Williston graphic., 1918-06-20
OVID TIL: TOP
~
AN Ar(rpl(<AN SOLDIER
WHO WENT q
ARI11UlG GUY E:npFY
MACHINE GUNNER SERVING N fRAhCEE
CONTINUED from last weekly

Continued from last weekly
"lnstead Of whimpering in that col
ner, you ought to be saying your pray
ers. It's bally conscripts like yo1
what's spoilin' our record. We've bee
out here nigh onto eighteen months
and you're the first man to desert hi
oost The whole battalion Is laughiu
and pokin' fun at D company, ba,
duck to you but you won't get anothe
chance to disgrace us. They'll pu
your lights out in the mornin'."
After listening to this TRADE, Lloyd
In a faltering voice, asked: 'They arr
not going to shoot me, are they? Why
the other sentry said they'd pardon
me. For Gods sake-dOn't tell me I'm
to be shot !" and his voice died away IL
a sob.
"Of course, they're going to shoot
you. The other sentry was jest a-kid
din you. Jest like old Smith. Away.
a-tryin' to cheer some one. You ain,
got no more chance o. bein' pardOEe ed
than I have of gettin' to be colonel Of
my 'batt.'" 49,. ...
When the fact that all hope wa.
gone finally entered Lloyd's brain, 9
calm seemed to settle over him, and
rising to his knees, with his arms
stretched out to heaven, he prayed, and
;all Of his soul entered into the prayer
20, good and merciful God, give me
strength to die like a man! Deliver
me from this coward's death. Give me
q chance to die like my mates in the
fighting line, to die fighting for my
country. ask this of thee."
A peace, hitherto unknown, came to
him, and he crouched and covered no
more, but calmly waited the dawn,
ready to 60 to his death. The shells
were bursting all around the guard
room, but he hardly noticed them.
While waiting there, the voice Of the
sentry, singing in low tone, came to
him. He was singing the chorus of the
popular trench ditty:
I want to go home, want to go home.
I don't want to go to the trenches no
more.
roar galore.
Take me over the sea, where the Allemand
can't get at me. $50.
oh, my, don't want to die! want to 60
home.
Lloyd listened to the words with a
strange interest, and wondered what
kind Of home he would 60 to across
the Great Divide. 1t would be the only
home he had ever known.
Suddenly there came great rushing
through the air, binding, deafen-
ing report, and the sandbag walls of
the guardroom toppled over, and then
-blackness.
When Lloyd recovered conscious
ness, he was lying on his right side,
facing what used to be the entrance Of
the guardrOom. Now, 1t was only q
tumble of rent and torn sandbags. His
head seemed bursting. He slowly rose
on his elbow, and there in the east the
dawn was breaking. But what was
that mangled shape lying over there
among the sandbags? Slowly dragging
himself to it, he saw the body Of the
sentry. One look was enough to know
that he was dead. The soldiers head
was missing. The sentry had had his
wish gratifed. He had "gone home."
He was safe at last from the "whizz-
bangs" and the Allemand.
Like flash it came to Lloyd that he
was free. Free to go lover the top"
with his company. Free to die like
true Briton fighting for his king and
country. A great gladness and warmth
came over him. Carefully stepping
over the body Of the sentry, he started
on a mad race down the ruined street
Of the village, amid the bursting shells,
minding them not. lodging through OF
Saround hurrying platoons on their way
to also 60 "over the top" Coming to
a communication trench he could not
get through. It was blocked with laugh
ing, cheering and cursing soldiers
q Climbing out of the trench, he raj
wildly along the top, never needing th'
rain Of machine-gun bullets and shells
not even hearing the shouts Of the Of
1icers, telling him to get back into th'
tECu(As A4C "oo 6OAAS ~ JOAA AA0 NOsAs
pany who were In the front line. HI
was going to fight with them. He, thu
.<espised coward, had come into hi
own.
While he was racing along. Jumping
over trenches crowded with soldiers, ,
ringing cheer broke out all along th'
front hne, and his heart sank. HI
knew he was too late. His c0mpan,
had gone over. But still he ran madly
He would catch them. He would di
with them.
Meanwhile his company had gon
''over." They, with the other CON
panies had taken the first and secon
German trenches. and had pushe
steadily on to the third line. D con
pany, led by their captain, the one VIII
had sent Lloyd to diviEion headqua
ters for trial, charged with desertiol
had pushed Steadily forward until the
found themselves far in advance {
the rest of the attacking force. "B0ml
ing out" trench after trench, and usin
their bayogetts, they came 10 "A Gssrma