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About Eagle Valley news. (Richland, Or.) 191?-1919 | View Entire Issue (July 4, 1918)
m r1' ' 1 H OVER By An American Arthur Guy Erapey Soldier Who Went Machine Gunner, Serving in France EMPEY LEARNS HOW THE TOMMIES ARE FED IN THE FRONT-LINE TRENCH AND BACK OF IT. Synopsis. Fired by the sinking of the Lusltnnln. with the loss of American Uvea, Arthur Guy Empey, tin American Ilvlnc In Jersey City, goes to England and enlists as n private In the British nrmy. After n short experience ns n recruiting olllcer In London, he Is sent to train Ing qunrters In France, where he flrst hears the sound of Mr guns and makes the acquaintance of "cooties." After n brief period of tralnlug Empey's company Is sent Into the front-line trenches, where he takes his flrst turn on the fire step while the bullets whiz overhead. CHAPTER VI. Continued. After dinner I tried to wash out the dlxle with cold water and n rag. and learned another maxim of the trenches "It can't be done." 1 slyly watched one of the older men from another section, and was horrified to see hhn throw Into his dtxle four or five double hnndfuls of mud. Theu he poured In some water, and with his hands scoured the dlxle Inside and out. I thought he was taking an awful risk. Supposing the cook should have seen him! After half an hour of unsuc cessful efforts I returned my dlxle to the cook shack, being careful to put on the cover, and returned to the billet. Pretty soon the cook poked his head In the door and shouted: "Hey, Yank, come out here and clean your dlxle I" I protested that I had wasted a half hour on It already, and had used up my only remaining shirt In the at tempt. With a look of disdain he ex claimed: "Blow me, your shirt! Why In didn't you use inud?" Without a word In reply I got busy with the mud, and soon my dlxle wns bright and shining. Most of the nfternoon was spent by the men writing letters home. I used my spare time to chop wood for the cook and go with the quartermaster to draw coal. I got back Just In time to Issue our third meal, which consisted of hot tea. I rinsed out my dixie and returned it to the cookhouse, and went back to the billet with nn exhilarated feeling that my day's labor was done. I had fallen asleep on the straw when once again the cook appeared In the door of the billet with: "Bllme me, you Yanks are lazy. Who In n-goln' to draw the water for the mornln' tea? Do you think I'm n-goln' to? Well, I'm not," nnd he left I filled the dlxle with wnter from nn old squeaking well, and once again lay down In the straw. CHAPTER VII. Ration. Just dozing off; Mr. Lnnce Corporal butted In. In Tommy's eyes n lnnce corporal Is one degree below a private. In the corporal's eyes he Is one degree nbove a general. He ordered me to go with him and help him draw the next day's rations, also told me to take roy waterproof. Every evening, from each platoon or machine-gun section, a lnnce corporal and private go to the quartermaster sergeant at the company stores and draw rations for the following day. The "quarter," as the quartermaster Taking Provisions MP, sub Oopjriatat 151T. br Arthur Onj Empy sergennt Is cnlled, receives dally from the orderly room (captain's oillce) n slip showing the number of men en titled to rations, so there Is no chance of putting anything over on him. Many arguments take place between the "quarter" and the plntoon noncom, but the former always wins out. Tommy says the "quarter" got his Job becauso he was n burglar In civil life. Then I sprend the waterproof sheet on the ground, while the quartermas ter's batmnn dumped the rations on It. The corporal was smoking n fng. I carried the rations back to tho billet. Tho corporal was still smoking n fng. How I envied htm. But when the Issue commenced my envy died, nnd I real ized that the first requisite of a non commissioned otllcer on active servlco Is diplomacy. There were 10 men In our section, nnd they soon formed n semicircle around us nfter tho corporal had called out, "Rations up." The quartermaster sergeant hnd given a slip to the corporal on which wns written n list of the rations. Sit ting on the floor, using a wooden box ns a tabic, the Issue commenced. On the left of the corporal the rations were piled. They consisted of the fol lowing: Six loaves of fresh bread, each loaf of a different size, perhaps one out of the six being ns flat as a pancake, the result of an army