The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-09-07

busy, and saw that seventeen were
present. Ali were here except one.
Most Of them were very young.
not much more than half his age. A
few were in their early thirties.
From the list published in the pa
per, giving all the ages, Mr.. Winkle
knew that he was the only one above
forty. He felt lonely.
All heads turned as the last of
the draftees appeared.
Mr.. Winkle knew Freddie Tindall
from having seen him decorating
the main street of the town. He
was fixture there, like one of the
lamp posts or traffic sign. He
was twenty-eight, handsome, with a
thin dark mustache plastered across
his lip, and his clothes were too
f1ashy
Freddie was prominent men,
Der of the depression generation. He
had come to maturity when there
were no jobs to,be had. Once hay-
ing formed the habit of not working.
he made it career at which he
excelled. It was his boast that he
had never earned a nickel in his
life and never would as long as his
family's money held out. Now the
war had come along to interfere with
the signal success he was making of
his ambition.
Freddie eyed the gathering with a
superior air. When he agreed to
come in and join the group, his
eye lighted on Mr.. Winkle. He
slammed his suitcase on the floor,
eased his frame gracefully to chair
in the rear row and greeted Mr..
Winkle, Hello, Pop"
One man Uttered nervously. A
few smiled without conviction. Jack
Pettigrew, who just then looked
around, stared. The others paid no
attention.
Mr.. Winkle was indignant. 1t had
been bad enough to have certain
people laugh at him. But he hadn't
expected one of his fellow draftees
to make fun of him.
He decided that Freddie Tindall
didn't know any better and wasn't
worth bothering about. But Fred
die was the instrument of something
else that really touched him. For
the first time Mr.. Wrinkle told him.
self that he wasn't old. The others
were just young. ....--~~~---s-.
The chairman of the draft board
looked at his watch and then rose.
He made a little talk, while the
men all listened attentively, except
for Freddie Tindall, who gazed in
dolently out the window.
The chairman explained that they
had all been chosen fairly, strictly
according to the Selective Service
regulations. They were being asked
to do serious thing at serious
time. He knew each would do it
to the best of his ability. He wished
them good luck. He said that the
roll would now be called. Each
man, at his name, was to come for
ward and receive his papers and a
small going-away kit furnished by
the Women Volunteers.
~ ACddCAy IlG IOiALldQCQt ID US-
ing appointed for you, and you are
required to obey him on the way to
your Induction Center. The senior
member among you, Mr.. Wilbert
Wrinkle, will be your leader"
Mr.. Wrinkle was fiattered. He was
glad for the responsibility. 1t would
help take his mind off himself.
Freddie Tindall leaned toward him
and inquired, How do you like be-
ing big shot. Pop?"
Mr.. Winkle saw that he was go
Ing to have trouble with Freddie.
The men began to go up. Mr..
Wrinkles was the last name called.
He received his kit, contained in
brown imitation leather packet.
Each of the draft board members
shook his hand. He was given his
own papers, and then instructions
about number of other documents
for the group. The clerk was read
ing one of these, his warrant of au-
thority, when the American Legion