Evening star., 1919-04-13

I. But what do the initials at the
end stand fOr--the G. o. G.'s?"
Cant you guess? says Hartley.
almost biushin, "Grue's Overseas
Graduates"
Well, well!" says I. Say. that's
handin' yon something. eh? Looked
like fine bunch of young chaps.
Some Of 'em college hicks. / expect"
from plumbers to multi -miIlionaires.
Fact! had young Ogden Twombley
as company secretary at one time.
Yes. and / remember docking his
leave ,eas twelve hours once for being
done for those boys"
And think what they did to the
Huns" says /. "But where's this
joint they want to meet you at?
What's the number again? Why.
that's the Plutoria."
us it?" says Hartley. "Oh, we'll,
there were lot of young swells
among 'em / must get them inter-
ested in my Veteran Reserve plan.
I'll have to make little speech, I
suppose, welcoming them back and
all that sort Of thing. Perhaps you'd
sure" says l. "That is so long as
they don't call on me for any re-
marks. How about this at the bot
tom. though? Civilian dress.
"oh. they'd feel little easier. /
suppose" says Hartley. "if / wasn't
In uniform: Maybe it would be best
the first time"
So that's how it happened that
shown up to this private suite in the
Plutoria. Must have been kind of
hard for Hartley to give up his nifty
O. DIS for he amt such an impress I
sfve young gent in sack coat. And
the braid bound cutaway and striped
nQntH he's dug for the ncoQQ sion
makes him look more likt floor
walker from the white goods depart
ment than ever. But he tries to
look the second lieutenant in spite
and swellin' his chest out important.
1t seems the G. O. G.'s has been
doin' some recruitin' meantime. for
there's dozen or more grouped
about the room. some in citizens
clothes but more still in the soldier
transport. And. to Judge by the looks
of table I got a squint at behind
a screen. they'd been doin' little
preliminary celebratin'. However.
they all salutes respectful and Hart
ly had just started to shoot OF his
speech. which begins. of course:
speaking as a military mani"
when this Beans gent interrupts.
Pardon me, lieutenant" says he,
"but the members Of our organiza-
of all. if you will accept the high
command of the gogs, so called"
with pleasure" says Hartley. And
as I was about to say
"Just a moment" breaks in Beans
again. "Fellow Gogs. we have before
us a willing candidate for the high
command What is your pleasure?"
"Initiation!" they whoops In chorus.
CARRIED" says Beans. Let the
right worthy Buddies proceed to ad-
lztn -, 10 Mills da0rpo'
''Signal" calls out another Cheer
full. "Four-seven-eleven Run the
guard"
Say couldn't tell exactly what
happened next. for was hustled into
heroes of the Marine and elsewhere.
full of lofty aims and high ambi-
tions and-and other things-well.
they certainly didn't need any
to S1iry WiSost out tns Mora o1oea or
whisper they proceeds to grab Hart.
ley wherever the grabbin' was good
and then pass him along. BY climbin.
on a chair could get glimpse OF
whirlin' and bumpin about, like z
bottle bobbin' around In rough
water. Back and forth he goes. some-
times tonchtn' the moor and then
again being tossed toward the cenin'.
Two or three Of 'em would get him
ana start rushtn' him acress the room
when another bunch would tear hirQ
loose ana begin soms maneuvers OF
, their own.
Anyway. runnin' the guard seems
to be about as strenuous IN act %
,, anybody could go through ana come
out whole. 1t lasts until all hands
. seem to be pretty we'll out OF breath
and some one blows whistle. Then
q couple Of 'em drags Hartley up In
, front of Brother Beans and salutes.
. "Well. right worthy Buddies. says
, ne. what have you to report con-
cerning the candidate?"
Sorry, SIR" says ono. but We
. . caught him tryin' to run the guard.
"Ah" says aeans. Ibid he get
.. away with 'it?"
"He did not" says the Buddte. "We
suspect he's q dud, too"
VERY serious" says Beans. shakin'
his head Candidate. what have yeu
to say for yourself"
To judge by the hectic tint on Hart
ley's neck and ears. he had a whole
heap he wanted to say. but for q
, minute or 80 all he can do is breathe
, hard and glare. He's good deal
OF a sight, too. The cutaway coat
has lost one Of its tails: his hair ID
rumpled up like feathers. and his
collar has parted its front moortns
AS soon as he gets his wind through
, he tries to state what's on his mind:
: : "You-yom young roush-neekss; nst s.
this. You'll see"
'Harken, fellow Gogs!" says Beans.