Gilpin observer., 1917-12-27
He Couldn't Shoot
His Friend
lcopyrisht. 1917. western New.psp.r union,
B, OSCAR cox

j.
Icopyright. 1917. western Newspaper union.I )
There was charge and counter
charge in France, the American troops
being engaged with the Germans. All
day this see-saw went on and toward
evening the field was covered with
dead and wounded Americans and Ger
mans. At intervals In the fighting the
American ambulance corps undertook
to bring in some Of the wounded, and
attempts had even been made to bury
the dead.
Just before dark Colonel B,
who was traversing the field, espied
one of those receptacles in which the
American troops bury their dead
What kind Of receptacle is used
depends upon circumstances. Some
times when there Is time for an i'm
pressive funeral it is coffin; some
times when the armies are active 1t
Is rough box, and there are occa-
sions when the dead are shoveled into
trenches without ahy covering what
! ever.
what is that doing here?" asked
! the colonel.
| Nobody knew. The colonel was
about to make an examination when
shells began to burst about him and
he and others who were present sought
cover.
About ten o'clock that night Colo
mel B bethOught himself Of the
burial box that he had seen and began
to wonder how 1t could have come to
be on the battlefield. 1t occurred to
him that there had been some stupid
ity on the part of one under his COM
mand and If the general should run
across 1t, there would be some unpleas-
! ant criticisms. The colonel, calling
his orderly, /strapping son of Erin,
told him about the burial box and or
dered him to go out and bring it in.
'Mike," he said in conclusion, "if you
find corpse in 1t you needn't bring
the corpse with you; dump it out and
bring the box"
AYE, aye, sir" replied Mike. salut-
ing, and departed on his errand. He
had not far to 60 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 a moon but most of the
time it was covered by clouds. Mike
was not long in making out an oblong
which being made of newly planned
wood was very light in color.
He paused and looked at it. There
was no braver soldier in the American
army than Mike O'Donohue when
real, live, flesh and blood enemy was
encountered, but Mike had no stomach
for corpse that might face him with
wild ghostiy eyes, and through whom
a bullet might be sent without eff
feet. Before approaching further he
determined to discover whether or not
there was a corpse in the box.
Come out O. that, ye Spalpeen,"
he said. II know ye're there. Come
out, 1 say, before 1 put a bullet into
ye with my revolver"
To Mikes horror the lid of the box
was raised and by the moon he saw
pale face peer out and n voice said:
Don't shoot, my friend, l surrend-
err"
Mike stood trembling like leaf. He
was tempted to turn and run but he
shrank from facing his colonel If he
did. He stood his ground but was un-
able to articulate word. The man
in the box threw off the lid and sat up.
II go nit you to der rear" said the
corpse.
The corpse got out of the box and
advanced toward Mike.
The imagination is capable of work.
ing wonders. Mike saw plumb through
the figure.
II am not armed" said the ghost.
The statement put courage into
Mike. He pulled himself together and
was about to return to the colonel
with his prisoner when he remem-
bered that his orders were to bring
back the boy and leave Its contents.
go back" he said. land get your
Go!lin. "Ye,re no good yerself; the
coflin1l serve for afother corpse"
The prisoner shouldered the box and
the two returned to the colonel.
-"Colonel," said Mike. saluting. "rve
brought ye the box: didn't think ye'd
wgnt me to leave the corpse. because
it's alive"
The colonel much astonished, called
on the prisoner to explain.
you see. colonel. ven der var broke
ouet vas in New Yarek," snld the
prisoner, "and cont to Shermany to
fight for de vaterlnnd. Veil, ven you
cont ouet to attack us today. ant
saw de Stars and Stripes could not
believe mine eyes, I vas so astonished.
didn't know vedder vas n Sherman
or an American. 'Mein Gott,' I said.
dare is mine frient. Herman Houck.
who lifed next door to me In America.
How Gun l shoot Hermann But II I
don't shoot my frients my captain will
shoot me- Shust den bullet grazed
my sleeve. l fell on de ground and
pretended to be dead. After vile