The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-09-28

pefs TeCIedllOn IuflQ, contribution
to the old soldiers home and sew
eral items Mr.. Wrinkle didn't alto
gether understand or remember, his
envelope contained seventeen dol
lars and thirty cents.
Mr.. Tinker did little better be.
cause he had no wife to whom went
twenty-five dollars of his pay, to
make up, with the twenty-eight con-
tributed by the Government, the fifty
that would be sent to the homes of
married men. But still Mr.. Tinker
complained that he used to make
more in week than he now made
in a month.
But you weren't getting ready
for the Japs then," Mr.. Wrinkle re-
minded.
YEAH" said Mr.. Tinker. that's
right
They squandered a dime of their
affluence on bus to town. Every
one not on duty was going, with the
exception of Freddie.
Mr.. Wrinkle and Mr.. Tinker inves-
tigated the town together. 1t was
an old-fashioned community, with
red brick buildings and discouraged
looking stores. 1t had a bewildered
air of having for years gone about
its quiet affairs and then suddenly
found itself with thousands of sol.
diers on its hands.
After a single turn up and down
the main street, Mr.. Tinker ex.
pressed his disgust. Dead" he
said. "A graveyard, or almost"
From the tone of his voice Mr..
Wrinkle detected that Mr.. Tinker had
seen something he hadn't observed.
He learned what this was when Mr..
Tinker proposed that it was time for
a beer, and led the way into a bar
they had twice passed.
Here there was life, especially ir
the form of a number of young la.
dies seated in booths.
Mr.. Tinker, at a distance, made
friends in pantomime with two oi
them while he and Mr.. Wrinkle drank
their beer at the bar. Rather eau.
tiously, Mr.. Tinker inquired Of Mr..
Wrinkle if he cared to make the &C.
ouaintance of the two young ladies.
Mr.. Winkle refused as gracefully
as he could. "But don't let me stop
you," he offered broad-mindedly.
Mr.. Tinker regarded him queru-
lousy, as if to wonder what kind of
a friend he had made. He walked
over to the ladies, who received him
enthusiastically. They looked after
Mr.. Wrinkle curiously when he
walked out.
Mr.. Winkle wandered about by
himself. He passed a few men he
knew, but they didn't stop, having
things of their own to do. In a gift
shop he purchased a pin-cushien
for Amy which had Camp Squibb"
stamped on it in gold letters. Then,
aimlessly walking down side
street, he saw small building with
"USO" marked on it. From inside
there came the low pound of a iuke
box.
Thinking he might find compan-
ionship here, Mr.. Wrinkle went in.
Different kinds of young ladies from
those Mr.. Tinker had searched out
were here, dancing with a mob of
soldiers. He saw Jack, and they
waved to each other.
Mr.. Wrinkle sat in an empty chair
at the door. He had no more than
occupied it when a pretty young girl
came up to him. Involuntarily, her
eyes widened little when she really
saw him, but this didn't prevent
her from asking, Don't you want to
dancer"
Mr.. Winkle was so startled that
he forgot to be polite and get to his
feet. He stared at the girl. She
could hardly be eighteen. Thank
you,' he said. 81 guess I'll just
watch"
"Can | get you something to drink
or eat?" she inquired.
He thanked her again, but said he
wasn't thirsty or hungry.
Cant we do anything for your"
she asked. 81 know" she said at
once. We'll play checkers.
Mr.. Wrinkle looked at her to see II
SliG was LIIdh4li6 Adll VI AAltls OllC
wasn't.
The first time Mr.. Wrinkle forgot
to take his pills, he rushed to swal-
low them in order to avoid getting
sick. The second time it slipped his
mind he was filed with panic that
three days had elapsed since he had
taken them.
Before he could dig down in his
green-metal barracks trunk for the
bottle, it occurred to him that every
thing was all right. The Army life
had come, perhaps not gently, but
firmly, and taken his dyspepsia
away from him. He no longer need
ed his pills.
When they had first received their
rifles, he regarded his as some
thing which might explode at any
moment. The very touch of it made
him nervous and he was glad, each
afternoon, after the days training
was over, to get rid of it by placing
it in the rifle rack.
In time he developed a certain
familiarity with the weapon, largely