The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1918-08-08
and pokIn' fun AZ u company, bad q


luck to you but you won't get another
chance to disgrace us. They'll put
your lights out In the mornIn'"
After listening 10 this TRADE Lloyd,
In a fnltcrlng voice. asked: "They are
/ not going to shoot me. are theyi Why,
the Other sentry said they'd pardon
| me. For Gods sake-don't tell me I'm
to be shot r. and his voice died away In
a sob.
"Of course. they're going to shoot
you. The other sentry was Jest a.kld-
din you. Jest like old Smith. Always
a-tryln' to cheer some. one. You amt
got no more chance o. bein' pardoned
than ! have OF gettln' to be colonel Of
my batt.'"
gone finally entered Lloyd's brain. a
calm seemed to settle over him. and
rising TO his knees. with his arms
stretched out to heaven, he prayed. and
oil of his soul entered into the prayer
-. good and merciful God. give me
strength to die like n man! Deliver
me from this towards death. Give me
n chance to die like my mates In the
fighting line. to die fighting for my
country. J ask this Of thee
A peace. hitherto unknown came TO
him. and he crouched and covered no
more. hut calmly waited the dawn.
rendy to go 10 his death. The shells
were bursting all around the guard
ROOM hut he hardly noticed them.
While waiting there. the voice Of the
/ sentry. singing In u low tone. came 10
him lie was singing the chorus OF the
popular trench ditty:
! | want TO 10 home wan, 10 go home.
| don't want 20 10 10 the trenches no
| more
Where the "whtgrba nrs" and "sausages"
roar galore
/ Take me over the sea. where the Allenand
can't get at me.
Oh, my. don't want TO die want to 30
home
lloyd listened TO the words with a
strange Interest. and wondered what
Kind ~ n home he would go 10 across
the Great Divide u would be the only
home he had ever known.
Suddenly there came n great rushing
through the air. n binding n deafeu-
ing report. and the sandbag walls of
the guardroom topplcd over. and then
| -hlackness.
when Lloyd recovered conscious
ness. he was lying on his right side.
| facing what used to he the entrance Of
the guardroom. Now, II was only a
! tumble OF rent and torn sandbags. His
head seemed bursting. lie slowly rose
IN his elbow and there In the east the
dawn was breaking. But what was
that manc'ed shape lying over there
among The sandbagsY Slowly dragging
himself To IT, he saw the body OF the
sentry. one look was enough 10 know
that he was dead. The soldiers head
was missing The sentry had had his
wish grntlfied. He had gone home"
He was safe at last from the "whlzz-
bangs" and the Allcmand.
Like fash u came to Lloyd that he
was free. Free to 90 "over the top
with his company. Free 10 die like q
true Bri'on fghting for his king and
country. A great gladness and warmth
i
over the body OF the sentry. he started
on mad race down the ruined street
Of the village. amid the bursting shells.
mindlng them not. lodging through or
around hurfying piatoons on their way
TO also 60 "over the top" Coming TO
a communication trench he could not
get through. II was blocked with laugh
L Ina oh. l..S..
Climbing out Of the trench. he ran
wildly along the top. never needing the
rain ~ machine-gun bullets and shells.
not even hearing the shouts Of the Of.
hcers. telling him 10 get back into the
trench. He was going 10 Join his com.
pany who were In the front line. lie
was going to fight with them. He, the
desplsed coward. had come into his
own.
While he was racing along. Jumping
over trenches crowded with soldiers. a
ringing cheer broke out all along the
front hne. and his heart sank. He
knew he was too late. His company
had gone over. But still he ran madly
He would catch them. He would die
with them.
Meanwhile his company had gone
"over." They. with the other com.
panics had taken the first and second
German trenches. and had pushed
steadily on to the third line. u com
pany. led by their captain, the one who
had sent Lloyd TO division headquar
ters for trial. charged with desertion