Oxford eagle., 1918-08-01
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h1shman became aware Of the fact
that the bandage from his foot had be
come loose; II must have pained him
horribly, because he yelled In a loud
voice:
'Tf you don't stop this bloody death
wagon and FIX this d bandage on
ny foot, / will get out and walk"
The girl on the seat turned around
and In a sympathetic voice asked,
Poor fellow, are You very badly
wpunded7"
The Irishman. at this question, let
oat q bowl Of indignation and an
svered. Am / very badly wounded.
what bloody cheek no. I'm not wound
ed. I've only been kicked by canary
bid"
+ The ambulance Immediately stopped,
and the corporal came to the rear and
fixed him up, and also washed out my
right eye. / was too weak to thank
him, but IL was a great relief. Then
/ must have become unconscious. be-
cause when / regained my senses, the
ambulance was at a standstill, and my
stretcher was being removed from It.
II was night, lanterns were flashing
here and there, and could see stretch
er>bearers hurrying TO and fro. Then
/ was carried into hospital train.
The inside Of this train looked like
heaven to me. just pure white. and we
met our first Red Cross nurses; we
thought they were angels. And they
were.
Nice little soft hunks and clean.
white sheets.
"A Red Cross nurse sat beside me
during the whole ride which lasted
tiree hours. She was holding my
wrist; thought had made hit, and
tiled 10 tell her how l got wounded,
but she would put her finger 10 her lips
aud say. "Yes. know. but you mustn't
tnlk now, try to go TO sleep. itn do you
good, doctors orders" Later on /
lcrned that she was taking my pulse
every few minutes, as l was very weak
from the loss Of blood and they ex-
pected me TO snuff 1t. but / didn't.
From the train we went into amou-
lances for a short ride TO the hospital
ship Panama. Another palace and more
angels. / don't remember the trip
across the channel.
/ opened my eyes; / was being car
rteo on a stretcher through lanes of
people. some cheering. some waving
Tag. and others crying. The flags were
Union Jacks, was IN Southampton.
Qishty at last Ny stretcher was
ttrewn with flowers, cigarettes, and
chocolates. Tears started TO run down
ny cheek from my good eye. / Ike
bsoby was crying. Can you beat itf-
Then Into another hospital train, a
fsehour ride TO Paignton, another am
balance ride. and then / was carried
isto Munsey ward OF the American
Women's War hospital and put into a
real bed.
This real bed was too much for my
unstrung nerves and tainted.
When came 10. a pretty Red Cross
nurse was bending over me, bathing
ug forehead with cold water, then she
LEFT and the ward orderly placed a
sreen around my bed. and gave me a
rnch-needed bath and clean pajamas.
Then the screen was removed and q
bowl OF steaming soup was given me.
II tasted delicious.
Before finishing my soup the nurse
cune back 10 ask me my name and
number. She put this information down
In q little book and then asked:
where do you come fromf" i an
syered:
From the blg town behind the
snitue of Liberty" upon hearing this
she started jumping up and down
eispping her hands, and calling out tC
three nurses across the ward:
Come here. girls-at last we hav,
0t real live Yankee with us"
They came over and besieged ms
vath questions, until the doctor ar
hed- Upon learning that l was al
Anfrican he almost crushed my hant
m his grip Of welcome. They ais.
ware Americans. and were glad TO Sc,
~
xhe doctor very tenderly remove,
ny Dandages and told me. after view
Ing my wounds, that he would have 4
take me TO the operating theater i'm
r1ediately. Personally / didn't car
what was done with me.
In a few minutes, four orderlies VIII
looked like undertakers dressed Il
white. brought a stretcher TO my be
and placing me on II carried me out o
the ward, across a courtyard TO tn
operating room or pictures" as Ton
r1y calls It.
i don't remember having the anes
} thestic applied.
When came TO / was again lying /
bed In Munsey ward. One OF th
! nurses had draped a large America
fAg over the head Of the bed, an
} easped In my hand was q smaller ia,
I'D Ii made me feel good all over I
, again see the "Stars and Stripes"
B At that time ! wondered when Ii
. boys In the trenches would see u
/ susaasn nf tAs land af tina Ifr>A I'm