davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10
CHAPTER X.
The DAYS Work.

was fast learning that there Is a
regular routine about the work of the
trenches, although it is badly upset at
times by the Germans
The real work in the fire trench
commences at shutdown. Tommy is
like a burglar. he works at night.
Just as it begins to get dark the
word stand to" is passed from trav-
erse to traverse. and the men get busy.
The first relief consisting Of two men
to traverse. mount the fire step, one
man looking over the top, while the
other sits at his feet, ready to carry
messages or to inform the platoon off,
Ger Of any report made by the sentry
as to his observations in No Mans
Land. The sentry is not allowed to
relax his watch for a second. II he Is
questioned from the trench or asked
his orders. he replies without turning
around or taking his eyes from the ex-
panse of dirt In front Of him. The re-
mainder of the occupants of his trav-
erse either sit on the fire step, with
bayonets fixed. ready for any emer-
gency. or if lucky, and a dugout hap
pens to be in the near vicinity of the
traverse, and if the night is quiet, they
are permitted to go to same and try
and snatch few winks of sleep. Little
sleeping is done; generally the men sit
around, smoking flags and seeing who
can tell the biggest lie. Some of them,
perhaps with their feet in water, would
write home sympathizing with the
governor" because he was laid up
with n cold, contracted by getting his
feet wet on his way to work In Wool
witch arsenal. If a man should manage
to doze off, likely as not he would wake
with start as the clammy, cold feet
Of rat passed over his face, or the
next relief stepped on his stomach
while stumbling on their way to relieve
the sentries in the trench.
Just try to sleep with a belt full Of
ammunition around you. your rifle bolt
biting into your ribs, intrenching tool
handle sticking into the small of your
back, with a tin hat for q pillow and
feeling very damp and cold, with
coolies boring for oil in your arm
pits, the air foul from the stencil of
grimy human bodies and smoke from a
juicy pipe being whitfield into your nos
Tommy occasionally takes turn in
the trench for a rest.
While in a frOnt-line trench orders
forbid Tommy from removing his
boots, puttees, clothing or equipment.
The "cooties" take advantage of this
order and mobilize their forces, and
Tommy swears vengeance on them and
mutterS to himself, "Just wait until |
hit rest billets and am able TO get my
own back"
Just before daylight the men turn
to" and tumble out of the dugouts, man
the fire step until it gets light, or the
welcome order "stand down" is given.
Sometimes before "stand down" is or
dered, the command 1--we rounds rap
i'd is passed along the trench. This
means that each man must rest his
rifle on the top and fire as rapidly as
possible five shots aimed toward the
German trenches, and then duck with
the emphasis on the ''duck"). There is
a great rivalry between the opposing
forces to get their rapid fire all off
first. because the early bird, in this In
stance, catches the wOrm-SOrt of gets
the jump on the other fellow, catching
him unawareS.
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10
How the Indian Kept Warm

when the Indian was the warpnth FOR ans
length OF time in cold weather he had very
Ingenious and simple process for keeplne waru
lie could not build fire without giving his DO
cation away, so ut night the party would die a.
number Of holes about three feet deem
and In the bottom kindle fire OF burnt wood
(charcoaD. Then I'm spoke fashion they ,youd
lie on the ground around the hole with their
legs hanging down the fire and go 10 silicon
This kept their toes comfortably toasted wltnopt
warning the enemy as 10 their whereabouts
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10
CHAPTER TX.
Suicide Annex.

I was in my first dugout and looked
around curiouSly. Over the door Of
same was little sign reading Sui
eide Annex" One of the boys told
me that this particular front trench
was called Suicide Ditch" Later on
/ learned that machine gunners and
bombers are known as the Suicide
Club"
That dugout was muddy. The men
slept in mud, washed in mud. ate mud,
and dreamed mud. 1 had never before
realized that SO much discomfort and
misery could be contained in those
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10

delivery n day. the elimination Of spe-
goods, c. o. ID. privileges, and the
establishment of cooperative delivery
systems in small and medlum-sized
communities. This action was de-
cided upon Mt a conference held by
the commercial economy board, at
which were present Herbert c. Hoo
yer, United States food administra-
tor; w. c. Redfield, secretary Of com
merce. and representatives of state
councils Of defense from Connecticut.
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky. Maine.
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10
American Slang In England.

