davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-11-01
Copyright, Little. Brown & CO.

1t was a cloudy day, and l remember
hearing an aeroplane, but l thought It
was one Of our own, for one Of our
flying grounds was close by. Suddenly
a taube shot down through the clouds.
and a second or SO later there was a
deafen1ng explosion followed by two
others In quick succession. The first
bomb landed about thirty yards away
from where I was, and the pieces few
all around me.
Altogether there were forty.six cas-
ualties from that raid; eleven were
kiKed. There was only n British SOL
der and one French gendarme killed
among the military; the remainder
were all civiliana A military funeral
was given them all, and it was one Of
the most solemn and impressive cere-
monies I over witnessed. British SOL
'diers carried our poor chap and French
soldiers carried the Frenchman. The
civilians were carried by their own
townsmen.
Each coffin was wrapped In the ma
tional flag. and escorts and firing parties
Of each of the three nations We're in
attendance. The Belgian Old Guard,
the old veterans, turned out with their
band and in dress uniform. During
the service In the church, and in fact
until the whole funeral was over, three
aeroplanes, M Belgian, one French
and n English, circled back and forth
W the city. The streets were lined
with soldiers, all with reversed arms,
and the band played the dead march
all the way to the cemetery.
This was only the first of many raids
on Us In this town, and many a poor
civilian who had harmed no one met
his death in this way.
IF 1t is still standing there is very
near the front at Viamertfnghe, not far
from Poperinghe, 4 chateau where one
of our divisions had their headquarters.
the corps headquarters being at Poper-
inghe. 1t was a beautiful place built
on the old style, with enormous, grounds
and a moat all around it.
While sitting o n a table in q room In
this chateau I first heard n of our
really big guns fired. l knew that these
guns had been placed in the grounds of
the chateau somewhere, but at the time
I never thought for a moment what
was likely to happen when they went
into action. l was talking to one of
the fellows about an air raid that we
had just pulled off.
Suddenly and without the slightest.
warning came this terrific explosion
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-11-01

We Rushed Out and Found That Ono
Of the Guns Had just Been Fired.
that lifted me off the table and dumped
me halfway across the room. The
whole place rocked, and every window
IN the house was broken. We rushed
out to see what had happened and
found that one Of these guns had just
been fired. l mention this merely to
show what damage the c%oncussion
alone will do.
During the time the divisional head
quarters was in this chateau the strict
est rules were enforced regarding keep
ing under cover and showing no signs
Of activity around the place. To look
at It from the outside one would never
dream that on the inside several gen
erals and their stats were working
a tremendous fighting machine. No
autos, motorbikes, bicycles or horses
were allowed within the gates and
when q man went In he had to keep
under the trees all the way. At night,
while the place was brilliantly lighted
on the inside, not wen q glimmer
showed from the road. I guess it was
about the most quietly conducted head
quarters on the whole front.
vinmertinghe is SO close to the firing
nne that it is only q matter of q couple
Of minutes before an aeroplane can b
right over the place. OF course our
corps headquarters at Poperinghe was
bigger. but was not so near the front.
After those big guns of ours went
into action there 1t was only q matter
sf q few days before shells began to
drop In on the place. I happened to be
a the other side Of Viamertinghe
vhen the bombardment commenced,
~ had - r1A thrsagh Il q ny ~
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-11-01

