Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-10-17
CHAPTER Vl-contlnued.


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The lieutenant came back with the
~tretcher bearers and he asked one Of
chem. so the boy could not hear him. II
The boy would live.
The stretcher bearer said: N don't
think %. One through his chest and
right leg broken"
Tho boy had kept quiet for a while,
out all Of q sudden he yelled. "Give me
q cigaretter handed him a ciga.
rette butt that I had found In the dug
cut. We were all out Of cigarettes.
So they Lit It for him and he kept |
quiet. As soon as they could they got
around the corner Of the fire bay with
aim aud through a communication
trench to q field hospital. The lieu
cenaat and I walked a little way with
aim and he began to thank us, and he
kotd the lieutenant, "Old man. you
Savo becu 4 father and q mother to
a,te."
And the lieutenant said to him
~you have done well. old boy. You
A2vo done more than your share"
When they started into the commu-
sI.catior trench the boy began to
1cTram again. And the lieutenant
@sted like a Wild man. He took out
iA.s cigarette case. but there were nc
cigarettes in It. and then he swore and
pat It back again, But In a few min
1tes he had the case out again and
1ssas swearing worse than ever and
talking to himself.
The boy isn't dying like a gentle
.grtan." he said. "Why couldn't he keep
quiet" I do not think he meant 1t.
He was all nervous and excited and
4ept taking out his cigarette case and
pcttsog II back again.
The other officer had gone on to in
sapect the s~eutries when the boy rolled
Srta the trench and a poilu came up
IN tell US that the officer had been hit.
We walked back to where I had been
and there was the officer. II I had
been there I would have got 1t too.
] guesa- He was an awful mess. The
fse!ca were sticking out Of his neck
an1 n side of him was blown off.
Ass, bis foot was wounded. That Is
what shrarnel does to you. As I
crawted past him I happened to touch
his Foot end he cursed me all over the
Nsscs. Hut when I tried to say I was
sss'Ty could not. for then he apollo.
1tzcd and died a moment later.
There vas q silver cigarette case
f.scklng out Of the rags where his
glide had been blown away and the
lieutenant crossed himself and reached
In and took out the case. But when
b" v<sed open the case he found that
u bad been bent and cracked and all
tae cigarettes were soaked with blood
He swore worse than ever, then, and
threw his " case away. putting the
eseher officers case In his pocket.
At this point our own artillery be
gan she'liug and we received the order
- stand to with fixed bayonets. Wher
We got the order to advance some O.
The men were already over the para
goet ss,H the whole bunch after them
and. believe me. I was as pale as {
sheet. Just scared to death. I thlnl
-svery man Is when he goes over TO
Ttlc FIRST time-every time for tina
matter. But was glad we were goin,
TO gee some action, because 1t Is har'
srto sit around IN n trench under fr
.3nd have nothing TO do. I had all
,,ssNnld DO to hold my rife.
We run across No Mans Land.
cannot remember much about It. Blu
when we got to tho German trenc
"a fell on top OF a young fellow and m
Ehayonet went right through him.
was q crime to get him, at that. H
u~as AZ delicate as a pencil.
When I got back to our trcnche
sastcr my first charge I could not slee
1Or q long tine afterward, for remeu
!.bertng what that fellow looked ltk
snd how my bayonet slipped Into hi
ond how he screamed when he fcl
E1e had bis legs aud his neck twiste
under him after he got It. though
kabout It . lot and Il got to be almo!
" habit that Whenever I was going {
saeep I would think about him an
1heo all hope Ut sleeping was gone.
Our company took 4 German trens
ihehat time and along with anoth,
eesmpany four hundred prisoners. v
had 70 retire because the men on 0,
Aedes did not get through and '
Mees being Banked. But We lost 4 !
'ssf ma doing Il.
Whe0 ~ returned to ,our trench
Sue eot0t nj simply all In and ,
Wseo lying around In the front Iii
1ks . bunch OF old rags 10 q iarrt
allay. Neae Of us showed any sig
~ ME except . working party u
wAs dlgging with picks and shovels
saAss bodies that had been feosen 4