The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1918-10-23
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relieve you. I'll have TO go now, lad
as it's nearly time for my relief, and
| don't want them TO see me a-talkin'
with you. SO long, laddie, cheero."
With this, the sentry resumed the
| pacing of his post. In about ten min-
utes' time he was relieved, and ID
company man took his place.
Looking into the guardhouse, the
sentry noticed the covering attitude Of
Lloyd, and. with sheer, said to him:
Instead of whimpering in that cor
ner, you ought to be saying your pray
ers. It's bally conscripts like you
what's spoilin our record. We've been
out here nigh onto eighteen months,
and you're the first man to desert his
post. The whole battalion is laughin
and pokin' fun at d company, bad
luck to you but you won't get another
chance to disgrace us. They'll put
your lights out in the mornin'."a
After listening to this TRADE, Lloyd.
In faltering voice, asked: '"They are
not going to shoot me, are they? Why,
the other sentry said they'd pardon
me. For Gods sake-dont tell me I'm
to be shot !" and his voice died away in
a sob.
"Of course, they're going to shoot
you. The other sentry was jest a-kid-
din you. Jest like old Smith. Always
a-tryin' to cheer some one. You amt
got no more chance o. bein' pardoned
than have Of gettin' to be colonel of
my bait"
When the fact that all hope was
gone finally entered Lloyd's brain, a
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 mani Deliver
me from this towards death. Give me
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 go 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:
/ want to go home, I want to go home.
i don't want to 60 to the trenches no
more.
Where the ''whixzbangs' and ''sausages'
roar galore
Take me over the sea. where the Allemand
can't get at me-
oh. my. don't want TO del I want to go
home.
Lloyd listened to the words with a
strange interest, and wondered what
kind Of home he would go to across
the Great Divide. 1t would be the only
home he had ever known.
Suddenly there came q great rushing
through the air, a 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, IL was only a
tumble Of rent and torn sandbags. His
head seemed bursting. He slowly rose
on his elbow, and there I'm the east the
dawn was breaking. But what was
that mangled shape lying over there
among the sandbags7 Slowly dragging
himself to II, 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 a fash 1t came to Lloyd that he
was free. Free to go ~over the top"
with his company. Free to die like a
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 or
around hurrying platoons on their way
to also 60 "over the top" Coming to
communication trench he could not
get through. It was blocked with laugh
ing. cheering and cursing soldiers.
Climbing out of the trench, he ran
wildly along the top. never needing the
rain Of machine-gun bullets and shells.
not even hearing the shouts Of the of.
ficers. telling him to get back into the
trench. He was going to Join his COM
pany who were In the front lire. He
was going to fight with them. He, the
despised coward, had come into his
own.
While he was racing along. jumping
over trenches crowded with enldiars n