Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1918-03-08

WI tue fNE' Oh llllh bltnhIU uNI UNl7
terry had constructed an advanced OBJ
scryatlon post, The trees screened II
from the enemy aIrmen and the roof
was turfcd, II wasn't cushy like ours,
no timber or concrete rc-enforcements,
Just walls Of sandbags, From II
splendid view Of the German lines
could be obtained. This post wasn't
exactly safe. It was hot corner
shells plunkng all around, and the
bullets cutting leaves or the trees.
Many a time when relieving the Sig
mailer at the phone, had to crawl on
my belly like u worm TO keep from
being hit,
ut was an observation post sure
enough, That's all the use It was, Just
observe all day, but never message
back for our battery to open up, You
see, at this point Of the line there
were strict orders not to fire a shell,
unless specially ordered to do so from
brigade headquarters, BlIme me, II
anyone dlsObeycd that command our
gencr0--yes, II was Old Pepper
would have court-martIaled the whole
expcdtonary force Nobody went out
Of their way to dlsobey Old Pepper In
those days, because he couldn't be
called parson; he was more like
pirate. If at any time the devil should
feel lonely and sigh for proper mate,
Old Pepper would get the first call.
Facing the Germans wasn't half bad
compared with an interview with that
old lrebrand.
"If company or battalion should
give way few yards against SUI
perior force OF Boches, Old Pepper
would send for the commanding OFF,
Ger. In about half an hour the officer
would come back with his face the
color Of brick, and In a few hours
what was left Of his command would
be holding their original position,
81 have seen m officer who wouldn't
say d--n for a thousand quId spend
Eve minutes with the old hoy, and
when he returned the flow Of language
from his lips would make a navy
blush for shame
"Whut | am going to tell you Is how
two Of us put it over on the old scamp,
and got away with It. 1t was risky
thing, too, because Old Pepper wouldn't
have been exactly mild with us If he
had got next to the game
"Me and my mate, a lad named Har-
nv CusScll Il bombardier in u 23S bat
terry, or lance corporal, as YOU call It
in the infantry, used 10 relieve the
telephonists. We would do two hours
on and four off. would be on duty
in the advanced observation post
while he would be at the other end of
the wire in the battery dugout signal
ing station. We were supposed to send
through orders for the battery to fire
when ordered to do so by the obSerVa-
ton officer in the advanced post But
very few messages were sent 1t was
only in case of an actual attack that
we would get n chance to earn our
two and six day. You see, Old Pep
per had issued orders not to fire eX-
cent when the orders came from him.
And with Old Pepper orders is orders,
and made to obey,
"The Germans must have known
about these orders, for even in the day
their transports and troops used to
expose themselves as II they were on
parade. This sure got up our nose
sitting there day after day, with fine
targets in front of us but unable to
send over a shell. We heartily cussed
old Pepper, his orders, the govern
ment, the people at home, and every
thing in general. But the Boches
didn't mind cussng, and got very care
less. Blime me, they were bally in
sultlng. Used to, when using certain
road, throw their caps into the air as
taunt at our helplessness.
"Cassell had been telegrapher In
civil life and joined up when war was
declared. As for me, | knew Morse
learned it at the Signalers' school back
in 1910 With an officer in the obser-
walton post, we could not carry on the
kind of conversation that's usual be-
tween two mates, so we used the
Morse code. To send, one Of us would
tap the transmtter with his finger
nails. and the one on the other end
would get 1t through the receiver.
Many an hour was whiled away in this
manner passing compliments back and
forth
an the observation post the officer
used to sit for hours with powerful
pair of field glasses to his eyes
Through a cleverly concealed loophole
he would scan the ground behind the
German trenches, looking for targets
and finding many. This officer, Cap
tain A. by name, had a habit OF
talking out loud to himself. Some
times he would vent his opinion, same
as common private does when he's
wrought up. Once upon time the
captain had been on Old Peppers staff
so he could cuss and blind in the most
approved style. Got to be sort of q
habit with him.
about six thousand yards from US
/ Lohind +bo Nornon lInnc uoc a rOoC