Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-05
OVER THE TOP
BY
ARTHUR GUY ENIPEY,
An American BOY Who Went.
Copyright. 1917. by Arthur Guy Empoy.)

Tho American Women's War Hos
Dital was heaven for wounded men.
They were allowed every privilege pos
, sible conducive with tho rules and mill
ltary discipline. Tho only fault was
| that tho mems passes wero restricted.
To get pass required an act OF Par
| Lament Tommy tried many tricks to
get out. but the commandant, an old
Bocr war officer, was wise to them all.
! and It took new and clever russo to
make him atii1 his signature to the
coveted slip Of paper.
! AS soon as It would get dark many
! a patient climbed over tho wall and
went ION his own" regardless OF many
signs staring him in the face. Out Of
| bounds for patients" Generally tho
nurses were looking the other way
when ono Of these night raids started
| i hope this Information will get mono
OF them Into trouble. but cannot resist
! tho temptation to let the commandment
know that occasionally we put II over
! on him.
| One afternoon received a note.
| through our underground channel. from
my female visitor. asking INC to attend
II party at her house that night.
answered that she could expect me and
! 20 meet mo at certain place on the
| road we'll known by all patients and
some visitors. aa over the wall"
told her would be on hand at 1890.
| About 1915 sneaked my overcoat
and cup out OF tho ward and hid Il In
the bushes. Then I told the nurse, a
particular friend of mine. that was
going for n walk I'm the rose garden.
She winked and knew that every
thing was all right on her end.
Going out OF tho ward. slipped into
was dark pitch and was cropping
through the underbrush. when sud-
denly / stepped into space and felt
myself rushing downward, n horrible
bump. and bIackness. When I came to.
my wounded shoulder was hurting
horribly. was lying against n circu-
lar wall OF bricks, dripping with mois-
| ture, and far away I could hear the
| trick!ing Of water. I had In the dark
ness fallen into an old disused we'll
/ But why wasn't I wet? According TO
/ ali rules I should have been drowned.
Perhaps ] was and didn't know It.
AS She shock OF my sudden stop
! gradually wore off II came to mo that
was lying on a Ledge and that the least
movement on my part would precipi-
tate me 10 the bottom of the we'll
/ L struck a match. In its faint glare
saw that I was lying in q circular hole
( about twelve feet deep-the well had
! been filled IN! Tho dripping I had
/ heard came from n water pipe over on
my right.
d. with my wounded shoulder It was Inn
possible 10 Skinny up the pipe. 1 could
not yell for help. because the rescuer
would want TO know how the accident
/ happened, and I would be hailed before
( the commandment on charges. just
had to grin and bear il with the for
I lorn hope that ono OF the returning
night raiders would pass and 1 could
give him our usual signal OF "siss. $3.50
which would bring him to the rescue.
Every half hour I could hear the
clock in the village strike. each stroke
bringing forth n muf1led volley OF curses
on the man who had lug the we'll.
After Two hours. I heard two men
/ talking In low voices. I recognized
! corporal Cook. an ardent might raider.
lie heard my "siss-s-s-s" and came TO
Tho edge OF the hole. I explained my
! pred.cnment and amid lot OF Imperti-
nent remarks. which at the time did
not resent, was soon hshed out.
! Taking OF our bootE &e eneaked
I Into the ward. I was sitting on my
I bed IN the dark. Just starting to UNI
dress. when the man next to me. Gin
ser" Phillips. whispered. "'Op 1t, Yank,
ere comes the matron."
! Immediately got under the covers
and feigned sleep. Tho matron stood
talking IN low tones TO the night
J nurse and fell asleep.
When aToEe in the morning +be