The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-04-02


at the church in Exermont. France.
Second prize Of IS goes to Ernest
H. Shields. r. r. 6, Bloomington,
Ind, for his mule and gas mask
story, printed Tuesday, March %.
Keep the stories coming, vets.
Every one is reading them and get
ting a bigger kick out Of the ex-
periences Of Indiana boys than they
derive from the best war fiction.
The stolen "jug" furnishes
the theme for the first story
today, submitted By Bryan
Cooley, sig East Eleventh
street, 10ith Company L, One
hundred thirty-frst infantry:
VXTHEN we were leaving the Brit
w ish sector We got orders to join
the kitchen for the journey to Dead
Mans Hill. near Verdun. After a
long hike with this outfit we halted
TO feed both horses and ourselves.
Darkness had overtaken us half
hour since.
Looking around I noticed We were
in a small village, and soon found
the cafe. I returned to my gang
five in number-with one quart OF
vim rouge. This was only a taste,
so I hurried back for an encore. This
time I found the bar crowded. l
saw the woman keeper in an ad-
Joining room counting change.
At one end Of the bar and dl-
rectly over it hung small glass
door cabinet It contained five
quarts of four-star cognac. sure
admired those stars. and not being
able to remove them, I took the bot
tie and all.
NV hobnails we're hot when
reached the outfit. The bottle had
gone around once and 1 was getting
ready to start it again when from
out Of nowhere came big six
footer. Not wanting to be liberal
to strangers. I hid the bottle. AS
he approached us, he yelled, did
any of you blokes steal a bottle
over there?" pointing to the cafe.
mo" said 1. "Why?"
We'll" he said, its too bad If l
find the bird that did. gave that
woman a fifty-franc note AND drank
a beer. Coming back with my
change she looked at that cabinet
and deducted twenty more francs
from my fifty. If l find that guy
l am going to get thirty francs
worth of his hide" He started on
up the line of kitchens, and one of
my gang said. why don't you give
him drink?"
Handing the bottle to him l said,
Here is the jug. You give it to
him"
But he didn't.
Ray W. Robertson, NTH the
Three hundred fifteenth am
munition train, Company A,
Ninetieth division, springs
one about the gun that 1CGS
loaded.
WE were stationed at Scholly,
w France, in the St. Mihiel
sector, preparing for the drive of
Sept. H. We had Nash quad
trucks with all steel beds, and were
required to carry all our equipment
with lis on all details.
I was driving one of these trucks
and Private Malev was my helper.
We were detailed TO haul machine
gun company to the front and re-
ported to the sergeant in charge.
He saw our barracks bags and rifles
in the truck and ordered Maley to
remove everything. This peeved
Maley. so he picked up the rifles
and threw them on the ground at
the sergeant's feet. The sergeant
looked up quickly. very much sur
prised and said. Are those guns
loaded?"
Sure they are. A loaded gun
never kills any one" Maley re-
torted.
The sergeant walked away, I'M
able to think of comeback.
r r
Leo X. SB1ith, attorney, sos
Fidelity Trust building, comes
through aOith a timely April 1
and Santa Claus tale.
A PRIL reminded me that I
IA was at Camp Grant helping to
muster out, and it seemed like there
we're millions wanting to go home
at once. A small number were
turned loose from this outfit. then
some from others, and at intervals
whole patches.
Our company checked for days to
get the men out. and we envied
each man as we worked on the
schedules.
Lists of those to be discharged
we're circulated among our men for
this red tape. Every mothers son
had urgent reasons why he should
20 home first, including those in
our company.
April Fools day was approach
ing and our outfit had its jokers,
the same as you find everywhere.
RumorS spread JnIck and fast that
some of us were to go. then the
rumors crystalized into mimeo-
eraphed lists for checking. We went
to the needles and had the once
over. Yep. there it was, slated for
discharge April 1. We looked at
that date and had a Sickly grin, but
went through the red tape. If it
was a joke. we would be good sports
and fall for It No chances would
be taken, for we might actually 60
April / came and ten of us went
home. Yet they say there is no
Santa Claus.