The Washington herald., 1915-06-06

die, and took tight grip. Our com.
mander led the way up the railway cut
ting, We following him, and away we gal
loped at full speed for life and liberty.
AS soon as We came out of the cutting
the Germans let go at us. We raced like
mad along a high, steep bank. I was
about third or fourth. and as soon a.
got into the open I had not gone many
yards when a shell hit my horse some
where. I was pitched headfrst down the
steep bank, and the horse came after me,
or perhaps we were together. At any rate,
- be. rolled violently over me, severely in
5urins my spine and stomach-from
which I have not yet recovered-dislo-
eating my right knee and smashing my
right ankle
How long l remained semi-conscious
I cannot tell, but could only move my
arms and hands. All around me the dead
and wounded lay, and l could touch
few of those who we're dead The Ger
mans were very close; that / seemed to
be aware of. but was going or Final
ly at what must have been about 4 o'clock
on August "a, I lost all knowledge of
the things Of this world, and became prac-
tically dead. The passing time had no
interest for me, and there l lay until
the evening Of the 25th - for over
twenty-six hours. l was found by a Bel
gian doctor. l had never drunk in my
life, and he forced a little brandy be-
tween my lips. That did the work, and
soon got my senses back. l was not sure
OF myself. however; there was something
wrong, and not until I heard voices
speaking near me did realize was alive
agatn-but / was stone Blind
Imagine my horror and anguish NV
many wounds and excruciating pain
never bothered me, but the loss of my
sight was dreadful blow. The good doc
tor had saved many other men, and his
house was full Of wounded. With the
worst OF the cases I was ambulanced
to convent in a neighboring Village,
where better treatment could be had, and
there conclusion of the brain set In For
nineteen days / was delirious, and 1t
seems that all through 1t was asking
for poison to end 1t all. for. when I did
come round. the good doctor asked 047ff
I wanted poison then. 1t was not lone
after that I was exchanged with other
prisoners and sailed for England, homo
and beauty. . rs
Can you imagine what relief it was.
to me at any rate? I was home, md
even though blind and maimed.t vss -
py. l could write volumes on the 60
sations, but would rather that tie rad.
er imagined them. Then began the mir
acle. have no doubt 1t ives s,real mir
acle. for understand had lain for-mAny
months blind and dead to AL <hesworSd.
About O'Clock in the morning Of Feb
ruary 81 I awoke with start Must
have had a nightmare. But when
awoke l could lust distinx6ish the
dimmed electric light I shouted for
the sister and almost yelled with de-
light to the man in the next cot that
could see. There was no further sleep
for me, and when daylight came I could
dimly distinguish objects passing the
windows. Oh, the Joy of it,
l told the doctors of what had hap
pened earlier in the morning and they
quickly whipped me into the operating
room. Here they plunged my left arm
up to the shoulder in an arm bath and,
putting wet bag on my right forearm,
they applied the electrodes to the bag.
The first shock was like looking at the
sun with all kinds Of rays. Then I saw
an electric light coming towards me.
They gave me two or three more shocks,
when l could see the man administrators
the treatment. They took me to the
colonel. who oa11o1 4 q day OF miracles
cloth was p4 &tor my head and my
eyes gradually RtW stronger during the
next few day.. zen their care and
treatment were ond all praise. FL
nally was givel&A eye test and they
were delighted tot ~ that I passed. al
though 7 ceuld ndk0ee anything smaller
than ~ 0ird line Of the testing card,
which Nns fAirly distinct. I have I'm.
proved slnce, and am doing % daily.
Also tA1Rhnve supplied me with splen-
did sc 9TH to take the place Of those
knocked - on tn railway line.