The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-10-25
nv HERBERT COREY

(Copyright, 1913, by Herbert Corey.D
PARIS, Oct. 25.-No doubt Mol
sieur would regard 1t incredible. II
is not In the French nature. one
ccmprehends. to laugh at the sui
fering of a comrade. But whenever
the laughing sniper gave out that
weird whinny through his mega
phone the whole trench would laugh
with him.
"Hysteria. perhaps" he said
thoughtfully. Some OF the men
caught their breath In sobs. There
was something in his voice"
He had been sitting at the next
table on the cafe terrasse. A most
attractive boy. One had to look
closely to find the inch Of ribbon
that told his rank as lieutenant. Al.
ter a time he joined frankly In the
conversation.
II am lonesome, you see" said he
condidly. To-day my four days
leave in Paris ends and l have seen
no friends. My home Is In the
north"
He seemed to enjoy talking Of the
trenches, although he needed
prompting. A question would start
MIN on q story. but at the end he
would relapse into silence to watch
with smiling appreciation the pretty
women as they passed and repassed
In front of the tables. Slender. blue
eyed blonde, he seemed modest rs a
girl, and yet one could feel the IRE
and spirit underneath. A distinctly
Finch type. but a most unusual one
II is the sniper who Is particu.
larly dreaded by the man In the
trench, said he. A shell storm Is q
very shocking thing, of course. I'm.
der 1t the moral fibre OF the human
targets disintegrates In harmony
with the destruction OF their
trenches. But ordinary shell fire Ia
hardly regarded. 1t is always going
on, and one can usually hear the
missile on its way in time to dodge.
Il Is quite different with snipers. A
moments forgetfulness--a seconds
pause In an exposed section Of the
line-and you are dead.
Here said he, taking match
from the box on the table, lust like
that" He broke the match sharply
In two.
The Laughing sniper had been at
work I'm one of those canyons In the
vosges where the enemy trenches
approach each other closely, among
the tall, slender pine trees. He was
man of infinite daring. this Ger
man, and infinite skill. VAT night he
would hide himself where he could
get a clear view through the multi.
tude OF tapering boles. Then he
waited Nth a deadly patience for
his victims. He rarely fred more
than twice from the same hiding
place. When night came he would
move to another blind. He did not
often miss shot. He was known
all along the line because he laugh
ed when he killed his man.
THAT was devilish,' said the 9th
er man.
NO." said the boy, thoughtfully
1T was not the laughter OF wick
ed man. 1t was as though he were
very greatly amused. There was
something in his voice. One laugh
ed with him"
The laughing sniper must have
arried mcgaphonc TO his daily
post, the boy thought. Perhaps. he
explained, ii was merely a roll o!
bark or a bootleg. although there
are collapsible megaphcnes tina,
take up little space. At first tho
French soldiers cursed this laughing
killer. Then the laughter got or
their nerves. They jecred back a
him in futile defiance. Now ant
then Re missed his shot, but laughed
because he thought he had beer
suco cssful. At such tines perfec
storm CT laghter rocked w arc
down the trench. Men held theil
sides and gaspcd weakly when the!
could laugh no more.
81 do not understand, now sal;
he. But il was very funny
He wac ali irritation. this laugh
ing man. Usually one fights. tn
boy said. without feeling the un
pleasantness OF personal hntc. AS ;
FrenchTa an one hates the Bothe. o
| course. But after q time the foclin.
becomes jmpersonal. especially 1
the Boche hac been fairly quic; fo'
time. II seems rather silly &c hat,
men one has never seen. He hlt
known men to spend a month in The
trenches without having onee caught
sight of German. The m n worc
| too ant 10 s-oterni.e across tn,