Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1918-11-22
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II 1iiai iii tarfellt fasats f1ffant, WITH
i surge anil d rush d body 81 American
ttoops Swept forward to NEST THEFT. ].
I The baftle was ali about them, Every
I house wHs fortress, every mound Of
d bricks d fdl1ying point. Mark raised
4 the half-c0nseious Colonel Id his arms
Il and drew him into the shelter sof a lit
4 tie hollow In the brick wan. he beck
Toned to Eleanor to crouch down beside
him. There they were safe from flying
albmllets, and might hope to pass unno.
4 ticed. He still hesitated, when body
LOT Germans rushed, shouting, past him,
inpon a troop OF Americans who came
round a shattered corner, led by a
young officer carrying bloody sword.
/ TWAS quick and short bayonet work,
Mark saw the blades flash, heard the
painting gasps Of the thrusters and the
means Of the wounded. He saw the
young officer stagger and fall, bayo-
j net through his shoulder. The sword
fell from his hand. Before the German
could withdraw his weapon Mark had
snatched up the sword and, with q
mighty blow, cloven the Germans arm
from his body.
i And with the blow all his strength
returned, all his energy and zest for
battle. He forgot everything. Waving
the sword, he hurled himself into the
attacking ranks. They gave, and with
a cheer the defenders swept on into
the main street, Mark leading them.
How he fought that day he never
knew; long afterward he would see
visions of it in sleep, and battle pic
lures that forever eluded his waking
consciousness, Round the. little vii
lage, the key to the days fortunes, the
/ tide ebbed and flowed. Company after
! company came UP on either side. Now
advancing, now driven back, the Amer
leans fought from street to street and
back again. Machine guns opened fire
from unexpected places. hideous death
traps caught the unwary and venture
some, sometimes street was filled
with d jostling mob, too packed to use
their steel, tearing at one another with
fists and teeth. There was no order,
and the command fell to him who
seized 1t. Through all that nightmare
Mark fought at the head Of his COM
pany, looking like a mailman, as they
said Of him afterward. When he came
to himself at last he found himself,
lunwounded, save for his bleeding arm,
from which the bandage had long since
fallen. and In command of q battalion.
They had driven the Germans from
the last house Of the village. The de-
/ lay had saved the day. The reserves
had come pouring in. On the ridge be-
yond the enemy was marshaling for
last counter-attack. -
Mark looked about him. Lieutenants,
captains who should have commanded
companies, mingled with privates and
noncoms, were following, as If hypno-
TIED. this middle-aged private with the
fred cross on his arm. As Mark looked
ihis heart swelled with the conscious
mess and pride of leadership. And, at
his glance, roar went up that was
| caught up from man to man and sent
echoing into the distance.
And Mark was swept away with un-
conquerable enthusiasm. 1t was his
day, the day of which every soldier
i dreams. *ak
| b Come along, boys! Break them
up!" he shouted, and ran forward.
With one resounding cheer the lines
swept after him. A ripple Of machine
gun fire caught them. but could not
hold them. Over the fallen they
pressed on, cries Of triumph upon their
| lips, the faces, set above the cleaning
bayonets, animated by single pur-
| pose. And now they were upon them.
Mark fought in the bloody swirl.
Blades thrust at him, bullets tore his
| tattered uniform. Once he was down,
and he saw q giant rush at him with
! dubbed rifle. He raised his arm, he
tried to drive with his sword, lunged
and missed: Then the uplifted rifle
| fell harmlessly beside him, and the
| giant fell forward, dead, over him, pin
ming him to the ground, and covering
him with his blood. A bayonet thrust
had passed clean through his body.
And, looking up bewildered. Mark
| thought he saw Hartley's face look
into his own.
Next moment Mark was on his feet
again, and Hartley had vanished. But
already the last tussle was over. The
Germans broke and fed.
Mark stood still, gasping. The men
were crowding all about him, waving
their helmets on bayonet points, cheer
| ing him, shaking his hand. Across the
field two mounted men were riding.
They came up5to the ridge, and one. a
white-haired old officer. leaped to the
| ground and wrung Marks hand.
my thanks our country's thanks to
your he cried. "What Is your nancy"
| Mark looked and saw the Generals
insignia upon the officers shoulder
| straps.
+ "Wesfon," he answered.
And suddenly he remembered Flea
nor. and, ashamed and Inundated, and
yet strangely elevated, he began to
push his way back through the crowd.
T He turned into the street Of the jail.