and mortar. There were no civvies to
be seen; only mules and horses bring
ing up casks OF water, bags of beans,
chloride of lime, barbed wire, ammu-
milton. etc. 1t was a good thing we
were not superstitious. At that, the
shadows along the walls made me feel
shaky sometimes.
Finally Brown said: Come on
down: let's see the 75's'"' At this
time had not seen "75," except on
a train going to the front, so / took
him up right away, but was surprised
that he should know where they were.
After going half way around Dix
nude Brown said, Here we are" and
started right into what was left of a
big house. l kept wondering how he
would know so much about it, but fol-
lowed him. Inside the house was a
passageway under the ruins. 1t was
about seven feet wide and fifty feet
long, should judge.
At the other end was the great old
"75," poking it's nose out of a hole in
the wall The gun captain and the
crew were sitting around waiting the
word for action, and they seemed to
know Brown well. l was surprised at
that, but still more SO when he told
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
ABOUT OUR SHOES
Buttoned Footgear Uses More
Leather Than the Laced.
Spats Likely to Be Strongly In Favor
Again as Well as Knitted
Wooden Stockings.

Every woman with her eyes open
must have noticed that button shoes
are little worn, and no doubt the fact
that lace shoes are. as general thing,
neater and trimmer and more easily
kept In condition has good deal to
do with this, declares fashion writer.
The fact that button shoes use up quite
y little bit more leather than lace
shoes is the big reason behind their
disappearance from fashion, say those
who know. 1t does seem very little
leather to save, doesn't It,? But then
this is the day when we appreciate the
Importance Of very small things; the
saving of a slice of bread a day,
lump Of sugar or half pound OF meat
--trifies that we are assured amount
to enormous proportions In the aggre-
gate.
From the point of view Of good sense
pure and simple, we might wish that
shoes for autumn were not going to be
so thlnly soled. Thicker soles are
warmer and dryer and do not need re-
pairing so often, but the government
has decreed that for civilians no soles
shall be Of more than very moderate
thickness, the exact thickness being
set down by the rules In definite terms.
Since the height of shoes Is to be
limited to eight and a half or nine
inches, there is every reason to believe
that low shoes will be worn to very
great extent, even in cool weather. We
are not in love with low high shoe,
though we find the Oxford entirely
satisfactory; and, Of course, If the
nine-inch shoe Is q conservation and
patriotic shoe, the low shoe is even
more so. To prevent the low shoe
from being the cause of colds and
chllls, women will wear spats again as
fondiy as they did two seasons ago, or
perhaps they VIII take to heavier
stockings. Some women, you know,
wore knitted wooden. stockings last
winter with low shoes, and found the
combination warmer than high shoes
and the usual thin stockings.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10

! wonder what expression the Ameri-
can troops will use. you notice
do not call them Sammies y
/ took my turn at listening post with
u,e rest of them, of course A listen
Ing post Is any good position out In
No Mans Land, and is always held by
two men. Their job is to keep live
ear on Fritz and In case they hear any
thing that sounds very much like an
attack one man runs back to his lines
and the other stays to hold back the
Boches as long as he can. You can
figure for yourself which Is the most
healthful job.
As many times as went on listen
ing-post duty / never did get to feel
ing homelike there exactly. You have
to lie very still, of course, as Fritz is
listening, too, and q move may mean
n bullet in the ribs. SO, lying on the
ground with hardly a change of posi-
ton, the whole lower part of my body
would go to sleep before / had been
at the post very long. l used to brag
lot about how fast / could run, so
l had my turn as the runner. which
suited me all right. But every time
l got to listening post and started
to think about what / would do IL
Fritz should come over and wondered
how good a runner he was, / took
long breath and said, Feet, do your
duty" And l was strong on duty.
After / had done my stunt in the
front-line and reserve trenches l went
back with my company to billets, but
had only been there for a day or two
before | was detached and detailed to
the artillery position to the right of us,
where both the British and French
had mounted naval guns. There were
guns of all calibers there, both naval
and field pieces, and got good look
ut the famous "75's," which are the
best guns In the world, in my estima-
ton, and the one thing that saved
Verdun.
The "75's" fired 30 shots a minute
where the best the German guns could
do was six. The American three-inch
field piece lets go six times a minute
too. The French government owns the
secret of the mechanism that made
this rapid fire possible. When the first
"75's" began to roar, the Germans
knew the French had found a new
weapon, so they were very anxious to
get one of the guns and learn the
secret.
Shortly afterward they captured
eight guns by mass attack in which,
the allies claim, there were 1000 Ger
man troops killed. The Boches studied
the guns and ,ried to turn out pieces
like them at the Krupp factory. But
somehow they could not get it. Their
imitation "75's" would only fire five
shots very rapidly and then cough
puff, puff, puff, with nothing coming
out. The destructive power of the
'75's" is enormous. These guns have
saved the lives Of thousands of poilus
and Tommies and 1t Is largely due TO
them that the French are now able to
beat Fritz at his own game and give
back shell for shetland then some.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
KEEP FARM MACHINERY BUSY
Lazy Binder Works Only Forty Days
in Eleven Years-"Work-or- Fight"
Policy Applicable.

