Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-05-17
OFFICERS

escaped. only one man was violently soured. All
me nice blankets are osht," said he, l shwiped
wan OF thin only yistlddy."
The Porto Rican sniper added a fresh line to the
descriptive resources OF the He told of
man who had not been pleased by the events of
the day:
He ish nod a man to cross de Delaware" said
the Porto Rican.
There was not a man in the outfit who showed
the least sign of scare, although it is doubtful ii
III the course OF their whole lives they had been in
as imminent danger Of death in the previous half
hour. Then the KlaXOn horn began to roar, and
every man Jerked his gas mask out of the bag that
was tied to MS breast in the alert" position and
began to hurry into it. They were in earnest in
their hurry Each man paused just long enough to
express his sentiments by fervid word. Most Of
them said:
'Damni"
Resprators were made ready in the majors
dugout- The danger OF gas was greater below
ground because gas down hill like water,
but in the dugOut the officers too busy to gag
themselves with their masks There a tele-
phone to be attended to and orders to be given.
So they hung up the wet blanket which helps keep
out the gas and carried on. The buZZeT sounded:
Gas reported at X company" said the order
~. The major took the phone:
iii cOUTtmaTtial any man who takes his mask
off without orders" said he. rs it bad?"
Obviously it was nOt-OT was supposed not to
be-bad. One of the regimental doctors was on
hand attending to the few who had breathed it in.
He had been gassed himself running through the
woods and fell into shell hole full of gas in the
darkness, the rpeOTt-but he kept at work.
Later in the night l saw masked person was
assured this doctor, caring for some injured
men. We were not introduced, for 1 wore mask
myself The man who recognized MN also wore
a mask. He told Of the doctor later on, after
we were out of the gassed area
Other reports that gas had been found Kept
coming in. The Germans had TesOrted TO their
old trick of sending over dud shells to fOol the
green men. Twenty-seven shells out OF thirty that
fell in half an hour in one company sector-one
nlinute-had failed to explode. Then they dropped
burst of gas shells The faint plOp had not arouS-
ed the suspicious of the men who had been quiet
ed by the buds, but some one smelled the gas IN
time The major thought some Of the gas re-
ports bunkum.
We've lectured the so about gas that
they jumpy," said he. But I'll send the regi-
mental gas officer out to test
Gas was at dinner, but he did not stop to
finish his meal An hour later he stumbled into
the dugout, his eyes running streams OF water and
red as berries, while deep black VS. were marked
beneath them. His face almost crimson from
the gas burns and smarted as though he had touch
ed poison ivy 1T was gas all right he said
briefly. They're all right at K. Every one has
his mask and is sitting tight. got a toucn
of if because l waited too long to get my mask
ON I breathed it twice instead of once"
He had lust finished telling me that French
divisional gas officer had told him, after LOOKING
the outfit over that: 81 had not thought 1t posi-
HE for men to be too afraid of gas-but beheve
these men are" and chuckling, because 1t showed
that his violent language had produced some re
suit. when young officer telt ms way w! wv" rn
bomb-nroof stairs His eyes were half closed and
we're streaming water, his face was req ana ne
hacked away at a dry cough between sentences: he
made his report to the major. Then Gas LOOK
him in hand. -, ,,,,,o,,
where's your reSp1rator,' Dlnny moflarlCy!
he asked w ~,,,,
said Moriarity. The little Diaggaro nao forgot
ten his own"
The major and "Gas" glared at him.
1.-TWO courtmartiaIs instead OF wan" the
ior groaned. do you report yourself whin this
job is And tell Kelly, the little blaggard."