Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-26


'ou . could count 'em In tho dork.
don't know. but o could see-'e could
SEQ.
Sometimes in tho daytime . would
| rig UP . periscope on liz own. and
sit on the fircstep for hours alookin'
out in no mans land at tho lone tree.
and the bodies around It This sort o
| got on our captains nerves, and o save
jerry orders not to use q peylscope.
After this order Jerry used to sit off
| by 'imsclf on tho nrestep a-musin' and
| a-inusin'! The other blokes laughed at
| i'm. but I knew what he were sdoin'-
a were ataikin' to tho spirits OF the
lone tree,
"Then . got sorr o. reckless. and
because Il were against orders for I'm
to use a periscopc. C used to. In the
| boomin' daytime. stick Is cad over
tho top and sazo in the direction OF
| tho lone treo. Bullets from German
snipers would kick up the dirt and tear
tho sand basa all avound i'm. but mono
Of 'em ever 1T I'm. No bullet ever
myde could Kill 'Aunted Jerry, as you
call I'm.
'sThe rest o. tho biokes in tho trench
would pull i'm down Off the frestop.
They thought they were asavin' 'is
lite. but Jerry weren't afraid from
bullets. II knew, and SO did I. that
they couldn't arm i'm. Then our cap
tain-'e 'ad brains. q 'ad--said that
jerry was balmy, and gave orders to
the eerEeant major to tyke i'm back
to the doctors to send i'm to BllEhty.
jerry was told about this tho night
before o was to leave. Il was greatly
upset and did nothin' but talk to the
splrits--the air WAS fun of 'em-I could
Gar their voices. too.
THAT night about 10 O'Clock Jerry
was missed. Tho next mornin' e was
still amissin'. For two days nothin'
was card Of Jerry. Then tho Royal
Irish Rines took over a sector OF
trench on our right. A lot Of our
hlokes told en- about Jerry bein'
mlssir': A few Of EN- got around me.
and l described Jerry TO 'cm. but I
weren't afraid for jerry knew where
. waa--e were with la spirits,
EIND noDY or JERRY
AT FOOT or LOVE- TREE
That night an Irish patrol went out.
and when they returned they brought
4 body with them: sad they'd found
1t at the foot o. the lono tree. 1t were
Jerry, all right. but C weren't it no.
where. Two b!oomin' doctors exam
ined i'm. looking for wounds. Il was
dead, all right. and that b!oonir' cap
tain--'e 'ad brain. e 'ad--was respnn-
sibls for is death. Il 'ad tried to tyke
Jerry nw'y from is spirits SO Jorry
erawied out to tho lone tree 10 answer
its call. II answered It, and now e.s
with the spirits e lovod. and some time
III he able TO talk to i'm. 'E's with
en-. a.! right. kncw---I know"
Just then Jim started to whtmper
7
all felt like Whispering.
without another word. Jcrry's
brother got up. and. mu,;crinE to him.
self, passed out OF sight around the
traverse. As he disappeared from view
Ssilor Bill exclaimed:
"Biaw5t my headlights, but IL a hloke
like that aver slipped in tho navy. IN
a fortnisht'a time q would h!oomin'
well be an admiral. because a would
he the only one LETT in tho blirin' navy.
Gives me tho proper creens. 'Ow In
ell is company stands for i'm. I don't
know. 'ow about it. Curly--why
'abn't o been sent TO Bi.ghty az
baimy-'
IN tell you. Bill" answered Curly.
this hioke only gets these flts occa-
sionaliy, 'E's damned good soldier
Always on the job, and next TO Cor,
poral French and his brother. 'Aunted
Jerry. 'es tho hast scout for work in
no mans land that's ever put a foot
in thesr hlinkin' bitches, It's only
lately that 'e'a been 'av,rE theae spells
so often. and yesterday tho sergeant
msJor told me that e was under OBJ
servation and that II would only be .
short time before e was shipped back"
rs IL Q. fact. Curly" asked Happy.
that this 'Aunied Jerry crawied out