Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-03-04

We go there. Soldiers on bicycles
meet US. They tell US that nobody ex-
pected one of US to come out alive
from that hellhole, My orderly runs
to me, with wet eyes:
Captain, my captain!''
l shake many hands. I warm my
self at the campfire. Light rain is
falling. Someone brings me a half
bottle of champagne. The men get red
wine from the baggage train
and rice soup.
My lips are still black with earth. /
gulp it down with the first swallow of
foaming wine.
Greetings. life! Greetings, earth"
After a period of comparative peace
and luxury in the conquered city of
Lille, Captain Hooker marched his
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.
Day after day they lay in subterran-
can cells, under orders from head
quarters ito hold the position at all
costs, even if your trenches are blown
up" Rockers commanding skill as a
writer is shown here again:
Our trench is not three meters long,
full meter deep, with a frontage 40
centimeters high. 1t is 80 centimeters
wide. The entrance consists of three
narrow steps. AS the trench has a
r~-' -ou must crawl into it backward
You cannot stand inside, scarcely
kneel even, without striking your head
against the roof. All there is to do is
to lie down, first a 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
YC-' lie and listen.
You lie and think.
Is it fear of death that creeps upon
us? Is it encouragement? Oh, If only
we could rush forward to the attack.
that would be quite another matter.
That would be just up and at 'em, 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 form of
war History, it seems, kept 1t for
this most difficult and bitterest of cam
paigns To stick it out under the
the enemy dares advance and we must
throw him back or until 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, If ! 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 a loving farewell to her.
1t g that way with all of US Oh, do
not believe that any one of US is
crouching here under the earth callous
and without feelings, that through the
narrow slit he sees merely the same
stretch of clayish soil. Callousness 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: You are re-
lieved. You have two days for rest. A
South German detachment relieves
Rockers men. He writes:
| could not ride. l found | had to
learn over again ho-v to use my limbs.
On foot | led my company away
I looked into a mirror. / had to
smile. The bit of hair which | still
possess has. during these last ten days.
turned whitei