Verhovayak Lapja, 1944 (27. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)
1944 / Verhovay Journal
Verhovay Journal ohnnie has arrived,. And h him others, hundreds l thousands of them, lily the big steamer ned on unto the pier ite busy stretcher-bearers ried one wounded soldier er the other to the adling tracks. There they e put down ... in four it rows . . . there they lay 'ting to be carried on the in that puffed impantly, ready to start. Nurand Red Cross workers 'ked along the stretcher es. They stopped and ked to the soldiers. There s a deep softness on ry face, while the weary unded of the great inion looked around in the / station. ’ohnnie did not feel much n. They gave him a shot ore he teas carried out.... slight burning in his tured leg .. . a little obbing in his side was all, felt. Not much to comin about. Thankfully he oked the cigarette a nurse i lighted for him, and his ing face returned her He. She went on, and he ked at the train. It was a e, new train. The first lerican train he had seen two years. The throbg of the engine had a mge familiar sound . . . if it would have said . . . elcome home ... wel>ie home . . . welcome ne ...” Tears flooded his eyes and althily he wiped them off. ange, how soft a fellow *1 go, when he gets home... he thought — he hadn’t d a tear through all the ody battles of Africa . . . ily . . . Italy . . . and o, this shiny new engine de him cry ... He led at his own softness l energetically puffed ay on his cigarette. Hs roving eyes dried and, ii», he could look at the in. Shiny new cars . . . Menly something hit his It hit him so forcefully it he almost sat up . . . There was a tablet on the car, right in front of him. A tablet with an inscription that carried a familiar name. It said: “Hospital train, donated by the membership of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association.” Gracious God! His heart started beating in the rhythm of the engine . . . he looked all along the train and he saw the same tablet on every car ... “A VERHOVAY TRAIN!” — he exclaimed and a nurse hurried to him. “Anything the matter, soldier?” — she asked him ready to help. He looked at her through the curtain of his flowing tears and sobbing he cried: “Verhovay train, Verhovay train. . The nurse looked at the train, at the tablet on the car and turned to the soldier: “Does it mean anything to you?” He could not help it. He cried like a little child. He couldn’t say a word for many long minutes. His eyes streamed and the nurse gently stroked his hair . . . She repeated: “Does it mean anything to you?” “Does it mean anything to me? — answered Johnnie hoarsely — 1 say it does. It is my Association that has sent this train. I am a member of the Verhovay....” She understood. She gave him another cigarette, lit it for him and left him alone. He did not need her now. He wanted to be alone with HIS train. The train his big family sent for him . . . for Johnnie and his comrades to come home . . . Home . . . Home. It was far away yet. He was from Ohio ... a long day’s trip from home. But the Verhovay could not wait for him. It sent a train for him. A Special train for Pvt. Johnnie Toth ... a special train with soft beds, to take him home gently . . . Why, he already was home. It wasn’t a strange train on which he was to make his trip home ... it was HIS train ... the train purchased and sent for HIM . . . and his comrades . . . Yes, the Verhovay went to New York, to meet the big ship and to take into its loving arms hundreds of suffering soldiers and to carry them home to the soft rhythm of the engine surging: “Welcome home . . . welcome home . . . welcome home...” The stretcher-bearers came and lifted them up .. . one after the other. When his turn came, he smiled . . . he smiled like a child whom his mother takes into her arms... it made him feel so happy, so much at home . . . to be taken home by the Verhovay Hospital train . . . There came several men walking along the train, stopping at the stretchers and reading the tags. One of them he knew. He couldn’t quite remember ... a tall, lanky fellow . . . Suddenly it came to him . . . Years ago . . . when there were no guns, no dead and no wounded . . . there was a banquet ... he was there, too, Johnnie was . . . and he served him at the table... of course, it was Mr. Bencze . . . He called out: “Mr. Bencze! Mr. Bencze!” The litter-bearers stopped, while Mr. Bencze came to him. Johnnie spoke to him: “Mr. Bencze ... I don’t think you remember me . .. I saw you at one of our banquets . . .” “Oh, — Mr. Bencze said — you are a Verhovayan?” “I say, 1 am — said Johnnie. . . — and added softly — thanks for the train Mr. Bencze . . .” And Mr. Bencze could not answer. He just stood there and looked after the young boy, as they lifted him up into the train . . . and while he looked, the cars started to swim in a big sea of flowing tears . . . It will happen this ivay... are you going to help us? June 8, 1944 DEFINITION OF AN EXPERT An expert is one who knows enough to tell others how to do a job and is smart enough not to try it himself. GOOD REASON CALLER: May I see General Greene? BUTLER: Sorry, sir, but the General is indisposed at present. CALLER: Oh, I am sorry to hear that. What made him ill? BUTLER: Oh, things in general. —v— PAST VERSUS PRESENT Many a woman forgives a man’s past because of his presents. WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE When an American tells his lady-love that she looks like a million dollars, she is thrilled from her permanent wave to her painted toe-nails. But you can’t say that to an English lady. Imagine what her reaction would be if you told her that she looked like a million pounds! ECONOMY MRS. BEE: We furnished this room just by saving cigarette coupons. MR. GEE: And what about the other rooms? MRS. BEE: Oh, we couldn’t furnish them yet. They are all full with cigarettes. ASSURANCE PILOT: Come on, let’s go: ROOKIE: You sure I’ll get down allright? PILOT: Of course. I never left anyone up there yet. HOLD-UP BETTY: You mean you let that tall sergeant steal a kiss from you? MARY: Yes, but he had to hold me up to do it. IT’S CHEAPER JOE: Well, I hope we see an exciting fight for the five dollar admission we paid. BILL: Boy, if it’s excitement you want, get married. A marriage licence costs only two bucks. FRESH OUT GUEST: Here waiter, bring me my hat. WAITER: What kind of a hat was it, sir? GUEST: A brand new one. WAITER: Sorry, sir, but the new hats were all taken away an hour ago. CHOICE JUDGE: Drunk and disorderly. You can have your choice. Ten dollars or ten days. DEFENDANT. (Still foggy.) Thanks. I’ll take the money, your Honor. AXIS DAYS ARE NUMBERED!” FIFTH
