Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-10-07

sound Of the shells--even those shells
which tore whole business squares to
bits and killed or craxed 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. ut was my right 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.
Awful
"Then yon and NEIL watch aich 9th.
er. They make you dippy after awhile
sometimes. we've heard?''
Yves. I've heard.
worth street," an officers voice
warned. Tho next is ours, boys.
Brooklyn bridge
Did that mean marching on the sur
face again or going In ears exposed to
fret Why couldn't every one stay In
the subway It went to Brooklyn safe
deep down under the river. The train
stopped and every one got out. The
battalion started up to the street Tho
shells! They were bursting ceaselessly
just above. The conclusion of them
battered down the subway stairs and
the noise above was awful. Not only
the shells screams also and cries Of
men in panic, terrified, beaten.
Forward boys! Come on, every.
body! Forward
Hmoke-black, binding smoke, hot
and scorching-eddie down into the
subway. The battalion struggled
through It There was a fight at the
top of the stairs. Soldiers were trying
to turn back men who were crushing
to get into the subway. They strug-
gled and svore The battalion brought
help to the guards and cleared the
stairs. Company F. following Company
q, came out to the street. The end
Of Brooklyn bridge lay before them.
shrouded in the smoke which rose from
the tenement blocks whiA were burn
ing. From the smoke men staggered
and stumbled In uniform and
With r.hes. uniformed men without
guns, and others without uniform or
rife, but wearing the arm bands and
the brown shirts Of American recruits
Shells burst above them and scurried
them on. These were not the monster
smells which had been striking further
up in the city. These were smaller and
came much quicker and burst with two
different sorts Of detonation. One sort
made little noise. The other burst with
shock and roar Of the Same type, only
much less. as the shock Of the shell
which had daxed the battalion.
''shrapnel that! And that's high ex-
plosiver'
"Yesr
Column fours! Column fours!" the
company officers were begging. For
ward! Forward. men! March,
A bugle blew the signal over and
over again. The battalion moved slow.
~ toward the bridge. shrapnel and
the quick. ceaseless high explosive
SHELLS were bursting above Company
F now.
"Oh, r'm hit!~ The soldier who
cried 1t caught at Jim's shoulder and
dragged there. Beyond him another
man went down without cry or gasp.
He Just crumpled. and the man march
ing behind stepped on the body before
he knew It.
forward. men! Forward! You've
got to come on! Oh, come on. you
towards! For Illinois, boys! Come on!
Come on! Never mind the wounded.
Don't look at the dead! Come on.
boys! Forward! Come onr'
Never mind the wounded! That
meant-for Jim Ashby-that he must
free himself from the fingers Of the
man clasping his shoulders. He must
let the man fall on his face in the
street.
"Ashbyr winslow, the captain. APP
pealed to him because he was cor
poral. At least he had a uniform.
Help bring up those men! Forward
Make 'em come onv'
Jim freed himself from the wounded
man and laid him. grooming and crop
ing, on his back in the street.
'Come on, boys!" Most Of Company
r faltered forward a little. For the
moment the shells were worse behind
than in front The company advanced
further. Winslow's voice cried in
praise: "That's the stuff. boys! Don't
let the New Workers think were afraid.
Come on, now"
The New Workers! II they were the
men running from the bridge they had
a lot Of right to think things about any
one else. They were running mad,
crazy with fear, and ducking their
heads and trying to dodge when the
shells were breaking above them. They
flung themselves, coughing, out Of the
smoke. and when omcers yelled to them
and tried to gather them and get them
together they ran o. fell wounded,
squirming in The street. Only here and
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