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what the regular Army instructors taught me； and those three chevrons on my sleeve now insure that he listens。
But the country boy who is sure he knows it all （and sometimes is indeed a good shot） won't listen。
It's a chore to convince him that he is not going to do it his way； he is going to do it the Army way； and he had better learn to like it。
Sometimes these know…it…alreadys get so angry that
？…they want to fight…me； not Huns。 These are usually boys who haven't found out that I also teach unarmed bat。 I've had to acmodate a couple of them； out behind the latrine after retreat。 I won't box them； I have no wish to flatten my big nose against some cow…milking fist。 But the idea of fighting rough…and…tumble； no rules； either makes their eyes glitter…or they decide to shake hands and forget it。 If they go ahead with it； it doesn't last over two seconds as I don't want to get hurt。
？I promised to tell you where and how I learned Ia savate and… jujitsu。 But it's a long story； not too nice in spots； one I should not put into a letter but wait until I have a pass that gives me time enough to visit Kansas City。
But I haven't had anyone offer to fight me for at least three months。 One of the sergeant…instructors told me that he had heard that the recruits call me 〃Death〃 Bronson。 I don't mind as long as it means peace and quiet when
？I'moffduty。 ？？
Camp 1~un's…Town continues to have just two sorts of weather； too hot and dusty； too cold and mud4y。 I hear that the latter is good practice fOr France； the Tommies
？here claim that the worst hazard of this war is the danger of drowning in French mud。 The poilus among us don't really argue it but blame the rain on artillery fire。
Bad as the weather may be in France； everyone wants
524to go there； and the second favorite topic of conversation is 〃When？〃 （No need to tell an old soldier the first。） Rumors of s'hipping out are endless and always wrong。
But I'm beginning to wonder。 Am I going to be stuck here； doing the same things month after month while the war goes on elsewhere？ What will I tell my children someday？ Where did you fight the Big War； Daddy？ Funston； Billy。 What part of France is that； Daddy？ Near Topeka；
？Billy…shut up and eat your oatmeal！
？I would have to change my name。
It gets tiresome telling one bunch after another to stack arms and grab shovels。 We've dug enough trenches in this prairie to reach from here to the moon； and I now know four ways to do it： the French way； the British way； the American way…and the way each new bunch of recruits does it； in which the revetments collapse…and then they want to know what difference it
？makes because General Pershing； once we get there； is going to break this trench…warfare stalemate and get those Huns on the run。
They may be right。 But I have to teach what I'm told to teach。 Till I'm white…haired； maybe。
I am pleased indeed to hear that you are in the Seventh Regiment； I know how much it means to you。 But please don't disparage the Seventh Missouri by calling it the 〃home guards。〃 Unless somebody gets a ham…
第74节
？merlock on Hindenburg pretty soon； you may see a lot of action in this war。
？But truthfully； sir； I hope you do not…and I think Captain Smith would agree with my reasoning。 Someone does have to guard the borne…and I mean a specific
？home on Benton Boulevard。 Brian Junior isn't old enough to be the man of the family…I think Captain Smith would worry if you weren't there。
But I do understand how you feel。 I hear that the only way for a sergeant…instructor to get off this treadmill is to lose his stripes。 Would you feel ashamed of me if I went absent over leave just long enough to get busted back to corporal 。 。 then did something else to lose those chevrons； too？ I feel sure it would get me on the first
？troop train headed east。
You'd better not read that last to the rest of the family。 An 〃Honorary Smith〃 had best find some other way。
525My warmest respects to you and to Mrs。 Smith；
？My loveto all the youngsters；
？Ted Bronson 〃Smith〃
（And most happy to be ？adopted〃）
* * *
〃e in！〃
〃Sir； Sergeant Bronson reports to Captain Smith as or dered！〃 （Pop； I wouldn't have recognized you。 But durned ii you don't look just as you ought to。 Only younger。）
〃At ease； Sergeant。 Close that door。 Then sit down。〃
〃Yes； sir。〃 Lazarus did so； still mystified。 He had not onI） never expected Captain Smith to get in touch with him； but he had refrained from asking for a pass long enough to let him go to Kansas City for two reasons： One； his father might be there that weekend…or； two； his father might not be thert that weekend。 Lazarus was not sure which was worse； h had avoided both。
Now a dog…robber type on a motorcycle with a sidecar had suddenly picked him up with orders to 〃Report to Captain Smith〃…and it was not until he had done so that he knew that this 〃Captain Smith〃 was Captain Brian Smith。
〃Sergeant； my father…in…law has told me quite a bit about you。 And so has my wife。〃
There seemed to be no answer to that； so Lazarus looked sheepish and said nothing。
Captain Smith went on； 〃Oh； e； Sergeant； don't look embarrassed； this is man to man。 My family has 'adopted' you； so to speak； and it meets with my heartiest approval。 In fact it fits in with something the War Department is starting； through the Red Cross and the Y。M。C。A。 and the churches； a program to locate every man in uniform who does not get mail regularly and see to it that he does。 Get a family to 'adopt him for the duration' in other words。 Write to him； remember his birthday； send him little presents。 What do you think of that？〃
〃Sir； it sounds good。 What the Captain's family has done for me has certainly been good for my moral~。〃
〃I'm pleased to hear it。 How would you organize such a program？ Speak up； don't be afraid to express your own ideas。〃
？？（Give me a desk and I'll make a career of it； Pop！） 〃Sir； the problem breaks down into two…No； three parts。 Two of preparation； one of execution。 First； locate the men。 Second；
526at the same time； lo~…ate families willing to help。 Third； bring them together。 The first has to he done by the fist sergeants。〃 （The top kicks 。are going to love this…in a pig's eye。） 〃They pany clerks to check mail against the roster before handing it out。 Uh； this must he speeded up； holding up mail call for any reason is not a good idea。 But checking can't be left to platoon sergeants； they aren't set up for it and would slop it。 It has to be at the point where the mail orderly delivers mail to each pany clerk。〃
Lazarus thought。 〃But to make this work； if the Captain will
？pardon me； the manding General must tell his adjutant to require from elich pany； troop； and battery mander a report of how many pieces of mail each man under his corn…
？mand has received that week。〃 （And a damnable invasion of privacy； and the sort of multiplication of clerical work that bogs down armies！ The bomesick ones have homes and （10 get mail。 The loners don't want letters； they want women and whiskey。 The prairie dog pee they sell for whiskey in this 〃dry〃 state has made a teetotaler of me。） 〃But that should not be separate paper work； Captain； it need only be a column of tally marks on the regular weekly report。 Both pany manders and top sergeants are going to bellyache if it's too time…consuming…and the manding General would receive reports that would be mostly products of pany clerks' imaginations。 The Captain knows that； I feel sure。〃
？Lazarus' father gave the grin that made him look like Teddy Roosevelt。 〃Sergeant； you have iust caused me to revise a letter I'm preparing for the General。 As long as I am assigned to 'Plans & Training' no new program will add to the mountain of paper work if I can help it。 I have been trying to sweat this one down to size； and you've shown me a