The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-02-12
SLEEPY BRITON
DEFENDS WHOLE
VILLAGE ALONE
Wounded Sergeant Changes His
Opinion Respecting Recruit
Called "His Lordshlp."
NOTED FOR HIS LAzINEss
Promise Of Good Nights Rest Leads
Him to Distinguish Himself in
Charge on Vlilase-oefends Bed
Against Whole Regiment.

LOndOn.-"Never again will ! judge
a a by his appearance" said a
wounded sergeant. when asked for
his most thrilling battle experience.
When w started for the front we
had In our company a man whom !
simply could not stand. lie was tall,
we'll built, rather good looking, with
hsht hair and mustache. and most aw-
fully lazy. There was no mistake
about 1.-THE had wealthy parents, a
man who had never travelled without
a valet.
ION the m OF his arrival in
our midst we named him his lord
ship" and bets we're made that he
would succumb after the first days
march. Not a bit OF a.. II Is true he
looked tired at the start. but he looked
no more so at the finish. But when we
reached the place where we we're to
rest for the night, he calmly unwound
his putteeH. underneath which he wore
real silk socks. We felt a bit upset
Silk socks for a soldier are clearly
against army regulations.
Manleures His Nails.
But this was nothing 10 what fol.
lowed. lie got out a nice leather
box, opened II. extracted some sort Of
instrument and proceeded to manicure
his nails.
IAN the boys gathered around him
to watch the performance; but ! put
an end TO II by promising him four
days In the ordinary which he was
TO undergo after the taking OF Der.
lin, fer. you see, we could not very
we'll spare the man Just then
we were finally placed In the
trenches. His lordshlp did everything
ungrudgingly, but he could not sleep
without a pillow, so he paid four
packets OF cigarettes a day to a tat
fellow and rested his head on the lat.
ter'B stomach. But we began to 70.
spect him from the day when he laid
low i6 Germans with rs cartridges. II
was some shooting, and he did 1t as
nonchalantly as II he we're in a rise
gallery
Well we left the trenches-that
is some OF us did, and some did not
and ever then one day we we're or
derod 10 take by assault a village oc.
cupied by a BavRrian regiment
First In Dash for Bed.
ITO give added courage TO the men,
our captain said; You zee these
housesg There are beds 10 them. and
these beds are for your use II We take
the village. Take my word for II.
we did not lose any time, and II I did
not hustle then. I never hustled In all
my life was among the first to
reach the nearest house-at least |
thought ! was, but when l dashed IA
found his lordship' calmly stretched
out on a bed previously occupied by
a German officer. whom he had thrown
out ofthe window.
We thought hat we could have a
good nights rest. but about three
O'Clock In the morning we we're told Ia
get up. aa a German regiment was
marching against US. awoke my
men, and all rose without a muFmur,
all except his iordship,'
Get up! I shouted
He opened one eye, looked az me
and said, MOI on your life.
What DO you meang was chok,
ing with Nneor. we must retreat; a
whole oeiman regiment is about ia
attack %.
IF Il is The whole German army.
! will no sive up my bed I them, he
answered with some heat-the first
time saw him set hot about anything
a. an
Holds Germans on.
- order YOU ! started to "a. but
he shut bis eye, turned on tho Other
side and slept. added eight days "a
bis solitary. aud aa ! could net very