The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-02-28

In the trenches, Lloyd, with two of the
old company men, was put on guard in
one Of the trayerses. Not a shot was
fired from the German lines, aud M
one paid any attention to him
crouched on the firing step.
ON the first time in, n now recruit is
not required to stand with his hcod
"over The top" He only "sits II out
While the older men keep watch.
Al about ten O'Clock, all Of d sudden,
he thought hell had broken loose, and
erouehed and shiyered up against the
parapet. Shells started bursting, as he
imagined, right in their trench, when in
fact they were landing about a hun
drcd yards in rear OF them, in the sec.
end lines.
0ae of the older men on guard, turn
ing to his mate, said:
"Thcre goes Fritz with those d--d
trench mortars again. It's about time
our artillery 'taped them, and sent
over a few We'll, I'll be d--d,
where's that blghter of draft man
gone TO-? There's his rife leaning
against the paranet He must have
legged H. Just keep your eye peeled
Dies while | report it 10 the sergeant.
! wonder if the fool knows ne can he
shot for such tricks as leayn' his
puN?n
Lloyd had gone. When the trench
ihortars opened up, maddening ter
ror seized him and he wanted to run,
to get away from that horrible din
anywhere to safety. So quietly sneak
ing around the traverse he came to the
entrance Of a communication trench
and ran madly ana bindly down il,
running into trayerSeS stumbling into
muddy holes, ana falling fun length
over trench grids.
Cropping bllndly with his arms
stretched out in front Of him, he at
last came out Of the trench into the
village, or what Esod 70 he a village,
before the German artillery RACED it.
Mixed with his fear, he had a pc
Culiar grt Of cunning, which Whis.
pcred to him to avoid all sentries, be-
cause if they saw him he would be
sent back to that awful destruction in
the front line, and perhaps he killed
or maimed. The thought made him
Shuddcr the cold sweat coming out in
beads on his face.
On his left, in the darkness, he could
make out the ShadoWy forms of trees
crawling on his hands and knees, stop
ping and crouchng with fear ut each
shell-burst, he finally reached an old
orchard and covered at the base Of
shot-Scarred apple tree.
lie remained there all night, listen
ms TO the sound Of the guns and ever
praying, praying that his useless life
would be spared.
As dawn began to break, he could
discern little dark objects protrudng
from the ground all about him Curl.
oSity mastered his fear and he craVlcd
to one Of the objects and there, in the
uncertain light he read on Il little
wooden cross;
'ptc. II, s. Wheaton, No. 1910, list
London Regt r. f. Killed in action.
April %, 1916. r. |, ~ Crest in
Pc9ce).
When it dawncd on him that he had
hecu hiding all night in cemetery
his reason seemed to leave him, and
mad desire to be free FROM it all made
him rr>h madly away, falling over lit
tie wooden crosses, sma,hing some and
trampling others under his feet
In his flight he came TO an old
French dugout half cayed in and par
TALLY filled with Shiny and filthy wa.
ter
Like "A fox being chased by the
hounds, he fucked into this hole and
threw himself on a pile Of old empty
Sandhags wet and mildewod. Thon-
Inconsistencies.
ON the next day he came to; far
distant voices sounded in his ears,
Opening his eyes, in the entrance Of
the ducout be saw a corporal ana two
mon with fixed h0youcts
Tho corporal was addressing him:
"Got up, You White-livered bighterl
Curse YOU and The day You ever Joined
u company spelling thcr fine rec
ord v. I'll be YOU up against The wall,
and good job too. Get hold of him,
men, and if he makes Il break, give him
the bayonet and send IT home the cow
ardly sneak. Come on, YOU move,
we've been looking for you long
enough"
Lloyd, trembling and weakened by
his long fast totterod out assisted by
soldier on each side of him
They took him before the captain,
but could get nothing out of him but.
"For Gods sake, sir, don't have me
shot don't have me Shotl'
The captain, utterly dsgusted with
him, sent him under escort to division
headquarters for trial by court-mar-
tial, charged with dcsertion under fire.
They shoot dcserters in France.
During his trial Lloyd sat as one
dozcd, and could put nothing forward
in his defense, only an occasional
Don't have me shot !"
His sentence was passed: "To he
shot at 1898 o'clock in the morning Of
May is. 1916" This meant that he
had only one more day to live
He did not realize the awfuness Of
his sentence; his brain seemed para
lyzcd. lie knew nothing of his trip,
under guard. in q motor lorrY to the