Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-07-26

wasn't wet? According to all rules
Il should have been drowned. Perhaps
I was and didn't know it.
AS the shock of my sudden stoE
gradually wore off it came to me that
I was lying on ledge and that the
least movement on my part would pre-
cipitate me to the bottom of the well.
struck a match. In its faint glare
I saw that was lying in a circular
hole about twelve feet deep-the we'll
had been filed in! The dripping had
heard came from water pipe over on
my right.
With my wounded shoulder it was
impossible to shiny up the pipe. I
could not yell for help, because the
rescuer would want to know how the
accident happened, and I would be
hailed before the commandant on
charges. l just had to grin and bear
1t, with the forlorn hope that one Of
the returning night raiders would pass
and could give him our. usual signal
of "siss-s-s-s," which would bring him
to the rescue.
Every half-hour I could hear the
clock in the village strike, each stroke
bringing forth a mufiled volley Of
curses on the man who had dug the
well. 90.
After two hours heard two men
talking in low voices. I recognized
Corporal Cook, an ardent might raid
err" He heard my "siss-s-s-s" and
came to the edge Of the hole. I ex-
planned my predicament and amid lot
of impertinent, remarks, which at the
time I did not resent, was soon f1shed
out. -. --
Taking off our boots, we sneaked into
the ward. was sitting on my bed in
the dark, Just starting to undress,
when the man next to me, "Ginger"
Phillips, whispered, "'Op 1t, Yank, ERE
comes the matron."
I Immediately got under the covers
and feigned sleep. The matron stood
talking in low tones to the night nurse
and fell asleep.
When awoke In the morning the
night sister, an American, was bending
over me. An awful sight met my eyes.
The coverlet on the bed and the sheets
were a mass Of mud and green slime.
She was a good sport I'll right, and
hustled to get clean clothes and sheets
SO that no one would get wise, but ION
her own" she gave me a good tongue
flashing but did not report me. One Of
the Canadians in the ward described
her as being "a Jake Of a good fell
low"
Next visiting day I had an awful
time explaining to my visitor why I
had not met her at the appointed time
and place.
And for a week every time I passed
patient he would call, "Well. well,
here's the Yank. Hope you are feel
Ing well, old top"
The surgeon in our ward was an
American, Harvard unit man, named
Frost. We nicknamed him "Jack
Frost."' He was loved by all. II q
Tommy was to be cut up he had no OBJ
lection to undergoing the operation If
"Jack Frost" was to WELD the knife.
Their confidence in him, was pathetic.
He was the best sport have ever met.
One Saturday morning the command
ant and some high up" officers were
inspecting the ward, when one of the
patients who had been wounded in the
head by a bit Of shrapnel. fell on the
floor in fit. They brought him round,
and then looked for the ward orderly
to carry the patient back to his bed
at the other end Of the ward. The Or
derby was nowhere to be found-like
our policemen, they never are when
needed. The officers were at a loss
how to get Palmer into his bed. Doc
tor Frost was hdgeting around in q
nervous manner, when suddenly with
q muff1ed "d-n" and few other
qualifying adjectives, he stopped down
and took the man In his arms like q
baby-he was no feather, either-and
staggered down the ward with him, put
him In bed and undressed him. A low
murmur Of approval came from the pa
tients. Doctor Frost got very red, and
as soon as he had finished undressing
Palmer, hurriedly left the ward.
The wound in my face had almost
healed and I was a horrible-looki
sight-the left cheek twisted into a
knot, the eye pulled down, and my
mouth pointing In Q north by north
west direction. I was very downheart-
ed and could imagine myself during
the rest Of my hfe being shunned by
an on account Of the repulsivs scar
Doctor Frost arranged for me to 60
- he Cambridge Military hospitdl q
Aldershot for special operation to
try and make the scar presentable.
arrived at the hospital and got an
awful shock. The food was poor and
thS discipline abnormally strict. No
patient was allowed to st on his bed,
and smoking was permitted only at
certain designated hours. The face
specialist did nothing for me except
to look at the wound. made appli-
cation for transfer back to Paignton,
Offering to pay my transportation.
- - ~ AZ fxryN