Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1918-07-31
CHAPTER xxIv-continued.
---21-


--21--
After standing at attention" for
what seemed a week, though in reality
It could not have been over five min
utes, we heard low whispering In our
rear and footsteps on the stone flag
ging of the courtyard.
Our officer reappeared and in low,
but firm voice, ordered:
"About-Turn -
We turned about. In the gray light
of dawn, few yards in front cf me, I
could make out brick wall. Against
this wall was a dark form with white
square pinned on its breast. We were
supposed to aim at this square. To the
right of the form noticed white spot
on the wall. This would be my target.
Ready Aim! Fire"
The dark form sank into huddled
heap. My bullet sped on its way, and
hit the whitish spot on the wall; /
could see the splinters fly. Some one
else had received the rifle containing
the blank cartridge, but my mind was
at ease, there was no blood of q
4OInHly Oh my uduuSs
"Order-Arms About-Turnl Pile
Arms Stand-Clear."
The stacks were reformed.
"Qulck = March, Right - Wheel :"
And we left the scene of execution be-
hind us.
It was now daylight After march
ing about five minutes, we were dis
missed with. the following instructions
from the officer In command:
Return, alone, to your respective
companies, and remember, no talking
about this affair, or else 1t will go hard
with the guilty ones"
We needed no urging to get away. 1
did not recognize any Of the men on
the firing squad; even the officer was a
stranger to me.
The victims relations and friends in
Blighty will never know that he was
executed; they will be under the i'm
preston that he died doing his bit for
king and country.
In the public casualty lists his name
will appear under the caption "Acci-
dentally Killed." or "Died."
The day after the execution re-
ceived ord Is to report back to the
line, and TO keep a still tongue in my
head.
Executions are a part of the days
work. but the part we hated most of
all, / Enthusiastically the saddest. The
British wcr department is thought by
many people to be composed of rigid
regulations all wound around with red
tape. But it has a heart, and one of
the evidences of this is the considerable
way in which an execution is concealed
and reported to the relative of the I'M
fortunate man. They never know the
truth. He is listed In the bulletins as
among the accidentally killed"
In the last ten years 1 have several
times read stories in magazines of
towards changing, in charge, to he
roes. used to laugh at it. 1t seemed
easy for story-writers, but l said,
"Men aren't made that way" But over
in France l learned once that the
streak of yellow can turn all white. I
picked up the story, bit by bit, from
the captain of the company, the SEN
tries who guarded the poor fellow, as
well as from my own observations. At
first / did not realize the whole of his
story. but after a week of investiga-
ton 1t stood out as clear In my mind
as the mountains OF my native West In
the spring sunshine. 1t impressed me
so much that I wrote it all down In
rest billets on scraps of odd paper.
The incidents are, as say, every bit
true; the feelings of the man are true
Il know from all underwent In the
fighting over In France.
We will call hin. Albert Lloyd. That
wasn't his name. but 1t will do:
Albert Lloyd was what the world
terms a coward.
In London they called him a Stacker.
His country had been at war nearly
eighteen months, and still he was not
IN khaki.
He had no good reason for not en-
listing. being alone in the world, hav-
ing been educated in an orphan asy-
ium, and there being no one dependent
upon him for support. He had no good
position to lose. and there was no
sweetheart to tell him with her lips
20 go, while her eyes pleaded for him
TO stay
Every time he saw q recruiting ser
geant he'd stink around the corner out
of sight, with a terrible fear gnawing
at his heart. When passing the big re-
cruIting posters. and on his way to
business and back he passed many, he
would pull down his cap and look the
ether way from that awful finger
pointing ct him, under the caption.
SYour King ~ Cesntry Need YoSI"