Red Bank High School - Log Yearbook (Red Bank, NJ)

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FOOTBALL TEAM—1922 FOOTBALL SQUAD—1922

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THE ROUND TABLE 9 audience who had known him in pre- war days were satisfied that he had lost none of his old time magic as he walked back and forth on the stage and conversed with voices in the air. But our istory does not deal with Jean Nole’. It deals with John Nelson, ex- army sapper and outpost man who, after all, is really no one other than Jean Nole’ himself. It was just such a night four years ago when, after an unusually brilliant exhibition of his genius, Nole’ had walked out of the theater, gone to a recruiting station, signed up as John Nelson and the next day had lost himself in a training camp. Several months later. Nelson is again heard of, but this time he is in a shell hole outpost somewhere in Flanders just beyond the American’s barbed wire entanglements. It is night but by the light of an occasional flare we see that Nelson is not the immaculate Jean Nole of yesterwnonth, for his uniform is faded with many washings and for the most part covered with “Flanders Mud.” The night is dark with not one single star in the heavens. As the hours pass the flares light up the sky less often until finally darkness reigns for fifteen minutes or more at a time. Suddenly we see Nelson straighten up! He strains his eyes and ears! Does he hear something or is his imagination playing tricks on him again Finally, off to the right, he sees figures moving and now and then he hears a subdued voice. He discovers that the figures are enemy scouts sent ahead to cut the barbed wire so that their men can easily penetrate to the first line without a heavy preliminary barrage. John watches silently for several minutes when suddenly he has an inspiration! In a very guarded voice he calls out. ‘‘Machine gun nest, number one!”; and off a few yards to the right, seem- ingly an answering voice returns, ‘‘Ma- chine gun nest number one on guard, sir, and anxious as H— to fire at those d— Bosches out there.” This last, lower than the first, but still loud enough to be heard by the Germans. As soon as nest number one has re- ported, other nests report, some giving a simple report, others like the first chafing at the authority which makes them withhold their fire. The Germans are so very much alarmed at finding themselves at such close range to enemy machine guns that' they quickly retire. More surprised than they, however, are the guards on duty in the trenches, for the guards know that no nests are out there. When John comes off duty, he is immediately surrounded by his com- rades who demand to know who was reporting from places where no men were stationed. Then Nelson explains to them that he had only resorted to his old profession for the moment to give the Germans a little scare. Apparently the ruse was even more effective than intended for the Germans were exceedingly careful to leave that particular stretch of trench very much alone for some time. J. M. K.. Jr., 23. -------o------ AN UNREGRETTABLE ADVENTURE —‘‘Now get a good story!” With this parting admonition from his chief, David Smith, Cub reporter for the Exeter Gazette, rushed out of the office. The object of his breathless haste was the news, that had quickly passed through the town, of two inmates, “lif- ers,” of the nearby State prison having