The Ordway new era., 1918-05-24
CHAPTER XVIII.
STAGED Under Fire.

Sta9eo OhoeT FtTC.
Three days after the incident just re-
lated our company was relieved from
the front line and carried. We stayed
In reserve billets for about two weeks
when we received the welcome news
that our division would go back of the
line ITO rest billets." We would re-
main In these billets for at least two
months, this in order to be restored to
our full strength by drafts Of recruits
from Blighty.
Everyone was happy and contented
Mt these tidings; all you could hear
around the billets was whistling and
singing. The day after the receipt of
the order we hiked for five days, max
ing an average of about twelve kilos
per day until we arrived at the small
town of o..
1t took us about three days to get
settled, and from then on our cushy
time started. We would parade from
AS in the morning until II noon.
Then except for an occasional billet
or brigade guard we were on our own.
For the first four or Ave afternoons
spent my time In bringing up to date
my neglected correspondence.
Tommy loves to be amused. and be
ing Yank, they turned to me for
something new in this line. / taught
them how to pitch horseshoes, and this
game made a great hit for about ten
days. Then Tommy turned to Amer
lea for new diversion. l was up In
the air until happy thought came to
me. Why not write n sketch and break
Tommy in as an actor?
One evening after 'lights out" when
you are not supposed to talk. impart-
ed my scheme in whispers to the sec
ton. They eagerly accepted the idea
of forming stock company and
could hardly wait until the morning
for further details.
After parade, the next afternoon l
was almost mobbed. Everyone In the
section wanted part in the proposed
would take at least ten days of hard
work to write the plot, they were bit
terly disappointed. Immediately got
busy, made desk out of biscuit tins
in the corner of the billet. and put up
sign "Empey & Wallace Theatrical
CO. About twenty of the section,
upon reading this sign. Immediately
applied for the position of office boy.
I accepted the twenty applicants, and
sent them on scouting parties through
| out the deserted French village. These
parties were to search all the attics for
discarded civilian clothes. and any
thing that we could use in the props
of our proposed company.
About five that night they returned
covered with CRIME and dust, but load
ed down with a miscellaneous assort-
ment of everything under the sun
They must have thought that was
going to start department store
judging from the different things tbey
brought back from their pillage.
After eight days constant writing
completed two-act farce comed5
which 1 called 1.-THE Diamond Palac q
Saloon" Upon the suggestion of oot
of the boys in the section 1 sent proof
of the program to a printing house In
London. Then assigned the different
parts and started rehearsing. David
ititSNp oP AAA
hands in despair u the material which
had to use. Just imagine trying tt
teach Tommy, with strong cockneI
accent. to impersonate Bowery tough
or Southern negro.
Adjacent to our billet was an oper
field. We got busy at one end of it ant
constructed a stage. We secured th'
lumber for the stage by demolishini
an old wooden shack in the rear o.
our billet.
The first scene was supposed to rep
resent a street on the Bowery in New
York, while the scene of the secont
act was the interior of the Diamond
Palace saloon. also on the Bowery.
In the play took the part of ABB
Switch, farmer. who had come from
Pumpkinville Center, Tenn, to maxi
his first visit to New York.
In the first scene Abe Switch meet
the proprietor OF the Diamond Palac'
saloon, ramshackle affair which t
the owner was a financial loss.
The proprietor's name was Ton
Twistem. his bartender being name'
Fillem Up.
After meeting Abe, Tom and Filler
Up persuaded him to buy the place
praising 1t to the skies and tellin
wondrous tales of the money take
| over the har