Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-07-26
CHAPTER VIII.
The Little Wooden Cross.

The Little Wooden cross.
After remaining In rest billets 70
eight days. we received the unwelcom
tidings that the next morning we woul
go In" to take over" At six In tn
morning our march started and, afte
long march down the dusty road, W
again arrived at reserve billets.
I was No. in the leading set o
Tours. The man on my left was names
"Pete Walling," CHEEKY sort Of fel
low. He laughed and joked all tn
way on the march. buoying up m!
dropping spirits. could not figure on
anything attractive In again occupying
the front line. but Pete did not seem Il
mind. said 1t was all in q lifetime. Ny
left heel was blistered from the rub
bling Of my heavy marching boot. Pete
noticed that was limping and Offered
to carry my rife. but by this time hnd
learned the ethics CT the march in the
British army and courteously refused
bis offer.
We had gotten halfway through the
communication trench, Pete In my i'm.
mediate rear. He had his hand on my
shoulder. as men in q communication
trench have to do to keep In touch with
each other. We had just climbed over
bashed-in part Of the trench when
In our rear a man tripped over a loose
signal wire. and let out an oath. AZ
usual. Pete rushed to his help. To
reach the fallen man he had to cross
this bashed-in part. A bullet cracked
In the air and ducked. Then a moan
from the rear. My heart stood still.
went back and Pete was lying on the
ground. BY the aid Of my fiashlight
I saw that he had his hand pressed to
his right breast. The fingers were COW
cred with blood. I flashed the light
on his face and In its glow q grayish-
blue color was stealing over his coun-
tenance. Pete looked up at me and
said: swell. Yank. they've done me In.
I can feel myself going West" His
voice was getting fainter and had to
kneel down to get his words. Then he
gave me q message to write home to
his mother and his sweetheart, and 1,
like great big boob. cried like baby.
I was losing my first friend Of the
trenches.
Word was passed to the rear for a
stretcher. He died before 1t arrived.
Two Of rs put the body on the
stretcher and carried 1t to the nearest
irst-ald post, where the doctor took
an official record Of Pete's name, mum.
Der. rank and regiment from his iden-
tity disk. this to be used In the cas-
ualty lists and notification to his
family.
We left Pete there, but 1t broke our
hearts to do so. The doctor informed
us that we could bury him the next
morning. That afternoon five Of the
boys Of our section, myself included.
went to the little ruined village In the
rear and from the deserted gardens of
the French chateaux gathered grass
and flowers. From these we made a
wreath.
While the boys were making this
wreath, l sat under shot-scarred
apple tree and carved out the follow
ing verses on little wooden shield
which we nailed on Pete's cross.
True TO his God: true TO Britain,
Doing his duty to the last.
Just one more name to be written
On the Roll of Honor of heroes passed
Passed TO their God. enshrined In glory.
Entering life OF eternal rest.
One more chapter in England's story
OF her sons doing their best
Rest, you soldier. mate so true.
Never forgotten by us below:
Know that we are thinking Of you.
Ere TO our rest we are hidden to CO.
Next morning the whole section went !
over TO say good-by to Pete. and laid
him away to rest.
After each one had look Mt the face
Of the dead, corporal Of the Il. A. !
M. e. sewed up the remains in a blan- |
ket Then placing two heavy ropes !
across the stretcher Ito be used in low !
ering the body into the gravel. we lift |
ed Pete onto the stretcher. and rev. |
erently covered him with n large union |
Jack. the flag he had died for.
The chaplain led the way. then came |!
the officers of the section, followed by |
two Of the men carrying wreath. I'm !
after came poor Pete on the
stretcher. carried by four
soldiers. was one of the four. Be
hind the stretcher. In column Of fours.
cane the remainder of the section. !,
To get to the cemetery. we had to |
pass through the little shell-destroyed
village. where troops were hurrying
10 and fro.
As the funeral procession passed
these troops came to the attention"
md smartly saluted the dead.
Poor Pete was receiving the only sa-
ute private Is entitled to ''some-
where In France"
Now and again a shell from the Ger
nan lines would go whistling over the
Tillage to burst in our artillery lines
q the rear.
When we reached the cemetery We
lalted In front of an open grave. and
bid 'ho v'retcher beside Il. Forming