The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-08-30
The Marine OFFENSIVE
fcoutinued from Page one.)

wonds n thick line Of olive green. Then
the HrownlngS would, begin to Stutlrr.
Twenty shots in four seconds. and all
other twenty shots in less than half q
minute later. You could sec the line
thinning out by atoms. that dropped as
fus, as In, ISruwninEs talked. scores III
every second.
only once they reached the edge OF our
wood. and then We ran out al them with
In. luvun,, They fought Us II they
did not know We were double their NUM-
Der Those we did not kill VT took alive.
After they quit charging We were sent
forward over the ground That WAS black
with their dead. II was our turn INN.
but their machine guns. III nests and on
Tree platforms. had not the wide radius
Of our shuuldcr-held autulnalicS.
We got there the first time. 1t took
us thirty hours 10 clear that mite OF i
wood Of machine guns. Then We found
why, as our prisoners told Us. they had
been ordered to hold the place ut all
costs.
Just behind it was the emplaccment OF
one OF their sevcnty-mile guns. and thej
must have been getting the gun itself
away while we we're scrapplng In the
hollow beyond.
Say, If I'd only. known I always
wanted one of those guns 10 mako Inc
a stickpln When l 80 back again I'm
plumb determined TO have one.
It's the best war vas ever in. but l
never expected u man could win 4 medal
over there for swimming. Him not being
able to swim made it all the stranger;
kinda
He is our FIRST sniper q corporal. We
were clearing wood, where there was
a whole mess Of these machine guns tree
forts That's clancy work Just a
little too much eagerncSs. and your re-
mains may make the place untidier than
you found 1t.
The corporal was scanning the place
through his glasses. Then he says,
she" and hands me ire glasses. !
watched him adjusting the telescope
sigh, and focused Oh tho point he was
covering
Presently saw something flash in the
sun. Il second later the rifle spoke IN
my ear. Then l saw something 1ailihe
! through the branches OF tree. Got
him." says the corporal. and began 10
work round there once more,
I was just as curious rs he was. but
not in such an unSernly hurry. Tht
corn. had been at the dressing station
good two hours before was able &c
satisfy our Girliah ,inquisitivrneSs. II
| was dark then, but l found the tree
and HeiAie deceased spread out under
! meath it,.
On his chest. plump contrary to al
/ orders. he had pinned his swinmInt
| medal. and the iron cross MS well. IL
could not have been vanity. He must
! have thought the thing was mascot
Well. il was 4 jnx 10 him. and to the
corp as we'll. But the corp. who CAM
! swim Il stroke, is well enough IL veal
the medal. He's only seriously wound
cd. Now. what do you know about
! that:
democracy. l didn't hate the Germans
| not till just week or 50 ago. Oni
| then l never understood why EnEllsi
! rcoplc were go rabid against the Huns
| as they call them.
Now Tvc got Il change of heart. I've
| been in Chateau Thicrry. There arc tive
or three houses there that are Ia b. k"rI
| just rs they are. They ar" just blind
rage conductors. 4 guy goes m hntin
nobody. SO To speak. and chcrishint
| computation about Staying mis- fellow
men lie comes out dam wild.
| That's what there is to il. My God
They dcf1led the Childrcns toys. "a
+! they would have deiilcd the children
| sense il: What kind Of mind anC
| heart can a man have who would TAX
n little girls doll and turn il into al
object lesson and n threat in lewdncss
| l had read hints OF such things; hu
never stopped to understand them
| Now I live with n conviction. The Ger
man would not. only Cypress the world
If he were allowed Ito conquer it: h
would dcfile it unSpcakably.
| | snnkc TO some Of our boys who ha(
seen things they thought were worse
Old and beautiful things that can nev
or be replaced wnntonly destroyed. .ant