Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-26
OVER THE TOP
BY
ARTHUR GUY ENfPEY,
An American Boy Who Went.
tronrrIrbf ,sJ7 ut Cny f-mpey
copyright. 1917. by Arthur Guy Empc, :.

shaky voice. nc Informed:
Men. you are here on q very solemn
! duty. You have been selected as a
iiring squad for the execution of Il sol =
( dicr, who, having been found guilty
Of Ericvous crime againS; King and
country. has been regularly and duly
. tried and sentenced to be shot at 1928
~ N. this date. This sentence has
been approved by the reviewing au-
: thority and ordered carried out. |, is
/ our duty To- carry on with the sentence
! of the court.
There arc twelve rifles. one Of which
: contains blank cartridge. the other
eleven containing ball cartridges.
Every man is expected 10 do his duty
and fire To kill. Take your orders
from me. Suuad-'Shun,"
/ We came to attention. Then he left
My heart was of lead and my knees
| shook.
I After standing at attention" for
what seemed week. though in
reality 1t could not have been over five
minutes. VIC heard a low whispering
III our rear ana footsteps on the stone
tagging OF the courtyard.
our officer reappearcd. and in low,
but firm. voice ordered
"About-Turu,"
We turned about. In the gray light
I could make out a brick wall AGAINST
this wall was dark form with
white square pinned on its breast. We
we're supposed TO lin at this square.
TO the right OF the form l noticed
white spot on the wall. This would
be my target.
Ready. Aim, Fire."
The dark form sank into 4 huddlcd
heap. Ny bullet sped on its way. and
hit tho whitish spot on the wall: |
could see the splinters n.y. Some one
else had received the rife containing
the blank cartridge, but my mind was
at ease, there was no blood of Tommy
on my hands.
"Order-Arms. About-Turn, Pile
Arms. Stand-Ciear."
The stacks were c-fcrmcd
Quick March, Righ,-whecl"' and
We left the scene OF execution be-
hind US.
! I, was now daylight After march
ing about i've minutes. VIC were dis
missed with the following instructions
from the officer in command:
Return. alone. to your respective
companies. and remember. no talking
about this affair, or else IL VIII sc
hard with the guilty ones"
We needed no urs ing to get away.
lid not recognize any Of the men on
the firing squad even The officer was
stranger to me-.
The victini's relations and friends in
Bliehty will never know that he WAS
executed; they will he under the inn
preston that he died doing his bit for
King and country.
In the public casualty lists his name
Will appear under the caption "Acci-
icntaliy Killed. or Died"
The day after tho execution re-
ccivcd orders to report back TO the
line. and to keep still tongue in my
head.
Executions arc a part Of the days
work. IN, the part we hated most OF
all. think certainly the saddest. The
british War department is thought
hY many people 10 he composed Of rigid
regulations All wound around with red
tape. But Ii has heart. and one OF
the evidences OF this is the considerate
way in which al execution is con-
ccalcd and reported to the relative Of
the unfortunate man. They never
know the truth lie is listed in the
bulletins as among the accidentally
killed"
In the last ten years have several
times read stories in magazines OF
towards changing. in charge to
heroes. | used 10 laugh at II. It
seemed easy for story writer's. but |
said. Men aren't made that way" But
over IN France | learned once that the
streak OF yellow can turn all white.
picked un the story, hit by bit, from
the captain Of the company. the sentries
who guarded the poor follow. as we'll
as from my own observations. At first
did not realize the whole of his story.
but after a week OF investigation, il
stood out as clear in nay mind as the
mountains of my native West in the
spring sunshine. II Impressed me so
much that 7 wrote IL all down i'm rest
hillcts on odd scraps OF paper. The
Incidents arc. as say. every Bit true;
the feelings OF the man arc true
know from all ] underwent in the fight
ing over in France.
We will call him Albert Lloyd That
wasnrs his name. but II will do:
Albert Lloyd WAS what the world
terms coward.
la London they called him Stacker
His country had been at war nearly
eighteen months, and still he was not
ia Khaki.
lie had no good reason for not en-
listing. being alone in the world, hav-
ing heen educated In an orphan asylum.
and there being no one dependent upon
him for support. He mad no good posi-
lion TO lose. and thera was no sweet
while her eyes pleaded for him to stay.
Every time he saw recruiting ser
eeant. he'd stink around the corner out
Of sight. with a terrible fear gnawInG
al his heart When passing the big
recruiting posters. and on his way to
business and back he passed many, nc
would pull down his cap and looi; the
oiho: way, TO get away from that awful
hngcr pointing Al him, under the cap
ton Your King and Country Need
You; or the boring ewes OF Kitchener
whjch burned into his very soul, caus-
ing him 10 shuddcr
Then The Zeppelin raids--during them
b" used TO crouch ia corner of his
boarding house cellar whimperng like
4 whipped puppy aud calling upon the
Lord 20 protect him.
Even his iandlady dcSpised him al
though She had to admit that ne was
good pay"
lie very seldom read the papers. but
on" 'nomentous morning tho Iandlady
put tn" morning paper AT his place be