The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-09-02
FIRST CALL
By
T II GUY EMPEY
Author OF
over THE TOP"

HAD been slightly wounded in an
attack on the German lines and had
= been sent to the base hospital at
Rouen.
The bed next to mine was empty
the sheets were turned down; the pill
low was missing, and a -ubber sheet
was stretched across the center OF the
| bed, the ends OF which were neatly
tucked under the mattress. II was my
first time in a hospital, but even 10
me, a recruit. II seemed that that bed
was specially prepared was waiting
for some special case, ] was right-lt
was.
In the bed on my left was a Jock.
a Scottie, from the 18th Royal Scots,
or Ladies from Hell" as this particular
Highland regiment was lovingly called
by Fritz, our nelghbOr across No
Mans Land, This Jock had lost his
left foot from a she'll burst. | asked
him why the bed VA made up in such
a peculiar manner. He told me that
the occupant, a Canadian, was up in
the pictures" Operating theater) hav-
lng both hands ampptatcd at the wrists
and also that the Canadian had been
blinded by an exploding bomb, while
raldlng the German trenches.
Under Ether.
In about half an hour, four white
clothed orderlieS came down the ward.
carrying a stretcher; in the wake OF
the stretcher came a Red Cross nurse.
Thai ballad Ia(aEa tla ,,ngra,,,,al 1.l
on my right. Then | marvelcd at the
efficient and gentle way in which the
wounded man was transferred from the
Stretcher 10 the bed. The Under
takers Squad" left, but the Red CroS,
nurse sat beside her patient, every now
and then shooting a fly awav from the
handagcd head, or with,a piece OF gau2c
handage, wiping away the white froth
which costantly oozed from the half
open lips Of the bandagcd form.
In a short time the ether began 10
die out and the frothy lips twitched.
Then a sigi and the man began to
sing-not God Save the King" or The
Maple Leaf Forever" hut Never In
troduce a Bloke to Your Lady Friend 10
Pretty soon this tune changed to a
shout OF ammo! (Ammunitionl
Ammo, Ammo forward" You could
hear him all over the ward. The
nurse started 10 sing a grooming little
lullaby. The shouting ceased. Further
twitching and twisting and the ether
was expelled into an ever ready little
receptacle held in the hands Of the
nurse. In a few minutes. rays OF con-
ScIousness penetrated 10 the brain Of
the wounded nan and he started to
mutter
"Turn on the lights, it's dark-its
dark II can't sect, dark-dark :
Take that damned pillow off my head
its d~ark-dark-I tell youl What's
he matter with my mittS They're
tlcd-cobblcstoncs on them Where
am I2-Smokey, this dugout's dark
switch on the Rlim!'
The nurse was talking to him in a
low voice and grooming her lullaby. My
God, how that girl could sing!
1t was not long before the blinded
soldier fell asleep. He. slept for three
hours. the nurse beside him: not for
a second did she leave her post. /
inwardly wished that the patient would
sleep for hours longer. The presence
OF that nurse made me feel happy and
contented all over.
The form on the bed stirred and then
in a plaintiye voice:
Where am y Where am - Turn
on the lightsl Turn on the lights
The sun was streaming through the
window
The nurse was CRYING. So wa l.
The Jock on my lett was softly c%ursing
to himself.
The angel OF mercy leaned over her
patient and in a low voice whispered to
him
Never mind. dearie, YOU are in the