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture)
The work-or-fght policy should be
applied to farm machinery as well as
to men. Though machines cannot fight
they can be put to work on many occa-
sions instead of standing idle in the
barn lot. Most farm machines and i'm
plements are capable of doing much
more work than they usually do and
the more they are used the less man
labor will be required on the farm.
Three men with corn binder, one OPP
Grating the machine and two gathering
and shocking the bundles, will cut from
seven to ten acres day, while four or
five acres would be fair days work
for the same three men cutting corn by
hand.
The average corn binder lasts about
eleven years, but during that time does
only about forty days actual work.
There. is no doubt that it could render
several times this much service before
wearing out if there were more work
to do. There seems to be very little
relation between the amount of work
done annually by corn binder and
the years of service
The bulletin refers to a survey con-
Quoted in New York state which show
ed that the more the corn binder could
be used each year the less the cost of
cutting the corn when the cost of using
the binder was taken into considera-
ton. Two hundred and thirty-three of
the 45S binders on which data were OBJ
tanned, cut 10 acres or less annually at
a cost of $9.7S per day used and S167
per acre. The remaining 225 cut
over Is acres annually, averaging 321s
acres, at cost of 1924 per day of
service and 81 cents per acre. The orig
inal cost of one of these. binders was
about $125. Thus if there is only one
Or two days work for the binder to do
each year. the cost of cutting the corn
with it will be so great that its use will
not be advisable unless it is impossible
10 cut the corn by other methods with
out seriously neglecting other work. If
this is the case the bulletin recon-
mends that two or three neighbors,
each of whom has only a small crop,
combine in the purchae and operation
of a corn binder. The first investment
required of each and the machinery
cost per acre will then be greatly re-
duced. This plan should not only APP
ply to corn binders but to other la
bor-saving machinery.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
AMONG FASHIONS AND FADS
Interesting Notes That VIII Aid
Women In Selection of Styles That
Are Mostly in Favor.

A Breton sailor hat needs no trim
ming.
Cuffs may be circular and slightly
bell shaped.
The long waistcoat seems to be
much In favor.
Every really smart frock boasts an
apron effect.
A coat of silk jersey cloth has col
lar of velour.
The new bathing robes may be made
Of Scotch plaid.
Many of the blouses are ornamented
only by hemstitching.
Openwork stockings should always
be worn with pumps.
Stlll. the frilly blouse has no rival
among fashionable blouses.
The newest silk blouses are made
very much like the sweater.
Plush hats become very smart when
worn with dotted net wells.
A dress Of soft leather Is heavily
studded with beads of many colors.
Umbrellas are going to be longer,
simmer and with ivory crook handles.
Perfumes and sachets are supposed
to have vanished since the war.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
NO TRUTH IN TRADITION
Old Legend of the Drowning of Prin-
cess In Petrograd Fortress Proved
to Be Without Foundation.

