Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-04-04
"0ver the Top"
By An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EhPEY
Msehins Gunner Ssfpins IN France
oloprrIshL IN. bI Ar,hnt 0uy nmpsyl
Msehins Gunner Ssrsins IN F'snes

lIopTrGhh WI " Afthufouy hmpeyl
one ve-y nics-looking. overenthusi-
astlc young thing. stopped nj my bed
and asked. "What wounded you in tho
facet"
In n polite but bored tone I an
swered. "a rifle bullet"
With n look Of dlsdain she passed
10 the next bed, first calculating. "Ohi
Only n bullgti | thought II was a
she'll" Why she should think n shell
wound was more OF a distinction beats
me. I don't see a whole lot Of differ
ence myself.
The American Womon's War hospl-
tai was a heaven for wounded men.
They were allowed every privilege pos
slble conducive with the rules and mill
tary discipline. The only fault wns
that the mems passes were restricted.
To get pass required an act Of par
llaneut. Tommy tried many tricks "a
get out. but the commandment. an old
BOer war officer. was wise TO them all
and IL took a new and clever ruse Il
make him afiix his signature TO tn,
coveted slip OF paper.
As soon as II would get dark many q
patient climbed over the wall and went
ION his own" regardless Of many sign,
stariue him In the face. "Out 81 bounds
for patients" Generally the nurses
were looking the other way when one
OF these night raids started. hope
this information will get none Of them
into trouble. but I cannot resist the
temptation 10 let the commandment
know that occasionally we put It over
on him.
One afternoon I received note,
through our underground channel. from
my female visitor. asking me 10 attend
party az her house that night. I
answered that she could expect me and
60 meet mc az a certain place on the
road well known by all patients, and
some visitors. as cover the wall" /
told her | would be on hand ut seven
thirty.
About SEVENTEEN I sneaked my
oyercout and cap out Of the ward and
hid II In the bushes. Then I told the
nurse, particular friend Of mine. that
| was going for a walk In the rose gar
den. She winked and knew that ev-
erythlng was all right on her end.
Going out Of the ward. slipped into
the bushes and made for the wall. II
was dirk as pitch and | was cropping
through the underbrush. when sudden
ly stepped into space and felt myself
rushing downward, "a horrible bump,
and blackncss. When / came 10 my
wounded shoulder was hurting horrl.
bly,. I was lying against "A circular
wall Of bricks. dripping with moisture.
and fur away I could hear the trlckling
OF water had In the darkness fallen
into an old dlsused well. But why
wasn't weti According to all rules
I should have been drowned. Perhaps
| was and didn't know II.
As the shock Of my sudden stop
gradually wore on II came TO me that
| was lying on a ledge and that the
least movement on my part would pre-
clpitate me 90 the bottom Of the well.
struck a match. In It's faint glare
! saw that ! wns lying In n circular
hole about twelve feet deep-the well
had been filled ini The dripping had
heard came from a water pipe over on
my right.
With my wounded shoulder Il was
impossible 10 shiny up the pipe.
could not yell for help. because the
rescuer would want 10 know how the
accident happened. and l would be
hailed before the commandant on
charges. just had TO grin and bear
4, with the forlorn hope that one Of
The returning night raiders would pass
and | could give him our usual signal
n "slss-s-s-s." which would bring him
10 the rescue
Every half,hour I could hear the
'lock In the village strike. each stroke
bringing forth mufied volley Of
'urses on the man who had dug the
sell.
After two hours l heard two men 7