Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-09-11
NUMBER 8

ways It was. For instance In the most
Of dramatic exhibitions
did you ever see the Lady artists 90
around and reward enthusiastic ap-
plause with kisses? Well, that's what
we got. And / am proud to say that
It was Miss Compton who conferred
this honor upon me.
At about 8 o'clock on that afternoon,
when we were all having good time,
one of the orderlies threw open the
door of the ward and announced IN Q
loud voice that his majesty the king
was coming in. We could not have
been more surprised II some one had
thrown in a Mills bomb Almost I'M
mediately the king walked In. accom-
panied by a number of aids. They
were all in service uniforms, the king
having little in the style Of his uni
form to distinguish him from the 9TH
ers. He walked around, presenting
each patient with copy Of Queen
Mary's Gift Book" an artistic little
volume, with pictures and short stories
by the most famous Of English artists
and writer's. When he neared my bed
he turned to one Of the nurses and In
Quired:
''Is this the oner'
The nurse nodded. He came and sat
at the side of the bed and shook hands
with me. He asked as to what part OF
the United States I had come from,
how had got my wounds and what
the nature Of them were, how I was
getting along and what I particularly
wished done for me- I answered his
questions and said that everything
could possibly wish for had already
been done for me-
Thanked by King and Decorated For
Bravery.
II thank you," he said, "for myself
and my people for your services. Our
gratitude cannot be great enough to-
ward men who have served as you
have"
He spoke in a very low voice and
with no assumption Of royal dignity.
There was nothing In the least thrill
ing about the incident, but there was
much apparent sincerity In the few
words.
After he had gone one Of the nurses
asked me what he had said.
"Oh,"I said, George asked me what
I thought about the way the war was
being conducted, and said I'd drop In
md talk it over with him as soon as
was we'll enough to be up"
There happened one Of the great dis
appointments Of my life. She didn't
zee the joke. She was English. She
gasped and glared at me, and / think
she went out and reported that I was
delirious again.
Really, wasn't much impressed by
the English king. He seemed pleas
INT, tired little man with q great bur
den to bear and not much Of an idea
about how to bear It. He struck me
as an individual who would conscien-
tiously do his best in any situation, but
would never do or say anything with
the slightest suspicion Of a punch 10 It
A few days after his visit to the hos
pitaI saw In the Official London Ga
zette that I had been awarded the dis
tinguished conduct medal. Official let
ters from the Canadian headquarters
ampliied this information, and no
tice from the British war office inform
ed me that the medal awaited me there.
I was told the king knew that the
medal had been awarded to me when
he spoke to me In the hospital De-
spite glowing reports in the Kentucky
press he didn't pin 1t on me. Probably
be didn't have it with him, or perhaps
he didn't consider 1t good form to hang
a D. G. NJ. on suit Of striped presenta-
ton pajamas with prevailing tone OF
baby blue.
While I was in the King George hos
pital witnessed one Of the most Won
derful examples Of courage and pluck
I have ever seen. A young Scot only
nineteen years old, McAuley by name,
had had the greater part Of his face
blown away. The surgeons had patch
ed him up in some fashion, but he was
horribly dis6gured. He was the bright.
est, merriest man in the ward, always
Joking and never depressed. His own
terrible misfortune was merely the top
ic for humorous comment with him.
He seemed to get positive amusement
out Of the fact that the surgeons were
always sending for him to do SOME
thing more with his face. One day he
was going into the operating room and
fellow patient asked him what the
new operation was to be.
"Oh," be said, I'm going to have q
cabbage put on In place Of head.
It'll grow better than the one have
now"
Once in a fortnight he would man.
age to get leave to absent himself from
the hospital for an hour or two. He
never came back alone. 1t took q
couple Of men to bring him In. On the
next morning he would say:
"well, 1t was my birthday. A man
must have few drinks on his birth.
day."
was discharged from the hospital
in the middle Of February and sent to
a comfortable place at Hastings, Sus-
sex, where lived until my furlough
papers came through. I had a fine
time In London at the theaters and
clubs pending my departure for home.
When my furlough had arrived went
to Buxton. Derbyshire, where the Ca
madam discharge depot was located,
and was provided with transportation
to Montreal l came back to America
on the Canadian Pacific Royal Mall
steamer Metagama, and the trip was
without incident Of any sort. We lay
for a time In the Mersey, awaiting
word that our convoy was ready to see
US out Of the danger zone, and de-
stroyer escorted US 400 miles on our
way.
was informed before my departure
that commission as lieutenant In the
Canadian forces awaited my return
from furlough, and I had every inten-
tion Of going back to accept 1t, but
since got to America things have hap
pened. Now it's the army Of Uncle
Sam for mine. I've written these sto-
ries to show what we are up against
It's going to be q tough game and Q
bloody one and q sorrowful one Tor