Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-04-02

ward contained seventy-fve patients,
30 per cent of which were surgical
cases. At the head of each bed hung
q temperature chart and diagnosis
sheet. Across this sheet would be
written SC. s. w" or IS. w." the for
mer meaning gun shot wound and the
latter shell wound. The IS. W." pre-
dominated, especially among the Royal
Field artillery and Royal engineers.
About forty different regiments were
represented, and many arguments en-
sued as to the respective fighting abil-
ity of each regiment. The rivalry was
wonderful. A Jock arguing with an
freshman, then strong Cockney ac-
cent would butt in in favor of Lon
don regiment. Before long Welsh
man, followed by member of York;
shire regiment, and, perhaps, Cana
dian intrude themselves and the argu-
ment wakes loud and furious. The
patients in the beds start bowling for
them to settle their dispute outside
and the ward is in an uproar. The
head sister comes along and with a
wave of the hand completely routs the
doughty warriors and again silence
feigns supreme.
Wednesday and Sunday of each week
were visiting days and were looked
forward to by the men, because they
meant parcels containing fruit, sweets
Or Tags. When patient had regular
visitor, he was generally kept well
supplied with these delicacies. Great
jealousy is shown among the men as
to their visitors and many word wars
ensue after the visitors leave.
When man is sent to q GONZALES
cent home, he generally turns over his
steady visitor to the man in the next
bed.
Most visitors have autograph albums
and bore Tommy to death by asking
him to write the particulars of his
wounding in same. Several Tommies
try to duck this unpleasant job by tell
but this never phases the owner of the
album; he or she, generally she, offers
to write it for them and Tommy is
stung into telling his experiences.
The questions asked Tommy by visi-
tors would make clever joke book
to a military man.
Some kindly looking old lady will
stop at your bed and in sympathetic
voice address you: 'You poor boy,
wounded by those terrible Germans.
You must be suffering frigntful pain.
A bullet, did you say? Well, tell me,
| have always wanted to know, did it
hurt worse going liz or coming out?'
Tommy generally replies that he did
not stop to figure it out when he was
hit.
One very nice-looEing, overenthusi-
astic young thing. stopped at my bed
and asked, "What wounded you in the
face?"
In a polite but bored tone an
swered, "A rifle bullet"
With look of disdain she passed
to the next bed, first calculating, "Oh!
Only bullet? / thought it was
she'll" Why she should think shell
wound was more of distinction beats
me. ] don't see whole lot of differ
ence myself.
The American Women's War hospi-
They We're allowed every privilege pos
sible conducive with the rules and mill
tary discipline. The only fault was
that the mems passes were restricted.
To get pass required an act of par
lament. Tommy tried many tricks to
get out, but the commandant, an old
Boer war officer, was wise to them all,
and it took new and clever ruse to
make him aflix his signature to the
coveted slip of paper.
AS soon as 1t would get dark many
patient climbed over the wall and went
con his own" regardless of many signs
staring him in the face, 'Out of bounds
for patients" Generally the nurses
were looking the other way when one
of these night raids started. / hope
this information will get none of them
into trouble, but / cannot resist the
temptation to let the commandant
know that occasionally we put 1t over
on him.
One afternoon / received note,
through our underground channel, from
my female visitor, asking me to attend
party at her house that night. /
answered that she could expect me and
to meet me at certain place on the
road well known by all patients, and
some visitors, as "over the wall"
told her would be on hand at seven
thirty.
About SEVENTEEN I sneaked my
overcoat and cap out Of the ward and
hid it in the bushes. Then ! told the
nurse a particular friend of NINE that
| was going for walk In the rose gar
den. She winked and knew that ev-
erything was all right on her end.
Going out of the ward, / slipped into
the bushes and made for the wall. 1t
was dark as pitch and / was cropping
through the underbrush, when sudden
ly / stepped into space and felt myself
rushing downward, horrible bump
nnd hIacIyuoGui Whom came tn NV