Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-21

SETTLING THE MATTER-Win Stockdale
gets weary of smiling at his tormentorS and
let's fly Action is violent and results are
very satisfactory to Will,-Photo by permis-
sion of the Broadway play mo Time for
Sergeants."
of his face was about the color Of coal dust
and his lip was swoll up pretty good bit. but
I knowed he would feel better If he got some
thing to eat so l shook him until his eyes
opened. / said You best get up. irwin or
you might miss breakfast" and for minute
there, I thought he was right mad with me
because he Just kept staring at me. and then
give me a little moan and closed his eyes up
real tight and wouldn't even look at me except
to peep out of the corner every once in a
while. He didn't move until had gone back
over to get Ben up. and then he got UP right
quick and headed for the latrine. going right
fast.
Anyhow, I kept shaking Ben and telling
him he was going to be late for breakfast.
but he only grunted at me shook him and
said, Come ON. Ben. The chickens done
crowed and he wants to water" and then he
opened his eyes and frowned little bit and
kind of looked toward the ceiling
Come on" said because he didn't make
any move to get up, just kept laying there.
because then started getting worried one OF
them had hurt him last night I'VE got to
get going. It's late
And then he rolled his head over and
pushed back the covers and set up, his eyes
kind of blank-looking and his hair hanging
down in his face. and said. "All right. All
right. I'm getting up" and climbed out of the
bed without saying another word to me.
Unusually Slow
And it kind of bothered me the way he
aCted-the thing was Ben warnt usually slow
moving like that. l mean usually he was
running around polishing things and
Strengthening things, so it didn't seem natural
to him. He cumb out of the bed and begun
putting on his shoes, moving slow as !
ever seen him; and then stood there on one
foot webbing as he put on his pants; and
then picked up his soap and towel and headed
back for the latrine just kind of dragging
himself along.
And he stayed back there until we was
already outside getting lined up ready to go
for breakfast kept watching the door
waiting for him until ! got right fdgety
about it; so finally went back inside to get
him. and when l got there, he was standing
back by his bunk. putting on his shirt like
he had all the time in the world.
Boy. we better get going if you want
some breakfast" told him. Il never seen
you so slow
He kept putting on his shirt. buttoning it
up one little button at the time. Then he
yawned and said Il didn't sleep much last
night"
II slept good" I said Il amt slept so
good in long time"
Il did too at first but then walked up
and got to thinking and didn't go back to
sleep for while"
You did?" said How come you done
that?"
Il don't know he said. Il just did" Then
he was about ready to say something else. but
we heered them outside ready to march of
about that time and we had to start rum
ming to catch up with them
Anyhow, we had good breakfast and I
ct more than l had in long time. ] ct
what they give me and then Irwin couldn't do
nothing but drink his coffee on account of his
jaw, and ct his. and then I ct some of
Lucky's too that he couldn't get down, so I
had pretty good breakfast for a change.
But Ben didn't hardly eat thing. He just
picked at it with his fork and busted the yell
low of his egg and stirred his coffee a lot,
and all the time kept staring at his plate like
1t made him mad even to be there. And in
a minute, he got up and took his tray and
left the mess hall without saying word to
me- and went back TO the barracks all by
himself.
Tomorrow-Ben feoY he won't moke lntonty