service corps man plnclng a box of bully beef on It dur ing transportation. Three tins of Jam, one apple and the other two plum. Seventeen Bermuda onions, nil dif ferent sizes. A piece of cheese In the shape of n wedge. Two one-pound tins of butter. A handful of raisins. A tin of biscuits, or as Tommy culls them "Jaw breakers." A bottle of mustard pickles. The "bully beef," spuds, condensed milk, fresh meat, bacon nnd "Mncono chle rations" (a can filled with meat, vegetables and greasy water), had been tnrned over to the company cook to make a stew for next day's dinner. Ho nlso received tho ten, sugar, salt, pep per and flour. Scratching his head, the corporal studied the slip Issued to him by tho quarter. Then In n slow, mystified voice he rend out, "No. 1 section, lft men. Brend, loaves, sir." He looked puzzled and soliloquized In n musing voice: "Six loaves, nineteen men. Let's sec, that's three In a loaf for fifteen men- well, to make It even, four of you'll have to muck In on one lonf." to the Front. lur Tho four thnt rot stuck made n how). but to no avail. Tho bread wns dished out. Pretty soon from n fnr corner of tho billet, threo Indignant Tommies nc costed the corporal with: "What do you call tins, n loaf of bread T Looks more llko a sniping plate." Tho corporal answered: "Well, don't blame me, I didn't bnko Its somebody's got to get It, so shut up until I dish out these bllnkln ra tions." Then tho corporal started on tho Jam. "Jam, threo tins npplo one, plum two. Nineteen men, threo tins. Six In n tin makes twelve men for two tins, seven in the remaining tin." Ho passed around tho Jam, nnd thero wns another riot. Rome didn't llko npple, while others who received plum were partial to apple. After u while differences were ndjusted and tho Issue went on. "Bermuda onions, seventeen." Tho corporal avoided ti row by say ing thnt ho did not want nn onion, nnd I said they make your breath smell, so I guessed I would do without ono too. Tho corporal looked his gratitude. "Cheese, pounds, two." The corporal borrowed a Jnckknlfe (corporals nro nlwnys borrowing), nnd sliced tho cheese each slicing bring ing forth n pert remark from tho on lookers ns to tho corporal's eyesight. "Itnlslns, ounces, eight. By this tlmo the corporal's nerves hod gone west, and In despair ho said that the raisins were to he turned over to the cook for "duff" (plum pudding) -This decision elicited a llttlo "grous Ing," but quiet wns finally restored. "Biscuits, tins, one." With his borrowed Jnckknlfe. tho corporal opened the tin of biscuits, and told everyono to help themselves no body responded to this Invitation, Tommy Is "fed up" with biscuits. "Butter, tins, two." "Nine In one, ten In tho other." Another rumpus. "Pickles, mustard, bottles, one." Nineteen names were put In n steel helmet, the last ono out winning tho pickles. On the next Issue there wero only 18 names, as tho winner Is ollml nnted until every man In the section hns won a bottle. Tho raffle Is closely watched, becauso Tommy Is suspicious when It comes to gambling with his rations. When the Issuo is finished tho cor poral sits down nnd writes n letter home, asking them If they cannot get some M. P. (member of parliament) to havo him transferred to the Boyal Fly ing corps where ho won't have to Issue rations. At the different French cstnmlncts In the village nnd nt the canteens Tom my buys fresh eggs, milk, brend and pastry. Occasionally when ho Is flush, ho Invests In n tin of penrs or nprl cots. Ills pay Is only n shilling a dny, 24 cents, or a cent an hour. Just Imng Ine, n cent un hour for being under Are not much chance of getting rich oufthcre. When ho goes Into tho flro trench (front line). Tommy's menu takes n tumble. He carries In his haversack what the government cnlls emergency or Iron rations. They nro not supposed to be opened until Tommy dies of star vation. They consist of ono tin of bully beef, four biscuits, a llttlo tin which contains ten, sugur and Oxo cubes (concentrated beef tablets) These arc only to bo used when tho enemy establishes n curtain of shell flro on the communication trenches, thus preventing tho "currying In" of rations, or when In un attack n body of troops has been cut oft from Its base of supplies. Tho rations nro brought up nt night by tho company transport. This Is a section of tho company In chnrgo of tho quartermaster sergeant, composed of men, mules nnd limbers (two- wheeled wagons), which