The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-09-02

EdsOn ed in @ husk, voice that could be heard all ove' the car or above Q 40-knot gale Both of them had pintS, about hal gone, and 50 were they. Everyone in the car was trying to ignore then or pay them no attention, but il was hard work. All around were young soldiers, clean-cut kids, be- having themselves, refusing the bot tie which the sailor and the seaman tried to force upon them.
 T don't drink" said corporal who sat down beside the sailor. Be- sides, you better save that stuff, it's going to be rationed."
 The sailor was pretty vile mouthed and abusive, but nobody bothered. The merchant seaman was just loud.
 Have you been in the Red Sea?" the merchantmen demanded. The sailor was evaSive.
 "Well, If you haven't been in the Red Sea, you haven't got any right to wear medals. Where did you get those medals, anyway? I haven't got any medals and I've been in the Red Sea and up to Cairo. Have you been to Cairo? Well then you haven't got any right to wear rib- bons on your chest"
 The sailor was no match for him, either in back talk or @ contest with the battle. Just north of Phila- delphia he passed out cold. leaving the merchant seaman to a mono- logue.
 BIG MAN AND TALK
 q just got of a sF1ip," he bragged in his roaring voice. T got $40 in my pocket and I'm going to Balti- more and have me time" In proof of it he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his roll.
 "The last time I was home, I had $1100, and spent 1t all. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha." He had a slow, dirty laugh. That's why I'm in the merchant marine. Fifteen hundred dollars for two trips. Not bad, eh? Ha. 'Ha. Ha. Hal"
 All this banter and a lot more, unfit to print, was taken by the other passengers in bored tolerance, and for two very good reasons. Here was a hero, just back from the bat tie of the Atlantic, and entitled to his fling. And he was built like a brick barn-flve feet 10 or so, weigh ing 200 pounds and all man, with great big hams for hands and a hairy chest showing through his open shirt collar. It would have taken 10 men to subdue him and nobody felt like organizing lynch ing.
 An s-year-old boy finally called the turn from across the aisle. LAW pipe down!" he muttered in annoy ance.
 What's thatp" demanded the hero, staggering to his feet and ready to fight. Everyone in the car began to laugh.
 "You make too much noise," in- sisted the boy.
 Listen. You and me got to be pals. We're pals aren't we? Whats your name?"
 The boy told him.
 My names Hubert -," said the hero. And look. We're goin' to be pals. What would you like to f1ave?" He reached into his pocket. This knife or this Egyptian noney?" The boy was totally un- interested. Rebuffed and hurt, Hu- bert the hero staggered down the aisle and into the next car, falling into few peoples laps on the way, apnIaoi1iv1e, ,araf,,eaJ1y oYad Hr,y,aLava ly, showing his $400 at every stop and telling his story all over again. HAPLESS HERO
 All the passengers in the coach thought they had seen the last of him and that he had gotten of at Baltimore, but when the train pulled into Washington, there reeling on the platform was Hubert the hero, friendless and alone, bewildered and ready to bawl.
 One of the last passengers of the train stepped up to brace of mili- tary police at the station gate. There's a drunken seaman down there on the platform who missed his stop at Baltimore" he explained. He's got $400 on him and somebody will be rolling him for it if he isn't locked up for the night"
 "OkayI" said the MP's and of they went to take him in tow.
 Now this is not told as a disgrace. full story at all. The moral is that 1t takes rough and tough heroes like HuHert to deliver the goods through sub-infested waters, and