Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-12-04
NUMBER 49.

some Of our batteries ana came oack
to Krustadt. The officer told me that
he would not need me during the after.
noon, but to meet him at 8 o'clock that
evening. We hitched our horses to q
tree, and the officer went OF. Very
soon after he had gone some more off,
GERS came along and hitched their
horses to the same tree. Altogether
there were six tied to the one tree.
went over to the Royal Engineers
place and proceeded to make myself at
home. I was feeling happy, for I knew
that this was my last day at the front,
and I was hoping to be home for
Christmas. OF course I told everybody
I met all about my good luck, and we
were having q regular little farewell
dinner. only we had tea instead OF
champagne. After 1t was all over some
of the boys went away, and I proceed.
ed to make myself comfortable on
couch the fellows had built up In the
corner.
had been there about fifteen min
utes when for some reason or other
got up and went over and sat down by
the brazier. hadn't been of that
couch three minutes whtn a shrapnel
shell burst directly over the hut and I
should say fully twenty pieces came
through the roof They went through
the floor as II It had been so much pa.
per, and about half q dozen pieces pen.
etrated the couch | had been lying on
not five minutes before. There were
three Of US In the hut at the time, and
not one Of us was so much as scratched.
The shells were coming over pretty
thick then, 80 we went for the dugouts
on the dead run. As passed the tree
where our horses were tethered high
explosive shell burst In the middle OF
them and buttered them all over the
landscape.
Believe me. didn't pause one sec.
ond. Just kept on going. entered
dugout that had about foot and q
half Of water In 1t, but ! lay right
down In It and was only too glad to
stay there The Germans were keep
Ing up a sweeping fire, trying to locate
our batteries, and they continued un-
til nearly Z o'clock that evening.
When o'clock came and was sup
posed to meet my officers stayed
right where I was, for knew that
would not be expected to 60 out and
wait by that tree when the shells were
falling the way they were then. At
7 o'clock the fire had pretty nearly
ceased, so I ambled out to the tree to
see what had become of the officer. he
was sitting on the ground with bis
back against the tree. told him what
had happened, and he asked me II
knew where We could find some more
horses.
said did and that It was right on
our way back, so we walked about a
half mile until we came to the trans
port camp and there we got two other
horses and proceeded to the place
where we had left the car.
Here the officer decided we would
have some tea, so I went into tent
where there were some fellows knew
and begged some grub. I had just
commenced to eat when shell scream
ed over and went into the ground about
twenty or thirty feet from the corner
Of the tent. It didn't explode, so we
were all right. but decided that right
here was where quit, and went out
and sat in the car until the officer was
ready.
But my troubles were not over yet
On the way back to'camp one Of the
back wheels came Off the car and near.
ly dumped US into the ditch. The off,
Ger got lift down in another car, and
I set to work to try to put back the
wheel It was dark, and the road was
muddy and soft, and everything seem.
ed to go wrong The train left at !
o'clock In the morning, and I was
nearly beside myself for fear I would
miss It.
When I finally did get In It was after
II, and had to do some tall hustling
to get my things packed. get my grant
and tickets and change my clothes for
dry ones and walk half mile to the
station to catch the train. did It.
though, and at 4 o'clock In the after.
noon I was In London.