Show WORLD WAR VAL L L N S by frank E hagan he faded 30 generals his ability with thedice the once allowed a buck private 0 of the american army to triumph over more than thirty of his generals gene rala gypsy smith the english evangelist was a witness to the incident which establishes tab lishes its truth smith was an aquitania passenger when she sailed from brest in 10 july 1919 so were thirty two american generals a scattering ol of wo women men war workers and several thousand soldiers and satI sailors ors one night all the officers floers of aud and as ninny many enlisted men as could afford to leave leae their dice game attended the regular ships concert resumed after the war the british custom of collecting money for the home for the widows and orphans of british seamen was adhered to gypsy smith was master of ceremonies this widows and orphans home flome the evangelist explained simply to his huge audience of gold braids and enlisted men depends entirely on donations such as yours for its support your generosity will be appreciated deep in the hearts of those you help he paused for contributions after some minutes of silence smith tried again and once more none of the thirty two generals none of their staffs not a doughboy or sailor contributed to the fund smith flushed but his poise remained of course the evangelist drawled in his very english accent 1 I cahnt beg you you know so ill just say goodby the evangelist turned toward the exit but before he reached it a doughboy sprang from his seat A great roll of real american money was clenched in his grimy hand band ue he glanced scornfully at the generals and the remainder of the andl audience heres so methin to start the ball rolling piped the burk buek and he tossed carelessly to the floor of the stage then he be turned and strode swiftly away intent on resuming the dice game in which he was already heavy wirner winner deliverance day for four long years to deliverance day september 13 1918 the cure doyen of st SL alphiel refused to seek tile the shelter of a cellar when allied shells dropped into his occupied city instead tile the plump genial little man whom many amerlean american soldiers met sat smilingly and even joyfully as german officers who were billeted in st mihiel scurried for cover they were welcome missiles these allied shells to tile the little priest ile he broke his tour four year habit of scorning the dangers of shell ire fire only when the city was delivered and the germans who had withdrawn serif sent back their planes to bomb the houses many stories are related of the cures conduct during the trying four years in his study he maintained a collection of shell and shell fragments which had barely missed him little souvenirs of providence he called he was suspected oy by the enemy throughout ghou t the period of occupancy his quarters and his bis papers were searched countless times for ev evidence but with definite results upon only one occasion this was when two french military bicycles abandoned in 1914 were found secreted on church property at the same time church decorations wantonly defaced de faced were recovered by the cure from refuse durar dumps a and replaced in his church he HA promptly wrote upon them an indictment of the vandals for this offense altense the cure doyen was taken across the frontier gruntler to brley for interment but bin they hey kept him there only two and one halt half months until still calm and genial he was returned to st and the flock he had urged TO wait patiently for the far off day of freedom made in germany records of the united states marine maone recruiting service show that it w was as necessary to reject a soldier w with ith a glass eye will who volunteered for enlistment at louisville ky the man was paul gary of anderson ind near chicago flemate ie made ills his application to marine sergeant G 0 wright who turned him film down when it was discovered gary had one eye that was not true blue you know that the loss of an eye would prevent you from being drafted the marine marin e sergeant asked sure I 1 did at least I 1 th thought ought it might replied gary rut buton oil see this g glass I 1 ass eye is the only part of me that was made in germany and I 1 wanted to take it buck back therel there 1 they advised him to mail the eye to germany mi wl 1931 western New newspaper VaDer union |