£tol. W/NKLE _ A
Z&. GOES TO WAR W
PRATT W.N.U. RELEASE •
THB STOUT Tlll'S KAR: Forty-four
yaar-old Wilbert Winkle, who operates a
repair shop In the bark ol his home. Is
fwtified by his draft board that he Is In
M. He breaks Uie bad news to his
Imlneerlii wife. Amy, who Is quite
perturbed. On arriving at camp Mr.
Winkle Is Riven his physical, and to
Ms great surprise and dismay, is accept
ed tor the army. He takes the oath of
enlistment and gets so many "shots"
be cannot remember Just what they all
*e for. He Is sent to Camp Squibb, a
thousand miles from home, where he
meets Mr. Tinker, a man of his own
ace. Mr. Winkle gets KP and some
bayonet-practice, In which he docs not do
ut well.
CHAPTER VIII
Once more Mr. Winkle fired the
machine gun. By moving it about
sufficiently he managed to send sev
eral bullets where they were sup
posed to go. He clung to the trig
ger desperately, hoping to do well,
if only by accident.
The Sergeant had to yell for him
to stop. "Pop," the Alphabet told
him fondly, "if it was anybody ex
cept you, I'd know he was gold
bricking. In that case I'd make him
into the best machine-gunner on the
range. But I guess you and any
kind of a gun ain't the kind to make
friends. You got to learn some
*nore, but you'll never learn much.
Be clan# to the trigger desperate
ly, hoping to do well, if only by
accident.
AU right, Private Tindall, let's see
what the master mind can do."
Freddie sat nonchalantly at the
gun. It was the first time he had
followed an order with any kind of
jrrace. He looked around. The Lieu-
Umant was far down the line.
"You see that target?" Freddie
asked Sergeant Czeideskrowski.
"That's you."
"Shoot the gun instead of your
mouth," Jack advised.
Freddie glared at him.
Freddie took his time at the gun.
F'inally he fired. Delicately he han
dled the bouncing death. He sliced
the up and down marks on the tar
get. He sliced those running across.
He cut to ribbons those marked on a
slant.
When he was through he asked
triumphantly of the Sergeant, "How
do you like yourself now?"
The Alphabet regarded the target
with regretful admiration. "If there
wa3 somebody else than a rat who
did that," he observed, "it would be
One-A nice and I would send him a
gold-engraved invitation to join the
machine-gun crew I think the Lieu
tenant's going to let me make up."
The first Mr. Winkle knew of it
was the sound of loud voices coming
from the rear of the barracks. Run
ning out with other men, he discov
ered that Jack hadn't waited to get
Freddie away from camp.
When Mr. Winkle rushed forward
to stop it, he was caught and held
by one of the huge arms of Mr. Tink
er, who advised fiercely, "Let'm
alone."
The battle was progressing on
pretty much of an even basis by
the time the Alphabet arrived on the
scene. Afterward, Freddie claimed
that he was swinging at Jack when
he hit the Sergeant. Jack recounted
the same tale when one of his blows
caught the Alphabet instead, and
in his case he was sincere but not
appreciated by the higher authori
ties.
As they were led off to the Lieu
tenant by Sergeant Czeideskrowski,
Jack called to Mr. Winkle, "Please
don't—"
"I won't," promised Mr. Winkle.
He didn't even write home about
the incident when both the warriors
were given terms in the stockade.
Mr. Winkle was ordered to report
to the orderly room. Wondering
what serious breach of military eti
quette he had committed, he de
parted to the accompaniment of en
couraging remarks from his com
rades.
"It was nice knowing you, Pop."
"When you get to England, drop
as a card."
The Lieutenant leaned back in his
chair behind his desk and regarded
him. "Getting along all right?" he
asked.
THE DANBUUY REPORTER, DANBURY, N. C.. TIMRSDAY. DECEMBER 21. 1911
"Yes, sir—that is, I hope so, sir."
