The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-08-25
PATHETIC SCENES
AMONG WOUNDED
Procession Of MangIed Men
Through German Hospital
, on Verdun Front.
ONTREIR way TOFATKENLkNn
Roar Of Guns Punctuates the Groans
Of Pain-Wracked Soldiers-Mu-
tilated Men Think Only Of
the Enemy.

the Enemy.
Berlin.-A German correspondent
with the army of the crown prince
near Verdun sends graphic descrip-
ton to his newspaper of scenes In a
little French village where the wound
ed are brought in and taken care of.
"The songs of the German soldiers
who are on leave in this village, he
writes. "become softer as the gray hos
pital wagon appears in the dusty street.
The men are severely wounded and
are unable to sit up. They are lying
on their narrow stretchers. Some are
i'll and others are only slightly wound
ed. The wounded now and then took
sadly at the bindings Of their wounds.
They tell of their sufferings. One of
them was wounded by shrupnel during
an attack by the enemy. He was able
to crawl to the rear. and while his
wounds were being dressed shell OK
ploded nearby and he was wounded
second time. But now we are all NOV
ing to the rear--tO Germany.
Wounded HobbIe In.
ut is getting quite dark. The croak-
Ing of frogs comes from a pond not far
away. The roar of guns Is no longer
deafening. The hospital wagon slowly
moves up the street and stops before
the barracks. Those who ore able at
once alight. One, who received a rifle
ball In his leg, jumps to the grount
with his good leg and hobbies off. An
other takes an i'll soldier on his back
and carries him to the barracks. The
physician meets us, glances ut our pa
pers and asks us to sit on the nearest
bench while the severely wounded ure
at once tuken care of by other physi
cians. All around the room are beds
occupied by wounded soldiers who are
In no condition to be sent back to Ger.
many for the present. In one bed lies
man whose head Is all tied up; an
other has had his arm amputated. an.
other his leg. All are asleep, and some
are smiling, laughing and talking 10
their dreams-what sweet dreams they
must be !-golden dreams. The man
with his head all bound up is talking
softly. The physician says that he
had the worst wounds that he has yet
seen during the war. 1t was a ques.
ton whether he could live, but the
physicians brought him around all
right. and today, when the wounded
man asked for something to eat, they
were so delighted they treated every
one with cigars.
1--WE are waiting for the automobile
which is to take us to the nearest field
hospital. No one says word. The
guns are again roaring. Looking out
of the window we can see the clear
starlight blue sky now and then vivid
ly Illuminated by the fierce glare from
exploding shells. Here and there is
seen the searchlight on the watch for
hostile aviators. One Of the wounded
remarks:
"Tt would just be my luck to have
some aviator drop bomb on me now
after all have gone through
Is Short of Time.
'The door is opened suddenly, and
a soldier stumbles in. He is holding
his head with both hands and the
blood is streaming down his face. He
quietly tells the physician that he
would like to have his wounds dressed.
He adds that he was driving an nln-
munition wagon when he was wound
ed. AS the attendant examines his
wounds the soldier remarks that he
has not much time to spare, as the am
munition wagon is awaiting outside
and it is his duty to deliver the am
munition promptly. He tells the physi-
clan simply to wash his wounds and
let him be off. The physician tells him
quietly and firmly that that is impos-
sible, He must remain; his wounds
are more serious than he imagines.
Everything is quiet again and moth
ing is heard except the deep breathing
of the sleeping wounded. Near me
one man awakens and sits up In his
bed. He looks at me with two star
ing, feverish eyes:
| allow is 1t with the French?' he
asks me. notice that his wounds are
in the chest.
"Whut Il question to ask, | said to
! myself. Here Is a man seriously
wounded, and from deep sleep he
suddenly awakes and all he asks is
about the enemy. Not a word about
his mother or his home, not Il word OF
COMPLAINT about his sufferings.
""rhe French are worse off than we
are | answered him
"rhat seemed to satisfy him, and
then he asked for drink of water.
"Just then the automobile stops In
front of the door and those Of us not
severely wounded are escorted outside
and placed in the machine. Adieu AND
the automobile starts on its journey
to that beloved place where clean beds
and loving hands await to nurse US"
Will Make Sure About Their Eggs.
New York-After September ! the
people of New York may be reason
ably certain as to the state Of preser