Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1918-05-23

"hen his name was called, he did not
step out smartly, two PAGES to the
'front.' and answer cheerfully. "Here,
SIR as the others did. He just faint
ed IN the ranks and was carried to bar
racks amid the sneers of the rest.
mat night was an agony of misery
TO hin. He could not sleep. Just cried
and whiwpered in his bunk, because
on the morrow the draft was to sail
Tor France, where he would see death
on all sides, and perhaps be killed him
self. On the steamer, crossing the
channel, he would have jumped over
board to escape, but was afraid of
drowning.
Arriving in France, he and the rest
were huddled into cattle cars. On the
side of each appeared In white letters,
"Hommes 40, Chevaux g." After hours
Of humping over the Uneven French
roadbeds they arrived at the training
base of Rouen.
AT this place they were put through
weeks rigid training in trench war
fare. On the morning of the eighth
day they paraded at ten O'clock, and
were inspected and passed by General
H, then were marched to the quar-
termaster's, to draw their gas helmets
and trench equipment.
AT four in the afternoon they were
again hustled into cattle cars. This
time the journey lasted two days.
They diSembarked at the town of FIRE.
vent end ooOld hear a distant dull
booming. With knees shaking, Lloyd
asked the sergeant what the noise was,
and nearly dropped when the sergeant
replied in a somewhat bored tone:
"Oh, them'S the guns up the line.
Well be up there in a couple o. days
or so. Don't worry, my laddie, you'll
see more of 'em than you want before
you get 'Ome to Blighty again, that is,
if you're lucky enough to get back.
Now lend hand there unlOadin' them
cars, and quit that everlastin' shakin'.
1 believe yer scared" The last with
contemptuous sneer.
They marched ten kilos, full pack,
to little dilapidated village, and the
sound of the guns grew louder, con-
stantly louder.
The village was full of soldiers who
turned out to inspect the new draft,
the men who were shortly to be their
mates in the trenches, for they were
going "up the line" on the morrow, to
take over. their certain sector Of
trenches.
The draft was paraded in front of
battalion headquarters and the men
were assigned to companies.
Lloyd was the only man assigned to
D company. Perhaps the officer in
charge of the draft had something to
do with it, for he called Lloyd aside
and said:
'LlOyd, you are going to new COM
pany. No one knows you. Your bed
will be as you make it, so for Gods
sake, brace up and be man. | think
you have the stuff in you, my boy, so
good-by and the best of luck to you"
The next day the battalion took over
their part of the trenches. 1t happened
to be a very quiet day. The artillery
behind the lines was still, except for
an occasional shell sent over to let the
Germans know the gunners were not
asleep.
In the darkness, in single file, the
company slowly wendell their way |
down the communication trench to the
front line. No one noticed Lloyd's
white and drawn face.
After they had relieved the company |
in the trenches, Lloyd, with two of the
old company men, was put on guard in
one of the traverses. Not shot was
fired from the German lines, and no
one paid any attention to him
crouched on the firing step. 4
On the first time in, new ecruit is
acquired to stand with is head
n6sp." He only "sit it out"
! /. I. 4 !. 4 ] ] !.
ven keep w9Ich.
ed up{ agdinst the
- Fled bursting, as he
heir trenchI when in |
sacf hnding about a hun |
fred wards ar of them, id the sec
md lines.
One of the older men on guard, turn
ng to his mate, said:
"There goes Fritz with those ID
.rench mortars again. It's about time
)ur artillery tapped them, and sent
,ver a few. Well, I'll By ID
where's that Brighter of a Draft man
zone to? There's his riff leaning
lgainst the parapet. He pust have
egged it. Just keep your eye peeled.
Dick, while l report it to the sergeant.
wonder if the fool knows he can be
shot for such tricks as leavin' his
1ost?"
LLOYD had gone. When the trench
nortars opened up, maddening ter
or seized him and he wanted to run,
o get away from that horrible din,
Inywhere to safety. So quietly sneak
no around the traverse, he came to the
,ntrance of a communication trench,
md ran madly and blindly down 1t,
ctr h