Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1918-05-17

/ When I'm talking to you, pay atten-
ton
"My heart sank. Surprising he had
rumbled that tapping, then all would
be up with our plan. l stopped drum
ming with my fingers and said:
"Beg your pardon, sir, just a habit
with me-
"'And n id silly one, too he an
swered, turning to his glasses again,
and l knew l was safe. He had not
tmnbled to the meaning of that tap
ping.
"All at once, without turning round,
he exclaimed:
"'Well, of all the nerve I've ever. run
across, this takes the cake. Those
- BOches are using that road
again. Blind my eyes, this time 1t is a
whole brigade of them, transports and
all. What a pretty target for our
'4.5's.' The beggars know that we
won't fire. A ID shame, 1 call it.
Oh, just for a chance to turn d 23S
loose on them
II was trembling with excitement.
From repeated stolen glances at the
captains range chart, that road with
its range was burned into my mind.
"Over the wire 1 tapped, ID 23S bat
terry, Target II, Range 6OO0, 8 degrees
30 minutes, left, salvO, fire. Cassell
o. KID my message, and with the re-
celver pressed against my ear, I wait
| sa nVA HgNnnn1 In N nnUn1a nf min
utes very family over the wire came
the voice Of our battery commander
issuing the order: ID 23S battery.
SalvOl Firep
"Then a roar through the receiver
as the four guns belChed forth, a
screaming and whistling overhead, and
the shells were on their way.
"The captain jumped as If he were
shot, and let out a great big expressive
dn, and eagerly turned his glasses
In the direction of the German road.
| also strained my eyes watching that
target. Four black clouds of dust rose
up right In the middle OF the German
column. Four direct hits-another
record for d 238.
1.-THE shells kept on whistling over
head, and l had, counted tw~enty-fOur
Of them when the firing suddenly
ceased. When the smoke and dust
clouds lifted the destruction on that
road was awful. Overturned limbers
and guns, wagons smashed up, troops
fleeing in all directions. The road and
roadside were spotted all over with
little field gray dots, the toll of our
guns.
The captain, In his excitement, had
slipped Off the sandbag. and was on
his knees In the mud, the glass still at
his eye. He was mutterlng to himself
and slapping his thigh with his olsen
gagged hand. At every slap a big
round juicy cuss word would escape
from his lips followed by:
"tGOodl Finel Marvellous! Pretty
Work. Direct hits aIl.'
"Then he turned to me- and shouted /:
"'Wilson, what do YOU think Of It?
Did you ever see the like Of It in your
life7 Oh fine work, I call it,
pretty soon a look Of wonder stole
over his face and he exclaimed:
"'But who in HI gave them the
order to fire. Range and everything
correct, too. / know l didn't. Wilson,
did I give you any order for the bat
terry to open up2 OF course l didn't,
did IT
II answered very emphatically, No,
sir, you gave no command. Nothing
went through this post. / am abso-
lutely certain on that point, sir
"fOf course nothing went through
he replied. Then his face fell, and he
muttered out loud:
"But, by Jove, wait till Old Pep
per gets wind OF this. Theren be fur
flying
Just then B~ombardler Cassell cut In
on the wire:
Generals compliments to Captain
A.. He directs that officer and sig
mailer report at the double to brigade
headquarters as soon as relieved. Re.
lief now on the way
"In an undertOne to me. Keep a
brass front, Wilson. and for Gods
sake, stick l answered with. Rely on
me, mate but ! was trembling all over.
II gave the generals message to the
captain, and started packing up.