The Washington herald., 1916-01-30

a
~ ties that only horrible war
~ can bring into the world is a
legacy left by a captain Of the
Franeo-Prussian war to soldier IN the
present struggle. the weirdest post NOR
tenn gift ever probated in any land.
Being without family leave the
whole Of my fortune to Paul Cambon'
farmer" reads this strange legacy OF Cap
tain lean Broissard to Cambon, who is
still fighting in the Champagne region.
'I desire thus to show my gratitude
to him for having for many years lis
tened patiently and with every air Of in
forest 70 the stories 1 used to tell Of the
war of 1870.
"T trust that he will be spared to re-
turn to his village after the present war
and my only request to him is that he
come occasionally to my tomb and there
relate some Of his own war experiences.
A fortune of see, 900 is Paul Cambon's
reward for doing this. But is it worth
it? Day after day II he is to keep this
fortune he must visit the cold, dark and
damp tomb Of his friend and there relate
the experiences that have befsllen him
and others in this great war. Hour after
hour he must sit mumbIfng at the coffin
Of his dead friend all the time wonder
ing IL those dead ears hear or whether
that dead face is taking on expressions
of pity, Joy OF horror. Is fortune OF
$4,000 great enough to repay eambon
for the horrors he will have to go
through? And the stories he VIII tell?
Here are only few Of the true ones
that he viii have to repeat over and over
again through all the years Of his life 10
his dead and cofiHed benefactor.
NV section with three others from dit-
ferent companies was ordered TO attack a
German trench in the Champagne. 1t
was a stfr fght and we had many killed
and wounded. All night through we kept
up the action with bombs under a tor
rental downpour Of rain which drenched
US to the skin.
But we held the trench and l expert
enced a great exaltation of spirit. felt
that life was extraordinarily intensified,
and l had a laugh on my lips. On two
occasions a torpedo knocked me over
covering me with earth and wreckage
and I picked myself up from it laughing,
as if at good joke.
In the morning we we're relieved so
that we might have a rest and we went
into a second line trench and tried to
sleep. Toward midday we woke in
hurry The Germans had just counter
attacked US with an avalanche or gren-
ades and torpedoes. They were repuIs-
ing US. 1t was panic. Not only had they
retaken their own trench, but they were
reaching ours.
Already the men were pressing into
the Communication trenches shouting,
The Boches! The Boches!" Only the
narrowness Of the communication
trenches held back the fugitiVes who
we're crowding one on the other. All
the officers were wounded. had a mo-
ment's hesitation. After all 1t was not
my turn to attack, and then my men
were very fatigued. Then 1 pulled
myself together. l made my sacrifice
and decided to die to stop the Boches.
brushed a passage through the
scared crowd and called: No, my
friends, the Boches are not there. They
have gone back. They have taken to
their heels"
These words passing from mouth to
mouth stopped the retreat bit. few
volunteers Joined me. leaped forward
and my bomb throwers scattered their
missiles among the Boches, who fell back.
1 was the first man out of the French
trench. l was as sure OF my death as 1
was of the sunshine but what serenity
was mine!
Still throwing bombs we reached the
enemy trench and recaptured our por-
tion. Before US in a communication
trench leading from the first to the Sec
ond German line l had a sandbag barrier
erected and enjoyed a breathing space.
But on our left the Germans we're still
lighting in our own lines and on our
right the trench was empty-our own
men gone, the Boches not yet arrived.
We were Just handful of men COM
pletely isolated with a rain of bombs on
our heads coming from In front of US.
II the Germans had known the smaIlness
of our numbersi
Their artillery RACES A lieutenant
who has come to support me and who is
smoking cigarette while he laughs at