Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-03-30
"0ver the Top"
By An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
Msehins Gunner Ssrpins In Frsnes

Msehins Gunner SsrUins IN Frsne'

CoopJHsb,, ~. ~ ArthaF Cor supsIl
sTnstead Of whlmpering In that cor
ner. YOU ought to be saying your pruy-
crs. It's bally conscripts like you
what's spollln' our record. We've been
ont here nigh onto eighteen months.
.nd you're the first man TO desert his
esi Toe whole battalion Is laughln'
and polln' fun al d company. bad
luck 10 you' but you won't get another
chance 20 disgrace US. They'll put
your lights out IN the mornln'."
After listening 90 this TRADE. Lloyd.
In a fultcring voice, asked: "They are
not going 10 shoot me. are thcyl Why.
the other sentry said they'd pardon
me. For Gods sake-don't tell me I'm
10 be- shot :" and his voice died away In
n sob.
"Of course. they're going 90 shoot
you. The other sentry was Jest a-kld-
din you. lest like old Smith. Always
a-tryin' 10 cheer some one. You amt
got no more chance o. beln' pardoned
than / have Of gettln' to be colonel Of
my bait
when the fact that all hope was
gone finally entered Lloyd's brain. a
calm seemed TO settle over him, and
rising 20 his knees. with his arms
stretched out 60 heaven, he prayed, and
all Of his soul entered into the prayer.
20. good and mcrciful God. give me
strength 20 die like a man! Deliver
me from this towards death. Give me
chance TO die Nike my mates In the
| fighting line, 10 die fighting for my
country. ask this Of thee"
A peace, hitherto unknown, came 20
him. and he crouched and covered no
more. but calmly waited the dawn.
ready 10 go 90 his death. The shells
were bursting all around the guard
room. but he hardly noticed them.
while waiting there, the voice Of the
sentry. singing In low tone, came TO
him. He was singing the chorus Of the
popular trench dltty:
/ want TO go home. want To 20 home
don't want 10 90 70 the trenches no
more.
Where the "whlzzbangs" and "sausages''
roar galore
Take me over the sea. where the Allemand
can't get al me.
Oh. my don't want TO disl want to so
home.
Lloyd listened 20 the words with a
strange interest, and wondered what
kind Of a home he would go 20 across
the Grent Divide. II would be the only
home he had ever known.
Suddenly there came n great rushing
through the air. n binding a deafcn-
ing report. and the sandbag walls OF
the guardroom toppled over, and then
--hlackness.
When Lloyd recovered conscious
ness. he was lying on his right side
facing what used 10 be the entrance OF
the gunrdroom. Now, II was only n
tumble OF rent and torn sandbags. His
head seemed bursting. lie slowly rose
on his elbow. und there In the east the
dawn was breaking. But what was
that mangled shape lying over there
among the snndbngs1 Slowly dragging
himself % Il. he saw the body OF the
sentry. one look was enough 10 know
that he was dead. The soldiers head
WINS missing. The sentry had had his
wish grutlned He had gone home. "
lie was safe at last from the "whlzz-
bans" and the Allemand.
Like n iiash II came 10 Lloyd that he
was free. Free 90 20 ever the top"
with his company. Free 10 die like q
true Briton lighting for his king and
country. A great gladness and warmth
came over him. Carefully stepping
over the body Of the sentry. be started
ON mad race down the ruined street
OF the village, amid the bursting shells,
Winding them not, lodging through or
around hurrying plntoons on their way
10 also go "over the top" Coming 20
n communication trench he could not
get through. Il was blocked with laugh.
ing cheering aud cursing soldiers.
Climbing out % the trench. he ran
wildly along the top, never needing the
rain ~ mnchlne-Kun bullets ana shells.
/ n0t even hearing the shouts OF the OF.