The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1916-09-14
The Strange Case Of
a Buried Soldier
By F. A. mitchell

ing at the siege OF Nerdun, while en-
gagged in counterattack upon the
Germans fell to the ground and lay mo
tionless. The counterattack succeed
ed, and the French held the ground or
which the fight occurred. Blanc's
friend. Louis Devaure. serving in the
same company, saw him fall and wher
the fight ceased went to him and took
him up. TO all appearances Blanc was
dead, but Devaure could find no wound
Surgeons to whom the case was refer
red surmised that the man had been
killed by the air pressure of missile
or, having weak heart. had sue
cumbed from that cause under excite
ment.
Devaure secured a coffin. or, rather
a box, and buried his friend near a
ravine that ran through the battlefield
That night severe rain set in
swelling tiny stream that ran
through the ravine and Overlooking
it's banks. In the morning Devaurc
visited his friends grave and found
that the flood had widened the ravine
and the end Of the box containing the
body was exposed. Moreover, the end
had been removed. This removal as.
tonished Devaure, who. looking into
the box, found it empty.
He was as much surprised at this as
he had been to discover that his friend
had been killed in battle without any
sign Of having been hit. After study.
ing the possible causes of the absence
of the body he arrived at the conclu
sion that the water as it receded took
the body with it. But this did not &C
count for the removal Of the end Of the
box.
During the day several attempts We're
made by the Germans to recover the
ground through which the ravine ran.
They made a lodgment, but were not
able to hold it. During the fighting
Deyaure was slowly retreating in the
ravine, where he and his comrades
were less exposed to the German fire,
and while giving way before the enc
my he passed the protruding end of
the box from which his friend had dis
appeared.
What was Deyaure's establishment to
see the soles Of a pair Of boots in the
place where his dead comrades boots
should be had he remained buried!
At evening the ground contended for
remained in possession Of the Ger
mans Devaure told some of his com
rades Of his having failed to find
Blanc's body and OF his having after
ward seen the soles of boots in the
box during the retreat. He was laugh
ed at for his story.
However, the contention for Blanc's
burial place was not yet over. At
daylight the next morning the French
made another effort to possess them
selves of it. In this fight Devaure was
not in the ravine, but one Of his
friends, Pierre Larrabee, passed right
under the box in question. The French
were again dispOssessed, and LARA.
bee reported that he had stood where
he could see into the box. the sun
lighting its interior, and it was empty
Devaure was forced to the cOnclu.
sion that his first view was correct and
that in his second he must have been
mistaken, though he had been as sure
of seeing pair Of soles as he was Of
seeing the box that contained them.
\ wood bordered this much fought
over region, and when night fell the
Germans, after Smelling the wood, ad.
vanced to take it. Devaure's com.
pany was among the forces used in re.
repelling this attack. Amid the fash.
ing of guns. the glare of searchlghts.
the roaring and the shouting, the two
opposing forces contended for the
wood. While Devaure's company were
pressing forward he saw man rise
out of the ground and turn for a mo.
ment to look at the French as if to sat.
isfy himself whether they were friends
or enemies. Then, evidently assured,
he turned toward the Germans and be
gan to fire at them with his rifle.
What was Devaure's establishment
to see in the white, haggard face Of
this man his friend Blanc!
Devaure was more nearly paralyzed
with terror at this ghostly being than
at the frightful scene about him. The
ghost fell back into the ranks of the
French. Devaure seized his arm, and
the ghost turned.
Louis"
"Antoinev
These words were spoken, though
not heard by either for the din. But
Devaure was assured that his friend
stood with him in the flesh.
When day came and the fighting
ceased Blanc recounted his remarkable
adventures to his chum.
He had come to consciousness with
sense Of suffocati ton and chilled feet.
which were resting against some OBJ
stacle. With spasmodic effort he
forced this object away and felt rush.
Ing water, which soon engulfed him.
Feeling that he was Enclosed except at
his feet, he pulled himself in that di.
rection and struck water at or about
Its surface. Finding bank, he scram-
bled up it and, realizing that he might
be among enemies. lay still till there
was light enough to see the road. Then