Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-26

i buC IT was zoo
s'''ssss''sss ss late to back
Henry r. MeLemore. down.
had asked to 60 on days opera
tional mission with member of the
Mechanical Transport Corps so at
$50 on blustery morning, I kept
my rendezvous with the girl. We
met in the faint light of dawn at
Trafalgar Square. Even the lions
we're asleep at such time and Lord
Nelson had pulled his coat bit
tighter about him to keep out the
cold I showed her my papers and
told her what I wanted to do which
was to spend typical day with her
at her work.
"Rigtho." she said, getting on her
bicycle and motioning to me to get
on the one she had brought for me.
Let's go" She was a devilishly fast
rider. Down the Strand we went.
Then to Fleet Street, past St. Paul's
and through the slums. I began to
wonder where the girl worked. We
covered another mile and I figured
she must be lost, so l forced my
numb legs to paddle faster and
caught up with her.
Rode IL Miles.
Are we nearly there" I painted.
Not much farther" she called in a
voice that indicated she was AS
sound in wind and limb as Whirl-
away. Seven more miles and we'll
be there She wasn't joking either.
We rode II miles for her to get to
work. I looked about for a handy
morgue in which to take perma-
nent rest while she changed into her
working clothes-the heavy khaki
battle dress of a soldier Her work
was on the docks and her Job was
to drive Ford truck from the docks
to the depot.
Her cargo this day was steel wire
and she wrestled it about as we'll
as any Of the Stevedores on the
quay She was tireless. When she
wasn't driving, she did repair work
on other trucks because MTG girls
have to be their own mechanics
when something goes wrong with a
truck or an ambulance Yes, there
are ambulances here as this section
is a favorite target of the Huns.
She can't call garage 1t is get
out and get under, lady, and Ak it
yourself"
BY lunchtime I was exhausted
/ just from watching this Slight, taffy
blond work. A sandwich and a cup
! of tea and she was back at work
again, helping to keep the vital
materials of war flowing into this
country. 1t was when she quit
work.
Return Same Way.
What time do we get the under
ground back to London" ! asked,
, knowing deep in my heart that We
were going to ride those Internal
bicycles back to town. She laughed.
I'VE are going back just the way We
came she said. It'll be nicer going
| back. Don't forget to listen for
cuckoo as we ride along. Spring il
already here and l haven't heard
one yet"
The woman is mad, thought. as
we pedalled along. She wants me
to listen for cuckoo when my heart
is beating so and my legs, back and
arms are aching so I couldn't hear
an elephant roar from 10 PAGES
much less a cuckoo sitting in a
hedge.
1t was dark when we reached the
heart of London because her nat
ural gallantry toward a feeble old
man had forced her to stop every
| half mile or so during the latter
stages to let me collapse on the
side OF the road and gather strength.
We parted near my hotel. I'll be
going back at the same time to-
morrow morning If you want to
come along" she said as she ped
allied away.
The doctors give me fighting
chance to survive. They think all
| that ails me is paralysis caused by
the 22-mile ride, but I know there
is something much worse the matter
with me than that.
What I am really suffering from
is galloping shame at being so use
less. No one could spend a dav
with that girl from the MTC-and
there are thousands OF others in
all the other branches of war work
serving just as faithfully and cheer
fully as she-without wondering IL
he were really doing his best In the
hight for decent world.
distributed BY McNaueht Syndicate, Incl