The fortress of SIS. Peter and Paul,
In Petrograd, has an evil reputation
as the former place of Imprisonment
of many of Russia's idealists, includ-
ing Prince Kropotkin and Madame
Breshkovsky; but one blot on its
'scutcheon is removed by an illustrated
article in the London Sphere. The
article reproduces a painting by the
Russian artist Flavitsky, showing a
beautiful woman standing on her bed
In cell In this prison. seeking to es-
cape the rising waters of flood that
threatens her life. This was the Prin-
cess Tarakanova, who had incurred
the enmity of Catherine the Great. The
tradition is that she was drowned, by
order of the empress. during the In
undation of HIT. The Sphere. how
ever, shows that she died of tuberculo-
SIS two years before the flood swept
through the fortress. Thus this gloomy
prison and the great. empress are re-
ieved of one of the tragedies with
which they have been associated
The Outlook.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture.)
Do not wait until planting time next
spring to select your seed potatoes. Do
not even wait until harvest time this
fall. Begin now by making a study Of
the plants. This is the plan that
should be followed by potato growers
who want to have seed that will pro-
duce the highest yields. Potato grow
ers should have seed plat, which may
or may not be part of the main crop,
and from the best-growing, disease-re-
sistant plants in this plat, which pro-
duce high yields of marketable-sized
potatoes, select their seed for the fol-
lowing year. An area of one-tenth or
one-fifteenth of the entire acreage will
usually provide sufficient seed for the
following seasons planting.
While it is an advantage to start the
seed plat with selected material the
work may be begun during the grow
ing season with any good stock Of
promising quality planted in suitable
soil and properly cared for. The best
portion of the field therefore should be
selected for the seed plat. 1t should
be well drained, frequently cultivated
and thoroughly sprayed,
Inspect Seed Plat
Several times during the growing
season the seed plat should be inspect
ed. All weak, degenerate and diseased
hills and those showing varietal mix
lures should be pulled, so that only
the progeny of healthy hills of the
correct variety will remain at harvest
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10

me I could examine the gun II I
wanted to. just as IL he owned 1t.
SO / sat In the seat and trained the
Cross wires on an object. opened and
closed the breech and examined the
recof.
Then Brown said: "Well. Chink.
you'll see some real gunnery now" and
they passed the word and took sta
tions. My eyes bulged out when /
saw Brown take his station with them
"Silence" is about the first com
mand a gun crew gets when 1t is going
into action, but ! forgot all about IL,
and shouted out and asked Brown how
he got to be gunner. But he only
grinned and looked dopey, as usual.
Then l came to and expected TO get
call down from the officer. but he only
grinned and so did the crew. 1t
seems they had 1t all framed to spring
on me, and they expected / would be
surprised
So we put cotton in our ears and
the captain called the observation
tower short distance away and they
gave him the range. Then the captain
called 4128 meters" to Brown. They
placed the nose CT shell In. fuse
adjuster and turned the handle until
1t reached scale 4128. This set the
fuse to explode at the range given.
Then they slammed the shell into the
breech, locked 1t shut and Brown sent
| his best to Fritz.
! The barrel slipped back, threw out
the shell case at our feet and returned
over cushion of grease. Then we
received the results by telephone from
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10

