Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 215, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 September 1916 — HAS FUN JUST LIKE GUARDSMEN [ARTICLE]

HAS FUN JUST LIKE GUARDSMEN

Rafferty’s Commander Says He Will Have to Make Example of Him. PRIVATE GETS GREAT IDEA Sergeant Finds Him Bombarding Juarez All Alone—Story Stops Reports of Skirmishes with Snipers by Militiamen. El Paso, Tex.—During one very brisk week after the Guardsmen had become accustomed to the border climate, there were endless reports of skirmishes across the Rio Grande with Mexican snipers. Volley after volley of perfectly cood ammunition was sent whistling into Carranzista territory, it was something to write home about, but eventually it wore on the nerves of the regulars. The regular officers complained about their sleep being broken and merely smiled when asked lor official reports of the skirmishing. The regular enlisted men took it in a different mood. The regular soldier .has peculiar views of the militia, anyway. In the end — Well, Private Rafferty’s commanding officer says he’ll have to make an example of Private Rafferty. Private Rafferty, in the guardhouse, sheepishly pleads guilty, but points to extenuating circumstances. Keep Eye on Rafferty. Private Rafferty is one of the best soldiers in his regiment. Occasionally on a pay day he will go a bit wide. At such times the sergeant he reveres and reviles keeps a sharp eye" on Rafferty. This time the sergeant’s keen eye was otherwise engaged. He had been ordered to teach a squad of militiamen the intricacies of the aVmy rifle. So Private Rafferty was unwatched. He had a gloomy little time of it by himself in an out-pf-the-way cantina. Anyone who knew Private Rafferty would have known tlftit he was possessed of a despondent mood. But no one who knew him saw him. That evening Private Rafferty went back to camp with the light of an original, 'idea in. his eye. That was characteristic of him after a “mood.” Nd one saw him as he' left camp just after dark. If they had, he would not have left. There would, at least, have been some comment on his peculiar equipment. Private Rafferty Was accoutred with seven bandoliers, crammed with cartridges. Under each arm was tucked a rifle. An hour later came the brisk sound of rifle fire, vaguely from the direction of a bridge overlookingj.uarez a quarter of a mile away. An hour later, also, excited Carranzista officers were telephoning Geperal Bell’s headquarers in El Paso and asking if war had started. This report, incidentally, has been quietly smothered. The commanding officer of the camp near the bridge hastily sunfinoned his most trusted sergeant. “For heaven’s sake, find out what that shooting is!” he ordered. “I suppose it’s those qualified- militiamen playing soldier again.” Wanted Some Fun, Too. The sergeant started for the sound of the firing. It was going quite briskly as he reached the bridge. On the ground lay an Intent figure with seven bandoliers at his side. One was empty. One rifle was engaged in potting at the lights of Juarez. The other -lay handily by the side of the marksman.' “What the —?” demanded the sergeant. “Rafferty, you blinkety blank dash, what’s the matter with you?” Rafferty ceased firing and started to arise. Then he flung himself on the

ground and began sobbing violently. The sergeant casually confiscated the two rifles, pocketed the telltale shells and gazed in wonder at the weeping soldier. “You’ll be court-martialed for this!” he said. “Why bombard Juarez? What’s the idea, you drunken loafer!" Private Rafferty raised a tear-stained face. “I don’t care,” he wept. “I wanted to have some fun, tpo. They let those militiamen —dag-gun those patriotic citizens —shoot all they want to and I guess I want to have some fun, too.” Pretty soon Rafferty will have completed his punishment and he’ll he a good soldier again until he has another idea. Meanwhile, the story has drifted around to the militia camps and there have been no further reports of skirmishes with snipers.