Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-16

smile. Give us that story OF yours, or
else I'll go bughouse. You had better
thinking that Fritz will soon be reply
ing to our strafeing, and if an eight
inch shell ever hits this dugout they'll
need no wooden crosses for US, because
our names will appear under the cap
ton Missing"
With another sigh escaping from his
lips, which sent a cold SILVER up and
down my spinal column, he lighted
fag and started in. This is what he
told me:
1T was back in September. 1914. You
know came out with the first hundred
thousand. the time when all the fight
ing was done in the open. The Ger
mans were smashing everything before
them in their drive on Paris. Our regi-
ment was one of the few opposed to
Won kluck. 1t was case of hold them
for a few hours and then retreat-al-
ways retreat. We didn't even have time
to bury our dead. The grub was rot
ten, and we We're just about tagged out.
dead tired. with no prospect of a relief
or rest in front of us.
at was customary for small patrols
of ten to twenty men, in charge of
sergeant. to reconnoiter on our tanks.
One day 1 was sent out in charge of one
of these parties Oh. yes. / was a ser
geant then. but / lost my stripes-diso-
bedience of orders they called it. ] sup
pose 1 ought to feel lucky ] wasn't
did right or not.
AT that time 7 was in for commits
sion, but. of course. didn't get it. If
had received it, no doubt by this time
I'd be pushing up the daisies some
where in France. In those days officers
didn't last long-made fine targets for
the boches.
This patrol I was in charge of car
ried rations for three days. We were
to scout around just in front of the ad
vancing enemy, but our orders were not
to engage them-just get information
II the information obtained was valu
able enough. was to send it in by one
of the men. There were fourteen of us
and we were mounted. I was in the
lancers then and was considered fair
rider.
just secuted around. By nightfall we
were pretty tired, SO when we came to
a village-wasn't a village, either: just
five or six houses clustered around a
church, decided to go into billets for
the night.
Riding up to the largest house
which had a four-foot stone wall run
ming around its garden. ] dismounted
at the gate and knocked with the hilt
of my sword. Pretty soon a light ap-
peared at the front door-the house
was on sort of knoll, so this door
was in plain view. Then the sweetest
voice I ever heard called out in trem-
bling tones. in perfect English. too. but
with just the suspicion Of an accent:
Who is there, please?'
Il answered. Just few English Lane
ers who desire a place to rest for the
night. The barn will do. We don't
want anything to eat as we have ra-
tons with US. So. if you will accom-
modate us. miss, will be much obliged
I was in love with that girl before
saw her-the voice had done the trick.
"She answered, Just moment, please,
until / tell father and then the door
shut and the light disappeared We
didn't have to wait long before the door
opened, and she called to me:
Father bids you welcome and so do
i, soldiers of England
Then she opened the gate There she
stood on the gravel path with the lantern
held shoulder high. I trembled all over
thought ! saw a vision. I tell you,
Yank. she was beautiful. One of the
kind you would like to take in your
arms. but won't for fear of crushing.
No use for me to try to describe her,
Yank. it's out of my line. but she cap
tured me. heart and soul. There / stood
like great big boob. shaking and slut