time. Plants showing stem rot either
at or below the surface of the soil,
plants developing any type of abnormal
rolling of the leaves. those with mot
tied or crinkled leaves, and any plants
that are stunted, weakened or that
make unthrifty growth, should he dis
carded.
III practicable 1t is best to dig the
seed plat by hand, care being taken to
eliminate all low-yielding hills and those
producing an undue proportion OF small
or unshapely tubers. In harvesting,
avoid unnecessary cutting. bruising or
other injury. since the vitality of dam
aged tubers is reduced Gather and
store the seed potatoes in slat crates.
Place them as soon as possible after
harvesting in cool reasonably moist
storage house provided with good ven
tilation and maintained at tempera-
ture of 30 to 40 degrees r.
Work Stock Over Carefully.
Before the next planting time the
stock should be carefully worked over
to remove all badly cut or bruised tu-
BEES and those showing serious scab or
black scurf and decay of any kind Tu-
bers badly off type should also be dis
carded, as should any showing abnor-
NAL discoloration of flesh, which can
be seen, Of course, only at the time
of cutting. If scab or black scurf is
present in any degree, it is advisable
to treat the seed by covering FOR 80
minutes in a solution containing four
ounces of corrosive sublimate to 30
gallons of water
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
VALUE or iNSECTlciDE ACT
Farmers Have eeen Saved Money by
Prevention of Sale of Worth
less Preparations.
prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agriculture)

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of AgricultureJ
Both the farmer and the manufac-
turer have been benefited by the en-
forcement of the insecticide act of
1910.
Farmers have been supplied with in
secticides and fungicides that Will do
what is claimed for them; and have
been saved money by prevention of
the sale of worthless, low grade, and
short-weight preparations, and by pre-
vention of crop or livestock losses
through use of worthless insecticides
or fungicides.
The legitimate manufacturer has
been protected against the illegitimate
manufacturer confidence in insecti-
cides and fungicides has been created
among farmers and stock raisers, and
sales have increased; valuable infor-
nation regarding the manufacture and
efficacy Of insecticides and flnglcides
has been given to the manufa cturer
enabling him to prepare good prepare
lions and truthful labels.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
LEGHoRN HAT is A FAVoRITE
Some Of This Seasons Styles Are EN-
broidered Directly Upon the Hat
Other Decorations.

Exquisitely simple was a leghorn
hat of the ever-pleasing picture"
shape, with a flat crown and droop-
ing brim. A wide blue ribbon of sill
yer luster and velvety softness was
drawn around the high crown, COW
ering it at one side and crushed at
the other end in a loose bow with
scarf ends which hung over the brim
Tucked in about the lower edge of
the ribbon were roses, alternating with
tiny clusters of grapes. A very mar
row binding Of the blue edged the
brim.
Upon another large leghorn was laid,
to all appearances, an entire hat of
lavender georgette crepe. The crown
was soft; the brim, stiffened with tiny
wires, reached almost to the edge of
the leghorn brim and was fastened Sc
curely to 1t. About the crown were
more soft folds of the crepe. In front
was large cluster of lilacs, reddish
Persian blooms and purple blossoms,
opened to disclose their blush petals
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
DISP0SING OF GULL APPLES
Discards Can Be Converted Into Cider
and Vineqar-Outline of Sui.
phur Process.

Dispose of Gull apples by turning
them into cider. Sell all the cider you
can profitably and convert the rest in
to cider vinegar. Cider can be kept
sweet by the sulphur process. Use
clean barrel and strained cider. Melt
a sulphur stick in a pan. and absorb
it in clean clothes. Fill the barrel
three-fourths full of cider Wrap the
sulphurated cloth on a stick, insert it
in the barrel through the bunghole
and set it afire. When burned so that
the rag no longer blazes freely, re-
move, drive in the bung quickly, and
then thoroughly agitate the contents
until the cider is thoroughly impreg-
mated with the sulphur fumes. 1t will
keep perfectly.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
TIMELY HINTS

Evening capes have collars made of
silk flowers sewed very close to-
gether.
Ostrich feathers are much used on
hats, but usually fat under yelling
of tulle.
Pink silk Bingham trimmed with
pink organdie makes an unusually
smart frock.
Ratine and spotted batiste. and even
null make the wartime garden party
gowns.
A yellow bathing suit is girdled with
blue, and has pockets of yellow and
blue stripes.
Among the ornaments seen on the
summer hats are silk flowers painted
by hand.
The untrimmed low-cut necks of
dresses are becoming only to plump
and lovely Threats.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
CREAM SEPARATOR is HANDY
"any of Our Farmers Are Neqlecting
important Matter of Thorough
Separation of Milk.

