The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1914-12-03
WRITER CANNOT WRITE,
PAINTER CANNOT PAINT
PICTURE OF HORROR ON I
AUSTRIAN battlefield
ing metal.

is indescribable. have my pencil
and paper in hand. but / don't know
what to write. All about the yard.
lying on straw under the trees thru
which the sunshine filters are men
sick OF cholera. Here is a soldier
priest, wearing his army shoes. Red
Cross band on his arm. and a heavy
overcoat. He wears a gold cloth apron
over his coat. A soldier rises weak
ly from the straw to his knees. He
folds his hands before him, and the
army priest bends over him. This IS
absolution for the dying that this
priest is granting. This muttering sol
dier who is still strong enough 20
kneel upright and to cross himself.
probably will be dead by night. sure
ly by morning. And. after the priest
goes, the soldier falls back weakly
ON the straw. pulls a dirty handker-
chief from his pockets and scbs out
his misery. But the Asiatic cholera
will have its way with him before
many hours. The priest goes TO an
other man and arouses him. This man
seems stronger than the first. He gets
TO his feet and falls on his knees and
raises his face expectantiy and hope
/, fully to the churchman and takes his
absolution without sign OF weakness
But the Red Cross doctors knew
when to call the priest Four hours
usually see the finish of the Asiatic
cholera victims and the priest can be
called none too soon after the first
unfniling symptom is discovered. This
symptom is a death sentence and
those lying under the trees in the
sunshine. these faces. greenish In hue.
their eyes closed. are dying even II
some Of them have strength enough
left to kneel upright as the priest
biesses them. have seen men kill
ed. I've seen men hanged, I've seen
men executed At the wall. but this
sight that / have happened upon by
accident in Galicia, is one OF the
most piteous. that the sun could ever
shine upon or that : human being
could ever behold. got the picture
, with my camera. but II Is burned into
my mind more clearly than any film
can ever show IT. I'm going to put
down the exact words as wrote them
at the moment while trying to force
my stunned mind to group what am
seeing. They will show how weak
words can be:
Army priest goes to side OF little
white shack where three men lie In
straw in sunshine. They struggle to
their knees. fold their hands as he
leans over to hear one confess. Other
two wait their turns with heads bow
ed. Their faces are terribly drawn
and CHASTITY green. They'll be dead
nv r,ornino or the ,riaat .ra,,rH rot
have been called. There is misery
unspeakabIe about the yard. Twelve
men are dying under the trees Sun
shine dripping on them. With almost
their last strength they crawl to their
knees. one after the other as priest
arouses them and humble weakly in
to his ear. They fall back weakly
as the priest straiehtens up and rais-
es his hands in blessing over them"
That's the best ] can do. I've new
er learned any words that would tell
such a story as that. and Adams. who
has painted emperors and kings. says
there is no brush and paint that can
tell the story on canvas.
"At last there is picture I can't
paint" he said.
And as for me. rve found story
I couldn't write.
And above all this the artillery 10