Lord Derby. in advising us not to
.cet ratified" has added another word
to our war vocabulary, or. at any rate,
given an old word new meaning. In
this sense "rattled'' is an Americanism.
and we remember reading an article
nv ". d. Howells some thirty years
ago, in which he said he was nor very
easily ratified. OF course, we nave
used the word In this country with
other meanings for many centuries.
Even Pepys relates on one occasion
how he ratified his wife. but that WAS
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10
No Comparison

Fair one-"What do you thInl, .,
the intelligence Of our parrot?" KID
''oil, we have little bird In cIoct
ana when It's time 10 tell the hon. =,
comes out and says Cuckoo M man,
times as the time is, and the wonder
fui part Is that 1t Is wooden hIra
too" JAW
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10

more In the nature of grumbling. while
Lord Derby evidently inten'is US not
to get alarmed or excited, which Is the
real American sense Of the word
London Chronicle.
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10
Asked 20 curtaii Deliveries.

Retail merchants in all towns OF
$500 population or more will be asked
In the next few weeks to adopt the
entire retail delivery system program
Of the commercial economy board.
council OF national defense. This pro-
gran incsGfpoe tk>s maxIaym OF one
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10
kINDHEARTE ED.

He brutally)-Women have no sense OF IN.
NOR. anyhow
She (pointedly)-Oh, yes we have The ro,
son they don't laugh at the funny things they
see is because they don't want to hurt tbe ro,,
things feelings
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10

Maryland. Minnesota. New Jersey
New York. Pennsylvania, South Coro
lima, Vermont, Virginia ana West ~
ginia.
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10
Empey goes "over the top" for
the first time and has a hand
to-hand fight with giant Prus-
sian. In the next instaIIment he
tells the story Of this thrilling
charge.
NUISANCE ALL TOO COMMON

CTO BE CONTINUED
The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1918-05-10
EMPEY LEARNS, AS COMRADE FALLS, THAT DEATH Turks
ALWAYS IN THE TRENCHES


London he train
Coolies After brief period Of
that the
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23

COMPANY. Between the company files
was q lane six feet vide.
The men looked about curiously and
with interest. This certainly started
differently from any drill they had
SO far experienced. Across the field
200 Yards away stood line of stakes;
each company's flag being attached to
the stake directly in front Of it.
"Y" Officers in Charge.
The first man in each file was stand
ing behind a rope pegged down in a
small ditch Six feet beyond and par
alell to is stretched another rope. The
men become more and more curious
as they took in these details. A small
group Of Y. NJ. c. A. men and officers
were consulting together in the midst
of the field. Suddenly whistle blew
and the little central groups scattered
to all corners of the field. The com
manding officer Of each. company took
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23
ON
EAST LINES

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-An en-
barge on all freight except food, fuel
and war munitions on the Pennsyl-
vania lines east of Pittsburg; Balti-
more & Ohio, east of the Ohio river,
and the Philadelphia & Reading, was
authorized today by Director General
McAdoo +
The action was taken on recon.
mediation of A. H. Smith, assistant
director general in charge of trans
portation iii the east. No reference
was made to the recommendation for
an embargo submitted last night by
Fuel Administrator Garfield.
The embargo is temporary and is
only expected to last a few days
Fuel administra ton officials were
pleased with the embargo. The Penn
sylvania railroad carries about 18 per
cent of the bituminous coal from the
Appalachian district. Moving nothing
but coal, food, and essential war
freight, officials declared the Pennsyl-
vania would be able to supply coal
Immediately to territory short all the
winter.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23
Police Chase t"Confidence Girp
Through Streets for An Hour

Chief Of Police Gorrnon and Patrol
man Fee chas sed Ethel Bane, Of Econ
omy, the 2l-vear-old "confidence girl
through the streets of Richmond for
an hour Tuesday afternoon, before
she was arrested as she emerged
from yard on North Fourteenth
street into the waiting arms of Pa
trolman Fec
She was committed to the home Of
the Friendless. to await trial before
the Circuit court, where a suit viii
be filed by the prosecuting attorney
charging her with obtaining goods
under false pTetense.
Police say Richmond merchants
have been easy prey OF very clever
confidence game.
The names of several Richmond so
ciety women have been used by Miss
Bane in procuring fine wearing ap-
parel. but when those ladies' began
to receive bills the game vas dis
covered and the stores notified,
On January 9, she called UP Knoll
lenberg's representing herself to be
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23

his place across the six-foot shallow
trench opposite his men.
An order rang out:
First man in each file--toc the rope.
On command to do a standing broad
jump across the trench: advance three
steps from where you land and about
face Next man in each file do like
wise. falling in behind the first man.
Each man clearing the ditch counts
one point for his company.
No, l in each file looked nervously
down the line at the other unfortunate
No. Is. They certainly were the goats
this time. Toe the rope!" rang out
the order. o-three-jump"
The line Of men sprung upward and
outward, landing with anxious care.
Every one had cleared the ditch.
NO. q" came the order, and the
second man in each line did likewise.
Four men landed in the ditch, much
10 their embarrassment.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23

