Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-11
OVER THE TOP
BY
ARTHUR GUY ENIPEY,
AN American Boy Who Went.
1917. by Arthur Guy Empcy.,

| We had gotten about thrco feet
/ down. when the follow next TO me,
after mighty stroke with his pick.
/ let go OF the handle. anu pinchcd his
| nose with his thumb and foreiinger,
1t the same time letting out the cx-
piosion, Colt strafe me pink, I'm
bloody we'll gnsscd. not 'nlf amt"
quickly turned in his direction with nm
!nquirinS look, at the same instant
reaching for my Eas bag. l soon found
out what WAS ailing him. One Whit
WAS enough. and | lost no time In also
pinching my nose. The stencil was
awful. The rest of the digging party
dropped their picks and shovels and
beat it for the weather side of that
solitary pick. The officer came over
and inquired why the work had sud
denly ceased, holding our noses, we
simply pointed In the direction of the
smell He went over to the pick. ilu-
mcdiatcly clappcd his hand over his
nose. made an about turn and came
back. Just then our captain came
along and investigated. but after about
a minute said we had better carry on
with the digging, that he did not see
why we should have stepped. as tbs
odor was very faint. but IL necessary
lie would allow us to use our gas he'll
NETS while digging. He would stay
and zee the thing through, but he had
imm cdatcly. We wished that we were
captains and also had date at brigade
headquarters. With our gas helmets on
We again attacked that hole. and un-
covered the dccomposcd body of n Ger
man; the pick was sticking in his
chest. One of the men tainted. l was
that one. Upon this our lieutenant
halted proceedings and sent word back
TO headquarters. and word came back
that after We filled in the hole we
could knock Off for tho night. This
was welcome tidinSs TO us. because
Next day the general changed the dot
on his map. and another cmplacement
was completed the following night.
The odor from 4 dug up, decomposed
human body has an effect which is
hard to describe. it first produces n
nauscating feeling, which. especially
after eating, causes vomiting. This re-
levcs YOU temporarily. but soon
weakening sensation follows, which
lcaves you limp as q dish rag. Your
spirits are at their lowest ebb. and
YOU feel sort of hopeless helpless
ness and 4 mad desire to escape II all,
to Get to the open fields and the per-
tumc o: the flowers In Blighty. There
IS q sharp. prickling sensation In the
n0StrilS. which reminds one of breath
ing coal gas through radiator in the
floor. ana YOU want to snccze, but can
not. This was the effect on me. sur
mounted by Il vague horror of tho
Rwfulness OF the thing and an ever
recurring reflection that. perhaps J,
sooner or later. would be in such a
state and be brought &c light by the
blow Of n pick In the hands OF some
Tommy on n digging party.
several times ! have experienced this
odor hut never could get used to II:
the cncrvatinE sensation WAS always
present 1t made mo. hate war and
wonder why such things were counte-
ranccd by civilization, and all the spice
ana glory of the conflict would dis
appear. leaving the grim reality But
after leaving the spot and filling your
lungs with deep hreaths OF pure, fresh
air. YOU forget and once again want to
be up and az them"