tie Picked 1T Up and Jane Dashing
Into Camp With 1t.
came to the artillery quarters, and
there we gave him over to his COM
rades, who rushed Elm to the nearest
field ambulance. l do no know
whether he recovered or not: l have
often wondered about it.
We found our car where we had left
it, and we were back at headquarters
before dark. On the way back the old
colonel made a remark that l believe
The really meant. He said: i've
joyed these two days Immensely, and
1T brought back the days of my youth.
Fate, has deereed that my body shall
remain in England, bu& God knows
that my heart lies with you boys out
here in the trenches"
A rather funny thing happened soon
after this which shows what a man
who doesn't know the ropes will do
when he gets excited. There was a
very strict order to the effect that no
man other than one detailed for the
work should touch or in any way dis
ttuAO dA uACAplOOCU CACAAy y ooCAs a
heavy penalty was imposed for dis
ebeying this order. and NO one but a
man who didn't know any better would
think Of doing it.
A lev regiment came up and went
straight into rest camp before going
into action. A private In this regiment
happened to run aersss ~ unexploded
shell n day, and, being the hrst be
had ever seen, he was greatly excited
He picked it up and eane dashing into
camp with it. Before showing it to
any n else who knew any better he
Went straight to his commanding on
Ger to exhibit his find.
"Oh. look what l found str," be said.
'1t's a German she'll that hasn't *
ploded."
us it really? p said the officer. We'll
I'll tell YOU what you 4 % with It.
You will take It into that fsld. and you
will dig a hole Ave feet deep, and you
will bury your and there, providing. Of
course. It doesn't explode n ysuF hands
before you have time to Starry sut thu
order. Corporal. fail ID two Dea and
- taDt a4saf&.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-11-01

bssa at my home recovering from
wounds I received when I won this lit
Dc cross, and am now on my wa,
back to join my regiment.
IF you will accept a suggestion from
4 man who knows men. you will stol
this silly business, for you are doin"
more harm than anything else. and II
l were a civilian and YOU had done il
to me then, | would have faced a firing
party before | would join the army.
trust you have learned something
Good afternoon"
found out later that he vas a ser
gcant piper in ono of the most famous
Scottish regiments and that he wor
the cross for saving three officers wheI
wounded himself
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-11-01
CHAPTER VII.
The Attack on Hill No. 60.

A r last we came to the place where
~ the communication trench began.
and l explained it to him. The
trench lay about 100 yards off the road,
running parallel to it. 1t was awfully
muddy and n of the dirtiest holes to-
get to that l ever saw. He noted this
and wanted ia stick to the road, so l
shut up and said no more for a few
minutes.
Pretty soon a few shells began to
come over, and I could see them burst
ing farther up the road. l spoke again
and pointed out the danger we were
running into. He had to consent then,
SO we slipped and slid through the
mud and finally got into the trench.
1t was easy after that, and we reach
ed the trenches just in time to have
some lunch.
In the afternoon he was shown all
through the trenches there and then
came back and asked to see some
bombs thrown. They threw some bombs
for him and then started firing rifle
grenades. Everything was lovely un-
til about 4 o'clock. Suddenly
thing whizzed over and landed in q
trench not a dozen feet from where we
were standing. I didn't wait to see
what it was. I didn't even hesitate.
Ny feet just acted automatically, and
I think I broke the worlds record for
the standing broad jump right then
and there. As it happened, the thing
didn't explode, and it's a good thing
it didn't, for the colonel just stood and
watched it.
Soon after this he decided to go back,
so we returned the same way we had
come, and all the way back ne had me
picking up shell noses and pieces Of
shell until. when We reached the
again, I resembled a junk wagon.
TO put the finishing touches on it all
they were Smelling Viamertinghe when
we returned, and we passed through
that place as fast al that car could
travel, while the houses were tumbling
down on either side Of us. Taken all
In all, It was about as exciting q day
q I wanted.
But my troubles were not over yet,
for I was Informed that I was to take
him to the Ploogsteert trenches the
next day. I did not mind that 20 much.
for the saxons were holding the trench
"a opposite us on that part Of the line.
and they did not bother us very much.
sometimes days would pass with hard
~ q shot being fired. OF course the
German artillery gave It to us just the
same AZ everywhere else. but the Sax
mi themselves are pretty decent chaps.
The village Of Ploogsteert is q very
interesting place. as there had been a
great deal Of hand to hand lighting
there In the earlier days Of the wal and
the houses and trees left standing were
III scratched and cut BY bullet marks.
W. started out about 10 o'clock the
Dsxt nsenfng. and BY II we were q
- ~ - - he t~ceache&A = eafaG
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-11-01

