YOUNG DALY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 169, 6 April 1918, Page 14

YOUNG DALY

AN AMERICAN SOLDIER IN FRANCE

(By Patrick Mac Gill.)

"I've just had a letter from a schoolboy friend from whom I haven't heard for twenty years," said Major ft ——j' sitting back in his chair and looking at the two other occupants of the loom, C , t-ho medical officer, and Captain L——, the adjutant. The place was a little French village up near the firing-line; an American battalion was quartered there, and Major .11 was the officer in command of the battalion. The hour was eight o'clock in the evening, and dinner was over. "This man who Ims written to me Mvas at the same school as myself, fid we were great friends," said the Major. "He was a splendid boy, ii.i.ni and lionest, and one that you could trust with your very life. Yve, the both of us, were ready to dare anything, and it was pure dogged lurk that saved us from getting done in oil many an occasion. I mind onto wo fell foul of some German youngsters and wo knocked them about a hit. You know the kind of German:;: 1 In a straight fight they've nowhere, but if'they happen to be a. crowd find you alone then you've got to look out. They found us alone one night, a dozen of them who wore arme<l with : sticks. It was in a New York city, side street, and they began to knock us about quite a bit. Jly friend, his name was Daly, was hit square across the head with a pole, -and ho went down to tho asphalt like a bullock. My job ,was cut right out to keep him from getting pounded to jelly. By the timo a policeman came round to our assistance Daly was recovering a little and 1 was losing consciousness. 'But it was great sport all tho same. When we left school I joined the Army and Daly went out of my life. Now ho crops up again, asking me to look after his son who is in this regiment. Young ' Daly—l haven't seen him yet—is a youngster of eighteen, who in some way or another has managed to get taken "into the Army." "There are . quite a 'number of soldiers with ns hero who- are not yet nineteen," said Captain L . "And they are as keen as mustard for the trenches." As this moment a rap was heard at the door, and a sergeant looked in. "Daly, sir," he said, addressing tho Major. "Show him in." Daly came into the room, a tall, clean-cut youngster, trim and handsome. He stood in front of -the Major and saluted. "Your name's Daly?", asked the Major. "Yes, sir." "Your age is eighteen?" "Twenty, , sir." "That tale , may have served a purpose once, but it won't do it twice," said the Major, sternly. "You are liable to court-martial, you know, for . entering the Army under false pretences. But a's'you are such a youngster I will be easy on you. From now on you are to work in Headquarters here, wash dishes, clean .boots, sweep, floors, and do whatever you are ordered to do, .You understand?" "Yes, sir." "Go back to your shack now. and get your traps together, and be readv to start your duties to-morrow morning." As Daly, junior, went out Major — drew from his pocket the letter which he had received that morning from Daly, senior. "It's addressed to the officer in charge of the battalion," said the Major with a. smile. "When 1 reply old Daly will be surprised to find that one of his schoolmates is in command of his son's regiment." The new orderly was quite a willing 1 worker, and performed his duties faithfully. The Major was quite pleased with the youth, until one morning he happened to overhear a violent altercation between the servants in the kitchen, Daly's voice was louder in the affair than any other voice, and Daly used language that was' not altogether the.language of the drawingroom. The Major opened tho door of the kitchen and looked in. The cook and groom saw the officer and became silent immediately, but Daly, with his back to the door and unaware of the Major's- presence a flight of profane eloquence which' would have made a river-boss green with envy. Suddenly, however, the young firebrand became aware of the strange silence of the other two men. and he turned round and noticed his commanding officer. The Major knew that the moment was one in which linn politeness was necessary. J-Je looked at the cook. "Have you got some brown soap?" he inquired. "Yes, sir." "Bring it along here, ant) also a basin of water," said the Major! "I've heard Djiiy speaking, ana after his How of dirty language his mouth will need a little-rinsing." The soap a:.d water was procured, ana at the Major's command the groom and cook placed Dalv on the ground and washed his mouth with brown soap and water. When the job was completed the Major Loked at the delinquent. "If I ever hear you use such language again, the same rinsing process j will be repeated," he said and left the room. "If ever I get a chance now I'll be even with the Major, you mark my words," said Daly, when the three were left to themselves. i It was night in the trenches a mouth later, a dark, cold night and very quiet. Hardly a rifle shot disturbed the peaceof the sector in which Major R '3 battalion was_ stationed. About midnight tho Major was in a dug-out, sitting over a brazier and reading a New , York- paper which had just come with tiie post. Suddenly he heard the sound : of a bursting bomb, then another. This , was followed , by groans, stamping, and ■ shrieking. The trench outside was in < an uproar. The Major seized his re- 1 volver and rushed to the door, to find I the passage out obstructed by two ' swaying figures locked in a mad em- 1 brace. : "You'll only get in here over my j body," oue of the men exclaimed. Tho , voice was Daly's,, and the other man | was a German. A' party of the enemy had-crept over silently in the dark- : ness with, tho intention of raiding tho , trench. . Even as the Major got to tho door the two men fell to the ground, Daly on top and the German underneath, both ' rolling over clawing and kicking. They | j were fighting grimly, silently, without 1 arms, and using hand and foot in the < struggle. J "Quit it now, you damned Hincy !' y J Daly suddenly exclaimed as ho grip- l ped the German's throat. "If you don't f I'll pull your throat out of you." J At this point Major R knelfc down 1 and pressed the muzzle of his revolver 1 against the German's forehead. The ' man looked up, saw tho officer, and 1 made an effort to hold up both hands ; as a sign of surrender. 'Kaineradl" ' he gurgled. "Mercy! Kaineradl" , "The kiolfs loft him, Daly," said the j Major. ".Tust pull him into the dug- & out and keep him there till I come back." With these words tho Major rushed olfluong the trench to.see how matters wero progressing. Ten minutes later he came back. "They're all chased out of it, Daly," 1

lie said, fixing his glance on the young soldier, then on the German prisoner, vrho was sitting on the floor rubbing a throat that was red and ran-. "You've saved my ITi'e. If you hadn't been there at the moment I should have had a bomb flung in on me, and then you would have had no officer to wash your mouth with brown soap and water." "I deserved all that," said Daly with a shame-faced look. "I had a letter from my father to-day,'and he tells me that you saved ljis life at one time, sir. So I saw that—that —" The boy stammered and was unable to finish his sentence. "You smoke, Daly?" said the officer, pulling a cigarette case from his pocket. "Have one of these, and then if you feel fit you can take this prisoner down to the rear as soon as you are ready."