Mrs James, and ordered goods to
be delivered to Smiths dental par
lors. where she said that her daugh-
ter would call for them
January IS, her first game having
worked. she called up Nusbaums. this
time as Mrs Earl Mann. and ordered
$50 worth of goods. which we're de-
livered to the New York dental par
lors
Evidently gaining confidence IN her
game, she became boldeT Tuesday
afternoon she entered Knollenberg's
as Miss Nicholson. Mrs. Mann's maid
and began ordering goods for Mrs
Mann She became alarmed when
a clerk stepped to the telephone and
left the store, just as the police
came in the back way.
The police believe that dealers Of
Richmond are not the only ones that
have fallen" for the game, for. while
searching her room they found coats
that had not been obtained in Rich
mond.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23
BUSINESS is
RESUMED HERE

Richmond resumed business as u.s.
ual" Wednesday morning after a five
day period of holidays and near holi-
days.
Business houses. their proprietors
chatting under the many enforced lay
offs recently, opened at the usual
hour and expected to continue until
the customary closing time.
Schools, public and parochial. expect
to reopen Thursday in Richmond. In
the country a six-day week has been
ordered in the schools.
All the factories except the Wayne
Works re-opened. Most of them
expect to work ten hours a day to
enable the men to make up part Of the
time lost by the Monday holiday.
The Washington theatre opened
Wednesday afternoon. the Murray will
re open Thursday afternoon and the
Murrette Saturday afternoon.
The ban on business was lifted by
the fuel administration and city Of
fcials Sunday afternoon.
Richmond shoe stores will close one
hour earlier on Saturday evenings. at
8 instead of 10 o'clock, but will close
at 6 o'clock other evenings. as other
retail stores do.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23
DEBATE Will
Be PUT OFF

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.-Confer-
ences today between senate admins
tration leaders handling President
Wilson's fght against the military
committees bill to create war cab
met and munitions director, practi-
cally decided that reference Of the
war cabinet measure to the military
committee will not be opposed. Thus
the initial clash has been avoided.
This plan vas decided upon. admin
istration spokesm en. said. not i'll fear
that they lacked votes for a test Of
strerEth but rather to avoid broaden
ing ne schis,n with the White House
ard also to follow the usual proceed
ure Of legislation
Vigorous debate. however. is e1-
pected tomorrow if Sena tor Cham
berlain carries out his intention to
reply to the President,
After allowing the war cabinet bill
to go to the military committee, ad-
minislration leaders plan 10 have it
also referred to the naval committee,
The munitions director I'LL, pre-
yiousiy reported, also is to be sent
to the naval committee.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23
SPEAKERS Who
HAVE Been IN
TRENCHES TO
BE ASSIGNED
DR.. Lyman Powell, President
of Hobart College, and DR..
julius Lincoln to Speak in
Richmond.
WAR PARLEY PLANNED

Wayne county will make an inten-
sive study Of war aims and war needs,
February 4 Morning, afternoon and
evening meetings will make the War
Conference an all day affair to which
city, town and rural dwellers are In.
vited by the Wayne County Council
Of Defense.
Noted men will be here to deliver
addesses. Among them are DR.. Ly-
man Powell OF Hobart College, New
York, who has just returned from
France. He travelled along the entire
Flanders front and will bring first
hand information.
Rev. julius Lincoln, Swedish-Lu-
theran minister, of Johnstown, New
York. who has been in the trenches
studying the food conditions, will
speak on conservation.
DR.. Bogardus, fresh fro ma school
of instruction. will speak on Thrift
Stamps.
Former Governor Samuel M. Ralston
has been invited.
The purpose of the war conference
is to solidify Wayne county's work for
the war. The whole citizenship is
urged to attend. Farmers and their
production and conservation, will find
them solved by men who are special
lists on these problems
Producers and consumers will be
brought together to present their in
terests and to receive an explanation
that will adjust them to the best in
terests Of the nation.
Workers Will Get Help.
Workers in the shops will learn
how they may do their bit in helping
whip the Kaiser. Financiers and bus
mess men will be given a new vision
of their duty and obligation.
The morning session begins at 10
o'clock. Speakers commissioned by
the government for the campaign of
education will speak at the afternoon
meeting.
To make the war conference
success, an attendance of all classes
Of citizens is requested by the County
Council of Defense.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23