supplies Tom my's wants whllo In tho front line, They nro constantly under shell flro, The rations nro unloaded at tho en tranco to tho communication trenches and uro "curried In" by men detailed for that purpose. Tho qunrterrauster sergennt never goes Into tho front-lino trench. Ho doesn't havo to, nnd I havo never heard of ono volunteering to do so. Tho company sergeant major sorts tho rations and sends them In. Tommy's trench rations consist of nil tho bully beef ho enn cat, biscuits, cheese, tinned butter (sometimes 17 men to n tin), Jam or murmaludo, nnd occasionally fresh bread (ten to n louf). When It Is possible ho gets ten nnd stow, When things aro quint, and Fritz Is bejmvlng like a gentleman, which scl doin happens, Tommy has tho opportti nlty of milking dessert, This U "trench pudding." It Is mndo from broken biscuits, condensed milk, Jam n llttlo wnter added, slightly flavored with mud put Into n canteen and cooked over n llttlo spirit slovu known ns "Tommy'H cooker," (A firm In Blighty widely advertise theso cookers ns n necessity for tho men In the trenches. Gullible peoplo buy them ship them to tho Tommies, who, Immediately upon receipt of sumo throw them over tho parupet. Homo- times n Tommy fnlls for tho ad, nnd uses tho cooker In n dugout to tho dis gust and discomfort of tho other oc cupants.) 1'hls mess Is stirred up In n tin and allowed to simmer over tho llnmcs front tho cooker until Tommy decides thnt It hns reached sulllctent (gluellko) consistency. Ho lakes his bnyonet and by means of tho handle carries tho mess up In the front trench to cool. After It hnH cooled off ho tries to eot It. Generally ono or two Tommies In n section havo cast-Iron stomachs and the tin Is soon emptied. Once I tasted trench pudding, but only once. In addition to tho regular ration Is sue Tommy uses another channel to enlarge his menu. In the English papers n "Lonely Soldier" column Is run. This Is for the soldiers at tho front who nro sup posed to be without friends or rela tives. They write to the papers nnd their names nre published. Girls and women In England answer them, and send out pnrcela of foodstuffs, ciga rettes, candy, etc. I have known n 'lonely" soldier to receive ns many ns five parcels and eleven letters In ono week. Empey realizes for the first time how death lurks In tho trenches when a comrado falls by his side. He tells about It In the next Installment. (TO UK CONTINUUD) NOT THEIR FIRST MEETING British Officer and Privates, Home From tho Front, Had 8amo Mem orles of "Tloht Corner." Two privates lu "Blighty" bluo wero limping their wuy along Itegent street, London. Eneh had his badges or lion or two and threo eloquent gold strlnes. They wero In London towu again In It, but somehow not of It. Only the accident of wnr made them lleccnt street saunterers. From tho opposite direction thero approached n young olllcer with n Indy companion. He, too, had tho gold stripes of tho twice wounded. Eager and bright, ho seemed ab sorbed In his companion, apparently tint nntli-liiL' the two privates. In deed, he was almost by them when In it Hash ho darted from tno suio oi ins companion, seized the baud of ono of the prlvutes In a hearty grip and ejac ulated : "Grout henvensl fancy meeting you horn! Hit different when wo wero to gether before, eh? What u tight coro ner I And only wo two leu anu nero wo are again. And how nre you, and how nro you getting on?' Succeeded n string of other ques tions, culminating In "Getting net tcr, eh? Feel as If you'll soon bo ready to go out again? How do you fuel about It? Will you bo glad to go?" What tho prlvato said may bo In ferred from tho resumption of tho olll rnr'H talk. "That's the rlKht spirit. Shouldn't wonder If we meet again In another hot corner. wjjii, goou iuck nnu cheero 1" A Chanac for the Invalid. If you have a friend lying ill, try taking some daintily prepared edibles next time you make a visit. Nourishing broths and soups, wino letups, delicately browned custard nnd light puddings made of eggs nnd miiK uro goou. ur n hiiuiii jar or mar tnnlndo or half n dozen lightly brown ed biscuit for the Invalid's ten. Or crenmcd chicken nnd creamed oysters delivered In u charming bluo bowl nnd nil rrnrtv to 1)0 heated Un liv thn nuran. Orapcfrult Is always appreciated and mandarin oranges nnd whlto grapes In n pretty basket nro nn nppo ilzlng combination, und thero nro somo Invalids wno would uo ueiigntcd with a Jar of preserved