Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-07-18

| stripping Ittghlanu oiilceI or his kilti
on moonlight night. For this he wa
sentenced TO several months in mill
tary prison, but askgi to be alloweS
to serve his sentence in the trenches
He came out from his punishment .
kings sergeant, which means that what
ever he did nobody could degrade him
! He got this for lifting his trench NOR
tar over the parapct when all the de
tachment were killed. Carrying 1t out
into a shell hole he held back the Hun
attack and saved the situation.
"Ie got drunk again, and again chose
| to be returned to the trenches. This
time his head was blown or while lie
was engaged In special feat OF gal
lantry. What are you to say to such
men? Ordinarily they'd be blackguards,
but war lifts them into splendor. In
the same way YOU see mild men. tiuia
men. almost gIriish men, carrying out
duties which In other wars would have
won V. C.'s.
II don't think the soul OF courage
ever dies out Of the race any more
than the capacity for love. All It
means Is that the occasion Is not pres
ent For myself try to analyze my
emotions. Am l simply nnmh, or do
initiate other peoples GOODNESS and shall
fear life again when the war Is end
ed! There is no explanation save the
great army phrase carry on We ear
~ on because II we don't we shall let
other men down and put their lives In
danger. And there's more than that
we all want TO live up to the standard
that prompted US to come"
Last December Coningsby Dawson's
father, mother and sister crossed the
ocean and were with him for few pre-
cious days In London. They made the
round II the theaters and the restau-
rants. while he poured into their ears
the never ending tale Of his adventures.
the epic OF 'out there" Then came the
parting and. Tor him, th< return to the
valleys Of death But he bore back
with him memory to be treasured for
ever. . memory which he tried to put
into words thus.
Il can't tell you what the respite has
meant to me- There hnvs been times
when my whole past life seemef myth
and the future an endless prospect Of
carrying en-. Now ! can distantfy hope
that the old days wifi return
when I was La London hsif my mind
was at the front. ness that Elm hack In
the trenches half my mind Ia N London.
relive Gun gay times together: 90 TO
coy little dinners: sit with you In
the stalls listening to the music. then
tumble on to sleep and dream and
wake up to find the dream delusioo.
It's fine and manir contrast. how
ever. between the game one plays cut
hero and the fretful trivialitiss Il Cd
william life
Wanted United SIXTIES to, Enter.
When the United States showed un-
mistakable signs Of bsing on the vergr
Of taking a hand In the war the sol
dier-novelist wrote:
Il read In today'sa paper that the
United States Of America threatens 70
come over and help Us. wish she
would The very thsught Of the pos
sibility fills me with Joy. I've been
light headed all day. 1t would be -
ripping TO Lire among people. when the
war Il entled. OF whom you need net
be ashamed Somewhere deep. down
In my heart I've feit sadness ever
since I've been out here at Americas
lack Of gfiiantry-it.s SO easy to find
excuses fer not climbing to Calvary.
Sacrifice was always too noble to be
sensible. I would Ike to see the conn
try OF our adoption become spiendidly
irrational even Mt this eleventh hour
In the game. 1t would redeem her In
the worlds eyes. She doesn't know
what she's losing
From these carcass strewn fields Of
khaki there's a cleansing wind blow
ing fer the nations that have died.
Though there was only one English
man left 10 carry ON the race when
this war Is victeriously ended. would
gi7e more for the future q: England
than for the future Of America with
her 80. 100000 whose sluggish blood was
not stirred by the call OF duty.
IT'S bignesS OF soul thrt makes ma
items great and not population Aioney,
comfort. Hlnousines and ,ra-timc are
not the requisites Of men when heroes
are dying, hate the thought OF FiftA
avenue, with its pretty faces, its fash
Ions, its smiling frivolity. America as
a great nation win die. as all coward
civilizations have died. unless she &C,
cepts the stigmata Of sacrifice, which
q divine opportunity again offers ber.
IF 1t were but possible to show those
ninety millions one battlefield with IL
sprawling dead, its pity. its marvellous
forgetfulness OF self, think tilen-no,
they wouldn't be afraid Fear isn't the
emotion one feels. They would expert
ence the shame OF living when so many
have shed their youth freely. This
war Is a prolonged moment OF exulta
ton for most Of US. We are redeeminc
| oyIrsalyaa In otr a,rn aros