Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1918-04-19

Word was passed to the rear for a
stretcher. lie died before II arrived.
Two Of us put the body on the
stretcher and carried II 20 the nearest
frst-aid post, where the doctor took
IN officlaI record Of Pete's name, hum.
Der, rank and regiment from his Iden-
tityStisk, this TO be used In the cas-
ualty lists and notification TO his
family.
We left Pete there, but II broke our
hearts 10 DO 80. The doctor informed
US that we could bury him the next
morning. That afternoon five Of the
boys Of our section, myself included,
went to the little ruined village In the
rear and from the deserted gardens OF
the French chateaux gathered grass
and flowers. From these we made
wreath.
While the boys were making this
wreath, ! sat under shot-scarred
apple tree and carved out the follow
ing verses on q little wooden shield
which we nailed on Pete's cross.
1 BFue 10 uin GO0s tfue 10 BFlthlHs
Doing his duty 10 the last, :
| Just one more name TO be written
| On the Roll OF Honor Of heroes passed
| Passed to their God. snshrined In glory.
Entering life Of eternal rest.
| One more chapter in England's story
OF her sons doing their best
Rest, you soldier. mate 20 true.
Never forgotten by Ms below:
Know that we are thinking Of you.
Ere TO our rest we are bldden to go.
| Next morning the whole section went
over to say good-by to Pete. and laid
him away to rest.
/ After each one had look at the face
of the dead. q corporal Of the r. A.
NJ. C. sewed up the remains In blan'
ket. Then placing two heavy ropes
across the stretcher Ito be used In low.
ering the body into the gravel, we lift
ed Pete onto the stretcher, and rev.
erently covered him with large union
Jack, the flag he had died for.
The chaplain led the way, then came
the officers Of the section, followed By
two Of the men carrying wreath. I'm
mediately after came poor Pete on th
flag g-draped stretcher. carried by fou
soldiers. I was one of the four. Be
hind the stretcher. In column Of fours,
came the remainder OF the section.
To get to the cemetery, we had to
pass through the little shs.! destroyed
village. where troops were hurrying
to and fro.
As the funeral procession passed
these troops came to the attention
and smartly saluted the dead.
Poor Pete was receiving the only sa'
lutte q private Is entitled to "some.
where In France"
| Now and again a shell from the Ger
man lines would 60 whistling over the
village to burst in our artillery lines
In the rear.
When we reached the cemetery we
halted In front Of an open grave, and
laid the stretcher beside II. Forming
hollow square around the opening OF
the grave. the chaplain read the burial
service.
German machine-gun bullets were
Cracking" In the dir above us. bui
Pete didn't mind, and neither did we
When the body was lowered into the
grave the flag having been removed
We clicked our heels together ant
came TO the salute.
left before the grave was filled In
could not bear TO see the dirt thrown
on the blanket-covered face of my com
rade. On the western front there are
no coffins. and you are lucky to get q
blanket to protect you from the wet
and the worms. Several of the sec
ton stayed and decorated the grave
With white stones.
That night, In the light Of a lionel,
candle In the machine gunner's (fugout
II the front.line trench I wrote tive
etters. One to Pete's mother. tbs
other to his sweetheart. While doinl
this I cursed the Prussian war go'
with all my heart, and / think that 81
Peter noted same.
The machine gunners in the dugou
were laughing and Joking. To then
Pete was unknown. Pretty soon, in tn
warmth of their merriment, my blue
disappeared. One soon forgets on tn
.. western front.
nnAnrEc w