nd _ride_." It was in this office that so many
of the men held up their right hand and said that fatal "I do."

About this time Dr. Richard T. Speck, of Kansas City, Kansas, received a
lieutenant's commission in the Kansas National Guard and was assigned to
this company. A few days later Drs. A. J. Bondurant, of St. Margaret's
Hospital, Kansas City, Kansas, and A. H. Adamson, of the General
Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, also received commissions and were
assigned to this company.

On April 30th Major Seth A. Hammell, of Topeka, Kansas, mustered the
company into the state guard as Kansas Ambulance Company No. 2. Another
ambulance company, known as Kansas Ambulance Company No. 1, was
organized by Lieutenant W. L. Rhodes, of Argentine, Kansas.

After the state muster the company had two drill nights a week. These
drills often interfered with some of the men's plans, but that made no
difference as they now belonged to "Uncle Sam" and duty came before
pleasure. It was at these semi-weekly drills that the men learned the
first principles of soldiering under the leadership of Lieutenant R. T.
Speck and Sergeant Roscoe Leady. They were unaccustomed to regular
drilling, especially on paved streets, and many times they went home
with sore feet from doing "fours right and left" and "to the rear,
march."

On June 14th the company was called out for federal inspection and was
formally recognized by the federal authorities. This was the first
formation in which every one was present, as many of the men lived out
of the city and could not come to the drills. After this inspection the
men were told to be ready to leave at any time, as it wouldn't be over
two weeks at the most before they would be called out. The days dragged
slowly, and it seemed that the company would never be called into
service. The men were all anxious to start for France and many of them
had already given up their positions, thinking that it would be but a
short time until they would leave.

On Decoration Day the company was ordered out for a special formation to
march to the cemetery and to pay tribute to the heroes of the past.
However, it rained so hard that the march was called off and instead the
men were assembled in the auditorium of the High School where they
listened to an address by J. K. Cubbison.

For a number of years it had been customary for all national guard
organizations to go into camp on the night of July 3rd and stay until
the 4th, w