The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-19

gay people. fond of dancing and light
Wines" he'd Ike to Know where 1t
came I'M Nothing but drill and mud,
mud and drill. AMI rain. rain. rain.
And more drill. And then-into it'll
Into it with both feet. Living in the
trenches. A first terrifying stretch of
this, then back to the rear again. Moro
mud and drill. Marches so long and
ardous that walking was no longer
walking, but a dreadful mechanical
motion. Then back into the trenches.
And, finally, over the top! Very lit
tie memory of what happened after
that. A rush. Trampling over soft
heaps that writhed. Someone yelling
like an Indian, with a voice somehow
like his own. The German trench
reached. At them with his bayonet.
He did it. Into the very trench itself.
A great s.x-foot German struggling
with Slim figure that. Buzz somehow
recognized az his lieutenant. Hatton.
A leap at him, like an enraged dog.
@-G'wanl who you shown, you big
sleb your yelled BUZZ Ana he thrust
at him-and through him. The man
released his graphing hold OF Hatton's
throat, and grunted. and sat down.
And Buzz. laughed. And the two went
on, Buzz behind his lieutenant. And
then something smote his thigh. and
he too sat down. The dying German
had thrown his last bomb. and It had
struck home.
Buzz Werner Would never again do
double shuttle on Schroeders drug
store corner. Hospital days. Hospital
nights. Wheel chair. Clutches. Homel
1t was May once more when Buzz
Werners train came into the little red
brick depot at Chippewa Wisconsin.
Buzz. epick and span in his uniform.
looked down rather nervously. and vet
with a certain pride. at his left leg.
When he sat down you couldn't tell
which was the real one. AS the train
pulled in at the Chippewa Junction,
just before reaching the town proper,
there was old Bart Oehsner ringing
the bell for dinner at the Junction eat
house Well. for the love of Mike!
Wouldn't that make you laugh? Ring
ing that bell. just like always, as il
nothing had happened in the last year!
Buzz leaned against the window to
see. There was some commotion in
the train. and someone spoke his name.
Buzz turned and there stood Old Man
Hatton, and a lot of others, and he
seemed to be making a speech. and
kind of crying. though that couldn't
be possible. And his father was there.
very clean and shaved and queer. Buzz
caught words about bravery, and Chip
pewas pride. and he was fused to
death, and glad when the train pulled
into the Chippewa station.
But there the commotion was worse
then ever. There was band, playing
away like mad. Buzz's great hands.
grown very white, were fidgeting at
his uniform buttons, and at the stripe
on his sleeve, and the medal on his
breast. They wouldn't let him carry
thing, ana when he came out on the
car platform TO descend there went up
great sound that was half roar and
half scream. Buzz Werner was the,
first of Chippewa's men to come back
After that it was rather hazy. There
was his mother. His sister Minnie.
too. He even saw the Kearney girl,
with her loose red mouth and her silly
eyes, and she was a strange woman
to him. He was IN Hatton's glittering
automobile, being driven down Grand
Avenue. There were speeches and n
dinner, and later. when he was allowed
to go home. rather white, a steady
stream OF people kept pouring in and
out of the house all day. That night
when ne llmped up the stairs to his
hot little room under the roof. he was
>dazed. spent; and not so very happy.
Next morning, though, he felt more .
himself and inclined to Joke. And then
there was talk with Old Man Hat
ton-a talk that left Buzz somewhat
numb, and the family breathless.
visitors again all that afternoon.
After slipper he carried water for
the garden. against his mothers out
ragged protests "wbat'il folk Think"
she said, you carry water for me?"
Afterward he took his smart v.sored
cap off the hook and limped down
town, and legg,ngs and uniform very
spick and span. At the corner OF
Grand and Outagamie. in front OF
Sehroeder's drugstore. stood what was
left of the gang, and some new menu
bers who had come during the year
that had passed. He knew them all.
They greeted him at first with a
mixture of shyness and resentment.
They eyed his leg. his uniform. and the
metal and ribbon thing that hung at
Casey was gone. Finally Red said:
his breast. Bling and Red were there.
"Gwan. BUZZ. give us your spiel
about how you saved young Hatton-
the simpi" 80
who says mes a simp?" inquired
Buzz. very quietly. But there was a
look about his jaw. 5a KEEL
well. anyway. the papers was fun
Of how you was a hero. Say. IL that
right that old Hatton's goin' to send
you to coiiege7 Huh? Je's,"
"Yeh." chorused the others. Go on.
Buzz. Tell U.S." 80 -
Red put his question: "Teli us about
the fightin'. cuzz. 1t q like they say?"
1t was Buzz Werners great moment.
He had pictured it a thousand times
in his mind as he lay in the wet. cold
trenches. as he plodded the muddy
French roads, as he reclined ina wheel
chair in the hospital garden. He had
them in the Hollow of his hand. His
eyes frightened. He looked at the
faces so eagerly fixed on his utterance.
Buzz opened his lips ana the words
he used were the words ne might have
Used year before. as to choice. "Ah.
there's nothin' to tell A guy didn't
have no time TO be scairt Everything
kind Of come at once. and you got