Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-03-03

was never hit in the chin by horses
hoof let me say there is no such
remedy for proud spirit. Bullets are
much easier to put up with and keep
civil tongue in ones head. That
lower deck was kind of horses hell.
We had to let them alone. They got
astraddle of one another's necks, and
were cut from ear to fetlock-those
that lived, for some of them, I could
see, were being trampled to death.
How many | never knew, for suddenly
we hit reef there in the storm and the
black night. | knew we had drifted to
the north shore, and as the sea began
to wash over us it was every man for
himself. The brig went up and down
like a sledge-hammer, and at every
blow her sides were cracking and cav
ing. She keeled over suddenly, and
was emptied of horse and man. A big
wave flung me far among the founder
ing horses. My fingers caught in a wet
name | chung desperately between
crowdng TANKS Then big wave went
over us. | hung on, coming up astride
my capture. He swan vigorously, his
nose high, blowing like a trumpet
thought we were in for a time of it.
and had very little hope for any land
ing, save in kingdom come. Every min
ute was head under in the wash, and
the roaring filled me with that mighty
terror of the windfall But, on my
word, there is no captain like good
horse in bad water. Suddenly | felt
him hit the bottom and go forward on
his knees Then he reared up, and be-
gan to jump in the sand. A big wave
washed him down again. He fell on
his side in a shallow, but rose and ran
YEARLY over a soft beach. In the black
ness around me could see nothing. A
branch whipped me in the face and
ducked. | was not quick enough; 1t
was like fencing in the dark. A big
bough hit me, raking the withers of my
horse, and l rolled off headlong in a
lot of bushes. The horse went on, out
of hearing, but l was glad enough to
lie still, for had begun to know of my
! bruises. In a few minutes | took off
my boots and emptied them and wrung
my blouse, and lay back, cursing my
/ i'll luck.
But that year of 1918 had the kick
of ill fortune in it for every mothers
/ son of us there in the north country.
l have ever noticed that war goes in
waves of success or failure. If we had
had Brown or Scott to lead us that
year, instead of Wilkinson, believe
it had had a better history. Here was
l in the enemys country. God knew
where, or how, or when l should come
out of it. l thought of D'ri and how it
had gone with him in that hell of wa
tiers. | knew it would be hard to drown
him. We were so near shore, if he
had missed the rocks | felt sure he
would come out safely. | thought OF
Louison and Louise, and wondered if
ever | should see them again. Their
faces shone upon me there in the win iy
darkness, and one as brightly as the
other. Afterwhiles | drew my wet
blouse over me and went to sleep, shiv-
ering.
A familiar sound woke me-that OF
the reveille. The sun was shining, the
sky clear, the wind had gone down
A crow sat calling in the tree above my
head. | lay in a strip of timber, thin
and narrow, on the lake shore. Through
the bushes | could see the masts of the
brig slanting out of water some rods
away. Beyond the timber was field
of corn, climbing a sde-hill that slopet
off to level, grassy plain. Beyond the
hilltop, reveille was still sounding. A
military camp was near me, and al
though | made no move, my mind wa!
up and busy as cat at a mouse-hole
looking down at my uniform, not, in
deed, the most healthful sort of dress
for that country. All ar once | caugh
sight of scarecrow in the corn.
laughed at the odd grotesquery of tn
tbing-an old frock coat and trouser
of olive-green, faded and torn and ia
with straw. stake driven through II!
collar into the earth, and crowned will
an ancient, tall hat of beaver gave it {
backbone. An idea came to me.
would rob the scarecrow and hide m,
and pulled the stuffing out of it. Tit
coat and trousers were made for {
stouter man. | drew on the latter, fat
tening my figure with straw to fl
them. That done, l quickly donne(
the coat. Each sleeve-end fell to m!
fnger-tips, and its girth would hav'
circled flour barrel and buttoned will
room to spare But with my stuffing o
straw it came around me as snug a