- the trenches one passes through .
big wood. and this place. toe. was alive
with snipers. We arrived without mis-
hap, however, but things were warmer
than usual. for it seems that there were
some Bavarians IN against us ut this
time.
While the colonel vas housing around
| picked uh one Of the new periscopic
rifles that had just come out and start
ed potting ut a chap who was digging
a sniping trench out in front of the
German parapet. | could only see the
flash of his intrenching tool as he threw
the dirt out. and once in awhile his
head would show for Il fraction Of a
second. But I kept potting away more
to kill time than anything else.
He soon knew that l was after him.
for every once in awhile he would
a his little shovel at me just after
] had taken a shot. All afternoon |
kept this up. and about $50 4 was be-
ginning to get rather tired Of the game.
I just happened to glance into the glass
Of the periscope, and there was his
whole head and shoulders showing
above the little parapet.
I pulled the trigger. and he seemed to
disappear almost at the same instant.
1T sounds rather long to tell about. but
IT all happened In the fraction Of a Sec
'ond. I didn't know whether I had hit
him or not, and l was beginning to
doubt it when some one threw his body
out and went on digging In his place.
l had fired nearly 400 rounds 'of am
ndnition to get one German, hut ! felt
rather sick at having finally been sue.
cessfuL
Around : O'Clock We started back IN
the cal, and: al We were going through
the wood we; saw sne e6 sW Door Eel.
lows SHIPPED. We had several batteries
Of artillery IA the vicinity, and this
chap was an a~rtilleryman. He wa
walking up path which joined the one
We wers on. the junction Of the paths
being dbout 100 yards ahead Of us. We
could hear the psor Aevn whistl1ng q
he came along, but his whistle was cut
short blythe crack Of 4 rife. We'rushed
10 the spot where he had gone down
and we found that he had . bullet
thrcughihis right lung.
got out my field dressing handagea
and we bound him up, tying the pad
On the bandage tight over the bulse1
hole. We carried him down until w
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-11-01

AZ usual, a OF the l110t D9pos - -
v~s tho church, and AZ I Dadbsd By I
caught a glimpse Of the edihce burning
and the priests working feverishly try
ing to save some Of the contents A
usual, too, the people were in a panic.
and the road was crowded with them.
One night I was called and warned
for special duty the mex day. I hadn't
the slightest idea in the world what 1t
would be. but I'll confess that I was
surprised when l found out. l was
wanted by a colonel who had been sent
out from England to find the grave of
Prince Maurice Of ~Battenberg. His
resting place vas thought to be in the
Menin c%hurchyard, and l was to guide
the colonel up there and was placed at
his disposal until the grave was found.
Now, the Menin churchyard was
never a pleasing proposition, and from
what 1 could see it was going to be
far from pleasant this time. "Hellfire
corner was just opposite the church
and a very unhealthy spot. Prince
Maurice had been killed near Ypres
while fighting for the English and hur-
r1edly buried in the c~hurchyard, which
had been 20 constantly shelled that 1t
was feared his body had been obliter-
ated. English royalty was anxious to
know If his remains were still marked.
We went up to the Porte de Menin,
In Ypres, TN the car and decided to
leave It there, Al it was not advisable
TO let a a stand very long on the
Menin road. As we went up the road
I warned the officer to be careful, Tor
there e plenty of shippers about.
He va such an old man he had MOI
bsen out to the front before in this
V1r, but from the colors he was wear
AE a his breast I would be willing to
wager that this was the first one he
hadn't been in for q good many years.
We reached the %churchyard without
asytkfng exciting happening. but / was
not 1T all fussy about poking around
aD0E those graves. The place had
heen an shelled to pieces and the bod
ts b3own out Of the graves. After
abeat 6fteen minutes search wetfound
TIE grave We e looking for sby the
|-0<14RNAOHA ~ IAO Un0C VI a CkuUS AAOA-
Uosot and marked it so we would be
sure to find it again. The body Of the.
prince will probably be reburied else
where in mere peaceful times.
When We left the graveyard the Of
Seer asked how far it was to our
trenches. I told him that it was less
than q mile, but that it was mighty
Risky business going up in the day
Sn,a. When the colonel found that 1t;
Was such a short distance he wanted
b go up and see what they were like.
I wa under his orders, so there was
nothing for me to do but take him
there. l spoke of the snipers again.
but he didn't seem to care for all the.
shippers in the German army, so we
started up the road.
We hadn't gone 200 yards before a
bullet pinged by close enough to give
q wooden man heart failure. OF
course I ducked, and the old man no
ticed it. You can imagine how l felt
when he said: If you hear any snip
.ers you might let mt know. Tn get
Ting rather deaf lately"
Well, l admit that I swore.
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-11-01

