The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-06-21

; ined his heart twice before he passe
him as physically it," It was beatin
so fast.
From the recruiting depot Lloyd wa
taken. with many others. In charge o
a sergeant. to the training depot at Al
dershot, where he was given an outfi
of khaki, and drew his other equip
ment He made fine-looking soldier
except for the slight shrinking in hi
shoulders and the hunted look In hi
eyes.
At the training depot II does no,
take long to find out a mans character
and Lloyd was promptly dubbed
windy" In the English army windy
means cowardly.
The smallest recruit in the barracks
looked on him with contempt, and was
not slow TO show II In many ways.
Lloyd was good soldier, learned
quickly, obeyed every order promptly,
never groused at the hardest fatigues.
He was afraid to. He lived In deadly
fear OF the officers and ...noncoms" over
him. They also despised him.
One morning about three months
after his enlistment Lloyd's company
was paraded. and the names picked out
for the next draft 10 France were read.
When his name was called. he did not
step out smartly. two PAGES 10 the
front, and answer cheerfully, Here,
sir" as the others did. He Just faint
ed in the ranks and was carried TO bar
racks amid the sneers Of the rest.
That night was an agony Of misery
to him. he could not sleep. Just cried
and whimpered In his bunk, because
on the morrow the draft was to sail
for France, where he would see death
on all sides. and perhaps be killed him
self. On the steamer. crossing the
channel. he would have jumped over.
board to escape. but was afraid of
drowning.
Arriving in France, he and the rest
were huddled into cattle cars. On the
side Of each appeared In white letters.
sHommes 20. Chevaux g." After hours
Of humping over the uneven French
roadbeds they arrived at the training
base of Rouen.
At this place they were put through
. weeks rigid training In trench war.
tare. On the morning Of Il eighth
lay they paraded Mt ten O'Clock. and
we're Inspected and passed by General
d---. then were marched to the quar- |
to draw their gas helmets
md trench equipment
At four In the afternoon they were
gain hustled into cattle cars. This
imes the journey lasted two days.
they disembarked at the town Of Ere
'ent and could hear q distant dull
coming. With knees shaking. Lloyd
sked the sergeant what the noise was.
nd nearly dropped when the sergeant
epled In somewhat bored tone: Il
"Oh. them's the guns up the line.
Ven be up there in a couple O. days
so. Don't worry. my laddie, you'll
&c more Of 'em than you want before
on get 'ome to Blighty again. that Is,
you're lucky enough to get back.
ow lend hand there unloadin' them
lrs, and quit that everlastin' shakin'.
believe yer scared The last with a
'ntemptuous sneer.
They marched ten kilos, full pack,
} a little dilapidated village, and the
'und of the guns grew louder, con-
antly louder. b
The village was full OF soldiers who q
rned out TO inspect the new draft. u
e men who were shortly to be their
ates in the trenches, for they were
ing up the line on the morrow, to q
axe over" their certain sector of II
enches. y
The draft was paraded In front of
ttalion headquarters and the men =
re assigned to companies. n
Lloyd was the only man assigned to nj
company. Perhaps the officer In
arge Of the draft had something to hi
with II, for he called Lloyd aside ~
d said: IN
Lloyd, you are going to new COM sa
ny. No one knows you. Your bed wi
u be as You make 1t. so for Gods lei
Ie. brace up and be man. / think ne
have the STUFF In you. my boy, SO en-
'd-by and the best of luck to YOU
The next day the battalion took over lei
ir part of the trenches 1t happened
be a very quiet day. The artillery ing
Ind the lines was still, except for she
occasional shell sent over to let the
mans know the gunners were not tni
sep. up
D the darkness, in single file, the mo
lpany slowly wendell their way the
N the communication trench to the sea
It line. No one noticed LIoyd's q 9
te and drawn face. the
fter they had relieved the company i
he trenches, Lloyd. with two Of the was
company men, was put on guard In nou
Of the traverses Not a shot was tne
from the German lines, and no L
paid any attention to him wor
ched on the firing step. mop
the FIRST time In. a new recruit is ous'
required to stand with his head
z the top" He only "sits It out" Jam
the older men keep watch. nas'
about ten O'Clock, all Of a sudden. son
lought hell had broken loose, and ~
ched and shivered up against the aenl
pet. Shells started bursting, as he nau-