The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1918-07-12
U.S.NEGRO'S IDEA
BEATSTHE TEUTS

his trench, he caught sight of one Of
the messengers, although they gener-
ally did their work at night. He de-
velOped respect and an admiration
for these dogs, and he could scarcely
choke down fight when sniper pick
ed off one Of the animals. When one
of the dogs was brought in after
German raid, Ike made up his mind
that he had to have one Of those dogs
to chase rabbits down in Georgia. /
don't believe he realized that he was
to have a kennel of them.
1t was an evening in early spring
when Ike was seated by the edge Of
deep French well on the outskirts Of
dilapidated little village, where he was
billeted during q rest period. He saw
something leaping along the top Of
hill mile away. A second sight told
him it was fox, and then he forgot
about it, The next night and the day
after Ike saw the fox, and then there
flashed through his mind the remem-
brance that dog that chased rabbit
NliuSCu o IoA "hCh Sol a NbUhNS. ~
make this part of the story short, when
he went back to the trenches a few
days later Ike had the fox, dead.
On the next two or three nights Ike
volunteered regularly for patrol duty
In No Mans Land. The third night
he got permission and took the dead
fox with him.
Gets Results at Last.
On the third night after he started
patrolling with his dead fox, he got re-
suits. But let the next part Of the
story be told by Ike's commanding Of
ficer. wish could mention his name
out the censorship rules forbid.
"It was along about o'clock in the
morning." this officer said, "just after
one Of our patrols had come i'm. re-
member 1t was raining slightly. The
patrol reported 1t had encountered no
Germans and that things seemed rath-
er quiet. was about to go away when
there was a scrambling underneath
our wire and a German messenger dog
popped over the edge of the trench
and right into the arms Of one Of our
big buck privates, named Davis. The
dog had message around his neck di-
rected to one Of the pill boxes, telling
the gunners there that American pa
trolls were out. took the message and
started to lead the dog away to have
my orderly take care OF 1t when Ike
begged for it so earnestly that / told
him to watch 1t while got some sleep.
81 forgot all about the dog and was
thinking of home and mother some
hours later when one of the lieuten-
ants reported that during the night six
other German dogs had come into our
trench at about the same place and
that Ike had been near enough to grab
each one Of them. went to look for
Davis and that darkey had those seven
dogs corralled i'm a ready-made dugout
as neat as you please and was feeding
them his own chow and all that he
could beg, borrow or steal. I'm darned
If can explain it, but know that IL
the gunners had got the instructions
those dogs carried all our patrols
wouldn't have come back.
"Come on. I'll show you the cir
GUS"
He took me 200 yards away and as
we mounted q little knoll ! saw a big
negro hastily completing the Job of
covering up something he had buried
In hole. He dropped the spade and
saluted as his officer came up.
private Davis" said the officer,
"show the gentleman those dogs"
''Here they Is, SUBJ" he answered.
and lifted heavy board. Down
through the opening were seven lanky
dogs. with powerful legs anA long
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