near me. and without a word she pulled
a white feather through his buttonhole.
He was a great big fellow, and she had
to do some reaching to get at him. He
smiled when he saw what she had done
and said "Thank you, madam" very
politely.
That was like waving a red flag be-
fore a bull, and she grew crimson and
started telling him what she thought
of him. He listened until she was all
through. and then he asked, Have you
another one of those feathers, by any
CHANGER x
Eyes, I have, you coward" she snap.
ped, and she put another feather on
him. As she did 30 he pulled a Vic
toria cross from his pocket and pinned
it right under the feathers.
That woman gasped and suffered
and stanmered trying - make IN
apology, and she reached out to take
the feathers back, but he stopped her.
mo, madam" he said, It'll keep thes,
as souvenirs. If you don't mind, but
I'd like to say 4 few words to you
about what You are doing.
Because I am in civilian clothes does
not signify that l am . coward. For
all you knew I might have been med
icaily unfit for service. I might have
been a married man with ten O q doz-
en- small children depending on me. !
might have been any number Of things
that would have prevented me from
joining the army. but you didn't svel,
wait to inquire.
"You simply thought that because
not h khaki ! was Z coward. and
you thought to shame me into Joining
~ arm. ~ 1n$tss e fa1.Ih~s
The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1917-11-01
CHAPTER VIII.

n HY rest of sever days seemed very
lt short. and I was back on the
iOh NJ p~OporipDho all tpp SnOn
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-07-09
SEVEN NORTH DAKOTANS
RUNNING FOR CONGRESS

Fargo. n D.. July "a complicated
congressional campaign viii end to-
morrow in % special election Ir tra
ilrst North Dakota district 90 choose
2 successor TO the late IT, r. HeIzeseu.
There are seven candidates reSuTrfue
from mlNup iu Republican circles
ana the entry into national politics of
the mon partisan league the farm
ers' Organization which Sveur the
STATE on public ownership campaign
LAST ialL It's candidate IS John N
baer OF Fargo GeorEc A. BANGS oT
Grand Forks. is the Democratic t7n-
didate and d. r. Aker. of Fargo. IS
I-hnlnS IS "a non-partiSan pro-res-
sive Republican
There are four names on the Eenui,-
lcau column Henry g. Wei, of
gavaierz OIgeu b. Burtuess. Grand
forNs D. Y. Cuthhert. DEVILS Lake.
and Charles W. Plain. Milton
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-07-09
REGI5TEREDMEN
ORDERED READY
Are Notified To Be Pre-
pared To Appear Before
Boards at Any Time.

