The copper era and Morenci leader., 1919-02-21
LONELY GRAVE
 0F LIEUT.. LUKE

Paris, Feb. 1S-His name was Luke< of Arizona, and he swatted the sau- saeg balloons like we kill summer flies at home.
 He lived and died in 43 blazing days of glory and in this brief per- iod he wrote him name forever among the stars of aviation They have just found his lonely unmarked grave near Murvaux, where he fell behind the German lines. He had ben buried like dog. But on it's way to Washington is the record of his valor and his bunkies of the skies will lay you ten to one that he gets a cross from con- gress.
 One of them told last night in little French cafe where fighting men often gather exploits of Luke the Sausage Killer. With elbows toucII- ing elbows we crowded closer in. Let little captain tell the story as it runs:
 Observation balloons just natural ly were pie for that boy. He picked the eyes from the enemy faster than they could blow them up.
 ''On the rolls they call him Lieuten- ant Luke from Arizona. His full name was Frank Luke, Jr On the ground the boy was violet, hut when he gave her gas and went gum ming for balloons, he was an Arizona sandstorm.
 When he came to us last August we wondered who let him into the service. In four weeks he was show ing the old-timers a new system for cleaning the skies of gas bags. Tn IT hn flaming sausages in the Verduh and Foul areas.
 Here was his system. In the old days we would go after a boche bal- loon when he was riding over some field surrounded by every anti-air- craft gun the Germans ever invented. So it was just like going against the machine guns in pajamas.
 Luke hit upon the idea of track ing the balloons to their lair at sum- down when they were being lowered and put to bed in the uncertain light. He would ride behind the clouds all day, and then follow them home at night.
 "The next afternoon, just at dusk, out swept Luke, flying low; zamr1, zamm from right over the boches' heads came torrents of incendiary bullets, and he was gone like in the darkening shadows.
 'One night, near Buzy, they tried to get him with eight Fokkers, and he burned the balloon right under their very noses.
 Three Planes in Ten Minutes.
 "The next time he caught flock of aerial guards near Labeauville, and he touched off two balloons and -1, fn utes. I'll say that boy was going strong.
 ''They got Luke on Septemebr 29, but not until he had plunged right into a cluster of sausages at Ave- court and burned up three. They turned an ammunition dump on him. He got away again and came back and let go his bombs, just to give the boche razz.
 "A lucky shot caught him in the shoulder. He made his landing and fought it out with an automatic. The next morning they rushed his little bush to find Luke cold. The box score of that raid was three bal looms destroyed, II Germans and one Yank killed.
 Now listen to this" continued the captain, as he drew forth a fold of carbon copies.
 ''The undersigned equally testify to- having seen the German commandant of the village of MurvauX refuse to let him stay placed in the cart which was carrying the dead aviator to the cemetery. The same officer drove away women who came with a sheet for a shroud. He kicked the body and told them to get it away from his sight The Germans took his boots. leggings and money.''
 Then followed the signatures of 15 villagers, witnesses of Luke's last and glorious fight.
 t'We found his grave" continued the captain "and today is bears this legend:
 Second Lieutenant Frank Luke, pilot of the 27th aero squadron; 19 victories; killed in action September 29, 191S."
 That's alright for fancy stuff and the family album. but if they had left it to me- I'd have put just one line down, and let it go at that:
 Lieutenant Luke, the sausage killer"
 Nobody shed forth any tears. No silence followed as in all well kept joy at the general introduction of 20,- year-old Canadian, who joined the first 30 900 while still in his boy scout uniform had been in every big Canadian fight, wounded four times and now a senior captain of his bat tallion, wears the D. S. c. and every