The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1918-05-30
CHAPTER XVIII.
Staged Under Fire.


Three days after the incident lust 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 u division would go back Of the
line ito rest billetS." We would re-
main In those 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 Their on our cushy
time started. We would parade from
S:45 in the morning until IL noon.
Then except for an occasional billet
or brigade guard we were on our OWL.
For the first four or five afternoons 1
spent my time in bringing up to date
my neglected correspondence.
Tommy loves to be amused, and be-
ing q Yank, they turned to me for
something new in this line. I taught
them how to pitch horseshoes, and this
game made a great hit for about ten
days. Then Tommy turned to Amer
lea for q new diversion. 1 was I'D In
the air until a happy thought came to
me. Why not write q sketch and break
Tommy in as an actor?
One evening after flights out" when
you are not supposed to talk, I impart-
ed my scheme in whispers to the Sec
ton. They eagerly accepted the idea
or forming q stock company and
could hardly wait until the morning
for further details.
After parade, the next afternoon I
was almost mobbed. Everyone in the
section wanted a part in the proposed
sketch. When I Informed them that 1t
would take ut least ten days Of hard
work to write the plot, they were bit
terly disappointed. I Immediately got
busy, made q desk out Of biscuit tins
! in the corner Of the billet, and put w
a sign "Empey & Wallace Theatrica.
CO. About twenty Of the section
upon reading this sign, Immediately
applied for the position of Office boy
accepted the twenty applicants, and
sent them on scouting parties through
cut the deserted French village. These
parties were to search all the attics fol-
discarded civilian clothes, md any
thing that we could use in the props
of our proposed company.
AhOOt fva tbot pioht tbo,- r,t,rpor
covered with CRIME and dust, but load
ed down with a miscellaneous assert
ment Of everything under the sun
They must have thought that I was
going to start a department store
Judging from the different things they
brought back from their pillage.
After eight days constant writing
completed a two-act farce comedy
which l called "Thc Diamond Palace
Saloon" Upon the suggestion Of one
or the boys in the section l sent q proof
OF the program to a printing house II
London. Then / assigned the different
parts and started rehcarsing. Davit
Belasco would have thrown up hi!
hands in despair at the material which
l had to use. Just imagine trying tt
| '>'>' L oiiilIS, "llI IL SllOllS COCkllcN
accent, to impersOnate q Bowery tough
or n Southern negro.
Adjacent to our billet was an oper
ned. We got busy at one end of it anC
constructed n stage. We secured the
/ lumber for the stage by demolishine
. an old wooden shack in the rear OF
our billet.
The first scene was supposed to rep
y resent a street On the B0wery in New
If York, while the scene of the secont
act was the interior OF the Diamond
If Palace saloon, also on the Bowery.
y. In the play I took the part Of ABB
switch, a farmer, who had come from
P~umpkinville Center, Tenn, to make
" MS first visit to New York.
In the first scene Abe Switch meets
- the proprietor of the Diamond Palace
saloon. n ramshackle affair which tt
= the owner was a financial loss.
- The proprletor's name was Ton
y Iwlstem, his bartender being named
Fillem Up.
# After meeting Abe, Tom and Fillen
UP persuaded him to buy the place
Il praislng 1t to the skies and telling
wondrous tales Of the money takeI
over the bar.