The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-03-01
COVER THE TOP''

While waiting acrc lHo voice tbo
sentry, singing I'm a low t.nc. canc to
him. He was singing the chorus of ihe
popular trench ditty:
want to go home. ] want 20 70 home
! don't want to so TO the trenches no
more
Where the "wh!zzbangs" and "sausares"
roar galore
Take me over the sea. where the Auemand
can't get at me.
Oh my cont want TO de l want 10 60
home
Lloyd listened to the words with n
strange interest ard wondered what
kind of home he would 90 10 across
the Great Divide. Ii would DC the only
home he had ever known.
Suddenly there came a great rushing
through the air "a binding. ~ deafen.
Ing report, ANA the sandhag walls Of
the guordroom toppled over, and then
--hlacbneSs.
When Lloyd recovered conscious
ness he was lying ON his right side.
facing What used 10 be the entrance Of
the guardroom. Now, il was only a
jumble Of rent and torn Sandbugs. His
head seemed bursting. He slowly rose
on his elbow, and there in the east the
dawn was breaking. But what was
that mangled shape lying over there
among the sandbagS? Slowly dragging
himself to ii, he saw the body Of the
sentry. One look was enough 10 know
that he was dead. The soldiers head
was missing. The sentry had had his
wish gratified. He had "Ronc homo
He was safe at last from the "Whl2z-
bangs and the Allemnnd
Like a flash it came to Lloyd that he
was free. Free TO so "oyer The top"
with his company Free to die Hike q
true Briton fighting for his King ana
country. A great pladueSs and Warmth
came over him. Carefully stepping
over the body Of the sentry ho started
on Il mud race down the ruined street
OF the village, amid the bursting shells,
mindlng them net lodging through or
around hurrying glatoon5 Oh their way
to also go "oyer the top" Coming to
a communication trench he could not
get through. II was blocked with aUgh-
ing, cheering and cursiug soldiers.
Climbing out of the trench ne ran
wildly along the top, never hecliug the
rain oe macline-gun bullets and shells.
not even hearing the shouts of the Of,
ticers telling him to get back into tile
trench. lie was going to join his com.
pany who were in the front line. He
was going to fight with them. He. the
despised coward had come into his
own.
While he was racing along jumping
over trenches crowded with soldiers
ringing cheer broke out all along the
front line, and his heart sank. He
knew he was too hate His company
had gone over. But still he Fan madly
lie would catch them. lie would die
with them.
Meanwhile his company had gone
"oycr." They, with the other com
panies had taken the first and second
German trenches, and had pushed
steadily on to the third line. u COM
pany led by their captain, The one who
had sent Lloyd to division headquar
ters for trial, charged vita dcseriou
had pushed steadily forward until They
found themselves far in advance of
the rest Of the attacking force. "Bomb-
ing out" trench after trench and using
their bayonets, they came to a German
communication trench, which ended in
Il blindSap, and then the captain, and
were in trap. They would not re-
tire. ID company never retired, and
they were ID company. Right in front
of them they could see hundreds Of
Germans preparing to rush them with
bomb and bayonct. They would hayC
some chance IL ammunition and bombs
could reach them from the rear, Their
supply was exhausted, and the men
realized 1t would be case Of dying
ns brayely as possible, or making a run
for It, But = company would not
run. 1t was against their traditions
md principles.
The Germans would have to advance
across IN open space Of three TO four
hundted yards before they could get
Whit bombing distance of the tgenlh,