Oxford eagle., 1918-05-30

o-n, and eagerly turned his glasses
IN the direction of the German road
! also strained my eyes watching thar
target. -Four black clouds of dust rose
up right In the middle of the Germs y
coiumn. Four direct hits-another
record for d 23S.
The shells kept on whIstl,no ov.r
mead. and I had counted twentv.,our
OF them when the firing suddenly
ceased When the smoke and dust
clouds lifted the destruction ON that
road was awful. Overturned limbers
ana guns. wagons smashed up, troops
heeing In all directions. The road and
roaoside We're spotted all over with
little field gray dots, the toll of our
guns.
Ihe captain. In his excitement. had
slipped off the sandbag. and was ON
MS knees In the mud, the glass stiu st
MS eye. he was muttering to himself
ana siapping his thigh with his dIsen-
sageo hand At every slap a big
round juicy cuss word would escape
hon MS HpS followed by:
Good Finel Marvelousf Pretty
Work, Direct hits all
Then he turned to me and shouted.
Wilson, what do you think of itf
DID you ever see the like of II In your
Ifef D-n fine work. call it,
Pretty soon lock 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 / didn't. Wilson.
did i give you any order for the bat
terry to open upf OF course / didn't.
did IT
Il answered very emphatically. No.
SIR. you gave no command. Nothing
went through this post. i am abso-
iutely certain on that point. sir
OF course nothing went through
he replied. Then his face rem. and he
muttered out loud:
But, by Jove, wait TIL Old Pep
per gets wind Of this. ThereT be fur
flying
Just then Bombardier Cassell cut in
on the wire:
Generals compliments to Captain
A. He directs that officer and sig-
naier report at the double to brigade
headquarters as soon as relieved. Re
lief now on the way
I'm an undertone to me, Keep a
brass front Wilson. and for Gods
sake, stick / answered with, Rely on
me, mate but was trembling all over.
II gave the generals message to the
captain, and started packing up.
''The relief arrived, and as we left
the post the captain said:
Now for the fireworks. and know
they'll be good and plenty They were
when We arrived at the gun pits
the battery commander. the sergeant
major and Cassell were waiting for us
We fell In line and the funeral march
TO brigade headquarters started.
ARRIVING at headquarters the bat
terry commander was the first TO be
interviewed. This was behind closed
doors From the roaring and explo-
sions Of Old Pepper IL sounded as II
raw meat was being thrown to the
lions. Cassell, later. described II as
sounding like bombing raid. In about
two minutes the officer reappeared.
The sweat was pouring from his fore
head, and his face was the color OF q
beet. He was speechless. As he
passed the captain he jerked his thumb
In the direction OF the Hons den and
went out. Then the captain went In.
and the lions were once again fed.
The captain stayed about twenty min
utes and came out. l couldn't see his
face. but the droop In his shoulders
was enough He looked like a wet hen.
The door of the generals room
opened and Old Pepper stood In the
doorway. With a roar be shouted.
(which one Of you is Cassellf
D-n me. get your heels together
when / speak, Come IN herer
"Casseli started 10 say. Yes SIR
But Old Pepper roared. Shut upF
-Cassell came out In five minutes.
He said nothing. but as he passed me
he put his tongue into his cheek and
winked. then. turning 10 the closed
door. he stuck his thumb 10 his nose
and left.
Then the sergeant majors turn
came. He didn't come out our way.
Judging by the roaring. Old Pepper
must have eaten him
-when the door opened and the gen
eraI beckoned TO me. my knees started
10 play Home, Sweet Home against
each other.
aMy interview was very short.
-Old Pepper glared at me when i
entered. and then let loose.
@.of course you don't know anything
about IL. You're just like the rest
Ought 10 have a nursing bottle around
your neck and a nipple in your teeth.
ssldiers-by CAD. you turn my stom-
ach 10 look at you. Win this war
when England sends out such samples
as have In my brigadel Not likely
Now. sir, tell me what you don't know
about this affair. Speak up. out win
II. Don't be gaping at me Ike O nsn'
Spit II out