Smyrna times., 1918-01-09
He Couldn't Shoot
His Friend
ICOpyright. 1917. western Newspaper UniOnI
By OSCAR cox

Copyright. 1917. Western Newspaper Union.l
There was charge and counter
charge in France, the American troops
being engaged with the Germans. All
day this see-saw went on and toward
evening the field was covered with
dead and wounded Americans and Ger
mans. At intervals in the fighting the
American ambulance corps undertook
to bring in some of the wounded, and
attempts had even been made to bury
the dead.
Just before dark Colonel B,
who was traversing the field, espied
one of those receptacles in which the
American troops bury their dead.
What kind of a receptacle is used
depends upon circumstances. Some
times when there is time for an i'm
pressive funeral it is a coffin; some
times when the armies are active it
is a rough box, and there are Occa-
siOns when the dead are shOveled into
trenches without ahy covering what
ever.
"What is that doing here?" asked
the colonel.
Nobody knew. The colonel was
about to make an examination when
shells began to burst about him and
he and others who were present sought
cover.
About ten o'clock that night Colo
mel B bethOUght himself of the
burial box that he had seen and began
to wonder how it could have come to
be on the battlefield. 1t occurred to
him that there had been some stupid
ity on the part of one under his COM
mand and if the general should run
across it, there would be some unpleas-
ant criticisms. The colonel, calling
his orderly, a strapping son of Erin,
told him about the burial box and or
dered him to go out and bring it in.
mike" he said in conclusion, eff you
| find a corpse in it you needn't bring
the corpse with you; dump it out and
bring the box"
AYE, aye, sir" replied Mike, salut-
ing, and departed on his errand. He
had not far to go nor had he anything
to fear, for the German lines were
! several hundred yards distant and
! there were the remains of scrub trees
| between them and the Americans.
There was a moon but most of the
time it was covered by clouds. Mike
was not long in making out an OblOng
which being made of newly planned
wood was very light in color.
He paused and looked at it. There
was no braver soldier in the American
army than Mike O'DOnOhue when a
real, live, flesh and blood enemy was
encountered, but Mike had no stomach
for a corpse that might face him with
wild ghOstly eyes, and through whom
a bullet might be sent without eff
feet. Before approaching further he
determined to discover whether or not
there was a corpse in the box.
"COme out O. that, ye Spalpeen," "
he said. 81 know ye're there. Come
out, say, before 1 put bullet into
We with my revolver"
To Mikes horror the lid of the box
was raised and by the moon he saw a
pale face peer out and a voice said:
Don't shoot, my friend, 1 surrend-
er."
Mike stood trembling like q leaf. He
was tempted to turn and run but he
shrank from facing his colonel if he
did. He stood his ground but was un'
able to articulate a word. The man
in the box threw off the lid and sat up
81 go NIT you to der rear" said the
corpse.
The corpse got out of the box anC
advanced toward Mike.
The Imagination is capable of work
ing wonders. Mike saw plumb through
the figure.
Il am not armed" said the ghost.
The statement put courage int
Mike. He pulled himself together ant
was about to return to the cOlOne
with his prisoner when he remem
bered that his orders were to bring
back the box and leave it's contents.
Go back" he said, land get you
coffin. "Ye're no good yerself; tn,
cOffin1l serve for another corpse"
The prisoner shOuldered the box ant
the two returned to the colonel.
Colonel" said Mike, saluting, CIV
brought We the box; didn't think ye''
want me to leave the corpse, becaus
it's alive"
The colonel much astOnished, calle,
on the prisoner to explain.
you see, colonel, ven der var brOk
Ouet 1 vas in New Yarek," said tn
: prisoner, land l CONT to Shermany t
fight for de Vaterland. Veil, ven yO
CONT Ouet to attack us today, ant
! saw de Stars and Stripes could no
!, believe mine eyes, vas so astonishe(
/ didn't know Yedder l vas a Sherma
, or an American. Mein GOtt,' l sale
!! dare is mine frient, Herman HOucl
, who lifed next door to me IN America
! How can / shoot Herman? But If
! don't shoot my frients my captain vi
! shoot me- Shust den bullet Craze
! my sleeve. fell on de ground an
: pretended to be dead. After a vii
n wagon cont nv loaded With coffin