The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1918-03-07
CHAPTER |.
From Mufti to Khaki.

T'oH WuIti W NHdkl.
1t was in an office In Jersey city
was sitting at my desk talking TO
lieutenant IF the Jersey National
Guarl On the wall was Il big war
map decorated with vHriouSly colorrd
little flags showing tho position of the
opposing armies on the western front
In France. In front of me on the desk
lay New York paper with big naring
headlines
LUSiTANIA SUNK! AMERICAN
LIVES LOST!
The windows were open and feel
Ing Of spring pcrvadcd the air.
Through the open windows came the
strains Of Il hurdy-gurdy playing in the
street, Didn't Raise My Boy to Be
u Soldier"
'lusitania Sunk American Lives
Lost "-"I Didn't Raise MY Boy to
Be Soldier" TO us these did not
seem to jbe.
The lieutenant in silence opened one
or the lower drawers of his desk and
TOOK from 1t an American flag which
he Solcmny draped over the war mup
on the wall. Then, turning to me with
81 grim face, suid
ROW ABOUT it. sergeant? You had
beJtor get out the muster ron of thr
Mounsed Scouts, as think they will
be needed in the course of a few dnvs"
we busted ourselves till late in the
evening writing out emergency tele
grams for the men to report when the
call should come from WASHINGTON
Ihrn WE went home.
! crossed over to New York ma nc
went up Fulton street to take the
subway 10 Brooklyn, the lights in the
tall buildings of New York s.nmod IN
De burning brighter than usual, as if
,''E' 100, mad read "I.usitanin Sunk
Amrricnh Lives Lost" They seemed
20 oe glowing with anger and righteous
udlsnaiion and their rays wlgwagged
IN" message, Repay"
Months passed, the kilograms living
mandy, but covered with dust. Then
one mo'nrntous morning the lieutenant
WIN sigh of disgust removed the
nag from the war map ana returned
10 MS desk. ! immediately followed
.hlS hc''on ny throwing the kilograms
''''" me whSt"baSkct. Then we looked
~ "arh other in silence. He was
sa"irih'nH IN his chair and I felt de-
pressed ~ uneasy.
ne Fi' >honc rang and I answered
~. II wa Il business call for mo re
p"cS''hE !hH services for nm out.of
'""h assignment Business was not
very Homl, $" this was very welcome
"'''r pa''hing 10 the proposition I
seemed To be Swaycd hy Il pecbliorlv
strong force within me, and answered.
AIN sorry that | cannot nccrn, vonr
oifer but | am leaving for Enr,,n1
next week. and hung up the receiver.
ne "euteh'tht swung around in his
in'l'r ana stared at me in blank aston
tshment. A sinking sensation came
over me. but defiantly answered his
look with, "Wcll, it's so. I'm going /"
And | went.
The trip across was uncventrul 7
landed ut Tilbury, England, then GOT
into string OF matchbox cars nnd
proceeded to London, arriving there
anout 10 p. m. took q room in u hotnl
near st. Pancras station for "fvc and
Anfe extra" The room was mimi,
~ h'e' oht the "eXtrn" seemed f.
A'up ihe warm. That night there was
,.1i
neppeHh raid, but didn't see mur,
u H. because the slit in the curto,n,
was 100 small and I had no desire !,
nuke IL iarger. Next morning the FOL
eph0ne bell rang, aud someone ,skoI
Are you there2' I was, hardly An,
way, l learned that the Zcps hod r'
turned to their fathcrlnnd, so I wer
out into the street expecting to So
scenes Of awful devastation and Gov
ering populace, but everything w,
normal. People were calmly proccc
ing to their work. Crossing IL
street, accosted Bobbic with:
"Can you direct me to the place
damage?"
He asked me, "What damage?"
In surprise, I answered, "Why, til
damage eaased by the Zeps."