Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-03-28
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$500 -" JN'' - 1919 -" "'' ~
feheVe you. III nave 10 90 now iad
as II nearly time Tor my feuet' ana J
dont want them 10 see me a-taisin
WIN you. so long, laddie, cheero'
With this, the sentry resumed The
pacing OF his post. In ahout Ten min
utes' time he was relieved, and n d
company man took his place.
Looking into the guardhouse, the
sentry noticed the covering attitude Of
Lloyd, and. with sneer, said TO him:
Instead OF Whispering ia that corr
ner, you ought TO be saying your pray.
crs. IT'S hally conscripts like you
what's spollin' 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'
anu p0kin' fun at ID company, bac
luck to you hut you won't get another
chance TO disgrace us. They'll put
your lights out In the norma
After listening 60 this tirsde, Lloyd
IN faltering voice, ssked "fhey arc
not going TO shoot me, are they? Why
the other sentry said they'd pardon
me. For Gods sske---don't tell me I'm
to be shot !" and his voice died sway In
q sob.
"Of course, they're going to shoot
you. The other sentry WAS jest s-kid
din you. Jest Ike Old Smith. Always
got M ,,ora ,,,.nca :, ha,,,, ,,,,ann,,,
go, ~ $500 y
NAN hdFe VI settfh 10 pe coiohel ol
my haiti
When tbe fact flat All hone wss
go su 1890, ,,,,
S0'iu hihi"i's c'i'eicu '""'"S piaih,
calm secured to settle over him, and
rising to his knees, with his arms
'.,e'eneu ou' W ne''en' u" pr"teH' anu
a." ~ nus sou' sn'e'eu mo 'he prayer
- soou anu 'nsieiiui "ou' give me
s'relisu' " aic i'Ae '"ah '7iiVer
'ne rom ',''s COWARD uea'h' give me
a cn"nce 70 oe hke my mates III the
l'sh'IhS nus 10 o'e nsn',ng Tor my
country ASK .iils Oh taee'
peace' ii'hefto unhhoWh' came 10
MN anu ne eroucieu anu covered NO
more out cailil'y Walted tle dsWn
re'uy ~ so 10 ms ue"'h, ihe sheiis
were pursuing an around tne guard
roonl Dut ne har'iiS holieeu ,neh'
WINE Walt'hg there' tne voice OF th'
sentry, singing IN low TONE came u
illih' re was singing the chorus OF inc
popular treheh ditty'
7 want 10 ro home I want TO go bom..
| don't want 10 so to the trenches no
more.
"heis lhe WnlN@p~hEs anu s~ussTes
Take ns oyer The ssa vh,r. tha AIlan,,n nd
can't get at me-
Oh, my. ] don't wsst to die 1 want to 90
nouns
Lloyd listened TO the words with =
strange interest, and wondered what
kind of home he would ~ to across
the Great Divide. II would be the only
home he had ever known.
Suddenly there came a great rushing
through the air, binding. desfeu-
ing report. and the sandbsg walls Of
the guardroom toppled over, and then
--blsekness.
When Lloyd recovered conscious.
ness, he was lying on his right side,
facing what used to be the entrance Of
the xuardroom. Now, 1t was only
tumble OF rent and torn ssndbags. His
head seemed bursting. He slowly rose
on his elbow, aud there In the east the
dawn was breaking. But what was
that mauGed shane lying over there
among the ssndbacs? Slowly dragging
himself TO II, he saw the body OF the
sentry. One look was enough to know
thst he wss dead. The soldiers head
was mlssine. The sentry had had his
wish xratifcd. He had gone home"
He was safe at last from the "whizz.
hangs" and the Allemaud.
like n fash II came TO LLOYD that he
was fres. Free 20 90 "oyer the ton"
with his cornpany. Free to die like a
true Brlton fightin< 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 raee down the ruined street
OF the village. amid the bursting shells,
Winding them not, lodging through or
around hurrying platoons on their way
to also 90 "over the top" Coming to
a communication trench he could not