The Washington herald., 1916-06-05

scent 1t gives out
At Bettws-y-Coed there are wonder
full waterfalls. but a spirit of evil is
supposed to hang about them. For
that the spirit of a wicked baronet
who had died 300 years ago was con-
demned to live beneath the waters of
the lower fall. "Dost hear the shrieks
and howlings" he inquired eagerly.
His soul is still in torment down
therew
1t was in beautiful Llandudno that
l saw the more direct effects of the
war. Away in the rural districts the
men have gone off to fight, or news
has come back that they are killed or
wounded. But Llandudno is the place
where they come to recuperate after
their wounds. It's glorious town.
the great cliffs followed into caverns
by the action of the waves. and the
sea birds circling in snowy patches
against a very blue sky.
Parties of convalescent soldiers
drove past on their way to the big
rocky promontory, Great Orme's Head.
The laden breezes had brought
a healthy color to their cheeks. and
they waved their hands to every pass
er-by.
This kind of driving is very differ
ent from the sort I've done for the
past six months in France" said a
big, stalwart fellow who was recov-
ering from blood poisoning that had
followed on a shattered hand. Il was
attached to an ammunition park, and
had to drive, full speed ahead. along
the shell-holed roads at night toward
the trenches. I dared not carry any
lamps, although every now and then
star-shells would illumine the road be-
fore me. then, falling, would plunge
1t into deeper darkness than before.
Many a time I missed the track alto
gether. and was hurled from my seat
into the ditch. My wagon was loaded
up with gunCotten. and all the time
was exposed to heavy she'll and rifle
fire from the Germans. In one jour
ney alone, the wagon was hit seven
times, but l escaped. Finally II had
to be towed down to the base. and
the poor old crock caused immense
amusement to the boys there, IS 1t
numbered slowly along.
wagon my hand was blown off by a piece
of shrapnel And so ended my ammuni-
ton driving"
Another convalescent welshman re-
turned from somewhere in France had
received his wounds in a strange way.
We were sent OF to reconnoiter house
near the enemy's lines" he declared
Just another man and myself. We imag-
ined the place must be unoccupied, for
we had blown it up by artillery fire. Yet,
as it might make good cover for an OBJ
servers party. our officer thought it had
better be examined.
Cautiously We approached the door,
and patches of moonlight shining through
it showed two Germans lying huddled at
the foot of the stairs. They were dread
fully unpleasant to look at, one with
twisted grin on his face that drew his
lips fack from his teeth and made him
look like an ape.
we returned to. report what We had
seen to our officer They were both
quite dead we assured him. Did you
give them a prick with your bayonet to
ascertain of they were stiff?' he inquired
suspiciously. No? Then better go back
and find out
so of we went again. Sure enough,
the. two Germans were lying Just as we
had left them We walked up TO them,
and l bent over the one with tho CHASTITY
grin on his face. l watched him in a
horribly fascinated way-he looked so
dreadful-when suddenly, to my horror,
the grin widened. widened He was
laughing. Before I could collect myself
the corpse had leaped up. run oayonet
into me, then made OF as fast as Its
legs could carry it!
Illutll dAISl tAA'NNs -
cept that my companion managed to cap
ture the other man, and some one came
and carried me to our lines, then on TO
the hospital"
Most of the private houses in Liam
dudno are turned into hospitals and con-
valescent homes for the wounded. The
pretty Welsh girls make splendid nurses
and look charming in their uniforms,
Everything in Llandudno seems to
he z+a
which Is employed in repairing the roads
has for engineer a man who fought all
through Mons and Loos. and who was
discharged from the army owing to part
Of his leg being cut on.
A little Welsh woman Of my acquaint-
ance has Just received letter from her
son, a sapper stationed on Greek Is
land. He describes the Egyptian life
there:
Another glorious day has just come
to a close In the stiffness Of the sun
set hour we can hear the monotonous
notes of the Egyptians as they return
from their work-a simple chant; perhaps
one to whose refrain the pyramids as
sumed shape many long centuries ago,
when these same mems ancestors labor
ed for masters long forgotten on the
banks of the unchanging Nile. Now
they labor for the seamen Of the West,
and their singsong repetition sounds like
a school full OF children reciting their
mathematical tables. The chants consist
Of portions Of the Koran. which the
Arabs repeat several times, to the ac-
compartment of hand clapping. They fin
ish with a long prolonged "Ho-" The
leader gives them another phrase from
the Koran. and the same performance is
gone through for hours at a stretch.
They behave Just like children, happy
and laughing one moment at some sim
pie pleasure, like ride on a train; furi-
ously angry another moment because
their pay is slightly late; sullen and
afraid of corporal punishment; easily
overcome at the slightest touch of sick
ness. It is beautiful country. but am
longing to be home in Wales!"
And this longing. perhaps, is keener in
the Welsh than in almost any other SOL
diers Of this war. For love of home and
their own Wild beautiful country is the
keenest factor in the Welshman's char
acter.
[fIIT mn TUUnnnnss