Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-12-15
The Daily
Short Story
HE COULDN'T SHOOT HIS FR,r,n
BY Oscar Cox


There was a charge and countar
charge in France, the American ,roon.
being engaged with the Germans An
day this see-saw went on and towara
evening the field was covered with
dead and wounded Americans and Coz
mans. AT intervals in the fighting tbs
American ambulance corps undertnot
TO bring in some of the wounded ana
attempts had even been made TO hurr
the dead
Just before dark Colonel b
vino was trayersing the field. esniea
one OF those receptacles in which the
American troops bury their dead
What kind Of a receptacle is used Az.
ponds upon circumstances. Sometimes
when there is time for an impressivs
funeral it is coffin; sometimes whom
the armies are active it is rough hor
and there are occasions when the dead
are shoveled into trenches withop,
any covering whichever
What is that doing here?9 asked
1 the colonel.
/ Nobody knew. The colonel was about
| TO make an examination when shells
began 10 burst about him and he and
others who were present sought cover
! About 10 o'clock that night Colonel
B bethought himself OF the burial
box that he had seen and began 10
wonder how 1t could have come to be
ION the battlefield. 1t occurred to him
! that there had been some stupidity On
the part of one under his command
and if the general should run across
it. there would be some unpleasant;
criticisms. The colonel, calling his
orderly, strapping son of Erin, tol'
him about the burial box and ordered
him to go out and bring it in.
Mike he said in conclusion, IF you
find corpse in it you needn't bring
the corpse with you: dump it out ans
bring the box"
Aye, aye, sir" replied Mike, salut-
ing, and departed on his errand. He
had not far to go nor had he anything
TO fear, for the German lines were
several hundred yards distant and
there were the remains of scrub trees
between them and the Americans.
There was moon. but most of the
time it was covered by clouds. Mike
was not long in making out an obiong
which, being made of newly plsned
wood, was very light in color.
He paused and looked at it There
was no Drawer soldier in the American
army than Mike 0'Donohue when a
real, live, flesh and blood enemy was
encountered, but Mike had no stomach
for a corpse that might face him with
wild ghostiy eyes, and through whom
a bullet might be sent without effect
Before approaching further he deter
mined to discover whether or not there
was corpse in the box.
Come out o. that. We spalpeen," b.
said Il know ye're there. Come out
I say, before / put a bullet into VI
with my revolver"
To Mikes horror the lid of the DO,
was raised and by the moon he saw
pale face peer out and a voice said:
Don't shoot, my friend, l surren
der
Mike stood trembling like leaf. H
was tempted to turn and run, but h
did He stood his ground, but was IN
able to articulate word. The man j
the box threw off the lid and sat up.
I go NIT you to der rear said tn
corpse.
The corpse got out of the box an
! advanced toward Mike.
The imagination is capable OF WORT
ing wonders. Mike saw plumb thFoug
: the figure.
i. Il am not armed" said the ghost
!. The statement put courage mi
Mike. He pulled himself together an
was about 10 return to the colon
: with his prisoner. when he remembei
= ed that his orders were to bring bsc
h the box and leave its contents
II Go back he said, land get vol
II coffin. Ye're no good yeTself; Il
II coffinll serve for another corpse"
il The prisoner shouldered the box ar
II the two returned TO the colonel
i Colonel" said Mike, saluting, 81
:. brought We the box; didn't think ye
n want me to leave the corpse, becau
a it's alive"
:, :, The colonel, much astonished, CALI
on the prisoner to explain
. You see, colonel. ven der var pro-
nj Duet | vas IN New Yarek." said Il
At prisoner, and l cont TO Shermany
an fight for de vaterland Veil, ven "
r cont Duet to attack US today, ant
ST saw de stars and stripes | could n
or believe mfie eyes, l vas SO astonish'
lie | didn't know .Yedder / vas Sherm
III or an American. ,Mein Gott,' sa
ee Care is mine frient, Herman Hout
it who lifed next door TO me in Ameri'
or How can I shoot Herman? But If
don't shoot my frients my captain
shoot me- Shust den a bullet graz
my sleeve. I fell on de ground q
pretended to be dead. After vile
sa wagon cont by loaded With collins,
pr dropped one OF them goen offer sh
;e- hole Ven de firein' commenced agi
nd got into de coffen for prodecii
le- Now you hal de story, ant | am 20
10 prisoner"
nix Orderly" said the colonel "call
ar corporal of the guard
no The corporal was called. and vi
INF he arrived the colonel ordered him
a take the prisoner to where the OIL
ire prisoners were held, and to direct Il
we he be treated we'll /. He was also
sat deTed TO make it known that thor
IN ] the prisoner loved the fatherland
on could not fire on his friends IT
Tor America.
e.
er- Daily History Clas
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