Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-04-04
"Over the Top"
By An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
n.,Ii,< Cu,os, Se,pins IN Frdnes
Msehins Gunner Ssrsins IN Frsnes



one very nlce-looking. overenthusi-
astlc young thing. stopped at my bed
and asked. "What wounded you in tho
facef"
In n polite but bored tone / an
swered. - rifle bullet"
With look Of disdaln she passed
TO the next bed, first calculating. "Oh!
Only n bulleti / thought II was a
she'll" Why she should think n shell
wound was more Of a distinction beats
me. | don't see whole lot Of differ
cnce myself.
The American Women's War hospl-
tai was n heaven for wounded men.
They were allowed every privilege pos
slble conducive with the rules and mill
tary discipline. The only fault was
that the mems passes were restricted.
To get pass required an act Of par
lament. Tommy tried many tricks TO
get out. but the commandment, an old
Boer war officer. was wise to them all.
and II took a new and clever ruse ia
make him afilx his signature 10 the
coveted SUP OF pdptT'
As soon as Il would get dark many a
patient climbed over the wall aud went
ION his own" regardless Of many signs
staring him In the face. "Out of bounds
for patients" Generally the nurses
were looking the other way when one
OF these night raids started. hope
this Information will get none Of them
into trouble, but cannot resist the
temptation 10 let the commandment
know that occasionally we put II over
on him.
One afternoon I received note.
through our underground channel. from
my female visitor. asking me 20 attend
n party at her house that night. l
answered that she could expect me and
10 meet me at certain place on the
road well known by all patients, and
some visitors, as "Over the wall" I
told her would be on hand at seven
thirty.
About SEVENTEEN sneaked my
oyercoat and cap out Of the ward and
hid II In the bushes Then I told the
nurse, u particular friend Of mine, that
was going for walk In the rose gar
den. She winked and knew that ev-
erythlng was nll right on her end.
Going out Of the ward, slipped into
the bushes and made for the wall. II
was dark as pitch and | was cropping
through the underbrush, when sudden
ly I stepped into space and felt myself
rushing downward, horrible bump
and blackness. When / came TO my
wounded shoulder was hurting horri.
bly,. I was lying against a circular
wall Of bricks, dripping with moisture,
and far away could hear the trlckllng
OF water. had In the darkness fallen
into an old dlsused well. But why
wasn't weti According TO all rules
I should have been drowned. Perhaps
| was and dldn't know II.
As the shock Of my sudden stop
gradually wore of II came TO me that
| was lying on a ledge and thai the
least movement on my part would pre-
clpitate me 90 the bottom Of the well.
struck a match. In Its faint glare
saw that l was lying In a circular
hole about twelve feet deep-the well
had been filed In The dripping ] had
heard came from water pipe over on
my right.
With my wounded shoulder II was
impossible 20 shiny up the pipe. !
could not yell for help. because the
rescuer would want 20 know how the
accident happened. and I would be
hailed before the commandment ON
charges. just had to grin and bear
II. with the forlorn hope that one Of
the returning night raiders would pass
and ! could give hun our usual signal
OF "siss-s-s-s." which would bring him
10 the rescue.
Every half,hour I could hear the
clock In the village strike. each stroke
bringing forth muffied volley of
curses ON the man who had dug the
we'll.
After two hours l heard two men