Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12, 1927 — page 15: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THUNDERING DAWNS. 9 whose Celtic ancestors stormed the British lines at forgotten Fontenoy. There were men whose forefathers had drawn a long- bow at Hastings, and held the squares at Waterloo. There were men of every blood and clime, as there had been men of every race and breed that followed the cross, in the far-off Crusading days, to the plains of Palestine. They sweated through their drills in the open spaces of Central Park, fired their rifles at the targets in the basement of the armory, stumbled through their “ school of the soldier” in the stifling disorder of the armory floor, practiced their manual of arms until rifles became heavy as lead, and between times chanted their doggerel battle-song: “The Yanks are coming, the Yanks are com- ing, The drums are drumming Over there!” What they lacked in voice-culture they made up for in sincerity and volume. They were as yet a raw product, unrefined by the fires of war, and might have deserved the appellation-of “‘ armed mob ” once so glib- ly voiced by a great German general in ref- erence to the armies of the American Civil War. It was an armed mob that was later to break the Hindenburg Line. Stewart joined the “ awkward squad ” alongside Marisinio ef a/, but after an hour’s drill was pulled out of it by Jen- nings. “ No use wasting time with you on rook- ie drill,’ he said. “ You seem to know your book.” “T had a little training before,” Stewart admitted. ‘‘ Some years ago.” “ Thought so. You’ve got the set-up of a soldier anyway, and that’s half the game.” He appraised the broad shoulders, and nar- row waist. ‘ Ever do any boxing?” “Just played around with the gloves once in awhile at college. I’m no Jack Johnson by a long shot.” “ Well, you might try your hand later on if you like at the regimental bouts. Better trot along now and draw a rifle. You'll be drillin’ with the rest of the company after this in the park afternoons.” en a a ee RiGee oe Q Se a Pe a ‘“T'll like that better, . guess,” Stewart surmised. Jennings grinned. “Don’t kid yourself. Old Celluloid Jim has ideas of his own on close-order. He’ll run you ragged like he does the rest of us.” During the first couple of times on Cen- tral Park’s broad acres, Stewart felt as rag- ged as Jennings predicted. Celluloid Jim Donovan was a builder of soldiers, and the first rule in his book was to build up a physique suitable to the demands of an ac- tive campaign. There was no place for weaklings in his company. Tireless himself, he exacted the utmost from his pupils, and if he was a father to his men off duty, he was also a strict drill- master in working hours. “In the last analysis,” he maintained, “battles are decided by the infantryman with rifie and bayonet, and they always have been since the time of the Roman foot soldier with his sword and spear. Artillery and cavalry, and all the rest, only help out. It’s up to the man on foot, individually; and the infantryman depends on_his physique to carry him through without cracking.” “ Hell!” grumbled Finneran, wiping the perspiration from his forehead. ‘ We ain’t no blamed Romans—except maybe Mar- schino, or whatever his name is—an’ if that guy’s a gladiator I’ll eat his whole banana stand. Celluloid Jim’s a right guy, but he’s got the wrong dope on this busi- ness. We’re trainin’ to shoot the Dutch- men, not play football wid them.” But they kept right at it, Captain Jim on their heels all the time—skirmish order, deploying at double time, assembling on the run, back and forth across the open mead- ows, with the sun getting warmer day by day. After a week at this, Stewart began to feel the improvement and look the better for the advantage of the present mode of life over the years of confinement. His skin lost the unhealthy pallor and began to take on the tan coat appropriate to his size and weight. At twenty-five one still has room for growth in red blood and muscle. Fresh air and exercise, healthful food, and a healthy = ‘ a — » ee vy 7 le ee = aS = 4 < Sues SaaS ee ee : oe ae ee ae = t 0, Re ‘ \ Oo) nal icel| exexe) oA AGF) FLY. me . ee ea — = eT eon ee