The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-11-14

said that nothing but a big shell would
ever aus me to lay down and l
knew that as soon as it Quoted down
a little it was up to us to dress the
wounded and get them to some place.
SO out we started an dali that after
noonI did first aid work, helped carry
them out and gave them of the water
that we had so nearly risked u lives
for. l can't forget things l saw that
afternoon and it seemed as though !
had lived 100 years.
One little fellow came in so ex-
hausted and worn out that he layed
Gown and cried as though his heart
was broken. They had killed his
"Buddie' and it was more than he
could stand, and he couldn't hold out
any longer. l took him up to my lit
tie hole, took him in my arms and
let him cry as long and hard as he
wanted to l gave him some water
and a little piece of chocolate and he
went in to rest a little while. How
sorry l felt for hat little 1~S-year-old
youngster who had lost his "Buddie"
and was weeping out his affection.
How much l would have given to have
cried with him. The affection and
love which exists between some Of
the fellows would draw many a tear
to your eyes. And when one is hurt
or wounded, you see it in a hundred
ways. Your "Buddie" in this mans
army means a great deal to you.
We worked and kept on working un-
til every fellow was dressed and pre-
pared for the ambulances. And then
with Jul filters and in darkness we
went out to search the fields and
woods for wounded who hadn't yet
been brought in. When finally we
returned and l started again for my
petite" cave in search of some rest,
it would have been hard to have told
exactly how I felt.
l was too weary to sleep and so
| lay there thinking and thinking.
The Germans had been driven back,
the wounded had been dressed and
all carried away in ambulances. 1t
was quiet and not a sound of a shell
could we hear. | thought of the won
derful courage our fellows had shown
and how nobly they had sacrificed
their lives, giving them for a cause
which we can't fully appreciate in its
fullest meaning. I thought Of the
suffering and how nobly the wounded
had stood up under 1t. OF a whimper
or complaint. and I think | realized
for the first time what a noble and
what a truly courageous and wonder
full thing it was to suffer and die fight
ing for what must be right. / thought
of the dear mothers and families at
home who must soon learn their loss.
| realized what must be their agony
and suffering. Surely there must be
great atonement made for those lives.
Such sacrifices can't be made without
some great return. l thought Of how
narrowly We had escaped death and
you at home. Home! What a won
derful word it is and how much we
realize it's absence over here and live
in the memories Of it's happiness back
there.
There l lay in a small hole in the
ground partially covered by an old
rock, dirty, tired and weary beyond
expression. There was my home, and
do you wonder the contrast came so
strongly upon me. thought of the
comfortable beds, all the good things
to eat and of all the fellows who were
back there enjoying them. I remem-
bered how some OF them grabbed
around last fall, how they talked, crit
icised and tried to raise hell in gen
eral and where are they now, married
to avoid it all, and though they may
whatever they can DO is quite small
and insignificant to what they might
have done. I have beat them all in
getting over here, and one thing I
trust they realize, that I am doing my
bit in the front in fierce struggle, in
the face of death, and not sitting in
a nice chair at home MOI resting in
a comfortable bed at night.
I knew when I had crawled into
that little hole that I had performed
my part, done all that was possible
and that after it all I had stood up
under the strain and hard tests with
out fiinching. Not once had l turned
turtle. Not for all the pleasures that
were at home, not even for the enjoy.
ment Of being at home with you, could
l have exchanged places. Weary as
I was, l was still grateful to think
I was over here ard especially that
I could be a part of this great conflict.
I felt that l had the best end Of the
deal in spite Of the unpleasant things.
l forgot all the meals that we didn't
have. l forgot the eternal and ever
lasting corn beef and was content in
the fact that I was dOinp nv nart 7