"We're satisfied with you in most
respects, if that's what yqu mean.
Like the Army?"
"I like it, sir." Mr. Winkle knew
this to be the stock answer to the
question.
The Lieutenant seemed to know
it, too, and to want a little more in
formation, for he rephrased the
question. "Happy in it?"
Mr. Winkle hesitated.
"Answer just the way you feel,"
the Lieutenant instructed.
"Well, I can't say I'm happy, sir.
I'm not exactly a fighter, that is,
with my fists, so to speak. And be
ing away from my wife and . . ."
"Your regular work? You miss
that?"
"Yes, sir. But I recognize why
I'm here."
"You know the new regulations
that went into effect the other day
You're over thirty-eight and can get
a discharge if you go into a war in
dustry. Why haven't you applied?"
Amy had written that she would
leave it up to him, and that she
would be proud of him no matter
what he decided. As yet he hadn't
given her a formal answer. Now he
prepared it.
"I'd like to stay in the Army,"
he heard himself telling the Lieuten
ant. "If you want me."
The Lieutenant glanced at him
once, with approval. "I'm going to
ask you one more question, Winkle.
Think it over before you answer.
Are you afraid?"
"Don't be ashamed of it," the
Lieutenant advised. He smiled. "If
you'd told me you weren't afraid,
I would have known you weren't
speaking the truth. And I don't
mean you alone, but all the men in
cluding myself. It's a normal thing,
like being nervous before making a
speech. Usually you make a better
speech because you're nervous. It's
the same way with fighting. Fear
makes you more aware, keener,
alert—a better fighter. No soldier
has ever gone into battle without
being afraid—if he has, there was
something the matter with him."
"Don't connect my lecture," the
Lieutenant went on, "with the fact
that I'm recommending you for the
Motor Mechanics School. I simply
feel that's where you belong, by pre
vious experience, and at your age.
And you may have to fight there, or
be so close to it that it's virtually
the same thing. That's all, and
good luck to you."
It was a moment before Mr. Win
kle could scramble to his feet and
salute. "Good luck to you, sir—
that is, thank you, sir."
Mr. Winkle felt that the Army had
something of a soul after all. While
he didn't exactly walk on air, which
was impossible, anyway, being an
Army mechanic was work he would
like better than marching or shoot
ing. At least it found a round hole
for him to fit in more comfortably
than the one he now occupied.
Mr. Tinker, on the other hand,
when the reclassification notices
were posted on the bulletin board
and his name was listed with that of
Mr. Winkle, was not pleased.
"Me!" he complained. "I ain't
in the Army to be any nursemaid to
a jeep. It ain't right! It ain't right
for a minute!"
"You better write to the Secretary
of War about it," advised one of his
squad who was remaining an infan
tryman. "You just write to him
and he'll fix it up for you."
The Messrs. Winkle and Tinker
moved in new circles.
They changed to barracks at one
of the far ends of Camp Squihb, so
many miles away that it n.ight have
been a different world. Their asso
ciates were all mechanically inclined
individuals. These spoke their lan
guage better than had their previous
companions, and over them all was
a slightly technical aura.
Their olllce during business hour 3
was a large, hangar-like building.
Two lines of engines, mounted on
high wooden frames, were placed
down its length. On these they
worked, in select groups of four,
with a Technical Corporal over each
quartet, and a supervising Captain
miraculously clad in coveralls like
their own.
Mr. Winkle, who could repair any
thing, here really learned about
Army regulations, which presumed
that he knew nothing about a com
bustion engine. They also held that
there was only one way to do a
specified jo*\ Army way, and
that anything else might as well
not exist.
"We will now," lectured his Cor
poral instructor, "locate the trouble
in this engine, which won't run." To
illustrate, he turned on the ignition
and pressed the starter with his
hand. The motor turned over, but
refused to start. The Corporal looked
about at his four men, peering at
their nameplates. "Winkle, you
take it."
