Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1916-08-25
PATHETIC SCENES
AMONG WOUNDED
Procession Of MangIed Men
Through German Hospital
on Verdun Front.
ON THEIR way TOFATHERLAND
Roar Of Guns Punetuates the Groans
Of Psin-Wrseked soldiers-Mu-
tllated Men Think only Of
the Enemy.

Berlin.-A German correspondent
with the army Of the crown prince
near Verdun sends a graphic descrip-
ton to his newspaper of scenes In n
little French village where the wound
ed are brought in and taken care Of.
1.-THE songs of the German soldiers
who are on leave I'm 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 s%tretchers. Some are
III and others are only slightly wound
ed. The wounded now and then look
sadly at the bindings of their wounds.
They tell of their sufferings. One of
them was wounded by shrapnel during
an attack by the enemy. He was able
to crawl to the rear, and while his
wounds were being dressed n shell ex-
ploded nearby and he was wounded a
second time. But nov we are all NOV
ing to the rear-to Germany.
Wounded Hobble In.
at Is getting quite dark. The crOak-
ing Of frogs comes from n 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 are able at
once alight. One, who received n rifle
ball in his leg, jumps to the ground
with his good leg and hobbies off. An
other takes an Ill soldier on his back
and carries him to the barracks. The
physician meets us, glances at our pa
pers and asks us to sit on the nearest
bench while the severely wounded are
ut once taken care of by other physi
clans. 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
a nan 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 In
their dreams-what sweet dreams they
must be golden dreams. The mar
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.
I'VE are waiting for the automobile
which Is to take us to the nearest field
hospital. No one says a word. The
guns are agair roaring. Looking Out
of the window we "a 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:
at would just be my luck to have
7, some aviator drop a bomb on me now
| after all | have gone through
= Is Short Of Time.
a 1.-THE door Is opened suddenly, and
j a soldier stumbles in. He Is holding
his head with both hands and the
: blood is streaming down his face. He
I quietly tells the physician that he
y would like to have his wounds dressed
lie adds that he was driving an am
munition wagon when he was wound
G ed. AS the attendant examines hi
wounds the soldier remarks that HI
q has not much time to spare, as the am
munition wager is awaiting outside
and it is his duty to deliver h am
munition promptly. He tells the physi
clan simply to wash his wounds anC
let him be off. The physician tells hin
|, quietly and firmly that that is lmpos
: slble. He must remain his wounds
are more serious than he imagines.
Everything Is quiet again and moth
ing is heard except the deep breathing
u OF the sleeping wounded. Near IN
one man aw0kens and sits up In hi
< bed. He looks at me with two star
ing, feverish eyes:
u GLOW is II with the FrenchY h
! asks me. l notice that his Wounds ar
: in the chest.
5 What a question to ask, l said I
u myself. Here Is n man seriOusl
e wounded, and from n deep sleep h
e suddenly awakes and all he asks |
.e about the enemy. Not a word abou
his mother or his home, not a word o
q complaint about his sufferlngs.
1.-THE French are worse off than W
" are 1 answered him.
a ''rhat seemed TO satisfy him, an
a then he asked for n drink Of water.
e Just then the automobile stops 1
20 front OF the door and those Of us nc
It severely wounded are escorted Outsid
u and placed In the machine. Adieul An
m the automobile starts on its journe
y. to that beloved place where clean bed
x and loving hands await to nurse US"
o. viii Make Sure About Their Eggs.
a "a D--a.wLA- 4 Al