The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-10-18
That's What Y. N. c. A. Man
Says Of His Work, but See
How He Does It.
STILL "DELNERsTHE GOODS"
Former Salesman, Now canteen Work
er at Front, Totes Pack With
Chocolate, Cigarettes and Candy
Through First Line
Trenehes.
BY A. II. cuRNEY.


job. He was a salesman for twenty
years, back In Utica. N. Y, before he
went into this war game. and he al
ways delivered the goods" That's
what he's doing now.
He delivers the goods" under a
Y. M. G. A. sign that is dented and
pierced by shrapnel. Sometimes he
delivers the goods" by carrying his
stock up and down the crooked line
of the trenches, themselves. The
shells may whistle over his head, but
Tom Barber is perfectly matter-cf-fact,
as he doles out sweet chocolate, and
Paris papers, and friendly grins to
the men who are so glad to see him.
He's just holding down his job.
The Y, M. G. A. hut that is his job
is right up neal the line of action.
The soldiers in it wear their gas
masks always at alert. Gas alarms
are frequent, and shells explode night
ly I'M the ruins of the village. Within
an hours walk are the trenches that
stretch across France.
There are many graves, both French
and German, along the road that leads
to the hut. Some of the crosses are
already gray and weather-beaten. By
day you may not pass along the road,
for the enemy might see, and then
there would only be another grave to
dig.
Village In Ruins.
For four years the village has been
in ruins, only one family remaining
of its former population. The church
spire, once a landmark for miles, fell
long ago, and the rain pours in upon
the altar. Rats infest the half-de-
stroyed houses.
Over Tom BARRIERS door is a notice
f~orbidding entrance by 1t in the day
time. Across the road i'm the shadow
of a sentry box, an armed soldier
stands to see that the sign is obeyed.
If you want to get into the hut be-
tween sunup and sunset you walk
through an orchard, go in a small
back door, and feel your way along
a tiny, black corridor. Suddenly there
is a turn to the right, and you come
into the sunshine of Tom BARRIERS
canteen.
It's as coy as the home kitchen,
and as tidy as If a New England
housewife had 1T in charge. Next to
the door is a counter shut In by a
frame just large enough for a soldier
to stick his head and shoulders
through comfortably. Next to the
counter are rows of shelves, divided
into compartments, and reaching to
the rafters. Here Tom Barber dis
plays his wares, which range from
canned peaches to the latest maya
zines that he has been able to get,
weeks old, most of them.
On the side of the room where the
light is best, are empty packing boxes,
which serve as chairs, where the boys
sit, while they eat their cakes of
chocolate, and read the latest news
from home. Upstairs is a little room.
dim of light, but austerely clean,
where the men gather for Sunday
services-when there's a preacher to
be had-and for whatever entertain
ment Tom Barber has been able to
get for them. It's a part of his job
to keep the soldiers entertained, he
thinks.
DELIVERS the Goods"
Tom Barber has q striker, Joe, by
name, a big outstanding chap, a fine
specimen of the draft army, from New
York. Sometimes. Joe is the whole
show in the canteen. For every few
days Tom Barber takes his musette
CHATS French for haversack) and a
stout canvas bag, fills both with choco-
late, cigarettes, biscuits, soap, smok-
ing tobacco, and a bundle Of papers
from Paris, and sets off for the
trenches.
He walks for an hour across the
fields, through the woods, and then
he comes to the trenches.
"Hello, Dad" call the men when
they see him coming, and they jump
to help him with his supplies. Who is
going to apprafse the worth Of an
orange or of a cake of chocolate when
1t comes in the middle of a long day
in the trenches? Tom Barber grins
at the men, and deals out his stores
as casually as IL he were back In
Utica, N. Y. After all, this Is only
his job. He turns away regretfully
when the things are all gone.
"Good-by. Dadw call the men after
him. "When you comm again? Make
1t soon, Dad!"
"Surer" answers Tom Barber COM
fortably.
And then-because he has "deliv-
cred the goods"-he gets out Of the
trenches. goes through the wood.
across the field, crosses the road that
1t is not well to travel In the day.
time. comes safely at last to the or
chard, enters the tiny black corridor.
and hurries through to his work In the
J canteen.