Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-05
Modesty of Two Braue
Men Is Set Forth in
Narratiue of Thrill
ing 4 ction.
d. ARTHUR GUY EMPEi.
Author OF .Ovcr the Top" "I'irxt Call"
Etc. Who has Iind Many
rhriIIar. .0xc~ rherS.1

T'The sixth OF a series OF twelve ar
ticles by the author OF 'Over the Top,
the best seller OF the year. Tho re-
naming articles will tell Mr.. Empey's
experiences during his seventeen
months in tho irst-line trenches OF
the British army in France, the thrill
ing great adventures" which hundreds
of thousands OF young Americans are
soon 10 pass through.1
Copyright 1918. b" the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.>
Our guns crew. as was its wont, was
sitting on the straw in tho corucr of
our billet, far from the rest OF the sec
ton. The previous night we had been
relieved from the fire trench, and were
resting" in rest billets. Our days
rest" had been occupied In digging
bombing trench, this trench to be used
for the purpose of breaking in would
bo bomberS.
Hungry FoScroft was slicing away
at a huge loaf of bread. while on his
knees he was balancing a piece OF
issue" cheese. His jack-knite was
pretty dull and the bread was hard.
SO every now and then he would pause
in his cutting operation to take large
bite from the cheese.
Curley Wallace whispered TO me:
"Three bob to tanner, Sank, that
he eats the cheese before he finishes
siicing that 'rooty.'"
whispered back:
Nothing doing. Curly. you arc
Scotch, and did you ever see n Scotch
man bet on anything unlesa it was
surs winner"
lie answered in an undertonc:
We'll. let's make it q pack OF faEs
| How about il. Yank"'
| acquicsccd. tCurly wong the fags.)
Mascot and Cheese Mix 1t Up.
| Sailor Bill was Sitting next to Curly.
and had our mascot, Jim--a sorry look
ing mut--between his knees, and wss
picking hard pieces of mud from it's
paws. Jim was wGgSing his stump
OF tall -ahd was intently watching
IfunEry's operation on the bread
/ Every time hungry reached for the
cheese, Jim would follow the move
ment with his eyes. and his tail woul |
was faster Hungry. noting this look.
on small piece OF the cheese and
/ dipped i in Jim's direction. Jim deft-
! ~ caught II in his month, and then
the fun began. Our mascot hated
cheese. 1t was ludicrous to watch him
SplN u CUT Ull SnccZe.
lkey Honney reached over. took the
candle, and started searching in his
pack, amidst chorus Of grow,s from
/ us at his Tudencss in thus depriving
US Of light l was watching him close
| ly. and suspected what was coming.
| Sure enough, out care that harmonica,
and | knew il was up tn me to start
| the ball of conversation rolling before
he began playing, because after he had
once started. nothing short OF a Ger
/ man five mine" Shellburst would stop
him. SO slyly kicked Sailor Bill, who
Immediately got wise. and then l broke
tho leo with:
Sailor. / heard you say this after
noon, while we were building that
traverse. that it was your opinion that
darn few medals were really won: that
it was more or less an accident. Now.
| just because your l.. :. NJ. came up
with the rations and. as you say. il
was wished OH you. there is no reason
in my mind TO class every win..cr OF
medal as being accidentally lucky" :"
This medal business was a sore point
with Sailor Bill. and he came right
back ri mo with:
Well. if any of you lubbers can
tell me where a l.. C. NJ. truly came
aboard in ship-ehape manner-that
is. up the aftcrEang plank--thcn will
strike my colors and lay up on Ice
shore for dry dock"
Ike Honney Explodes.
key Honey had just taken a long
indrawn breath. and his checks werc
puffed out like a balloon, prepa ratc-v
to slowing il into the harmonfca whici,
he had at his lips. but paused and
removing the musical instrument OF
torture. he exploded:
"Eimc nre. ] know OF n hlokc who
won u. Z. NJ. and it wasn't a.ci-
dental or lucky. either | was right
out in front with him. Blime me. sure
had the wind up hut with French it
was business usual IIe just ear
rind on
We all chirped in: Come on. Ikey.
let's have the story"
4 viii II youll just let me play this
ono tune FIRST" answered Ikcy.
lie started in. and was accompanied
by n dismal, moaning howl from Jim.
lkey had been playing about a minute.
when the orderly sergeant poked his
head in the door Of tho billet and said:
The captain says to step that in
! fernal noise
| Highly insulted. Ikey stopped. with:
| Some people ave no idea OF mus !c."
We agreed with him.
Somewhat mollltied. he started:
Corporal French is the same biokc
who just returned from Blishty and
| joined the third Section yesterday"
tAuthor's note-The incident here re-
lated is true happening. Corporal
French won the II. c. NJ. in the manner
described by lIonney. i will not at
tempt To give it in tho cocl:ney
dialcct.l
In Death Alley.
We were holding part OF. the line
up Fromclles way, and were about 200
CONTINUED ON Fourth. Page.5