Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1918-07-11

IF you don't stop this bloody death
wagon and fix this d bandage on
my foot, will get out and walk"
The girl on the seat turned around
and In sympathetic voice asked.
poor fellow. are you very badly
wOundedT
The freshman, at this question, let
out howl OF Indignation and an
swered. Am very badly wounded,
what bloody cheek no, I'm not wound
ed. I've only been kicked by canary
bird"
The ambulance Immediately stopped,
and the corporal came to the rear and
fixed him up, and also washed out my
right eye. was too weak to thank
him. but II was a great relief. Then
/ must have become unconscious, be-
cause when | regalned my senses, the
ambulance was at standstlll. and my
stretcher was being removed from 1t.
1t was night. lanterns were flashing
here and there, and could see stretch
er-bearers hurrying to and fro. Then
| was carried into hospital train.
The inside Of this train looked like
heaven to me. just pure white. and we
met our first Red Cross nurses; we
thought they were angels. And they
were.
Nice little soft hunks and clean.
white sheets.
Red Cross nurse sat beside me
during the whole ride which lasted
three hours. She was holding my
wrist; thought had made hit, and
tried to tell her how | got wounded,
but she would put her finger to her lips
and say, Eyes, know, but you mustn't
talk now, try to go to sleep, it'll do you
good, doctors orders" Later on
learned that she was taking my pulse
every few minutes, as l was very weak
from the loss Of blood and they ex-
pected me to SNUFF 1t. but didn't.
From the train we went into ambu-
lances for a short ride to the hospital
ship Panama. Another palace and more
angels. don't remember the trip
across the channel.
I opened my eyes; l was being car
ried on stretcher through lanes of
people, some cheering. some waving
flags, and others crying. The flags were
Union Jacks, was In Southampton.
Blighty ut last. My stretcher was
strewn with flowers, cigarettes. and
chocolates. Tears started to run down
my cheek from my good eye. | like a
BOBBY was crying. Can you beat it?-
Then into another hospital train,
Gve-hour ride to Paignton, another am-
bulance ride, and then | was carried
into Munsey ward of the American
Women's War hospital and put into a
real bed.
This real bed was too much for my
unstrung nerves and tainted.
When I came to, a pretty Red Cross
nurse was bending over me, bathing
my forehead with cold water, then she
left and the ward orderly placed a
screen around my bed and gave me a
much-needed bpth and clean pajamas.
Then the screen was removed and
bowl OF steaming soup was given me.
1t tasted delicious. -ss>N... -
Before finishing my soup the nurse
cane back to ask me my name and
She put this information down
In little book and then asked:
staring him in the face, "Out Of bounds
for patients" Generally the nurses
we're looking the other way when one
)f these night raids started. | hope
his information will get none of them
nt0 trouble but | cannot resist the
to let the commandant
ynow that occasionally we put 1t over
IN him.
One afternoon l received a note, |
through our underground channel, from
ny female visitor, asking me to attend |
! party at her house that night.
that she could expect me and
o meet me at certain place on the
Dad well known by all patients, and
iome visitors, as "over the wall"
old her would be on hand at seven
hlrty.
About seven-fifteen I sneaked my
,vercoat and cap out of the ward and
lid 1t In the bushes. Then | told the
lurse, a particular friend Of mine, that
was going for a walk in the rose gar
len. She winked and knew that ev-
,rything was all right on her end.
Going out of the ward. slipped into
he bushes and made for the wall. 1t
vas dark as pitch and was CROPPING
through the underbrush, when sudden
Y l stepped into space and felt myself
ushing downward a horrible bump
md blackness. When | came to my
wounded shoulder was hurting horri-
,ly. l was lying against circular
vail of bricks dripping with moisture,
md far away could hear the trickling
# water. had in the darkness fallen
nto an old disused well. But why
wasn't | wet? According to all rules
should have been drowned. Perhaps