Page:History of the 305th field artillery (IA historyof305thfi01camp).pdf/34

16 tions from home and comfort and allection; a shrinking from our uniforms, which mcant a disciplinc, terrifying and undesired; and, perhaps, a perplexed apprehension, somewhere just ahead, of violence and the close of experienced things.

No mind, however, could linyer on that side. There were too many races, clamorously asserting themselves. There had been too much made of a number of departures. There still lingered too many souvenirs of feasts. Out of the shadows slipped an eager voice.

"Hay, Tony! Finish off that bottle before these officer guys can grab it."

And another, less concerned:

"Grabba da hell. My gal, she givva mc a charm against da evil eye of officers."

And some had reached the point where speech ends. A man in uniform grew disgusted.

“So," he grumbled, “that's what we've got to teach to fire a three inch gun!"

But we knew he was wrong. He had judged by the high lights. In the really fundamental background we saw a sober and determined spirit. We felt even then the presence of some of the best soldier material in the world. After meeting a few of these erratic train loads the least confident of shavetails could forecast his ordered garrison tasks with case of mind. For such recruits weren't simple to control

When we gathered at night in J20 the gossip of every group revolved around the arriving casuals.

“How many souses did you have to-day, Bill?"

"Two. One wanted to weep on my shoulder, and the other wanted to give me an uppercut."

"What did you do about it?"

"Ordered the fighting one to take care of the weeper."

"Say! Did he?"