ut they'd been lucky. As for him--well, he'd come
here to learn to be an ambulance driver, and he had spent his first week
in the kitchen, peelin' potatoes. Then, when they'd let him off that,
and given him his first pass to go to town, just because he'd been a
little late comin' back they'd jumped on him somethin' fierce. They'd
shoved him on this garbage detail. He'd been on it ever since.

"It's that mucker of a top sergeant, Quigley," says Wilfred. "He's got
it in for me."

Mrs. Stanton Bliss straightens out her chin dimple as she glares after
the garbage truck, which is rollin' away in the distance.

"Has he, indeed!" says she. "We will see about that, then."

"But you must handle him easy, mother," warns Wilfred.

"That person!" snorts mother. "I shall have nothing to do with him
whatever. I mean to get you out of this, Wilfred. I am going straight to
the general."

"Now, mother!" protests Wilfred. "Don't make a scene."

When she was properly stirred up, though, that was mother's long suit.
And she starts right in. Course, I tried to head her off, but it's no
use. As there wasn't a general handy, she had to be satisfied with a
major. Seemed like a mighty busy major, too; but when he heard his
orderly tryin' to shunt the ladies, he gives the signal to let 'em in.
You can bet I didn't follow. Didn't have to, for Mrs. Bliss wasn't doin'
any whisperin' about then.

And she sure made it plain to the major how little she thought of the U.
S. Army, and specially that part of it located at Allentown, Pa. Havin'
got that off her chest, and been listened to patient, she demands that
Wilfred be excused from all his disgustin' duties, and be allowed to go
home with her at once and for good.

The major shakes his head. "Impossible!" says he.

"Then," says Mrs. Stanton Bliss, tossin' her head, "I shall appeal to
the Secretary of War; to the President, if necessary."

The major smiles weary. "You'd best talk to his sergeant," says he. "If
he recommends your son's discharge it may go through."

"That person!" exclaims Mrs. Bliss. "Never! I--I might talk to his
captain."

"Useless, madam," says the major. "See his sergeant; he's the one."

And he signifies polite that the interview is over.

When mother tells sonny the result of this visit to headquarters, he
shrugs his shoulders.

"I knew it would be that way," says he. "They've got me, and I've got to
stand for it. No use askin' Quigley. You might as well go h