The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-07-24
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the others he lay on his back with
his feet toward the clump of trees,
but his right arm was stretched out
beside his head and the frefngers or
the half-closed hand pointed upward.
The attitude made me gasp, not so
much with horror as with recollection
one OF those idle, meaningless recol-
lections that sometimes thrust them
selves into moment OF intense ner'
vous strain. What came to me across
more than 80 years was a recollection
of boys lying~under the shade Of trees
with arms stretched out beside their
heads, and they looking up into the
sky and twisting idly with one hand
a bit Of flower or a strand Of grass,
or perhaps pointing lazily upward
with the forefnger.
Finger Points to Sky.
Precisely so the dead soldier lay
! the forefinger OF his right hand point
/ ing up through the flood Of sunshine
which, streaming between the stark,
| leaf1ess trees. fell upon his face. lie
was smooth shaven and young. The
blush pallor of the face was touched
! by a crimson spot in the center OF
! the forehead and that spot spread out
in a pinkish circle. so faint that his
aspect was not repulsive.
He must have fallen on his back
and the blood had gushed out from se'
had death granted the only mercy
il could. The face was not dishgured
by the overlap of blood which the sun
quickly turns black:
So the dead soldier lay with finger
pointing upward-like boy in the
fields.
There was desultory building going
on along the line Of trenches and
parapets that half-enclosed the wood,
Dozens of soldiers, their weapons laid
aside, were carrying on this work
without making an effort to conceal
their bodies from the Russians, who
were entrenched a few hundred feet
away in the opposite wood.
Russians In Opposite Wood.
So incredible was the sight that 1t
failed 10 convince me OF my safety
and ! involuntarily Rugged the shelter
of the parapets as | made my way
along the entertainments. The Rus
slams were in the opposite wood; the
German position was obviously a de'
sired one for the Russians had MADE
desperate efforts to gain 1t.
Why then the bollness. nay rather
the Indifference. OF the bearing Of the
German soldiers who were exposing
themselves in the bright sunlight 10
the rife fire of an enemy that lay
within hailing distance-not only OK
posing themselves but exposing them
selves in the work Of Strengthening
the desired positions? Here. too. at
points by no means sheltered mon
we're sitting half-clad. their shirts and
TUNES spread out on their knees. ThcY
were laboriously picking vermin from
their garments.
1t was hard to understand. Why
ventured to ask. 80 little activity
today"
Because" an officer said "the lads
over there know that if they pick on
any of our people they'll get hand
full of shrapnel."
Both sides Want Rest
! In other words, both sides have mac
their belly full Of lighting for III" mo
mcnt. Th" Germans were content tc
! leave the Russians in quiet so long rs
! they kent niirt. and tho Russians seem
! cd satisfied with the terms. Still. they
! might chang. their minds any moment
! AMI my mind has often been more ~
case than it was during III" hours
! spent in tho Finienhurg Wald.
| While we were visiting and watching
| tho slow burial Of IN" dead and looking
out over h" CORPSE Strcwn fields ot re-
cent night attacks Il sweating soldier
came Eruntlns and tripping along w Sniio; !;
! branches All but throw him hS hr pass
| cd me- and | glanced toward him. on
! his shoulder straps were embroidered
| the figures | wanted /" see in searching
| for my friend Eohdo.
| Friend Is Nearby.
| 'ZwcihunG"rl 50 Mnh So We'll" | OK
! claimed and tho man halted giving the
| Jerk of the head that serves for salute
when soldier is CARRYING anything.
| list die sorhste knmpagnic in der
| Nahe?" I asked.
| "Jawohl. .mcIn herr" he said. die
sechste kompagnie liegt In diesem waid