Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1917-02-23
Il. TOLD
YOU SO"
By ESTHER VANDEVEER

the european war was a French bow
only seventeen years old. Antoine was
so full of fight that he wished to enlist
at once. But he was not Of the age
required of recruit and his mother
prevented his being accepted.
Antoine was so disappointed ar NOT
being able to go to the war and so i'm
patient to get there that he excited
the attention of his associates. One of
them said, when he gets to the front
he will be glad to get to the rear"
Another remarked: 81 have no conf
dence in the bravery of these fellows
who are spelling for fight"
Louise Boyer, little girl living near
Antoine, considered him the bravest
man in the world. Whether this was
because she was impressed with his
desire to get to the front, which she
herself shrank from, or because she
loved him is not known. Certain 1t is
that when any one impeached his cour
age she would say:
Gust you wait. Antoine will be call
ed with next years troops, and you
will see what he will do"
One morning notices were posted
that the reserves of 1915 were called
for. Antoine was very happy. He
bade his mother and Louise goodby
and. taking position on a gun carriage
for he was in the artillery-rode
away with his arms folded over his
t,,or zlo o.. ~,
gunner with many service stripes on
his sleeve.
Antoine was what was considered q
good Soldier-that is, he was soldierly
in his appearance and attended to his
duties with zest. But this is no cri-
terion as to how a man will act con-
frOnted by missiles of war or cold
steel. In his first fight his battery was
placed in gap between two slopes in
the ground to defend it against a
charge Of Germans. Antoine, who had
been advanced to the rank Of sergeant,
was placed In command of two can
non, separated from the rest and or
dered to hold his position at any cost.
During the thick of the fight he left
his guns and was seen running as fast
as his legs would carry him to the
rear with half q dozen shells in his
arms.
"That man." said one who saw him,
"must be a terrible coward to be able
to get away so fast with those heavy
steel shells. But why does he not drop
them? How singular"
The Germans poured through the gap
left by Antoine, whose men fed with
him, and were thus enabled to turn the
position. The fight that day was lost,
for they held the ground they took.
The commander of the French force
whose duty it was to repel this attack
was furious He ordered AntOine's ar
rest and trial by court martial. An
tome begged to be permitted to see
him, but his request was refused.
When the news of Antoine's disgrace
was carried back by a wounded COM
rade to the village where he lived every
one said: 81 told you so. Antoine was
altogether too anxious to spill blood.
1t is not surprising that his ardor was
cooled at facing an enemy"
Meanwhile Antoine sent for his cap
tain and turned over to him the shells
that he had carried from the battle
field. asking him to produce them on
his trial 1t was not long delayed, for
the general was anxious that punish
ment should be melted out to the man
whose inglorious retreat had lost the
fight.
When Antoine was about to be
brought before the court letter from
Louise was handed him. Opening it,
he read it and took comfort. She said
that she did not believe that he had
run away from the battlefield and II
he had he doubtless had good reason
for doing so. At any rate, she was
still of the opinion that he was brave
man.
When the court was opened the
charges and evidence produced show
ed that Antoine had run away from
his guns with his arms full of smells.
The accused made a statement that
he had been placed in charge OF two
guns without any ammunition. he
was confronted with the shells that
he had carried away.
Taking up one of the shells, he asked
for an ak, which was brought to him,
and, setting the shell on its base, he
aimed a blow with the blade OF the
ak on it's upper pointed end. Every
man of the court dropped on the floor
to avoid the expected explosion.
But no explosion came. Instead the
shell was split in two parts, and a
quart of sand was scattered over the
floor.
MAY It please the court" said An,
tome when the members had regained
their seats, having no ammunition, II
was impossible to defend my guns
They were in such position that
could not get them away. 1t was Of
the utmost Importance that l bring
back these shells, that an examination
should be made with a view to cor
recting the evil of furnishing wooden
missiles filed with sand"
Through Antoine's act 1t was learn
ed that some enemy to France had
substituted q large number of wooden