Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1918-04-18

nn'uthhtSrl hbthf tbffif1, WukDuH nHu
even officers aud soldiers. whenever
my suspicious deemed II necessary.
Atwell and were allowed 20 work to-
gether or singly-It was left 70 our
judgment. We decided to team up.
Atwell was good companion and
very entertaining. He had an utter
contempt for danger. but was not foos.
hardy. Al swearing he was wonder.
A cnvnIry regiment would have been
proud Of him. Though born In Eng
land, he had spent several years In
New York. He was about six feet ose,
and ns strong as an OF.
We took up our quarters In large
dugout Of the royal engineers. and
mapped out our future actions. This
dugout wns on the edge OF q large
cemetery, and several times nt night
In returning TO II. we got many a fall
stumbling over the graves of English.
French and Germans. Atwell on these
occasions never INDUCED In swearing,
though at any other time. nj the least
stumble. he would turn the air blue.
A certain section Of our trenches
was held by the Royal Irish rifles. For
several days very strong rumor went
the rounds that Germnn spy was In
our midst. This spy was supposed TO
be dressed In the Uniform OF British
stan officer. Several stories had been
told about nm officer wearing rod
band around his cap. who patrolled the
front-line and communication trenches
asking suspicious questions as 10 loca-
tion Of batteries. machine-gun emplace.
ments. and trench mortars. II shell
dropped In a battery, on machine gun
Or even near n dugout, this spy was
blamed.
The rumor gained such strength that
an order was issued for all troops "a
Immediately place under arrest anyons
answering to the description Of the
spy.
Atwell and I were on the qul vive
We constantly pntrolled the trenches
at night. and even In the day, but the
spy always eluded us.
One day while In a communicates
trench, we were Mortified to see ouI
brigndier general, Old Pepper. beInl
brought down II by big private Of ths
Royal Irish rifles. The general wa,
walking In front. and the private Will
fixed bayonet was following In the
rear.
We saluted as the general passed us
The lrishman had broad grin on hi
face and we could scarcely believe oul
eycs--the general was under arrest
After passing few feet beyond us. tn,
general turned. and said In wrathfu
voice to Atwell:
''Tell this d--n fool who am. Het
arrested me as spy"
Atwell was speechless. The sentr,
butted In with:
"None o. that gassin' out O. you
Back TO headquarters you goes, Mr
Fritz. Open that face o yours again
an I'll dent in your napper with tn
butt o. me rifle"
The generals face was sight to be
hold. He was fairly boiling over wit
rage. but he shut up.
Atwell tried to get In front of tn
sentry to explain TO him that II reall
vas the general he had under arrest
but the sentry threatened to run hi
bayonet through him. and would hav
done II. too. So Atwell stepped asid,
and remained silent | was Gearl
bursting with suppressed laughter. On
word. and would have exploded ]
Is not exactly diplomatic to laugh a
your general in such predicament.
The sentry and his prisoner arrive
at brigade headquarters with disas
trous results to the sentry.
The Joke was that the general ha
personally issued the order for tn
spy's arrest. II was habit of the ger
eral to walk through the trenches O
rounds Of inspection. unattended b
any Of his staff. The Irishman, bein
new In the regiment. had never see
the general before, so when he cam
across him alone in communicate
trench. he promptly put him under al
rest. Brigadier generals wear a re
band around their caps.
Next day we passed the Irishma
tied to the wheel of timber. the b,
ginning of his sentence Of twenty-on
days, field punishment No. 1. Neve
before have seen such woebegon
expression on a mans face.
For several days, Atwell and mad
ourselves scarce around brigade heat
quarters. We did not want to NEE
the general.