Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-08-06
NUMBER 81.

| mad desire to be free from It all made
him rush madly away, falling over lit
tie wooden crosses. smashing some and
trampling others under his feet
In his flight he came to an old
French dugout, half caved In and par.
tally filed with slimy and filthy wa
ter.
Like Q fox being chased by the
hounds, he ducked into this hole, and
threw himself on q pile Of old empty
sandbags, wet and mildewed. Then
Inconsistencies.
On the next day. he came tot far
distant voices sounded In his ears.
Opening his eyes, In the entrance Of
the dugout he saw q corporal and two
men with fixed bayonets.
The corporal was addressing him:
"Get up, you white-livered blighterl
Curse you and the day you ever Joined
D company. spelling their fine rec
ordl Itll be you up against the wall.
and q good job too. Get hold Of him.
men, and If he makes a break, give him
the bayonet, and send 1t home, the cow
ardly sneak. Come on, you, move,
we've been looking for you long
enough"
Lloyd, trembling and weakened BY
his long fast, tottered out. assisted by
q soldier on each side Of him.
They took him before tha- captain,
but could get nothing out Of him but:
"For Gods sake, sir, don't have me
shot, don't have me shot!"
The captain, utterly disguised with
him, sent him under escort to division
headquarters for trial by court.mar-
dal, charged with deserdon under fire.
They shoot deserters In France.
During his trial. Lloyd sat as one
iazed, and could put nothing forward
In his defense, only an occasional
"Don't have me shot"
His sentence was passed: ITO be
shot at 8 :S8 o'clock in the morning OF
May 1S, 1915" This meant that he
had only one more day to live.
He did not realize the awfulness Of
his sentence; his brain seemed para
yzed. He knew nothing Of his trip,
under guard, in motor lorry to the
sandbagged guardroom in the village.
where he was dumped on the floor and
eft, while sentry with fxed bayo-
net paced up and down In front Of the
entrance.
Bully beef, water and biscuits were
eft beside him for his supper.
The sentry, seeing that he ate moth
ng, came inside and shook him by the
shoulder, saying In kind voice:
"Cheero, laddie, better eat some
hing. You'll feel better. Don't give
ap hope. You'll be pardoned before
morning. I know the. way they run
:hese things. They're only trying to
scare you, that's all. Come now. that's
4 good lad, eat something. It'n make
he world look different to you"
The good-hearted sentry knew be
vas lying about the pardon. he knew
aothing short Of miracle could save
he poor lad.
Lloyd listened eagerly to his sentry's
words, and believed them. A look OF
| hope came into his eyes, and he raven.
,usly ate the meal beside him.
In about an hours time, the chap
ain came to see him, but Lloyd would
have none Of him. He wanted no par.
,on; he was to be pardoned.
The. artillery behind the lines sud-
ienly opened up with everything they
had. An intense bombardment OF the
,nemy's lines had commenced. The
.oar of the guns was deafening.
Lloyd's fears came back with rush,
and he covered on the earthen floor
with his hands over his face.
The sentry, seeing his position, came
n and tried to cheer him by talking to
him:
"Never mind them guns, boy, they
won't hurt you. They are ours. We
| ire giving the Boches dose Of their
own medicine. Our boys are going over
the top at dawn Of the morning to take
their trenches. Well give 'em taste
of cold steel with their sausages and
beer. You Just sit tight now until they
relieve you. I'll have to 90 now, lad,
as It's nearly time for my relief, and
don't want them to see me a-talkin'
with you. So long, laddie, cheero."
With this, the sentry resumed the
pacing Of his post. In about ten min.
utes' time he was relieved, and ID
company man took his place.
Looking into the guardhouse, the
sentry noticed the covering attitude OF
Lloyd and. with sneer, said to him:
'Instead Of whimpering in that cor.
ner, you ought to be saying your pray
ers. It's bally coDscripts like you
what's spoilin' our record. We've been
out here nigh onto eighteen months.
and you're the first man to desert his
post. The whole battalion Is laughin'
Ind pokin' fun at D company, bad
.uck to you but you won't get another
chance to disgrace us. They'll put
-FOUR lights out in the mornlIf."
After listening to this TRADE, Lloyd,
n faltering voice, asked: "They are
not going to shoot me, are they! Why.
the other sentry said they'd pardon
ne. For Gods sake-don't, tell me I'm
10 be shot |" and his voice died away In
I sob.
"Of course. they're going to shoot
you. The other sentry was jest a-kid-
lin you. Test like old Smith. Always
a.tryin' to cheer some one. You amt
got no more chance O. bein' pardoned
than 1 have Of gettin' to be colonel Of
ny 'batt.'"
When the fact that all hope was
gone finally entered Lloyd's brain. q
calr1 seemed to settle over him, md
rising to his knees with his arms
stretched out to heaven, he prayed, and
al Of his soul entered into the prayer.
70, good and merciful God. give me
strength to die like man! Deliver
ne from this towards death. Give me
chance to die like my mates In the
lighting line. to die fighting for my
country. ask this Of thee"
A peace, hitherto unknown, came to
him, and he crouched and covered no
more, but calmly waited the dawn.
i ~ liz