THE REAL THING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2988, 27 January 1917, Page 6

THE REAL THING

AN AMUSING INCIDENT.

Dunng one of fl» early, mobilisations' of the United States army on the Mexican border, a captain of the militia whom we will call IW, was detailed to take charge of a detachment of infantry. In. one of tho manoeuvres Captain Feeny was ordered to pursue the enemy, who, in the absence of a real foe, was represented by another detachment. As an nid m remembering the assumed war condition, nearly every location of importance was posted or placarded with Bl }°& si ££? as ,lThis S P rin S *s Poisou- ?& >' ,S Road is Closed," or Fence Charged with High Voltage " However, it needed no imagination at this particular time to realise that the weather was' almost unbearably hot The umpires and observing officers' concealed in the chaparral, could not be accused of envying Captain Feeny as he trudged along sweltering in tie dust, at tho head of" his dejected and nearly ' exhausted command , . They wondered how Feeny would act when ho rounded the turn in tho road and came to the 'bridge which bore the huge sign, "This Bridge ia Burned." They didn't have long to wait. They saw the troops brought to an abrupt halt while Feeny and his men held council. In n shorter time than it takes to describe it, Feeny was heard to hurl some strong epithets at the sign; then he yelled out at the top of -his voice, _ "Forwaid!. March V' Before the umpires could recover from their amazement the troops were nearly halfway over the bridge. One of the umpires, scandalised and indignant, rose up and ancrity through his megaphone: "Hey! Captain Feeny I You can't cioss that bridge. It's supposed to be burned." A shrill rebellious Irish voice cried back: "Ye can go to the divil! We're supposed, to be shwimmin'!"