Gilpin observer., 1915-04-08

long, long way from tnat uttio EOse
garden outside Berlin.
But far more terrible than the bap.
tism OF fire was Hocker's next expert.
ence of fighting the allies at close
range, which he describes with truly
admirable skill. While leading his
company, far in advance of the main
force OF Germans, in an endeavor to
feel out the strength of the enemy,
they suddenly found themselves ex-
posed to not fire from several direc-
tions The captain had just admon-
ished his men to keep cool. take
cover, aim carefully Then, suddenly:
The Deadly EnfiIade.
Are those men over there ours?'
asked my trumpeter "Over there on
the high road, behind u.s."
looked A feeling OF horror came
over me- Yes. while their artillery held
us back their infantry. advancing un-
seen on our left, has flanked us. And
now, from the right, the fire of the
French machine guns adds it's monot
onous rhythm to the hellish concert.
No sound behind us. Our artillery
battery is evidently without ammuni-
ton.
Order from the commander Of our
brigade: Company must fall back
slowly" A man in the squad which
has advanced to the highroad passes
the order along to me-
1t is passed all along the line.
couple of men start to stand up l
call out to them: Down, Lie Down!
Crawl"
But already the movement has beer
seen from over across there: shrapnel
strikes close beside us. With bent
back, faces ground into the earth, all
Of us lie there
No Hope Left
My fieldglass is covered with sweat
and earth. put it down Shells drive
clouds of dust into my eyes. 1 close
them.
l am unable to utter a word. | crawl
along for about five hundred yards My
revolver grinds into my left side, MY
leldglass presses against my stomach
And for moment this thought rushes
through my mind: What would you.
being an officer, do if attacked in front
by artillery, on the left by infantry,
on the right by artillery?
What would you do? Answer;
would give this order: Helmets Off
for prayer!"
Helmets off for prayer! Yes, there
is no hope for us now. All we have to
do is die like men.
Don't run!"
The road which we must take is
showered with shot. l climb hillock
Yes, nothing matters now. II only
do not fall into their hands alive. To
die. l strike out over a field, For
few seconds, unconsciousness. Then
once more, the tack-tack-tack of the
machine guns. God, please, please, let
me die an honorable soldiers death.
And without long suffering. Now, God,
now at once, please. If only my men
don't start running.
"Slowly, men, slowly"
l can go no farther. ) "On with you,
youngsters!" Greetings to my people.
God be with you. You have behaved
we'll
His Flowers Calling.
If only could have one more look
at my little garden. I'm a child of the
city and I've learned to love flowers
SO, and that little spot Of earth. e.
Whee-ee-ee-ee! There it goes again.
screaming over our heads. greet
death My lips dig into the soil. Dust
thou art, to dust thou shalt return.
Onward, onward.
None Of us know whittier we are
| Nioh foil nxt-ho nr
other a cavalry patrol tells US: Some
of our men are camping over in that
fort"
We go there. Soldiers on bicycles
meet US. They tell US that nobody ex-
pected one OF us to come out alive
from that hellhole. My orderly runs
to me, with wet eyes:
Captain, my captain!"
l shake many hands. I warm my
self at the campfire. Light rain Is
falling. Someone brings me half
bottle of champagne. The men get red
wine from the baggage train q.
and rice soup.
My lips are still black with earth. I
gulp 1t down with the first swallow of
foaming wine.
Greetings, life! Greetings, earth!"
| After a period Of comparative peace
and luxury in the conquered city Of
Lille. Captain Hooker marched his
company out to the vicinity Of Mes
sines. where some Of the most des-
perate fighting Of the war has taken
place, and there he and his men got
their first taste of life in the trenches.
Day after day they lay in subterran-
can cells, under orders from head
quarters Ito hold the position at all
costs, even II your trenches are blown
up" Hocker's commanding skill as q
writer is shown here again:
Our trench is not three meters long.