The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-10-28

4.s.;;----,-.-.
{ Continued from last weekly
matter with the forts-what were they
doing? Where was the army and all
the men who had volunteered? Some
one started cheer for the soldiers
marching down the car tracks. The
cars In Madison avenue for some rea-
son were not running.
Where're you from, boys1"
"Illihois."
Murray! Hurray. Some more Of the
Illinois boys! Murray! Murray! Say,
some Of you fellows are hurt! Been
lighting? Where? How did it come
outr'
mo. Train wreck! a recruit con.
fessed
Bridge blown up before us by spiesy'
some one corrected quickly. 1--WE lost
half our men!" he boosted.
"Where you going? Long 1sland?"
Don't know. Hope SOP
They need you there. Our boys
were beaten this morning. The re-
gents landing hundred thousand men
and they're marching on New York. Oh,
there's another one. They're shell
ing New York. Those shells, they're
exploding Just below there!'
"Column forward! Forwardv' some
one was beseeching now, not ordering.
''Close up, men! Oh, close up!
Corporal Ashby gazed duly at the
back Of the men in front Of him, then
to Kilbane marching at his side. The
Irish boys face chalk white. Jim
knew that his skin was as bloodless
and his legs were as unsteady as he
strobe.
"Close up! oh, hang 1t, close upv'
Jim stumbled forward, certain the
cry must be meant for him. But Kill
bane scurried similarly at the same
instant Ike others all about Shell
fire. Big explosive shell fire! So this
was It, and they were marching into
1t! "You low gutter. You rotten cow
ard" Jim's lips whispered at himself.
"Go on. You've got to 60, and you've
got to walk straight. You low, sneak
ing, cowardly-quitter."
As shell burst in building Jim
swayed-blind, deaf, insensible.
"Shell shock! That's allv' some one
was reassuring.
Get up everybody! You're all right!
Get up! Get up!'
Scores were stunned. Some were
mildly mad or babbling, quite insane.
Wray, the major, called the men and
women who appeared from cellars.
"Take these men to safe places,
please, and look after them. They'll
probably come around all right after
while. You can get doctor, can't
you? One Of you is a doctor? That's
good" He detailed couple Of the less
injured soldiers to assist. "When those
men recover you'd better join any
other battalion you can find, unless you
happen to learn where We'll be-
Wray. with the captains and the
lieutenants. was reforming the COM
panies by physical force. pulling about
the men and pushing them into posi-
ton. 'We're going to the subway
now" the officers promised. "We're
going as direct as we can to the sub
way"
The battalion dazedly formed IN col
umn. Forward" The men trailed
through the debris in the avenue and
went on. Column rightw 1t was
marching on cross street. with Cen
trail park on the right. 1t passed the
end Of Fifth avenue and weat on. Jim
recognized Columbus circle. The col
umn beaded for the kiosk to the sub
way and halted. The major went
ahead to make explanations. The col.
umn learned. while it waited. that the
subway or the power plant or some
thing had been damaged so that only
few trains might be run. and the
whole subway system had been taken
over by the military. Wray reappcar-
ed. Evidently he had won dispense
ton for his men suffering from shell
shock. Company e began to file down
under the street. F gratefully followed
into the subterranean world where the
sound of the shells-even those shells
which tore whole business squares to
bits and killed or crazed score Of men
without marking them-was dull and
distant and where you could lie back
on the rattan seat Of steel car and be
quite safe again. Where the train was
taking the battalion and why no one
at that moment seemed to care.
Swenson. who sat beside Jim. was
opening and closing his hands and star.
ing at them. "That's funny" he said
slowly. 1T was my right l couldn't
feel moving. Now it's the left
Jim again tried the muscles of his
hands and feet. Kilbane appealed to
him in whisper ''Is siven time nine
sixty-three?'
Jim considered. Then he nodded.
you've awful pain here?" Kilbane
touched the back of his head.
"Awfulr'
"Then you and nell watch aich 9th
er. They make you dippy after awhile
sometimes. we've heard?"
Eyes. I've heard"
"Worth street, an officers voice
warned. "The next is ours, boys.
Brooklyn bridge"
Did that mean marching on the sur.
face again or going in cars exposed to
fire? Why couldn't every one stay in
the subway? 1t went to Brooklyn safe
deep down under the river. The train
stonned and every ono cot ont Tho