Mr. Winkle, who had been regard
ing the engine idly, had already no
ticed the trouble. "Why," he said,
"the carburetor's out of adjust
ment."
He swiped briefly but expertly at
the carburetor with his screw driv
er, snapped on the ignition, pressed
the starter, and the motor roared.
The Corporal, looking apoplectic,
gestured wildly for him to shut it
off.
Mr. Winkle obeyed.
Indignantly, the Corporal put the
carburetor out of adjustment again
i and then addressed Mr. Winkle se
verely, a good dta! put out that this
little ruse had been discovered so
easily.
"Look," he ecid, "here we work
up to be Thomas A. Edison slow
like. Starting from the ground. I
think you heard the Captain men
tion something about procedure
sheets. You got yours?"
Mr. Winkle held it up.
"What's it say you do?"
" 'First,'" Mr. Winkle read,
" 'crank engine by starter; if en
gine fires but motor won't run, pour
gas in the carburetor.' "
"Now you got the idea," the Cor
poral ordered.
Mr. Winkle cranked the engine,
which fired but didn't run. He took
up a can and poured gasoline in the
carburetor and tried again. The en
gine ran for a moment and then
spluttered to a stop.
Mr. Winkle glanced longingly at
the carburetor adjustment and then
consulted his procedure sheet once
more.
He learned he now knew that the
seat of the trouble was the fuel
system. He checked the gas sup
ply, the lines and the connections.
Finally he came, according to pro
cedure, to the carburetor. He swiped
with his screw driver again, and
this time, when he pushed the start
er, Army procedure was triumphant.
When he shut off the engine, he
stood back with a puzzled expression
on his face. "Can I ask a question,
Corporal?"
"Something you don't under
stand?"
"Well," proposed Mr. Winkle,
"supposing I'm out in a stalled truck
with the enemy after me. Do I go
through the procedure and get cap
tured, nf do I adjust the carburetor
and escape?"
He knew by now it was heresy to
make such inquiries, but the answer
to this one worried him genuinely.
The Corporal regarded him with
eringly. "Maybe your skin will tell
you that if you think it's worth sav
ing."
• • •
Mr. Winkle and his friend, Mr.
Tinker, were in town to celebrate
their completing the Motor Mechan
ics course and having received their
certificates of graduation.
They stood outside the bar Mr.
Tinker patronized. Mr. Winkle was
about to be on his way down the
street alone, as usual, leaving Mr.
Tinker to the attractions within. Mr.
Tinker had been wishing that he
I'
"Getting along all right?" hi
asked.
would join him this time, "How
about It?" he inquired.
"No," Mr. Winkle replied judi
ciously, "I don't think so."
"I know you're married and all,
but that ain't any reason you can't
enjoy yourself."
Mr. Winkle shook his head.
"I ain't trying to get you to do
anything you don't want to do," ar
gued Mr. Tinker.
While they stood discussing it, with
Mr. Tinker making most of the com
ments, they saw two soldiers com
ing along the street. One was Jack,
but they couldn't believe their eyes
at first when they recognized the
other.
They hadn't seen Jack or Freddie
since the fight. Incredible rumors,
which they refused to accept, had
reached them that Freddie had final
ly been broken into small pieces and
was being put together again in an
other form.
Now the soldier cn Jack's arm
stood straight. He was confident,
but not arrogant. And no mustache
blackened his upper lip, which was
shaven clean.
Mr. Tinker was the first to spealc.
to Freddie. "That ain't you, Tin>
dall."
Mr. Winkle stared, perplexed,
from one to the other of the youn#
men. "It can't be," he said.
Jack laughed. "Sure it is. He's
an Army lug now." He nudged Fred
die. "Go on, yardbird, speak your
piece."
Freddie had been standing with
his face slightly flushed, making ns
comment. Now he looked sheepish
! for an instant before he said "I
guess I owe you an apology, Ml,
Winkle."