approximately one-half of our farm
ers are still neglecting the important
matter of thorough separation of the
milk which their herds produce. AS
result, from 10 TO % per cent Of the
total production of butterfat is not
made available 20 the consumer. The
use of the cream separator is worthy
of encouragement as an instrument
capable Of increasing the quantity of
food available fer human consumption.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10

When a captain. Calls In action. his
words are cot message to the girl
he left behind him or any dope about
his gray-haired mother. but Garry on.
Lieutenant Whosis." If the lieutenant
gets his II is Garry on. Sergeant
Jacks" and so on as far as Ii goes.
So the words used 10 mean. Take
over the command and do the job
right" But now they mean not only
that but Keep up your courage. and
go to Il" One man will say It TO
another sometimes when he thinks the
first man is getting downhearted. but
more often, II he is a Limey, he will
start kidding him.
our men. of course. did not say
Garry on" and IN fact they did not
have any expression in French thar
meant exactly the same thing. But
they used to cheer each other along,
all right. and they passed along the
command when II was necessary, too.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
Summer Smock.

1t would be impossible to create a
more artistic garment for summer
wear than the smock. Young girls and
slender women find 1t exceptionally
becoming.
The loose and straight but pliable
lines Of the smock conceal and even
beautify defects, Stimulating a pleas
ant roundness of figure. The materials
used for them range from calico 10
georgette crepe.
One very practical smock is very
much like large allover apron, for it
buttons on the shoulders, is very long
and shows huge pockets capable Of
holding any necessary articles, frcm
knitting to farming implements.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
The Turban Tendency.

Recent millinery il tending toward
turbans and everywhere you see silk
and straw fashioned TO fit close round
the head. Some of the straws are in
vivid tones Of rose pink or blue; others
are dark blue, black and white or
brown. Some are shiny and fine. 9TH
ers shiny and coarse. while others
again are in duh, stringy. hairy sort
Of material which is very attractive,
especially when allied to ! good shade.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
Have You Slender AnkIes2

Women having thick ankles Should
practice ankle exercises every morn
ing and night. Seated on chair, bend
the foot up and down from left to
right, making each motion ten times
before taking up the next. OF course
the shoes should be removed, and one
foot exercised at time. Another very
good exercise consists in rising slowly
on the toes, holding the position for a
few seconds and sinking slowly back
again. This should be repeated sew
eral times and the length of time the
exercises are practiced increased
from day TO day.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
Luxurv Market Hard hlt.

'Don't try to sell luxuries In New
Zesland." This is the advice United
States Consul General Winslow gives
American merchants in commerce
report.
No. New Zealand is not pinched
for money. Its wallet is well filled
There is no particular necessity for
retrenchment," as the consul puts it.
but the public is opposed to the pur.
chase of luxuries. especially luxuries
that have TO be imported, thereby us
ing tonnage needed to head off the
U-boats.
Trinidad. too. and the whole of the
British West Indies. Is abstaining from
use of imported goods. This has caused
the population to change its whole
menu, for many foodstuffs were for
merly imported. Now the people eat
homegrown plants that only the ami
mails ate before. They like the new
diet so well they say they will never
again import any staple food except
cornmeaL
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
or Course.

A young author said to William Dear
Howells at a reception in the latter'i
honor In Miami:
THAT was Astorbilt who just asked
you for your autograph, sir. You don't
seem much impressed"
Il can never understand" said Mr..
Howells. why people should be i'm
pressed by millionaires. Ny own ep
perience has been that whenever you
lunch with them they always let you
pay
The young author laughed gaiIy.
THAT, of course, Is how they become
milIionaires. isn't itg" he said.
Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-09-10
ccckney Repartee.

Some of the senior boys from a
vauxhan schools literary class were
taken TO the old Vic TO see The Mer-
chant of Venice"
When Shylock. In the court scene.
was urgently demanding his pound Of
flesh, bright cockney boy. In eager
tones. cried out to the judge.
HI. you'll Ask him for his meat
card London Tit-Bits.