The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1915-03-04


We 70 there. Soldiers on bicycles
meet us They tell us that nobody ex.
peeted one Of us to come out alive
from that hellhole Ny orderly runs
to me-, With Vet eyes
Captain. my captain"
shake many hands ! warm my
self at the campfire Light raiu is
falling Someone brings me a half
bottle Of champagne The men get red
wine from the baggage train
and rice soup
My lips arr still black with earth.
eulp it down with the first swallow OF
foamus Vine
Greetings Itfe' Greetings. earth
After a period Of comparative peace
and luxury in the conquered city 81
Lille. Captain Hooker marched hts
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
bay after day they lay in subterran-
can cells. under orders from head
quarters to hold the position al all
costs. even If your trenches are blown
UP lockers commanding skill as a
writer is shown here again.
Our t~ench is not three meters long.
full meter deep. with frontage 40
eentimeters high. It is 50 centimeters
wide. The entrance consists Of three
narrow steps. As the trench has q
re ~ou must crawl into II backward
You cannot stand inside. scarcely
kneel even. without striking your head
against the roof All there IS to dc rs
10 lie down. first bit on the left side.
then a bit on the right then on your
back but before each change you
must warn your trenChmate.
You lie and wait
Ye' lie and listen.
You lie and think
Is II fear OF death that creeps upon
us? Is It discouragement" Oh. II only
We could rush forward 10 the attack.
that would be quite another matter
That would be lust up and At EN- and
in a couple OF hours fate would de-
eide
His Hair Grown White
When We were young men. We
learned nothing of this new tom OF
war History, it seems. kept Il for
this most difficult and bitterest OF cam
paicus To stick it cut under the
earth until ones time comes-untl
the enemy dares advance and Wa must
throw him back or uutn the command
reaches us from the rear: Forward
Attack"
Meanwhile. there We lie And, over
our heads, horror shrieks
The roaring. cracking, scattering.
laundering growing. crashing goes on
unendingly Always, always Every
shot may bring the end the end Of one
OF those who wait
Oh. II | could only accompany my
slender little daughter Just little bit
further into life And my wife,
who has struggled and fought by my
side for the length OF human life
could but look again into her eyes
and speak loving farewell 10 her.
II y that way with all 81 us oh. do
not believe that any one OF us Is
crouehing here under the earth callous
and without feelings. that through the
narrow slit he sees merely tho same
stretch of claysh soil CaHousncss is
not courage
You lie and wait
You lie and listen
You lie and think
Then. after DAYS and days and days
OF this. comes the order Yo- ere re-
Heyed You have two DAYS for rest.
South German detachment relieves
Rockers men lie writes
could not ride found | had to
learn over again how TO use my limbs.
On foot led my company away.
looked into a mirror | had to
smile The bit OF hair which | still
possess has, during these last ten days.
turned white