The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-09-18

Bearing the marks of shrapnel blast,
the scars of bullets or even yet q bit
short Of breath from the gas, Ameri-
can doughboys, just out of hospital,
Jest at the thought of again going over
the top. They're glad to get away
from the tedious restrictions at the
base and welcome the greater liberty
that awaits them at the line.
A party of these infantrymen-all
from draft units-were seen recently
at a great American replacement camp,
some distance behind the front. Taps
had just blown, the lights were out and
the men were squirming about In the
hunks trying to find a soft place and
bantering each other as they pulled
the olive drab blankets around them.
The darkness must have reminded
them of the times they had lain in the
trenches waiting for the word to go
after the Boches.
boys?" asked one. Then from the
other side of the hut: "What is the
Zero hour?" From over in the corner
a reminiscent. half-laughing voice re.
piled: "Duck, boys; there comes the
barrage."
Veterans at Twenty.
These lads, some barely past TWEEN
ty-one, were already veterans Of the
great world war. This was their last
night In the quiet and they were glad
Of II II, tho ynorpfpo thay xyorld nm.
train for the rail head and then go on
first by auto truck and then by foot
up to where their companies were still
holding the line.
There were big doings again at the
front. Miss It? Not on your life
They looked forward to 1t with the
same anticipation they had year age
to vacation along the seashore or o
fishing trip through the silent noun
tain fastness.
IF I'm still on top six weeks from
now I'll get my first service stripe
said one Of them proudly. The Ions
scar on his face showed the shrapne
had got him and gave prima facie
evidence for his wound stripe. But
he seemed more concerned for 9
service stripe than he did for q
wound stripe. He had been sent t.
France, trained, done his bit at the
front, recuperated at the hospital ant
was going back for more of 1t before
he got his first six months service
stripe.
Around the door of the barracks
they had been recounting their expert
ences after supper.
sour engineers got bunged W
pretty bad; nervy lot, them" said one
"Driving an ammunition train is the
real sport" said another, especially
where Jerry is Smelling the cross
roads,"
II like this open fighting which
we're getting now" said an infantry
man.
Dugout Comes In Handy.
"Open fighting Is all right, but 9
nice, deep dugout comes in handy wher
the heavens begin to Drop" suggested
a comrade.
"Tt's worth lying sprawled in the
mud all winter just to get up, fix YOU
bayonet and at 'em," said another
"It's fun to see the Germans run
They won't stand cold steel, boy, they
just won't"
"Are you glad to get back, hon
est?" asked a dubious and rather
doubling soldier who had spent all his
time In France in the rear-in the serv
ice of supplies.
"Say, bo," replied a boyish-lookinl
marine, 'Td rattle, be up there with
my company taking my chances thar
doing light duty back at the hospital
The doc didn't want to let me go, but
/ insisted. He said I might not gel
by the final examining post, but HI
decided to let me try"
Afraid? These boys! Surel They'll
tell you themselves that they've beer
scared stiff themselves a hundred
times. Afraid of bodily harm, but moi
afraid to die.
"You never hear the bullet thai
knocks you out" said one. philosoph
ically.