Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1917-12-27

some way they would get through our |
lines and secrete themselves along tho
road where they could pick OF individ.
uals without much fear OF being seen.
I noticed that there was one place In
particular where we always heard Q
bullet pass too close to lie comfortable.
II was little wooden bridge. and
don't think ! ever crossed II without
hearing one whine past me.
One day | rode up with second lieu.
tcnGnt of the Royal Engineers. AS we
crossed the bridge bullet whizzed be-
tween us. hut when ! looked at the on.
ger he did not appear to have noticed
II. so didn't say anything About
three hours later we were coming back
the snne way Just before we came to
the bridge he said:
Tint blasted sniper has ported At
me once too often. Well leave the
road here and sneak down opposite
that bridge under cover OF the trees.
Let us see II we can find the blighter.
Well wait until he pots at somebody
else. and you keep yOnr ears stretched
and try to locate where the report
comes from"
We tethered our horses to tree and
crept down to point just about Op-
posite the bridge After few min.
utes an empty transport wagon came
along AS this hit the bridge ! dis.
tinctly heard the crack Of rifle. but
u came from behind and to the right
Of Us. We henrd the bullet sing owe.
our hends and saw the driver duck and
put the whip to bis horses.
Very quietly we crawled back in the
direction from which the report had
come. After going about 100 yards We
lay still and waited. Pretty soon We
heard the rife crack again. and 1t
wasn't very far away. but was still
behind Us. We went q little farther,
and the lieutenant whispered: Keep
your eyes skinned. Watch the trees"
could see no sign of life anywhere,
but knew that the sniper must be
very close After several minutes wait
the report came again. and this time 1t
was SO close that l jumped. We heard
the ejector fly back and the bolt snap
home again. And then l saw him!
The sniper was we'll up In a tree,
and he was almost invisible. 80 we'll
was q screen of branches drawn up
around him. His rife was fitted up in
tripod. and the legs of this tripod
were nailed to the branches of the tree.
All he had to do was to sit there and
pull the trigger. eased back the bolt
of my rifle 80 as to make no noise.
and l eased it home again. The lieu
tenant drew his revolver. and we took
q steady aim together.
Fire.: he said softly. and the two
shots rang out as one. Mr.. SHIPPER
came down like thousand brick.
climbed the tree to have look at
his nest, and 1t certainly was ingenious
That rifle was fixed dead across the
center Of the bridge. 80 all he had to
do was to pull the trigger when he
heard anything strike the wooden
planking Of the bridge. 1t was a pref
ty little scheme. but 1t came to an end.
as all things. good or bad. must.
Other traps such as this were all toe
common along this road, but eventual
~ We cleared the most of them out.
Many Of the snipers would wear civil.
ian clothes, some would be wearing
the British uniform. and some would
have the nerve to use their own uni
forms.
We captured q few Of these beauties
alive. Their admissions were almost
unbelievable. They confessed to hav
ing patrolled the road every night and
actually greeted any Of our chaps they
CHANGED to pass. They knew thu
names Of most of tho regiments in tina,
vicinity. and some Of them evep knew
the nicknames our fellows had fol
their otacers. 1t 10 q Job that requires
heaps of nerve. but 1t u q dirty. despi
cable game.
A German sniper was killed onl
night, and the fellows who brought
him down decided to play q joke OF
an Irishman in their regiment The,
took the body Of the sniper and carriet
1t about 4 hundred yards OF the road
where they propped 1t up against ,
tree and also fixed . rife to its shout
der. Then they went in search Of tn
Irishman. When they found him the!
told him that he had been ordered u
60 up the road and hunt for a snipe
who was potting At the passing traffic
The Irishman took his ride and wen
out In search Of the German. D
course he found him. for be couldn'
have passed without seeing the ira
which had been laid for him. tn
minute hs caught sight Of the FRA
Uniform hs dropped behind . bale
hay which was lying on the side Of th
road and started firing 1t the suppose
snipsr. The fellows who had sent hiI
up there came along and without bein
observed BY the object Of their jok
proceeded b enjoy The fun. The lrisl
man couldn't understand how It VI
Dossibae Hsr him - miss his mark {
such short znnse, and at each che
10 was swearing at biz lock. FINAL
b bit the body - many ttnss Il 20
ovsR, and d vas net uatil then that
Smthp1 nv 10 haN t61a lsossA.