The Gas Attack - O'Ryan's Roughnecks

j K. of C.News |
JAMES K. HACKETT VISITS K. OF 0.
James K. Hackett, the well known
actormanager,
paid his expected visit to the
Wads worth Knights last week, and the results
of the visit exceeded the most sanguine
expectations.'"
Not only was the usual capacity crowd
present, but the new stage and the outdoor
theatre received a real baptism of fire.
Generally when the hall is filled that ends
it; or it used to under the old regime, but
that night there were men standing on the
outdoor stage peeking and peering through
the windows striving with might and main
to get an inkling of what was going on, (or
as some one less careful of English might
say, coming off) on brightly lighted inside.
There were men on the porches like the
water of which the ancient Mariner so
feelingly speaks, and Mr. Hackett appreciated
it.
Responding to an outburst as he walked
forward after the introduction by Mr. Sexton,
general secretary, he remarked, "Well,
boys, that's a pretty nice greeting," and indeed
it was. After a few friendly remarks
he got down to real business and explained
the purpose of his appointment as Director
General of Dramatic and Musical Activities
under the auspices of the Knights of Columbus
in all the camps here and abroad. He
told of his visits to the other camps along
the Eastern coast and spoke of the success
which had attended his visit to Camp Upton,
and as a sort of encourager he noted
that the spirit and pep at Wadsworth were
.greater and the esprit de corp stronger
than at any other camp. Finally he called
for volunteers with dramatic or musical experience
and seventeen men responded.
And this on the night that the dress rehearsal
for the divisional show "You know
me, Al" was being held in Spartanburg.
He had brought, he told the men, quite a
number of one and two act comedies and
farces and these he wished the men to
read, discuss and select from. The volunteers
are to meet Secretary Sexton and organize
as many dramatic clubs as possible,
choosing men from each branch, or from
each regiment if there be enough, as charter
members. Each club will start on its
plays and produce them on one of the K-C
stages. It is hoped that the best of the
productions can be sent to New York and
the plays given there. From the proceeds
of the entertainments it is purposed to establish
a fund to maintain similar work in
France which will also be under Mr. Hackett's
direction.
There was another side to the evening
that came later. The 53d Pioneer Band led
by Jack Tresize had been furnishing the
music and suddenly Jack, who was presiding
at the Pie Anna started on a. snappy
Jig and in acknowledgment of the insistent
GAS ATTACK 21
yells from the boys Mr. Hackett responded
with a buck and wing that surprised the
oldest of the stagers. After that he sang
one of his own songs and then to meet the
insatiable demands the boys made him recite
Kipling's Mother o' Mine in a way that
won approval from every one.
After a while he began to feel that some
one should do a bit toward entertaining him
and so Private Oberbird of the 108th Infantry,
Co. H, came up and sang two songs,
Mother Machree and The Little Gray Home
in the West. If he is willing, Overbird will
be a feature of the K-C shows in the future.
Then Nick Furiati played one of his
enjoyable cornet solos and dependable Jack
Tresize played a piano solo, and after that
one on his trombone. The trombone came
as an afterthought. The 47th has been
getting inoculated and poor Jack having
gotten his shot in the arm feared for the
false notes that might be struck and "dast"
not trust to the piano alone, but his fears
were groundless, for both of his pieces were
splendidly executed.
A NEW SONG- LEADER DISCOVERED.
K-C ran right into one of those gems of
purest ray serene the night Mr. Hackett
spoke in their hall. It happened like this.
Of a sudden came the dull note of dark
despair. There was no song leader. What
to do. There was no answer. Then like a
bolt from the blue, straight to the breach
he rushed. Dashing on the stage, dismounting
rapidly and throwing his courser's rein
to the waiting orderly came Jimmy. It was
no other than J. J. Carter, J-R- late of Boston,
Albany and points North. Stepping to
the footlights with one graceful gesture and
a sweep of his hand he had silence and then
swiftly, but not silently rushed into the
swing of pack up your troubles. After a
while a dispute arose between the two
sides of the house as to which could sing
better or maybe it was louder—or longer.
To settle it Jimmy directed one side to
start on Over There. In the midst of a
mighty shout he ordered the other to start
Packing Up Their Troubles, and goodness
knows they felt they had enough, so off they
started. Milton called a similar occasion
"confusion worse confounded" but this was
something the editor would not let even
Milton call it, much less me. The boys
enjoyed it though and the singing, judged
from the standpoint of swing and pep was
better than anything that K-C has seen
these many moons. It was a grand and
glorious success. Thanks, James.
BLACKSTOCK ROAD ADORNED.
It is up. And under roof. And ready for
OCCUPANCY the new K-C building is what
the allies call a F'ait Accompli. Who will
be in charge is as yet (as this is written),
undetermined, but that, as Ashley would
say, is a mere detail. Far be it from us to
gild the lily or paint the rose or any other
such impracticable and hypothetical thing,
but when it comes to brightening up the
ATHLETIC
ACTIVITIES.
K-C has laid in a full supply of bats, balls,
gloves, volley balls, quoits and general athletic
paraphernalia, and now that Spring
has stopped being at the doors and has
actually come in for a little visit any one
who longs for any kind of out door games
and lacks the means can drop in and ask
the man at the desk and have his wishes
gratified. The drill fields on all sides furnish
ample space at all times, and with a
volley ball going no one can well be left
out. The more the many-ier, so come every
one, an,d remember the big signs on the end
walls.
NEW PICTURES FOR K. OF C.
Arrangements are well under way for a
new series of pictures to be shown on the
Hilltop, in addition to those which have
been furnished through the generosity of
Gov. Whitman and many other friends at
home. The Washington offices are co-operating
with a number of large film service
agencies and with the motion picture companies
direct, and before long the new pictures
will be coming . with the same regularity
as of . yore. Archaic language we
freely admit, but get down a good bet the
pictures are in a different class. Right up
to the minute in every detail. And a new
machine to show them with. Therefore,
twenty-secondly and in conclusion watch
the bulletin and when K-C starts the pictures
start coming. It's better to come than
to wish you had. Don't wish it. Come.
ARE YOU FROM 5TH ASSEMBLY DIS­
TRICT, NEW
YORK?
Request is made for the names and city
addresses, also company and regiment numbers,
of all • men who come from the Fifth
Assembly District, New York City.
Deputy F'ire Commissioner Chas. W. Culkin
will visit the camp about April 5th-18th
and would like to have the names as above.
Kindly send same to
JAMES L. BIRD,
Supply Co., 107th Infantry.
THE SURGEON'S ORDER.
"The surgeon of the regiment was both
professional and military in the order he
gave the men when he wanted to vaccinate
them."
"What was his order?"
" 'Present arms.' "—Baltimore American.
particular corner where we are decorating
or ornamenting the South Carolina. landscape,—well
that's us all over. Go down
by the artillery camp, beyond the Hostess
House just across from the old farm house
and have a look.
One long, lingering, langorous
look. That, mes amis, that is the
K-C Hall No. 2 and EVERYBODY WEL­
COME, from Reveille to Taps, and the other
way too for the matter of that—IF you have
a
pass.