Omaha daily bee., 1916-09-20
Hon. the Germans Face Death
FIRTH Arno Wagner in Leslies -

| When night came something unusual appeared
| in the trenches something the men had never
| seen, but had heard Of: Flame -throwersl Well,
this time we will give them a hot timeT re-
| marked the men, VINO we're angered bcause the
| French had been firing on the dead comrades.
| That the flame -throwers meant something we
knew at once, and that something was that we
were going to attack. Mine-throwers were also
made ready, and about 10 o'clock the order passed
from man to man, whispered like the greatest
secret: Keep ready~ Those men were not
afraid. They knew what it meant to attack, to
run, perhaps, into the muzzle of machine gun
or to be shattered by hand grenade. Still, was
there not for a moment strange feeling in each
breast? To be frank, were the hearts not beat
ing faster? Yes, and thoughts went home.
Addresses OF parents and relatives were given by
one comrade to another, cards were written IN
a hurry. All that passed had the serene calm
ness of a religious ceremony. Some looked to
the east, where two small hands were, perhaps,
at that moment, clasped in prayer for them;
where loving mother or fiancee was waiting.
Shall | see her again." In how many minds
was that thought waited!
Death was lurking behind the sand bags to
grasp the first who would jump over. Oh! he
would do good work amidst the seventh COM
pany, but he was not in hurry for this rich
harvest OF young hopeful souls We waited long
for the sign that started the mine throwers to
toss up about ten 200-pound mines. They heaved
up against the sky, then came down with fire
tail, like falling star, and with terrible crash
exploded, bringing death and ruin. Before the
first mines reached the French trenches one heard
the sound of trumpet blown by the French
outpost to warn his comrades that the mines
were comingi After the mines had demolished
the French trenches and shelters the fame
throwers advanced, to be followed by the infantry
but the French must have been expecting them
for an artillery fire started and four OF the ad-
vancing fame throwers were annihilated before
they could begin their death dealing work. The
French artillery hampered the German infantry
and the attack failed. Two of the fame -throwers
escaped and came back. The nervous tension of
the comrades had been useless. Death had spared
them, and they thanked God!
"Hep-help" one cried. One of the men
started in the direction from which the call came
Close to the French line man of the fame
throwers was lying, wrthing in his pain. When
the German sanitary corporal made a movement
to leave the trench to get his comrade, French
steel helmets moved behind the sand bags and
fists with hand grenades were raised in warning
To leave the trench to get the wounded man
meant death to the corporal. So one went back
to ask for the Red Cross flag and man speaking
French asked, with the flag in his hand, whether
the French would allow him to rescue the
wounded man. A moment of silence and then:
"Ou! Oiu" The men shouted their thanks and
waving their helmets, brought their wounded
comrade to the dressing station A human
glimpse in this bloody struggled
During the whole night the wounded man had
been exposed to heavy shell fire and the four
attacks the French had made passed over him.
bullet through his foot, and had not had drop
of water His uniform had to be cut off, The
story of his rescue circulated in the trenches and
the men at once forgot about the French firing
on the dead comrades Oh, they were all kind
hearted boys