Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-04

| Gays, IN WHICH my ITlcuO
Spugg Is always to be seen as
Il an earnest member of commit
tees on arrangements. never
fails to bring to my mind the day l
heard him saying that he intended to
send his chauffeur to the war.
1t was said quite quietly-no bonn
bast or boasting about 1t. Mr.. Spugg
was standing among little group of
listening members Of the club and
when he said that he had decided to
send his chauffeur. he spoke with a
kind of simple earnestness, determi'
nation that marks the character of
the man.
Yes" he said, I'VE need all the
man power we can command. This
thing has come to a showdown and
we've got to recognize it. l told
Henry that it's a showdown and that
I he's to get ready and start right
away"
well, Spugg." said one Of the
members, you're certainly setting us
a fine example,
| What else can a man do?" said
Mr.. Spugg.
ssVX7HEN does your chauffeur
| w leave?" asked another man.
Right away. / want him in the
firing line just as quick as 1 can get
him there"
Its. fine thing you're doing,
Spugg,," said a third member. but do
you realize that your chauffeur may
| be killed."
II must take my chance on that"
answered Mr.. Spugg, firmly. I've
thought this thing out and made up
my mind: If my chauffeur Is killed
I mean to pay for him-full and ade-
quate compensation. The loss must
fall on me, not on him. Or, say Henry
comes back mutilated-say he loses a
leg-say he loses two legs"
Here Mr.. Spugg looked about him
at his listeners, with look that
meant that even three legs wouldn't
| be too much for him.
Whatever Henry loses, I pay for.
The loss shall fall on me. every cent
Of it,
"Spugg," said a Quietlooking neat
| ly dressed man whom I knew to be
the president Of an insurance COM
pany and who reached out and shook
the speaker by the hand, this is a
fine thing you're doing. a big thing.
| But we mustn't let you do it alone.
We're making special rate now on
chauffeurs, footmen. and house serv-
ants sent to the war, quite below the
rate that actuarial figures justify.
ut is our little war contribution"
he added modestly. I'VE like to feel
that we're doing our bit, too. We
had a chauffeur killed last week. We
paid for him right off without de-
mur-waived all questions of who
killed him. I never signed a check
las I took occasion to say in a little
note 1 wrote to his people) with
greater pleasure"
What do you do If Henry's mutt
lated?" asked Mr.. Spugg, turning his
facing the brutal facts Of things
without fiinching, What do you
pay? Suppose I lose the use of
Henry's legs, what them"
Its all right" said his friend,
Leave it to us. Whatever he loses.
we make it good" -
can right" said spugg, send me
round a policy. I'm going to see
Henry clear through on this"
after All, It's War;"
It was at this point that at my
own urgent request I was introduced
to Mr.. Spugg, SO that might add
my congratulations to those Of the
others. I told him that felt. as all
the other members of the club did,
that he was doing a big thing, and
he answered again. in his modest
way, that he didn't see what else a
man could do.
my son Alfred and IT, he said.
talked it over last night and we
agreed that we can run the car our
selves, or make a sshot at 1t anyway.
After all, it's war time"
"What branch of the service are
you putting your chauffeur in?" I
asked.
I'm not sure" he answered "I
think I'll send him up in the air. It's
dangerous, Of course, but it's no time
to think about that"
| So, in due time, Mr.. Spugg's
chauffeur. Henry, went overseas. He