ginger for occa sional niunnng. "Kl" In tho Navy. Navy cocoa, which Princess Mary thought might bo good to cat as cho colate, Is known aboard ship us kl. It Is served out on tho flrst dog wutch every Thursday, and It Is drunk when ever circumstances (In othor words, tho ship's "crusher," or pollccmun) permit. Tho men grate down a liberal quantity of It (for kl Is less concen trated than slioro cocoa) nnd drink It mixed In basins with sugar nnd con densed milk. At tien n fipoclnl cuul dron or kl, preporcd by tho ship's cook. Is sent round action stations In "fan nies," or largo pitchers. Midnight for the guns' crows of our fleet Is flip hour when tho kl bout uriivcs. London Chronicle. POULTRY -mm- SUITABLE SHELTER FOR HENS' House of Appropriate sue, wunj Nests, Roosts and Feeding Appll- ances Is Needed. ; i (Prepared by tho United Rlnlos Depart ment or AKriviiimtP) Every Hock of hens needs a sultnblo shelter n coop or house of appropri ate slxe. furnished with roosts, nests nnd appliances for feeding anil water ing. A flock that Is t be uhI 'of hn.i.ilhii' ulimilil iiIhii Iiiivkii Viinl wlllTO tho birds can exercise on tho ground and In the open air. Hens kept only for eggs (or the table may bo confined! to their house continuously for ns long! n time as ordinary hens are profitable1 layers, it Is better to give Ihvm nn' utdoor run, but when spncu Is limited It can be dispensed with. Small Itocks need a Utile mora floor space per bird than large Hocks, nnd birds confined constantly to tho limine should havu n llttlo more Door space per bird than others. A coop for six hens should allow fin or six square' feet of floor space for each; n houso for twenty to thirty hens, three or four square feet to each. Yards uro usu ally planned to give not less than "0 square feet of laud per hen. ' Small coops which can bo clcuncu without entering them may bo built only three or four feet high, lhls height Is most comfortable for tho hens. Coops for Hocks of more than six or eight birds must bo of such' height that n grown person can movo about In them. In n low coop the sumo opening will answer for door nnd win dow. In high coops with larger wall A Boy's Backyard Poultry House, Oullt by Himself. surfaces n full-sized door nnd ono or more windows nro needed. Boosts are commonly mndo of small scantling or narrow strips of board, about eight or ten Inches length of roost being allowed to each fowl. In small, low coops the roosts should bo placed about twelvu to fifteen Inches from the floor. In larger coops wldo boards, to catch the droppings of tho birds, aro generally used under tho roosts, the droppings bonrd being from twenty to thirty Inches from the floor nnd tho roost n few Inches above tho droppings hoard. The simplest form of nest Is n box n little over a foot square and not less than flvo or six Indies deep. When space Is limited the nests should be at tached to the wall, the bottom of tho nest being it font or more from tin floor. For flocks of flvo or six hen two nests are needed ; for larger floclu one nest for each four or flvo hens. The feeding utensils required nrot Hoppers for dry mush, trough for ta ble scraps or moist mash, small hop pers 'or shell and grit, and drlnklnit puns or fountains. For flocks contain ing not inoro than 30 birds one of each kind of utensil, If of npproprluto size, Is enough. HOW TO BREAK BROODY FOWL' Confine Hen In Small Coop With Slat Bottom and Qlve Her Plenty of Water to Drink. When hens become broody and It Is not desired to allow them to lintch chickens, they should bo "broken up" ns quickly ns possible. Thn sooner this Is dono the sooner they will resumb laying. To break n hen of hroodlncss she should be coulliied to a small coop, preferably with u slat liolfoiii. Glvo her plenty of wnter to drink; sho mny bo fed or not, ns deulred. Not much difference will bo found In tho tlmo required to break her of broodlness whether who is fed or mndo 'to fnst. Usually three to six days of confine ment will do tho work, but somo hens require ten to twelvo dnys. Tho broody hen will bo recognized by her Incline tlon to stay on tho nest at night, tho ruffling of her feathers nnd her do-! slro to pick nnyono who nppronchoo' her, nnd by tho clucking noise sho makes. ' Habits of Turkoys. 1 Young turkeys usually rcmnln with tho mother hen until about Octobor! or Novembor, when- tho mules ordlnnr-j lly Bopumto from tho females unci rnngo by themselves, I ft k.