Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-04
OVER THE TOP
BY
ARTHUR GUY EApEY,
An American Boy Who Went.
Copyright. 1917. by Arthur Guy Empey.,

ii copyright. 1917. by Arthur Guy Empey.J
| a Red Cross nurse sat beside m.
during the whole ride which lasted
| three hours. She was holding my
wrist; thought had made a hit. and
tried to tell her how l got wounded.
but she would put her fingers to her
| lips and say. Yes l know. but you
mustn't talk now. try TO 30 to sleep.
| itil do you good, doctors orders"
Later on ] learned that She was taking
my pulse every few minutes. as L was
| very weak from the loss OF blood and
/ they expected me to snuff IL. but 1
didn't.
! From the train we went into ambu-
ianccs for short ride to the hospital
| ship Panama. Another place and
more angels. don't remember the
! trip across the channel
| 1 opened my eyes: | was being car
ricd on strctchcr through lanes OF
! people, some cheering. some waving
/ flags, and others crying. The flags
| were Union Jacks. l WAS in Southamp-
/ ton. Biighty at last My strctchcr was
+ strcwn with flowers. cigarettes and
! chocoiatcs. Tears started to run down
my check from my good eye | like a
Lbooby WAS crying. can you beat IT?
Then into another hospital train a
five hour ride to Paignton. another am
bulancc ride. and then / was carried
into Nunsey Ward of the American
! women war 11oSpital ana put into a
real bed.
! This real bed was too much for my
unstrung nerves and / tainted
When | came TO- a pretty Rcd Cross
\ nurse was bending over me. bathin;; my
| forehead with cold water. then she lef,
anu the ward orderly placed "A screen
around my bed. and gave me a much
| needed bath and clean pajamas Then
/ ihc screen was removed and I; bowl Of
| Stcaming soup was given me. II tasted
/ delicious.
! Before finishing my soup the nurse
came back TO ask mo my name and
/ number. She put this informant down
in little book and then asked:
Where do you come FROM" an
swcrcd:
From the big town behind tho Statue
Of Liberty; upon hearing this she
started jumping UP and down. clapping
her hands. and calling out TO three
nurses across the ward:
Come here. Girls-at las: we have
got 4 real live Yankee with us"
/ They came over and besieecd me
! with questions, unit! the doctor ar
rived. Upon learning that was an
/ American hc almost crushed my hand
7 In his grip Of welcome. They also
were Americans. and were glad 10 see
7 me.
The doctor very .enderly removed my
! Landagcs and told me, after viewing
I li's Ns'hllIN. mat nc NOuiI nave To take
nc 10 the operating theater Immediate
I Is. Personally 1 didn't care what was
I done with me.
/ In a fcw minutes. four ordcrlies who
looked like undcrtakcr3 dressed in
/ white. brought :, strctcher to my bed
aud placing me on II carried me out Of
/ the ward, across courtyard TO the
operating room or pictures" as Tom
my calls IL.
/ don't remember having the anaes-
| thctIc applied.
When came TO was again lying
! in bed in Munsey Ward. One OF the
nurses had draped :. large American
; nag over the head Of the bed. and
! clasped in my hand was q smaller flag
and IL made me feet good ali over. to
again see the Stars and Stripes"
~ that time l wondered when the
! boys in the trenches would SEQ :he en-
/ blem OF the land OF the free and the
home or the brave" beside them. doing
its bit in this great war Of civii!za-
! ton.
My wounds were very painful, and
| several times at night ] would dream
| that myraids OF khaki clothed figures
would pass my bed and each would
stop. bend over me, and whisper. The
| best OF luck. mate"
! Soaked with perspiration would
awake with cry, and the night nurse
would come over and hold my hand.
This awakening got 10 be habit witt.
me. until that particular nurse was
! transferred to another ward.
In three weeks time, owing TO the
! careful treatment received. / was able
| 10 sit up and get my bearings Our
| ward contained seventy-fve patients
| 30 per cent of which were surgical
cases. At the head Of each bed hung
| a temperature chart and diagnosis
sheet. Across this sheet would be
written &c. s. w" or IS W." the for
! mcr meaning gun shot wound and the
later shell wound. The IS. w" pre-
dominated. especially among the ROYAL
Field Artillery and Royal Engineers.
About forty different regiments were
/ represented and many arguments en-
| sued as 10 the respective fighting abii-
| ity OF each regiment. The rivalry was
wonderful. 4 Jock arguing with an
! lr!shman. then strong Cockncy ac-
| cent would butt in in favor OF IA Lon
| don regiment. Before long a Welsh
| man followed by Il member of 4 York
| shire regiment. and. perhaps, a Cana
! dian intrude themselves and the argu-
| mcnt wakes loud and furious. The pa
| tentS in the beds start bowling for
them to settle their dispute outside and
! the ward Is in uproar. The head
! sister comes along and with n wave OF
| the hand completely routs the doughty
warriors and again silence reigns SUI
| prcme.
Wednesday and Sunday of each wee!,
were visiting days, and were look ed
| forward to by the men. because they
! meant parcels containing fruit. sweets
| or Tags. When q patton, had regu-
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