The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-10-03

Bearing the marks of Shrapnel blast,
the scars of bullets or even yet a bit
short Of breath from the gas, Ameri-
can doughboys, just out of hospital,
jest at the thought of again going over
the top. They're glad TO get away
from the tedious restrictions at the
base and welcome the greater liberty
that awaits them at the line.
A party of these infantrymen-all
from draft units-were seen recently
at a great American replacement camp,
some distance behind the front. Taps
had just blown, the lights were out and
the men were squirming about in the
hunks trying to find a soft place and
bantering each other as they pulled
the olive drab blankets around them.
The darkness must have reminded
them OF the times they had lain in the
trenches waiting for the word to go
after the Boches.
when do we go over the top,
boysT asked one. Then from the
other side of the hut: "What is the
"zero hour?" From over in the corner
a reminiscent, halflaughing voice re-
piled: "Duck, boys; there comes the
barrage."
Veterans at Twenty.
These lads, some barely past TWEEN
ty-one, were already veterans of the
great world war. This was their last
night In the quiet and they were glad
OF Ii. In the morning they would en-
train for the rail head and then go on,
first by auto truck and then by foot,
up to where their companies were still
holding the line.
There were big doings again at the
front. Miss It? Not on your life
They looked forward to 1t with the
same anticipation they had a year ago
to a vacation along the seashore or a
fishing trip through the silent noun
tain fastness.
IF I'm still on top six weeks from
now I'll get my first service stripe, =
said n of them proudly. The long
c on his face showed the shrapnel
had got him and gave prima facie
evidence for his wound stripe. But
he seemed more concerned for q
service stripe than he did for a
wound stripe. He had been sent &c
France, trained, done his bit at the
front, r~ecuperated at the hospital and
was going back for more of 1t before
he got his first six months service
stripe.
Around the door of the barracks
they had been recounting their expert
ences after supper.
"Our engineers got bunged uI
pretty bad; nervy lot. them" said one
"Driving an ammunition train is the
real sport" said another, Especially
where Jerry is Smelling the cross
roads,"
II like this open fighting which
we're getting now" said an infantry.
man.
pugout Comes In Handy.
"Open fighting is all right. but Q
nice. deep dugout comes In handy wher
the heavens begin to DROP" suggested
q comrade.
IT'S worth lying sprawled In the
mud all winter just to get up, fix your
bayonet and at EN-" said another
ITS fun to see the Germans run
They won't stand cold steel, boy, they
just won't"
Are you glad to get back. hon
estT" asked a dubious and rather
doubling soldier who had spent all hi.
time In France in the rear-in the serv
Ice Of supplies.
"Say, bo," replied a boyish-lookin,
marine, "Td rather be up there witt
my company taking my chances thar
doing light duty back at the hospital
The doc didn't want to let me 60, blu
I insisted. He said I might not ge
by the final examining post, but h
decided to let me try"
Afraid? These boysl Sure They'll
tell you themselves that they've beef
scared stiff themselves a hundre,
times. Afraid Of bodily harm, but no
afraid to die.
you never hear the bullet tina
knocks you out" said one, philosoph
tcally.