The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-08-08
How They Saved
the Gunner
BY F. A. Mitchell

and shell, but the bulk were afloat and
still firing. At last one side gave In
under the longer range OF the other
and steamed away.
When the fight was over the cap
tain OF the Terror was going about
among the wounded, speaking word
OF praise 10 one. encouragement TO an
other and sympathy TO the dying,
While speaking hopefully to a tar who
had lost an arm he heard a voice be-
hind him:
Cheer up, Tom; we're going to sail
for home. Think how proud father
will be OF you when l tell him how
you served that gun, how when every
other man OF the gun squad had been
disabled you hung on and fired the
final shot that sank that submarine
and saved the ship from being blown
sky high. think l see mother and
the girls and little Jim coming down
the walk to meet us, mother putting
her arm about you, weeping for joy
at getting you home and a pride at
your bravery.
STEADY, old man! You're going to
pull through. The blood has stopped
flowing. All you want is something of
the grit you showed In sticking to
your gun and saving US all by the cool
pointing you did at that submarine.
Brace up, my boy, and all will be well.
keep your mind fixed on Sallie.
Think how she Is waiting and watch
ing for you TO come back TO her. You
bet we'll have rattlin' wedding.
think | see myself as best man prop
pin you up, and l see Sallie tryin' to
keep back some o. the smiles that |
crowd on to those pretty red lips of |
hers, her eyes dancin' with happiness |
and pride In the gunner that sank an
enemy ship and saved his own from a
SUBJ
The captain while listening TO these
words turned and saw two men, the
one lying on the deck, pale and Ian
guild, the other kneeling beside him
holding his hand He had known that
one of his guns had finished an enemy
ship and that gun had saved the Ter
ror from an enemy submarine. Who
fred the shot he had not known. Now
he knew that one man had fired both
shots and that he had stood by his
gun when every other man at the piece
had been stretched on the deck or
blown to pieces.
"Tom," he said.
The hero's eyes were closed, and he /
did not open them. The man kNeeling /
beside him was about to rise, salute
md stand at attention when the officer +
placed his hand on his shoulder and q
prevented him.
Brothers? ?" asked the captain.
Yes, sir
rs there anything that you think
will help to brace him?'
"He might be tided over, sir, If he
heard gun or a volley or If the marines
would rattle a drum. He kept up till !,
he fight ended. but when the firing :
eased he fell away" c
At this point an order was signaled t
rom the admiral to give chase to one
f the enemy's ships that was tagging
pehind the rest of the retreating feet.
The captain of the Terror transmitted
he order to the proper officer and to !.
nan the forward guns. As soon as T
he Terror came within range of the d
essel she pursued there was a loud d
oom. I'll
Tom opened his eyes. T
"We're at it again, Tom" said his Il
rother. wouldn't you like to be at az
hat gun? You can't do that, my boy
not just now. though you will in time. b.
20 doubt you'll fire many a shot after 81
ou've got your strength back" r
There came from the forecastle the !,
OIL of drum. The captain had order -
d 1t. He had ordered the firing. too, =,
OF that he expected to damage the ,e
etreating vessel, but that he hoped m
le brave man who had saved his ship ca
light be t1ded over the shoals of death SC
nd saved for his reward. to
Another gun. pc
Tom made an effort to sit up. His at
rother gently held him down. tn
Not yet, old man, not yet. You'll Sc
e in it again soon enough" "a
whats goin' on?" asked Tom in a "
leble voice. 81 thought we'd whip n
ID EN-" Al,
$50 we did. We knocked the smith at
Gems out of 'em. One of 'em is trying SCI
get away. and our men are trying to tel
nix her" do
"Are they doing it?'' =
''You bet, a few more shots will do II
e business. You're loolein' better, NJ
d fellow. There's the light Of life in
'ur eye. You're going to get well.
d.
You're going TO be an admiral some
y" supplied the captain, who had
turned from directing the operations
ainst the enemy's ship to direct the I
wing of the hero of the fight. You're bu,
be mentioned in orders and promot- ers
and sent home on leave. and at the We
1t fight you'll probably command a WI
eft ure
With this the captain went off to at 20;
I'd TO other matters. ma
Billy" said Tom. "get me some snn
". l reckon I'm going to pull eve
'ough." "a
'om did pull through. and every al
ng his brother had pictured came to
IS. Some of the things the captain =
I promised were fulfilled too. Tom rT
! not yet become an admiral. hut he i