Trench and camp., 1919-01-09
An Army Parable
BY 1St Glass Priv&Ge CHET SHAFER
American ExpedftionaFy Force
Somewhere I'm France

Somewhere I'm France
Not 80 very long ago there was a
hammered-brass unit who earned 80
dollartos very week and held out just
enough to pay his room and board
and throw so cents to the dogs. He
thought more OF his handbook than
he did Of his Bible and the only place
ne patronised to any extent was the
free public library. He was 30 tight
that a speciality salesman once tried
to sell him lubricat4ng system. He
was closer than the. next second
When his girl invited him up for
lunch he endangered the safety OF life
ana limb In his haste to arrive but
when 1t was his turn he didn't know
there was any other amusement in
the city outside OF q 10-cent movie.
He mingled with the happy birds un-
I'll II came his suggestion and then
ne quietly vanished in the thin night
air. He thought so much OF himself
that he bought his own valentines
and looked them over and was cor
vinced he was regular fellow. He
WaB 30 narrow that he thought the
population OF the world was 2,4OO
and the secret OF success lay In per
cent interest on savings and the
Something Tor nothing theory.
When this cob was drafted he went
10 one Of the high-class cantunments
ana took his squeak with him. He
was easy TO at in everything because
ne reQutru the smallest size. He,
dr0W q bunk over In a corner and
when his mother sent him a box from
nome ne ate 1t after the lights went
out at night. When anyone had any
thing to ofrer he was the first In the
line OF recipients but when ne had
anything ne Immediately ordered q
star chamber session. He annexed a
lew buddies but they soon forsook
htm and after month he was worse
ON tnAn maroUned pirate. Every
BODY had him spotted az q single-
iooter and whenever he came around
tne manger was always empty.
Then. ono day. this unit landed in
sunny France. And he was lonely and
nomesick and shabby-minded. He
nad plenty or francs and centimes but
ne lacked companicnship. His repu-
tation mad chung to him and when the
rest OF the boys got together for a 1T
tie Joilincation he stood In the darlr-
ness just outside the ring of candle
light. Everywhere he turned he met
silent rebuAs and his lonesomennss
grew. In his aioneness, on night. he
walked down narrow street and did
q little extraordinary thinking. He'
allowed his mind to drift ieep. And
ne inquired himSelf out-taking In the
uiameter. circumference and cnhic
cap@c1ty. And he realized inst now
small he was. And he went hack and
made declaration. Behind the dec
larafion was the note OF sincaritv
And with his discovery he beran a
demonstration. He began splitting Il
bV-SO. he contributed his share ana
more. He Found that when he did
something Tor someone else he felt
better. He came to the education that
BY quitting in his bit he could have
fpiends. And he went on and ON
giving and giving. And every time
ne gave ne was compensated. Once
In q while the o1d-time element OF
sel1shness came back but he quickly
put It down and steamed on to a amer
idea. And he never regretted.
For
During the months OF his overseas
life he found that his friends were
invaluable. And In his giving and
doing he found that he was invaiu-
able to hts friends. And he was hap
py-becatlse as an ordinary enlisted
man In the big National Army-he
had learned the real secret of success
In lifc-the secret Of ungelfishness.