Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-11

with it heavy steel ring or base weigh
ing another half ton, which was to be set
into the concrete, to have boited to it TIL;
upper structure. The gunners were advised
of it's arrival and forthwith took steps Io
put the thing where it belonged. They asked
of US officer to supernterd the job, and
in an unguardcd moment our O. c. fell
! NN THE night selected about dozen husky
" gunncrf in charge of an y. G. o. reported
AT our dump" and placed themselves at the
disposal Of our worthy second i'll command,
or The Major" he was better Known
TO the rest OF Us. They also brought with
| them Notwithstanding affair on three
| wheels, which, If one might grace it with the
| name Of wagon, was very probably the veh-
| Gle that Noah passed on to postCrity out of
| the ark. Gunners have such eXasper-
| atingly taking way about them that in
| anticipation of their descent upon our supply
| base they had fortified themselves with aC-
| commodations far in excess of necessities. but
| somehow or other a cruel fate mad hat
| very afternoon mounted an extra guard over
| the material yard. with the result that their
| significantly Capacious conveyance moved off
| carrying not one item more or less. than was
| intended for it and accompanied by thirteen
| highly diSgruntled artilerymeu.
| 1.-TWO of us who were bent also on a nights
| J. toline in similar direction accompanied
| the cortege to its point of dissolution at the
| crossroads, and we passed a nearby sem
| try'S post there was heard to issue from its
direction the rather ominous quotation.
! "There'll be dirty work at the crossroads
| tonight" But it was not until the next morn
| ing and at breakfast With the major that we
| learned how accurate had been the sentrys
! darkly muttered prophecy.
Taking two of his helpers to carry the
| cement and its accessories the major had,
| upon arrival at the crossroads, Immediately
| set out for the top of the ridge to locate
| the tree which was TO be sacrificed in the
| interest of science. The remaining ten men
were to follow on with the ring, or base,
| after which would come the trunk and
| branches. In passing it may be volunteered
that many old and abandoned and decidedly
| watcr-loggCd trenches on the top of the
| ridge together with their abOundng quanti-
| ties OF harbed wire ENHANCEMENT, did not
| facilitate to any marked degree the discovery
| OF the much-desred willow stump, and
| matter of fact the advance guard, led by a
| gallant yet eXasperatcd major, blundered and
| iumDled Its way about for some time before
| the goal was reached, and even then they
| found it necessary to cut their way through
| so feet Of rusty tanglefoot.
PERSEVERANCE. however, usually con-
i quors and at last the foundation was
ready to receive the upper structure, no part
of which, by the way, had as yet put in an
| appearance, Upon investigation ten dis
| tracted and very blasphemouS. gunners, plus
| more blasphemous sergeant, were found
| half way up the slope prodding about in the
| knee deep muck with sticks trying to locate
| a heaNy steel ring which they had been COM
| PEELED to set down for necessary blow"
and which had promptly sunk out of sight
the place of submersion being in the list as
missing Eleven completely different theo-
ries existed to where the missing link was
and how it came there, but ii was left to the
major again to step into the limeight as n
successful exploration party. At last the ring
was where 1t should be, and. judging from
unmistakable sounds from the rear and near
ing the crest of the slope. the trunk itself
would very soon be in its appointed place.
| But right here a very untimey argument
arose among the persidring and winded M. u
as to which ones were doing their full share
| of the pushing. The three or four who felt
| that they We're being burdened with more
| than their rightful share withdrew suddenly
their entire support, and in less time than
It takes TO tell it the ponderous steel cylinder
was tearing off down the hill Half way down
| II swung over on to the cobbled road making
din that completely drowned everything
else for miles, Then the fireworks started
The sentry at the foot of the hill chal-
ienged the onrushng monster and then
emptied his magazine blindy into the might
and fled, Next some German machine guns
rifles, star shells and artillery took up the
alarm, and for several minutes il was eX-
iremely unhealthy TO appear above ground
within radius of three miles of that cross
road. At last the riot queted and by din
of more united efforts the disturber of l.ss
! peace was placed where you sse II toda,
and it, branches .aftxed