Baxter Springs news., 1918-12-27

Leftenant Newalls voice, In very
low whisper. came to us:
"Boys, the men In our trenches
have received orders not to IRE on &c
count OF our reconnoltering patrol be-
ing out In front. A strong German
raiding party has Just circled our left
and is making for our trench. It's up
to US to send word back. We can't
all 10, because we might make toe
much noise and warn the German par
", so it's mp TO one Of Us to carry the
news back to the trench that the raid
ing party IL on its way. With this
information It will be quite easy foi
our boys to wipe them out But itt
up to the rest Of us to stick out here
and II we 20 west we have done ouI
duty In a" noble cause. Corporal
French, you had better take the news
back, because you are too valuable
man to sacrifice
"French. under his breath, an
swered:
"'SIr, I've been out since Mons, and
this is the first time that I've ever
been insulted by an officer. II this
patrol is going to click II, I'm going to
click II too. II we come out OF this
you can try me for disobedlence OF or
ders, but here / stick, and I'll be
damned II ! 60 In. officer or no OH
cer.'
"Newall, In a voice husky with emo
tiol,, answered.:
".French, It's men like you that
make II possible fOr "our Little Island
to withstand the world. You are q
true Briton. and Tn proud of you.'
II was hoping that he would detail
me TO 20 back. but he didn't. Hender
son was picked for the job. When
Henderson left Newall shook hands
all around. ] felt queer and lonely.
"You see. fellows, 1t was this way
Henderson was to tell the men In the
trench that we had returned and that
It was all right for them to turn loose
on the raldlng party with their rifie
and machine gunfire. without us click
ing their fire. Leftenant Newall sure
was a lad. not 'arf he weren't.
"That next twenty minutes OF wait
ing was hell. Then, from out of the
blackness, over toward our trench
rang that old familiar ''Alt, who goes
thereY We Rugged the ground. We
knew what was coming. Then. a vol
ley from our trench, and four type
writer's (machine guns) turned loose
Bullets cracked right over our heads
One hit the ground about a foot from
me, ricocheted, and went moaning and
signing over the German lines.
Lieutenant Newall sobbed under his
breath:
"'God, we're in direct line Of ouI
own fire. The trench-raiding party
must have circle6 u.s.
"Our boys in our trench sure were
doing themselves proud. The bullets
were cracking and biting the grount
all around US.
''In between our trench and on!
party, curses rang out In German a.
the Boches clicked the fire from tho
English trench. Star shells werG
shooting into the air and dropping II
No Mans land. 1t was great buI
terrible sight which met our eyes
Fritz's raiding party was sure being
wiped out.
"Ten or fifteen dark forms, the rem
nants Of the German raidlng party
dashed past us In the direction OF the
German trench. We Rugged thu
ground. It was our only chance. W.
knew that 1t would only be a few
seconds before Fritz turned loose. i
we had legged 1t for our trench w
would have been wiped out by oul
own fire. You see, our boys though
we were safely In.
"Then, up went FritZ's star lights
turning night into day, and hell Gu
loose. Their bullets were shipping
twlgs from the hedge over our heads.
suddenly the fellow on my left
MacCauley by name, emitted a muf
fed grOan, and started kicking th'
ground; then silence. He had gon'
west. A bullet through the napper,
suppose. There were now five Of III
left.
Suddenly Leftenant Newall, in
faint, choking voice, exclaimed:
"They've got me. French; it,
through the lung nnd then fainter
you're In command. See that
His voice died away. Pretty soon HI
started moaning loudly. The GermanI
must have heard these means, because
they Immediately turned their fire or
us. French called to me:
Honey, come here, my lad, OuI
officer has clicked it.
"T crawled over to him. He was
sitting on the ground with the leften
ants head resting in his lap, and was
getting out his flrst-ald packet.
told him to get low or he would clicl
It. He answered:
"Since when does a blo0min' lance
corporal take orders from bloody pri
vate? You tell the rest Of the boys, Il
they've not as yet gone west, to leg II
back to our trench at the double and
get q stretcher. and you 60 with them
This lad Of ours has got to get medical
afkonfion and damned mick. too. II We