The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1944-09-14
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W.N.u* kELEASE
Opening his own, Mr.. Wrinkle found
package of cigarettes, a package
OF gum, and small housewife con-
tanning needles, thread. buttons, and
a thimble.
Mr.. Winkle didn't smoke and he
disliked gum, but he reflected it was
nice of the Women Volunteer any,
way. He stared at the housewife.
The thought of the new Amy en-
gulfed him. Now he had these sew
ing materials instead of her. They
would have been hardly a substi-
tute for the old Amy.
Ehe bus stopped and several more
people sot on. One of them was a
young, blowzy blonde. Mr.. Wrinkle
watched, fascinated, as Freddie ma
neuvered the selectee beside him
out of his seat and grinned winning
ly at the blonde. She sat beside
Freddie at once, and they began an
animated conversation.
This broke the tension the draftees
brought with them from their send
off. They laughed, and began to
talk and joke, and discuss their
voyage in voices just little too loud
to be natural. Only Jack Pettigrew
sat without comment.
At noon the bus stopped at sched-
uled station for lunch. Mr.. Wrinkle
herded his charges to the counter in
side the glass-front roadside restau-
rant, where he produced the proper
paper to obtain meals for them as
guests of the Government. Freddie
Tindan remained outside, talking to
the blonde. She was catching an
other bus here.
He let Freddie alone until he had
ordered his own meal. Then he went
out and told Freddie, eff you want
to get something to eat, you'd bet
ter come In"
''Be right with you, Pop" Mr..
Winkle went back to the counter.
Freddie took his time. He waited
until the blondes new bus pulled in.
He put her on it and then joined
the others. Some of the men looked
at him in admiration and envy.
What would you have DONE"
Freddie inquired of Mr.. Wrinkle, IF
I'd gotten on the bus with her and
gone away?"
Mr.. Winkle regarded him severe
ly. II wouldn't have done a thing.
That would be for others. You
wouldn't get very far"
"You mean with the blonde?"
Freddie inquired, and received his
laugh.
He kept up horseplay of saying
that this was as far as he wanted to
go, that he'd had a nice ride, but
would now go back home. When
this wore thin, he introduced new
subject. "Still proud to fight, Pop?"
he inquired.
Mr.. Wrinkle kept his temper. "We
all ought to be-"
well, I'm not" Freddie declared.
"I'm not going because want to,
and ! don't care who knows it. /
don't want to be any darned SOL
dier. Lugs, that's all they are.
They're going to make me into
lug"
Mr.. Wrinkle looked around. No one
except the contingent from Spring
vile seemed to have heard these
remarks. The men listened with
interest. Some of them looked star
tied.
II don't think you ought to say
such things" Mr.. Wrinkle advised.
WHO says that, Pop? Who says
] can't say what / want?"
''Well :" began Mr.. Winkle.
isn't this a free country, Pop?
Can't man say what he wants?
Tell me that, Pop"
When Mr.. Winkle didn't reply,
Freddie was infuriated, taking out
his resentment on him as if holding
Mr.. Winkle personally responsible
for his being drafted e"Tell me that,
you old coot, and don't act like
we're in the Army already"
Before Mr.. Wrinkle could gather
his outraged senses, Jack Pettigrew
pushed through the group of men
and came up to Freddie. His thin
face was white with anger. Don't
talk like that to Mr.. Winkle," he
ordered.
Freddie turned on the revolving
stool to Mr.. Wrinkle, ignoring Jack.
"How about that, Pop? Should I
talk like that to your"
Taolx 81 EwnJI;a
who whirled, placed his hand on
the boys chest, and showed him
back.
Jack, crying imprecations, re-
turned to the fray with clenched
fists.
Freddie jumped up to meet him.
Mr.. Wrinkle was gripped with dis
may. Things were fast getting out
of hand. In fact, they were already
well out of hand. The proprietor of
the place was yelling, waitress
shrieked, and customers called out.
Mr.. Winkle heard his own voice
crying, Nov look herei Look herei
Save that for the Germans Or the
Japs!"
The men laughed. Jack subsidized,
glaring. Freddie made ironic gri-
maces.
An armistice had been declared
in the premature war. Mr. Winkle
breathed with relief. He wasn't GER
tain that he liked the responsible
ties of leadership.
He counted the men carefully as
they got back on the bus, making
sure Freddie was among them. His
glance caught that of Jack, whose
eyes were hot and who said, I'm
going to get him! I'm going to get