The officers we're husily keeping
score. One thousand and eight men
out Of the 1,440. or Il per cent. cleared
the ditch Another set Of orders vas
given and the men found themselves
formed again in their original posi-
tions facing the line Of company'g
flags.
Point System
4 short space before the officer
stood a long line Of men holding
rope al arms length over their heads.
The men were ordered 10 start sprint.
ing in the present formation until an.
other whistle blew thirty seconds lat
er. All the men who were beyon1
the rope, which was dropped to waist
height at the whistle, counted one
point for their companies. those be-
hind the rope failed TO score. II any
man could outsprint the man in file
ahead Of him. he MAS 10 do so passing
OF the left When the race was dn-
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23

aud enter into competition with other
companies and regiments.
The army heads demand that every
man shall be given a chance to take
part In the sports. This was impossi-
bic with the older sports as compara-
lively few men may play at a time
and considerable practice is required
to make a good team.
Direct to Fields.
1t will come as surprise to many
to know that the American troops
landing in France are now marched
directly from the transports to athlet-
ic fields, where they are put through
inter-regimental contests These
games iron out the kinks acquired on
shipboard. Chauncey P. Hubert, the
writer, who was present when the first
games were played, gives detailed
account Of them as follows:
The great convoy had come into
rot, The Official inspections and eX-
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23

aminations had been made and visits
had been paid The ships were lined
up along the docks. Great gansways
and smoke grey ladders were lying
ready for use.
The decks we're jammed with Amer
ican soldiers anxious to land and for
the joy Of unrestricted freedom of
bodily movement 4 naval officer, ac-
companied by several soldiers came
aboard. There were few minutes of
parley and simultaneously the bands
of each ship began to play.
Down the fore and aft gangplanks
marched the men as on parade. Fol.
lowing it's own band, each company
took up its allotted space in great
level field short woy from the
docks. The schedule for the next
hour called for 100 men
There they stood in columns of files,
twenty men 20 file, eight flies to a
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23
3 KILLED
IN ACTION

WASHINGTON, Jan. %. General
Pershing today reported three Ameri.
can infantry killed in action on Jan
uary q. He gave no details of the
engagement. The dead are:
Private Albert Cook, West Almond
New York.
Private Harry V. Garman, Catawba,
Virginia
Private Leo E. Radi. Cleveland, o.
These are the first reports of men
killed in action in more than two
months. IN the opinion Of army Off
GERS here the appearance of killed in
action" in the report does not neces-
sarily mean that American battalions
have returned to front line trenches
for further training after an absence
of some two weeks. but that is the
Interpretation generally being placed
on the news.
For military reasons the war depart.
ment declined to say whether q def
mite sector has been taken over by the
Americans.
Casualties resulting from participa-
tion by an American company in &
accommodating party conducted by
French troops or from chance hit
by enemy artillery among a party OF
dispatch riders. would all be reported
under the head of killed in action
Army officers pointed out also that
occasional shells are exchanged along
the front for the purpose of rectifying
ranges or to demolfsh a troublesome
vantage point on the other side and
that men killed as a result of such ex-
changes are considered to have fallen
in action.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23
SEvEN-HOUR DAY
C0MPERS' PLAN

INDIANAPOLIS, Jan 23-A univer.
sal seven-hour day during the period
of the war, instead of present spas
modic suspension Of industries by the
fuel administration to conserve coal
and relieve railroad congestion. was
suggested today by Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation
Of Labor In a speech to the convention
of United Mine Workers.
Mr.. Gomper's speech 70 the miners
was regarded as labor's message to
the country on tho action Of the fuel
administration. He presaged his dec
laration for a seven hour day with a
defense Of those In high governmental
station who may have made mistakes.
They are prompted, he said, by the
patriotic purpose to win the war, and
to think that the great transition from
peace to war could be made without
mistakes was asking the impossible.
The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-01-23

lshed they were to line up in files by
the company flags.
Did he say race" whispered cce
man to the file leader The nan
nodded silently Again the whistle
sounded and the Wild race began Pic
ture lao men spriqting simultaneous
l. down field. mud flying. arms sy.
rating. tongues hanging cut as they
neared the goal
The rope suddenly dropped, dividing
the forces nearly in two. Seven hun
dred ard eighty-four,, or 56 per cent,
we're ahead of the rope. The men,
painting and laughing, formed their
files once more. This was pretty good
fun for war maneuvers. What under
the sun was coming next,
Company Soccer
Apparently variation was about 70
he introduced. There came y. NJ g.
a. man oyertoppej by net bag in
corting.d On Page sevc,.I