Washington. D. e. July All
men registered for service under the
selective draft were notified in cir
cuIar issued yesterday by provost
marshal general Crovder to be ready
for examination at any time by the
boards appointed TO conduct ezamiua-
tons and grant exemptions
How OF when the government viii
select the men to be examined is not
detailed I'm the circular. but it is re-
veaIed that the registration cards in
each county or city jurisdiction are
10 be numbered with red ink and that
as soon as the drawing IS complete
lists showing the order in which
these red ink numbers are drawn viii
be published i'm the press and viii be
posted at the office OF each local
board" To alredy has been announced
that the selection viii take place ia
Washington and the general pre-
sumption has been that some device
similar TO jury wheel VIII he en-
denominations are to be determined
by the local boards. the circular
shows. only for the previously an
nouuced specified causes. such as re-
SpOuSihiiirE for the support OF rela-
LLaEN ana LIIHL LOT Al. al iNl laN-
dustriaI reasons. Seven days after
designations are posted viii be al
lowed for filing claims There VIII be
an additional allowance of 10 days for
filing proofs and the board must de-
eide within three days after the proof
is filed
When the case Of any reEistraut
has been disposed of so far as the
local board is concerned. the names
of those not examined or discharged
VIII be posted Claims for eNemp-
tion for agricultural or industrial
work must be made within five days
after such posting and must go direct
to the higher board sitting for the
judicial district.
Appeals from the rulings Of local
boards must be made to the higher
board within ten days.
The circular does not cover the
Summouiug of the men for actual
service. pointing out that selection
and acceptance does not mean an im-
mediate summons Even the time OF
the drawing is not specified. but is
suauce OF the circular is taken to
mean that the work of selection may
be in progress within a few days.
Seutemher I has been tentatively
considered as the date for assemb-
ling the first half million men in
cantOnmenrs for training
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-07-09
RESTORE PEACE.
URGENT DEMAND
German Minority Socialists
Set Forth Program For
Settling Troubles.

stockholm. Sweden, July 2.-Imme-
Gate conclusion Of peace conditions
which shall include the establishment
or am International convention to bring
about general disarmament is the de-
maud OF the International Proletariat
according TO German minority Social
lists who have just issued lengthy
memorandum which contains the fol-
lowing recommendations
obligatory international arbitra-
t5ou should bee instituted.
Equal rights of an Inhabitants Of
race or religion, Is an imperative ne
ressitE
Secret treaties must be abolished
Change Frontiers BY Consent.
Notifications of frontiers must de-
PEND on the consent of the populations
concerned and must not be effected by
violence.
Auuexations and indemuftes shall
Boz fixed on the basis of the right of
nations tp decide their own desunies-
Eeesta bliEhmeut OF SerVia as an in
dependent autonomous state IS neces-
The aspiration OF the Polish people
toward national unity is understood
but t1 roucedc right 10 autonomy TO
Russian Poland and refuse IL to Prus-
..
CfffaHre with the right of nations to
decide their own destinies-
Referendum TO AIsRce-LOrrafne.
Continuation of the war to esra b.
fish this right as well as to solve the
question of Alsace-Lorraine is con-
demucl An opportunity ought to be
given Alsace-Lorraine TO decide by
referendum TO which country il wish
es 10 belong
II IS impossible to refuse Belgium
complete political Independence and
complete economic autonomy. The Bel
sian people should receive repara-
tion and damages due to war. particu-
larry the restitution of economic loss
es- this having nothing i'm common
with War i1demnities which are con-
dcmued-
The policy of colonial conquest is
condemned
The essential preliminary of a last
ing peace IS the independence of the
Socialist parties in their relation with
the imperialisric governments
a peace program would be idle talk
unless supported by energetic inter
national efforts Of the masses.
El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-07-09
FRENCH TO BE TAUGHT TO
5000 SOLDIERS IN TRAINING

Three thousand soldiers have en-
rolled in French classes proposed by
the soldiers recreation committee Of
lei Paso and arrangements are being
made TO open the classes The French
instruction VIII be under the oIrec-
ton of professor A. H. Hu=hey. OF
the recreation committee, and French
consul John ~ RomaEuy and j. L-
Henry. instructor OF French az fle
hlen school have volunteered their
services The city board of education
VIII De asked 20 allow the classes 20
he held u rH. high school h-l-dIn
when final uEeweu-s are made
The classes VIII Doe held i'm the even
iuE after the soldiers have curru---ed
heir training work al the ME rar-
camps