The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1918-09-13
OVID TIL. TOP
81
AN A1ERICAN SM,IlTR
WHO WENT = =
AlIIlUl GUY EnIpEY
| GiST ~ I
lNAIls. ~ LryEYl
.tActlNE GUNNER jERNSdn FRANCE

! heard the death-rattle 10 the throat
Of the man opposite. lie had gone to
rest across the Great Divide. / think
az the time | envied him.
The man Of the Royal Irish rifles
had had his left foot blown or, the
joitlng OF the ambulance over the
rough road had loosened up the band
ages ON bis foot, and had started II
bleeding again. This blood ran down
the side OF the stretcher and started
dripping. ! was lying on my back, too
weak TO move, and the dripping OF this
blood got me In my unbandaged right
eye. closed my eye and pretty soon
could not open the lid the blood had
concealed and closed II, as IL 1t were
glued down.
An English girl dressed In khaki was
driving the ambulance, while beside
her on the seat was a corporal OF the
Il. A. NJ. o., They kept up running
conversation about Blighty which al
most wrecked my nerves; pretty
| soon from the stretcher above me, the
irishman became aware of the fact
/ that the bandage from his foot had be-
come loose; II must have panied him
horribly, because he yelled In loud
| voice.
IF you don't stop this bloody death
wagon and FIX this d. bandage on
my foot, will get out and walk"
The girl on the seat turned around
and In sympathetic voice asked,
Poor fellow. are you very badly
woundedT
The freshman, at this question, let
out howl Of indignation and an
swered, Am | very badly wounded,
what bloody cheek no. I'm not wound
ed, I've only been kicked by canary
bird"
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 Ii was great relief. Then
must have become unconscious. he
cause when l regalned my senses, the
ambulance was &C a standstill, and my
stretcher was being removed from II.
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
/ three hours, She was holding my
wrist; thought had made hit, and
tried to tell her how | got wounded,
| but she would put her finger to her lips
and say, "les, know, but you mustn't
talk now, try to go to sleep, itll do you
| good. DOCTORS orders" Later on
learned that she WINS taking my pulse
! every few minutes, as l was very weak
! from the loss 81 blood and they ex-
! pected me to SUM 1t. but l didn't.
From the train we went into ambu-
lances for a short ride to the hospital
| ship Panama. Another palace and more
I angels. | don't remember the trip
across the channel.
l opened my eyes | was being car.
ried ON stFetcher through lanes of
! people. some cheering, some waving
flags, aud others crying. The flags were
Union Jacks. ! was In Southampton.
Blighty at last. My stretcher was
strewn with towers. cigarettes, and
chocolates, Tears started to run down
my cheek from my good eye. like
BOBBY was crying, Can you beat itf--
Then int another hospital train, a
fiye-hour ride 10 palgnton. another am
bulance ride. and then was carried
Into Munsey ward of the American
Womens War hospital aud put into
real bed.
This real bed was too much for my
unstrung nerves aud tainted,
When ] came to, a pretty Red Cross
nurse was bending over me, bathing
my forehead with cold water, then she
left ANA the ward orderly placed
screen around my bed, and gave me a
mushneeded bath and clean pajamas.
Then the screen was removed and a
bowl Of steaming soup was given me.
Il tasted delicious.
Before finishing my soup the nurse
came back 20 ask me my name and
number. She put this Information down
In a little book and then asked;
where do you come fromY' l IN.
sweFed.
From the big town behind the
Statue Of Liberty" upon hearing this
she started Jumping up and dawn.
elupping her hands, and calling out 10
three nurses across the ward;
Come here. glrls-at last we have
got = real live Yankee with u.s."
They came over and besieged me
with questions. until the doctor ar
rived. Upon learning that | was an
American be almost crushed my hand
In his grip Of welcome. They also
were Americans. and were glad TO see
me.
The doctor very tendcrly remoyet
my bandages and told me, after view /.