Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-12-07


stretched hand.
i thought l recognized that voicer
he exclaimed. do you remember me,
Charlie Brown"
Hello, Guyr' the delighted Amerf-
can cried. $50 you did come over
to the front, after all? Didn't I say
you would?'
yes. l came over with the first
batch-bribed the recruiting sergeant.
And here am. But what are
You doing at the front?"
Charlie explained how he had fallen
into the hands of the Germans, how
they had set him free and started him
toward Brussels. But his rebeIlious
nature had revoIted; and having hid
den by day and Travelled by night, he
Had made straight for the place where
he understood the British to be in
trenched.
Mr.. Brown had scarcely finished his
brief recital when there followed an
ominous whistle, which seemed to
come from over his head. Off in the
distance there was a flash and an ex-
pIosion
Whats that?" the American asked.
''Oh, just one of our shells travelling
somewhere to our friends, the enemy"
the captain informed him.
THAT will probably start their eve
ming song" Guy remarked
count" Charlie said.
For few minutes they stood there,
discussing the war
whats it fOr?" the newspaper man
asked. There's no individual hatred
no great, soul-stirring emotional
crisis behind it all"
"But England was forced into it."
Captain Montague interposed.
"And dare say France and Russia
and Austria all feel they were forced
into it, too" Charlie replied. That's
the whole trouble. Each nation be-
lieves honestly that it's in the right.
and in some way l suppose each of
them is. | don't knOW-I'm
not a big enough man to attempt to
say. And what good is it aIl?"
1T is that militarism shall cease
that never again can there be another
war like this" the English captain
told him.
AS they talked, a doctor, accompa-
MED by two streteher bearers, en-
tered the trench, and, finding that
there was no need for their services
in that quarter, they passed on.
That's the Red Cross" Captain
Montague explained, noticing the jour
nalist's interest in the trio. Following
close upon his words came another of
those sinister whistles
That's one of their shellsw the
captain continued, meaning the Ger
mans.
At the information Mr.. Brown
promptly ducked and huddled down
upon the bench under the overhang of
the trench.
you needn't duck, old man! It
wouldn't do you any good" the elder
officer remarked. Anyway, that
shell was on it's way toward one of
our batteries" he added, pointing to
their rear
well, now they've started, any
how" Guy said.
sometimes they fire only one or
two shots-and then again they go on
all night" his senior officer explained.
Stepping to the field telephone,
which rang insistentIy, Captain Mon
tague received a message from the
battery posted some distance behind.
When Guy Falconer learned that some
light bombs were to be let off, he
begged the captain to let him Climb
the tree that rose near one end Of the
trench, in order that he might try to
get the range of the German guns
The captain did not like the idea
He had been cautioned not to expose
his men-and especially his officers
unnecessarily. And he warned Guy
that he might get picked off by a Ger
man sniper
"Not a CHANGER Guy protested
"Please!, 1t would be ripping really
to do something"
Inc captain perceived that the in
action Of waiting for an attack was
fast setting Guys nerves on edge And
at last he gave his consent.
For a little time Guy called out di-
rections to the captain, who stood at
the telephone reIaying Guys instruc-
lions to the battery In the light fur
niShed by the British bombs the youth
fui lieutenant carefully watched the
effect of the shells that whistIed over
their heads and burst increasingly
nearer to the Teuton artillery.
Right on a gum Guy shouted at
last. L saw it crumpIe! That's it!
Keep the range at tWenty-nine fftyw
The words were hardly out of his
mouth before he came topping from
his perch. The captain and one of the
pri7ates caught the limp figure just be-
fore it struck the ground, and they laid
him tenderly upon the dirt. floor of
Trench 81.
They've got him. He's not
dead. though" CAPTAIN Monta
que kneeled beside the lad and bent
over him. And corporal with some
knowledge of frst-aid procedure I'M
dertook to stop Guys bleeding. He
was seriously wounded-that much
ii