Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1915-08-14
WHEN LIFE GROWS INTERESTING
AND DEATH MUCH MORE LIKELY
Night Visit to the Trenches Interestingly Described by Frederick
PamerWhen the Human Soldier Fox Comes Out of His War
and Sneaks Forth the Lookout for Prey-FIares Of
Light Only Evidence of Proximity of Hostile Force

Sometimes a patrol hears a fusillade
from both sides sweeping past him.
Follow me"
We climbed out of the ditch and
stopped low. We were in the midst
Of tangle of barbed wire protecting
the trench front which was family Wis
ible in the hedge, as it we're, kept
open for just such purposes as this.
When the patrol returned it closed the
gate again
Look out for that wire-just there
DO you see it?"
Everything to keep the Boches off
our front lawn except Keep off the
grass signs"
1t was utterly still--a warm sum
mer's night without catspaw Of
breeze stirring. Through the dark
curtain of the sky In a parabola ris-
ing from the German trenches swept
a brilliant sputter of red light-one
of the flares which the Germans used
by the millions to assist them In their
night watches. Machine guns, mortars
the Germans keep everything in their
locker in mechanical appliances which
will economic human force. This
was coming as straight toward us as
IL 1t had been aimed at u.s. 1t cast
searching. uncanny red glare over the
tall wheat in head between the
trenches.
Get down." whispered the officer.
Just Take the Hint.
1t seemed sort of foolish to grovel
before a piece of fireworks There was
no firing in our neighborhood, nothing
TO indicate state of war between the
British empire and Germany, no visual
evidence OF any German army any,
where in France except that fare.
However, If a guide who knows as
much about war as this one knew,
says to get down when you are out
between two lines OF machine guns
and rifles between the fighting pow
ers Of England and Germany-you take
the hint. The flare sank into the
earth few yards away after last in
suiting ugly ding of red light in our
faces.
What If we had been SEEM"
They'd have combed the wheat in
this neighborhood thoroughly-and
they might have got us"
It's hard to believe" suggested,
So 1t was. he agreed. That was the
exasperating thing about It. Always
hard to believe. perhaps. until after
all the cries of wolf the wolf came
until after nineteen flares the TWEEN.
/ tieth revealed to the watching enemy
| the Inquire of man above the wheat
when a dozen rifles and perhaps a
machine gun suddenly broke the ST.
lence of night by concentrating on a
target
Then there might be another name
on the British casualty list. which
meant an able-bodied officer or soldier
whom his country had trained was
transferred from the asset toNtha ia.
bility column OF the ledger. Keeping
cover from German flares is a part of
the minute, painstaking ECONOMY of
/ war.
Ever on the Watch.
We erawled on slowly througb the
wheat taking care to make no noise
tlil we brought up behind two soldiers
%iEs fat on the earth with their rifles
IN hand ready to fire instantly. Is was
their business not oaly to see the
enemy first but to shoot frst-and 70
capture or kill any German patrol
me oshoer spoke &c them they an.
s"ered It was unnecessary for them
/ 10 say that they had not seen anv.
,h'as' II theI mad We should have
known H.
lie was out there less to scout b,m.
self than to mako sura ,b,. 80 -