y horses for a
period of three days.

When on stable detail you arose at 5:45 a. m.; quietly dressed,
without lights, went to the stables and breakfasted the animals. If
you were a speed artist you might get back in time for your own
breakfast.

After breakfast you immediately reported to the stable-sergeant, who
was Anthony Fritzen, of Scranton, Penna. The horses were then led to
the corral and the real stable duties of the day commenced. In leading
the horses through the stable to the corral, the length of your life
was dependant upon your ability to duck the hoofs of the ones
remaining in the stables.

When it came to cleaning the stables, many a "buck" private made a
resolve that in the next war he was going to enlist as a
"mule-skinner." Driving the battery wagon bore the earmarks of being a
job of more dignity than loading the wagon.

Besides cleaning the stables and "graining-up" for the horses, the day
of the stable police was spent in miscellaneous jobs, which Sergeant
Fritzen never ran out of.

The stable detail underwent changes as time wore on. A permanent
stable man was assigned for every stable and the detail was reduced to
three privates.

Stable police was of double import on Saturday mornings, preparatory
to the weekly inspection. Every branch and department of military life
has a variety of inspections to undergo at periodical times. The
inspections keep the boys in khaki on the alert; cleanliness becoming
second nature. Nowhere can a vast body of men live bachelor-like as
soldiers do and maintain the degree of tidiness and general sanitary
healthfulness, as the thorough arm of camp inspection and discipline
maintains in the army.

A daily inspection of barracks was in order at Camp Meade.
Before the boys answered the first drill formation each morning they
did the housework. Everything had to be left spick and span. There was
a specific place for everything and everything had to be kept in its
place.

With mops and brooms and plenty of water the barracks were given a
good scrubbing on Friday afternoons and things put in shape for the
Saturday morning inspection. Besides the cleanup features a display of
toilet articles and wearing apparel had to be made. When the
inspectors made their tour each bunk had to show a clean towel, tooth
brush, soap, comb, pair of socks, and suit of underwear. The articles
had to be displayed on the bunk in a specific manner.

"Show-Down" inspections were a bi