The Bismarck tribune., 1928-12-15

mOtnef CaIeSSeS
her child he threw
a grenade with -.
more ardor than a boy does ball. lin
Bolts yearned for conflict. bloody. soul-st
conflict. -, :.
AT St. Nazaire, with thousands of khaki
comrades, he marched through the streets.
with cheering French people. and entraine
Forty-and-Eights for Paris. He waved his
in the general direction of Germany. turned
companion in ranks and grinned: :" hey
remember what the dentist said-Ihe \
are comm! And I'm one of EN-. Hurray!
Once in Paris he was thrilled to the high
est tension. awaiting commands to depart
for the front. One day on the street he
saw noble statue of man on horse.
which he took to be of Lafayette, and he
went up to it. saluted reverently and said:
Lafayette. am here!"
A passing ommy sniggered and said:
"Yuh blooming nut. that's hadvertise-
ment for riding hacademy!"
Even that didn't dampen his ardor-
but it was thoroughly quenched the next
day when he heard he was to be transferred
to an intelligence division as an orderly. des-
tined to remain in Paris while his former
buddies marched on to action and glory.
Bitterly disappointed and apathetic. he
fought the dismal battle of Paris; quelled
the advances Of romantic ma 'mselles.
charged rudely through sidewalk throngs
on his dull errands. shot words of rebellion
from his mouth. retreated to the privacy OF
his billet. there to brood on the rotten deal
fate had handed him.
DUI his heart sang in relief and triumph
ID when at last he received notice to re-
port for immediate duty to an officer
Of company Of artillery. A day later
Timothy Botts-again tight-lipped and
morose-sat atop load of ammunition.
driving two lean black mules toward the
distant smoky horizon.
From errand boy to mule drivcrl In
co-mingled envy. anger and humiliation he
duly watched the thousands Of doughboys
who passed him in great trucks bound for
the front lines.
He named one Of his mules Positively
and the other Absolutely. because when
the first positively wanted to trot or walk
the other absolutely didn't. Timothy Bolts
glumly allowed they co-operated like sweet
milk and lemon juice. and he spent busy
morning enlarging his vocabulary. The sun
went higher and his spirits lower. He
thought of his swash-buckling dad and
grand-dad and of his own ignominious po-
sition. and then eloquenty repeated new
phrases he had coined.
That afternoon he glanced phlegmatical-
ly up from Absolutely's rump. considerably
dis6gured by hickory stick. to note that
their wagon train was passing through a
village, and that nearby pretty young girl
stood intently observing the long dusty
caravan.
The girl wore short skirts and Timothy
Bolts appreciatively realized that all frog 5
legs aren't frogs legs. Also. that her eyes
were blue and warm like the Georgia sun
in June. her cheeks like apples in Novem-
Der and her hair like corn tassels in July.
Timorously, she spoke to Timothy
equipage creaked opposite.
'Parlez vous2" she said.
Il amt that kind Of guy. responded
othy Bolts. pleased that at last some persc
addressed him respectfully; and after some
ing he managed to make Absolutely and
lively cease locomotion at the same time.
TINE girl looked bewildered and co,
with another question. eager and p.
and at this moment the wagon behind
othy's numbered up and to pause. "She
to know your name, grinned the other DR.
"Tell her. buddy" begged Timothy B.
The other chap climbed down. took the
ing young lady aside and conversed animat
French with her for several minutes.
'She said Timothy is queer name"
nounced as they returned to that individual
/ told her you were named after timothy ha
for seed. Her name is Marie. and now d
bashful. Bolts. Shake her hand"
Rather shyly Timothy took the girls
hand. saying heartily. Pleased to m
Marie" to which she admirinsly rejoi
English. "Oh. you beautiful 'Hayseedl
appellation she had just learned adding
clause IN French that Timothy interpre
meaning. You Americans are 50 brave an