, (TO BE CONTINUED)
IMPROVED
UNIFORM INTEItNATIONAI
SUNDAY I
CHOOL Lesson
By HAROLD L. LUNDQUIST. D. D.
Of The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.
Released by Western Newspaper Union.
Lesson for December 24
Lesson subjects and Scripture texts «e
--fected and copyrighted by International !
Council of Religious Education; used by
permission.
THE GROUND OF UNIVERSAL
JOY
LESSON TEXT—Luke 2:8-12; Hebrews 1:1-
4: I John 1:1-4.
GOLDEN TEXT—Behold. I bring you Rood
tidings of great joy. which shall be to aU
the people.—Luke 2:10.
What would you like for Christ
mas? Could anything be better than
to find for your heart and mind that
spiritual safety, certainty, and joy
which transforms life? Well, that is
exactly what Jesus came to bring
mankind. It was the first Christinas
gift, and it is the best gift this year
too.
I. Safety (Luke 2:8-12).
Men need deliverance from tt.elr
sin. They needed it when Christ
came. They need it today. Ti.ey
must have a safe refuge, one in
which they may rest secure.
All the efforts of this world to
meet man's need are vain. As Jo
seph Parker put it: "The world did
not want an adviser. The world had
advised itself almost into hell. The
world did not ask for a specu
lator. Everything that man could
do had been done, and men sat in
the darkness of their own wisdom.
The world did not want a reformer,
a man who could change his out
ward and transient relations, an en
gineer that would continually de
vote his time to the readjustment of
the wheels and the pulleys and the
various mechanical forces of soci
ety. The world wanted a saviour."
Jesus came as Saviour. The good
tidings revealed to the faithful shep
herds were to be "of great joy to
all people" because they presented
the One who could bring them re
demption from sin.
That revelation is ready to be
made again this Christmas, and as
it came to the shepherds at their
work in the field, so it may come
to you on the battlefield, in camp, in
the air, under the sea, in the kitchen,
the factory—yes, anywhere. We
rightly go to our churches to wor
ship on Christmas Day, but let us
remember that Christ is every
where, seeking each one yes,
knocking at your door. Will you let
Him in? Then you will have Christ,
inas indeed!
11. Certainty (Heb. 1:1-4).
God has spoken through the cen
turies in the messages of many faith
ful servants. We do well to give
heed to God's Word through them.
But after all they were only serv
ants. This message of redemption
is so vital and fundamental that God
sent His Son, Himself the Redeemer,
to declare it.
How final, and definite, and bless
ed is that truth. The heir of all the
eternal glories of God the Fatiier,
and Himself the effulgence (or the
flashing forth) of the glory of God,
has spoken God's last word—His
certain word about redemption
from sin.
We all know how full of uncertain
ty tne world is, how our own minds
are distressed by the very uncer
tainty of countless tilings about us.
What a precious gift from God to
realize anew the absolute certainty
we have in Christ. He came to
save, to satisfy, and to keep us.
Note that He has all the needed
authority and power to carry out
His loving purpose (vv. 3, 4). He
who "made purification of sins" for
us to believe, is divine. He has all
power. He is glorious beyond our
ability to describe. He is God. We
can rest in perfect assurance in His
redemption.
111. Enjoyment (I John 1:1-4).
God knew the need of man for
real joy If life was to be pleasant
and profitable. Being a Christian
was never intended to be a somber,
doleful business. No, indeed. "These
things we write," says John, "that
our joy may be made full."
What did he write? By inspira
tion of the Holy Spirit he wrote of
Christ, "the Word of life." He had
seen and known Him, the Redeem
er. He had fine and uplifting fellow
ship with Him, and declares that we
too (as believers) share in that fel
lowship.
One of the bright and gladsome
things about the Christmas season
is our fellowship with our family
and friends. It brightens the whole
holiday season. How much more
delightful is the fact that we have
"fellowship with the Father and with
his Son, Jesus Christ."
