The Washington herald., 1918-02-02

whether we were behind the Gar
man lines or not. However, the
hrst thing we saw on landing was
one OF our. own chaplsins, asking us
casually IL We had seen anythine
OF eight captive German balloons
which had gotten loose from their
moorings."
Air lighting is not the extent of
Lieut.. Roberts battles, however.
He has done some actual trench
work, In the days when q period of
probation" was required of avia-
tors. by way Of testing their nerve.
Got Him with Bsyenet.
THE system is. not in vogue now"
said Lieut.. Roberts. "but when Joined
the flying corps 1t was the custom to
give Us several weeks try-out in the
infantry. was sent TO the trenches
for a week, equipped with an infsn-
tryman's OUTFIT. Our company was de-
tailed to the first-line trenches. and
about thirty OF US started over TO the
Hun trenches.
"when we reached the German
barbed-wire. they saw US and began
their machine gun fire. As soon as
the, FIRE slackened a bit we climbed
over into the German trenches. Just
as got into q trench a Hun came
out Of q dugout and met me. l. ran
him through with my bayonet.
There was a turn in the trench
just beyond where / stood when /
bayoneted the Hun. I heard some
one coming around the bay Of the
trench, and ! was just in the act of
throwing q hand-grenade at the sp-
preaching Hun las thought. He
came around the bay and as / raised
my hand to throw the grenade rec
ognized our company commander
"'Come. boys said our commander.
Tets get out. We've been in this
trench too long already
"Yes, and one of us would have
been here still a bit longer IL had
thrown that grenade. I thought.
Finds Flying Pleasant.
And what do you think is the
incest thing about the war;
Which Is perhaps an impossible
question. considering there Is moth
ing nice about war. But anyway.
there are some things which just
must produce pleasant thrills.
well, 1 love to fiy-when the
flying's good" said the airman.
TITS lots OF fun under favorable
circumstances. IT'S interesting
lodging clouds and all that. Many
times 1 have just climbed right
over a snow cloud. But can't say
it is much fun battling with Zeus."
And so you gather that Lieut.
Roberts likes to fly-on pleasure
trips.
and what is the worst part Of
war;"
This ought to offer a large field
for speculation. but Lieut.. Roberts
swering this question.
Hung Up by Heels.
''oh, IL you mean what Is the worst
thing. which can happen to one per-
son, there isn't any question, in my
mind. It's the treatment they give
you sometimes when the gas has got
you pretty bad. as 1t did me. Inn
sgine being hung up-actually hung
up-by the heels for hours. while
doctors pump salt water into your
stomach. And that's what they did
TO me. They tied my feet TO the cell
ing. and the only rest my body had
was on the back of my neck under
which l had a support.
IT'S no fun sitting on the back
OF your neck with your feet up in
the clouds.
And that salt water-ugh! They
froth at the mouth like a mad dog
when they get this treatment. I
suppose 1t was what saved me. but
during those treatments life held lit
tie attraction for me-"
Lieut.. Roberts has made efforts to
get into the American service, but
owing to the action Of the gas he