Gunnison news-champion., 1918-03-01

In frenzy ~ haste. Srretchcr-bear-
err came up the trench on the double.
After a few minutes Of digging. three
skill. muddy forms On srretChers were
carried down the communication
trench To the rear Soon they would
b" resting 'sumeu here IN France" with
n lIrrle wooden cross over their heads.
They had done their bI' for king and
country. had died without firing shot.
but their services were appreciated.
nevertheless.
Later on. found out their names.
They belonged To "Ur druft
was dnz'd and inotionleSs. Sud
denly shovel vus pushed Into my
hands and Il rough but kindly voice
said:
Here. my lad. lend hand clearing
III" trench hu' keep your bead down.
and look out for snipers one Of the,
TrI'z', is Il daisy. and he'll get you II
you're not careful"
Lying on my belly on the bottom OF.
N" trench. ! filled sandhags with the
sticky mud. they were dragged to my
r"or by tn" other men and the work Of
rebuilding the pH-up"t was on. The
harder | worked th. better felt. Al
though the weather was cold. was
soaked with sweat.
Occasionally bullet would crack
overhead and a machine gun would
Kick up the mud on the baShcd In para
pet. Al each crack | would duck and
shield my face with my arm. One of
the older men noticed this action OF
mine, and whispered:
Don't duck at the crack OF a bull
let. iank; the danger has passed-you
never hear the one that wings you.
Alwnys remember that II you are going
TO get 1t, yOull get 1t, so never Worry"
This made great impression on me,
at the time, and from then on. adopt
ed HIS motto. III you're going TO get it.l
you1l get IT,"
II helped me wonderfully. I used II
so often afterwards that some OF nv
mates dubbed me, "If you're going to-
get It. you'll get It"
After an hours hard work. all nv
nervousness left me. and / was laugh.
At one o'clock. dinner came up In
the form Of dixie OF hot stew.
/ looked for my can,een. II had
fallen on the fire step. and was half
buried In the mud. The man on nv
left noticed this, and told the corporal.
dishing out the rations. to put my
share in his mess tin. Then he whis-
L..
mess tin, mate"
! had learned another maxim OF the
trenches.
That stew tasted fine. was as
hungry us bear. We had seconds"
or another helping. because three of
the men had gone West" killed by
the explosion Of the German trench
mortar, and we ate their share. bur
still | was hungry. so | filed In with
bully beef ana biscuits. Then | drained
my water bottle. Later on I learned
another maxim of the front line, GO
Sparlngly with your water" The bully
beef made me thirsty. and by tea time
was dying for drink, but my pride
would not allow me 10 ask my mates
for water. was fast learning the
ethics Of the trenches.
That night l was put on guard with
nm older man. We stood on the fire
step with our hands over the top. peer
Ing out into No Mans Land. II was
nervous work for me- but the other fe-
low seemed to take 1t as part Of the
nights routine.
Then something shot past my face
Ny heart stopped beating and ducked
my head below the parapet. A soft
chuckle from my mate brought me to
my senses, and I feebly asked. For
heavens sake, what was thatf"
He answered. "Only rat taking
promenade along the sandbags." l
felt very sheepish.
About every twenty minutes the SEN
try in the next traverse would fire
star shell from his flare pistol. The
"plop" would give me start of fright.
never got used TO this noise during
my service in the trenches.
! would watch the are described by
the star shell, and then stare into No
Mans Land waiting for 1t to burst. In
Its lurid light the barbed wire and
stakes would be silhouetted against its
light like a latticed window. Then
darkness.
Once, out in front of our wire. I
heard noise and saw dark forms
moving. My rifle was lying across the
sandbagged parapet. l reached for 1t,
and was taking aim to fire. when my
mate grnsped my arm, and whispered.
/ Don't fire." He challenged in low
voice. The reply came back instantly
from the dark forms:
"Shut your blinkin' mouth, YOU
blOomin' idiot; do you want us to click
II from the Boches?"
Later We learned that the word. "No
challenging or firing, wiring party out
In front" had been given to the sentry
on our right. but he had failed to pass
a