That fact really "makes" Christ
mas! Many will be separated from
family and friends this year, but
Christ is there, and they may have
this most precious of all friends with
them. The empty place around the
family table will be filled (if we
wish) by the Lord Himself. Let's
keep Christmas with Him as the un
seen but nonetheless real Guest. In
fact, let us do even more than that,
let us count Him into the intimate
fellowship of our family circle (and
two can make such a circle). That
is what He wants to be—to you and
to me—this Christmas Day, 1944.
May his joy be yours in full
measure. That is the wish of the
writer of these lines, and it goes
from his heart to the very last read
er who may be in the uttermost part
of the earth. A blessed Christmas
to you It
SEWING CIRCLE PATTERNS
To Brighten Winter Wardrobe
Make This Smart Accessory Set
§ Accessory Set
V"OU'LL find many uses for
* clever accessory set. In t
plaid woolen it would be
smart for dark suits or slacks
dressier occasions make it ii
on taffeta. Changes of blouse:
you many different costumes.
Princess Frock • • •
CLATTERING to the youthful PsttwriiNo. MM come, to *ISM U. 1*
r i «»,„ «u;_ 16. 18 and 20. Size 14, wesklt. require* life
and lovely figure, this enchant- yardJ of 35 or ma teriai; hit *m
ing princess frock is wonderfully g iz e medium, 1 yard; bag, one cize.
simple to sew. Make it in checked yard plus % yard for lining and *
taffeta with ric rac to trim, or in »tiffening.
a dark crepe as a basic dress and r— ——■——~
add your favorite jewelry. Jm^u. C weiito ™c"m»
Enclose 25 centi In colni tor each
Pattern No. 8607 comes In sizes 10, 12. pattern desired.
14, 16. 18 and 20. Size 12, short sleeves, pattern No sl **
require* 3 3 i yards of 39-Inch material.
For this pattern aend 25 cents In coins, •••••••
your name, address, size desired and Address
pattern number. *————————————— ——
Sitting on the edge of a mat
tress weakens the edge and causes
it to sag.
—•—
Lay your vacuum cleaner on the
floor and pass your dust mop back
and forth before the opening to
clean the mop.
—• —
Wax ash trays with floor wax
to prevent ashes from sticking to
tray.
— o —
a handful of salt to the
last rinse in cold weather, and the
clothes will not freeze as they
are hung out.
—•
Weights on the barn and shed
doors should be adjusted so that
the doors will close by themselves,
thus avoiding the necessity of stop
ping to set down a couple of pails
or a sack of feed to close the door.
; ANOTHE ;
I A General Quiz |
The Questiona
1. How many signers of the Con
stitution were foreign born?
2. Who kills the bull in a bull
fight, the picador, the matador or
the toreador?
3. What is a lee shore aboard
ship?
4. What American woman fought
for the emancipation of woman's
clothing and the wearing of trou
sers?
5. Can you name one prominent
American statesman who violently
opposed the ratification of the Con
stitution?
The Answers
1. Seven.
2. The matador.
3. The shore upon which the
Wind is blowing.
4. Amalia Jenks Bloomer.
8. Patrick Henry.
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For a glazed appearance on
pies, brush lightly with cream, or
beaten egg and water, before plac
ing in the oven.
—•
When putting a dish directljr m
ice put a Tubber jar ring under
it to prevent the dish from slip
ping off the ice.
—• —
I'se discarded tea leaves te
clean the inside of a flower rase.
Moisten the leaves with vinegar
and let stand in vase overnight.
Next morning apply warm soap
suds to finish the job.
11 j i - v-vy..,. ■ ...»
ifi." K1
On your favorite If. B. C. mtatioa
mvry Saturday morning
11:00 A. M., E.W.T.
WISE WOPI WSOC WFBO
WKPT WPTF WSJ3
10:00 A. M., C. W.T.
wsn WAPO WBOL WSFA
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