The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-03-18

happened TO possess SAFETY TdAOT.
The idea of being shaved by Bel
gian didn't appeal to me at ALL" he
grimly remarks.
Just as they crossed the French
frontier a packet of letters fro<l home
arrived, giving Hooker the news that
a play by him dealing with the wars
in Germany 100 years ago had just
been performed In Berlin. On receiv-
ing that letter he tells us he sat down
and reflected:
Where was | when that play OF
mine was being given in Berlin? ON,
yes; sleeping on a mattress by a rail-
way line threatened with Belgian at
tack, my revolver by my side"
From such duties Captain Hooker
and his men moved southwark into
the real fighting zone and got their
baptism of fire with a vengeance in
the outskirts of Lille, siding along
narrow alleys amid the whistling OF
bullets from roofs and windows, creep
ing on all fours through the ditch lin
ing high road, charging into burning
villages while unseen enemies poured
shot and shell at them. 1t was all a
long, long way from that little rose
garden outside Berlin.
But far more terrible than the bap-
tism of fire was Rockers 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 hot fire from several direc'
tons. The captain had just admon-
, ished his men to keep cool, take
cover, aim carefully. Then, suddenly:
The Deadly Eafii ade.
Are those men over there ours p
asked my trumpeter. lover there on
the high road, behind 'ls."
looked. A feeling of horror came
over me. Yes, while their artillery held
us back their infantry, advancing I'M
seen on our left, has flanked us. And
now, from the right, the fire of the
French machine guns adds its 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. A
couple Of men start to stand up. |
call out to them: Down Lie Down!
Crawl"
But already the movement has been
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.
NV fieldglass is covered with sweat
and earth. put it down. Shells drive
clouds of dust into my eyes. | close
them.
am unable to utter word. / crawl
along for about five hundred yards. My
revolve" grinds into my left side, my
| ieldglass presses against my stomach.
And for a 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 nc 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 climb hillock
| Yes, nothing matters now. If only
do not fall into their hands alive. To
die. ! strike out over field. For a
few seconds, Inconsistencies. 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"
/ can go no farther. "Off with you,
youngsters!" Greetings to my people
God be with you. You have behaved
well.
His Flowers Calling.
If only | could have one more look
at my Ii lie garden. I'm chi'l of the
city and I've learned to love flowers
SO. end that little spot of earth
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
bound. Night falls. Somewhere or
other a cavalry patrol tells us: "Some
of our men are camping over in that
fort"
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