Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-02-02
jim, THE DOG SOLDIER,
LOSES LIFE IN BATTLE
Mysterious Sounds From Grain Bin
Came From Starving
Canine.
ANOTHER EAu'Y THI,ILLEI
Forced to Sleep In Stable With Big,
BLACK Rats That Chcwed Up All
Leather Equipment and Rations
OF American Soldiers.
ny ARTHUR GUY EMPEl.
Author of lover the Top "t-irs

| France" and had just arrived Il, our
rest h!llcts. after weary march from
the front line sector.
| The stable we had 10 sleep in vas an
old. ramshacklc affair, absolutely over
!, run with rats-grca, big. black !el-
! lows who used 10 chew up our leather
! equipment. ca, our rations and run over
! our bodies at night. German Sas had
no enec; on these rodents; In fact. they
seemed TO thrive. The floor space would
comfortably accommodate abou, twenty
men lying down. but when thirty tn rec.
Including equipment. were crowded
. into il. i; WAS nearly unbearablc.
The roof and walls were full OF she'll
holes When it raincd ~ constant drip.
drip drip was in order. We were 50
crowded tina; il u fellow was un!ucly
enough tand nearly all Of us in this
instance were uulucky) TO sleep under
hole. nc had TO grin and bear II. II
Was like sleeping beneath shower
/, bath
y, one cnd OF tho billet. with ladder
leading UP 10 it. was y sor; Of grain
hin. with 4 door in Il. This place was
the headquarters of ou. guests-the
| was HELD there by them. Many boot
| was thrown at il during the night to
! lie, them know that Tommy Atkins OBJ
Joctcd TO the matter under discussion.
Sometimes one Of these missiles would
-.cochc,. and land on the uptuTnea
( .runtenancc OF a snoring Tommy. and
/ for about half an hour even the rats
would paus. in admiration OF his flow
or language.
The LAST time we had rested IN this
particular village il was inhabited by
civilians. bu, now il was deserted. An
order had been issued, two days pre-
( vious 20 our arrival. that S,il civilians
I should move farther hack OF :hc line.
SAILOR BILL HEARS
I SPIRIT TALKING
had hceu aS.cor abou, two hours
wncn ! was. akcne! hy Sailor Bill
shaking nc hy ,hc shoulder. He was
trembling like a leaf and whispered 10
.ac: Wake UP. fank. This shiD'a
haunted. There's some one a!oft who's
been moaning for tho last hour. Sounds
, like the Wind i'll the riscinr. ain I
( scared OF humans or Germans. but when
( il comes TO mcSsin' in with spirits. it's
time for me 10 go below. Len! you.
car and cast your headlights IN that
grain locker and listen.
listened slccpily for minute OF
10. but could hear nothing Con- IN
L. the conclusion that Sailor Bill was
dreaming things. was again soon
asleep. Perhaps fifteen minutes had
elapsed when was rudcly awakened.
"yank for Gods sake, come aboard
and listen" | listened, and. sure
-, ,Ns IN 4, ~
overhead came ). moaning and whtnl-
ncriur, and then "a scratching against
tn. floor. Aiy hair stood on end.
blended with tho drip, DRIP OF tho rain.
and tho occasional s"ur-yinE OF rat
. overhead, tina; noi"o had super
natural sound. was really fright
cusd: perhaps my nerves were triac
uns,runs from our recent tour in the
/ trenches. awakened key Honey,
I while Sailor Bill reused Happy HouSh-
\ ton and Hungry Foxcroft. Hungry
first words urrc, what's tho matter,
broaktas; ready"
/ Lin as few worde as possible we told
them What had happened. by tho liIh,
o. candle had lighted their face,
appeared as white "a CHALK. Just then
n" whirpcrins started again. and We
were frozen with terror. The tension
waa relieve: h% Ike3'a voice. L adj
nit I'm afraid OF ghosts. tu. tina,
sounds like 4 dos 10 mo. Who's soinS
Up the ladder TO investigate
40 ONE VOLUNTEERS
TO ASCEND LADDER
No orc volunteered. had an old
deck Of cards in my pocket. Taking
them out, suggested cutting. the
low man TO 30 up tho ladder. They
agreed. | .rar tic last to cut. got
the acc Of clubs. sailor Bill was stuck
with the tive OF diamonds. Iron this.
hc insisted that IL should be tho best
two out OF three cuts, but We over
'uicG him, and b. waa unanimously
elected for Tho Job.
With so lonE, mates. I'm going
aloft." h" started toward the ladder
with the candle in his hand. stumbling
over Tie sleeping forms Of many
5nndry srunts. means and curses fol.
lowed in his walt". AS soor as nc
started 70 ascend the ladder a tap
iap tap. could hc heard from me
srhin bin. We waited in .ea. and
trembling the result OF his mission
hungry was encouraging him with
'h"cr"' mate, the worst IS vet &c
come"
top Of the ladder and opened the door
We listened with bated breath Thcr
ho shouted: Blast my dcadligs,s. i,
II amt poor dog. Come alongside
, mate, you're on a Ice shore and in ;
!"rry plight" With the candle in on,
hand and dark object under his arm,
. tiii returned and deposited III our
midst the sorricst lookiu. spcc:mc,
OF Il cur dog you ever set eyes on.
va so weak II couldn't stand Yu
!, tina. iooh III its cyes-jugt gratitude
hia!n gratitude. its stump OF a tai
, vas rounding asa!ns; my mess tin
ana aounded just like a message !,
u" Morse code. Happy ewore tina.
i was sending S o 3.
D. We were like lot OF school chi4-cr
. every one wanted to help. and max
suggestions It the same time. IIuagr
suggested giving il something to ca
y while key wanted TO play on his IN
q !ernal jew's-harr. r-aining II wa.
u nusica! dog Hungry's suggestion m.
: our approval. and there was -eneYs
: scramble for hsvcisacks All we cou,
' muster "as Some hard bread ana a %,
- .no