The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1918-10-25
oB FEET BELOW GUNFIRE
M0m Laugh and joke By Light N
Candles in Caverms at Front.

mon Laugh and joke By Light u
Candles Ann Caverns MT Front
wv HERBERT COREY.
mhfrty-fiwe feet under ground ane
ffl6 shells flying overhead
You know what call this asked
CId Jack Heating, the cook VINO
marched with Roberts in Africa
What Jack 4"
.The real thing, Dye-the real
thing 800
Ail day yesterday the little village
inl which We had been billeted under
went a process OF furnishing Kor the
men that were w take our places
It Iy Id matter of pride for frst-ratt
soldiers ito leave clean billets TOT Cos
incoming troops. The streets were
kaDf 4slEar wv trucks and men, les
enemy air scouts scent something
Three times during Tho Afternoon
the bugIes sounded their warning ais
49, I'LL rushed ~ cover. NO one fear
WI bomb or gunshOt, but the Tying
Dutchmen must have np Information
Dinner--or supper, a. the last mea
IVY VIZ tlay ~ known Hn the American
Aruay--Was served as usual. We sai
about in tine shadow Of walls anc
smoked and waited for TO- signal
STweedle, tWeedle, tWee!
whistles piped in the gathering
darkness. It was almost 10 O'Clock
and in the long twilight at France Il
was still nearly possible to read
Companies formed up in the preor-
damned places. The staff orderlies
rode out, each leading 1T extra horse
Or two. II thought they were lucky
men. for they viii have only to ride
ana groom horses and eat during the
NEXT month. Not a man OF them
will he near the firing line. Horses
are precious ana must be cared Tor.
T said ay much to- the COlOnel's or
Derby. He likes me, because I have
= brother iR Tennessee. Sometimes
wv talks tO me about WatertoWn and
Lebanon
ssE might as we'll To- rnnnin' blink
dn' grocery store somewhere, he
aid angriIy. VI amt had q chance
tO Hill Bush vet "
The douEhboys who are going Tip to
fight made sneering remarks To ne
fortunate orderlies. One orderly
IrDkgd around swiftly, saw NO officer
AVN dfMl1t. leaped off hia horse, pasted
dnnghboy upon the ,inwise mouth
ana climbed back on his nag.
when u gDt more time nc said,
darby Inn g0inf tO make you hard
fo catch, ol'timer You better ct
killed lid there II you know what's
good fOr you.
THE captain was addressing his
company in the dusk Ills figure was
now barely distinguishable. The men
stood rigidIy AZ attention Not a
clink or creak was heard.
When we leave the trucks, SAID
ka. form by trucks instead Of pla-
tccns. March rapidly, III single ME,
Nur we Will ~ under shell fire. lf a
shell comes too near, throw your
self fiat Oh the ground Don't bunch
Ff men ere wounded let tem alone.
Men have been told 0ff to attend TO
them Comp pan-y, At-tent-shun!
Marriott
me trucks lOomed black and sin
lister in the darkness when we reach
ea them. Their drivers stood silent
hv the fore wheels, The top ser
XEdQLS IN 6dGu pAdtUOA AlOAASo L-A -
men fn with a maximum OF efficiency
and profanity. One gains high re-
gard for top sergeants- They know
precisely what they want and how 70
get ~. Thirty men, each under a Do
pound pack, were stuffed i'm each
covered CANTON The men had been
ordered not to talk, but they could
W. heard whispering. Now and then
one laughed i'm the night. They were
in high spirits, for they were going
up to fight after dull weeks ct train
Ing.
Sure" + heard one of them say,
impatiently- Sure, It'll give you
some buttons for the knife often the
very first Bush I KILL
A whistle shrilled. Then two
more. The sergeant i'm charge of
the trucks leaped on the step Of the
first in line, the driver threw in his
clutch and we were Off. In the dis
lance the skies we're lighted by flares
and rockets of many forms and
CUIOrs and the flashes from the guns
ana the volcano-like explosions or
shells. lit was a perfect night-just
enough light SO the road ahead might
DE SGGu. aOOAECLAAASo q - . OeAhAS, -
ug.
Keep ito the right"
The driver obediently kept to the
right. Now and then savage,
threatening blast tore out of the
gloom ahead. The driver damned
them dispatch riders" but whirled
his big car almost into the ditch. A
motor cycle would whirl by like u
screaming demon, almost unseen ex-
cept for the Pickering sparks Of his
engine, leaving a tail Of sinking
black smoke behind. Twice we met
staff cars. lit MD like Coney Island
on summer night The road was
dangerous, lighted cars might draw
fire, but the staff did not care. The
stan would b. out of danger before
the IRE came. One begins to share
the line officers complete contempt
for the staff
Wagon train came howl i'm the
darkness.
one felt rather than saw the
empty wagons pass on their way to
the rear, drawn by their tired, pa
tient mules The odor of animal
perspiration and W leather came to
U5 Sometimes during ID pause i'm the