The Washington herald., 1918-03-13
CHAPTER XVII.
BIlghty.

From the frst-aid post. after inocu-
lating me with anti-tetanus serum to
prevent lockjaw, ! was put into an
ambulance and sent to q temporary
hospital behind the lines. To reach
this hospital we had to go along a
road about i've miles In length. This
road was under shell fire, for now
and then a flare would light up the
sky-a tremendous explosion-and then
the road seemed to tremble- We did
not mind, though no doubt some Of
US wished that a shell would hit US and
end our misery. Personally, I was
not particular. 1t was nothing but
bump, Jolt, rattle and bang.
Several times the driver would turn
around and give US a "Cheero, mates,
well soon be there" fine fellows
those ambulance drivers, a lot of them
go west too.
We gradually drew out of the FIRE
zone and pulled up in front of an i'm
mense dugout Stretcher-bearers car
ried me down q number Of steps and
placed me on a white table in a
brightly lighted room.
A sergeant Of the Royal Medical
Corps removed my bandages and cut
Of my tunic. Then the doctor, with
his sleeves rolled up, took charge. He
winked at me and winked back, and
then he asked, How do you feel,
sma shed up a bit?"
I answered: I'm all right. but I'd
give a guild for a drink OF Bass"
He nodded to the sergeant who dis
appeared, and I'll be darned II he did
not return with a glass Of ale. I
could only open my mouth about a
quarter OF an inch. but I got away
with every drop Of that ale. 1t tasted
just like Blighty, and that Is heaven
to Tommy.
The doctor said something to an or
derby, the only word I could catch
was 'chloroform," then they put some
kind of an arrangement over my nose
and mouth and 1t was me for dream
land.
When I opened my eyes I was lying
on a stretcher, In a low wooden
building. Everywhere I looked saw
rows OF Tommles on stretchers, some
dead to the world, and the rest with
fags in their mouths.
The main topic of their conversation
was Blighty. Nearly all had a grin
on their faces, except those who didn't
have enough face left to grin with.
grinned with my right eye, the other
was bandaged.
Stretcher-bearers came in and be-
gan to carry the Tommies outside. You
could hear the chug Of the engines in
the waiting ambnlances.
I was put into a Ford with three
others and away we went for an eigh-
teen-mile ride. Keep out of a Ford
when you are wounded; insist on walk
ing. it'll pay you.
1 was on a bottom stretcher. The
lad right across from me was smash
ed up something horrible.
Right above me was a man from the
Royal Irish Rifles, while across from
him was a Scotchman.
We had gone about three miles
when I heard the death-rattle in the
throat Of the man opposite. Het had
gone to rest across the Great Divide
I think at the time envied him.
The man of the Royal Irish Rifles
had had his left foot blown of, the
jolting of the ambulance over the
rough road had loosened up the band
ages on his foot, and had started it
bleeding again. This blood ran down
the side of the stretcher and started
dripping. was lying on my back,
too weak to move, and the dripping
Of this blood got me in my unband-
aged eye. closed my eye and pretty
soon could not open the lid; the blood
had CONCEALED and closed 1t, as II it
were glued down. -
An English girl dressed in khaki
was driving the ambulance, while be-
side her on the seat was a corporal of
the r. A. M. c. They kept up a run
ming conversation about Blighty which
almost wrecked my nerves; pretty soon
from the stretcher above me, the Irish
man became aware Of the fact that
the bandage from his foot had be-
come loose; 1t must have panied him
horribly, because he yelled in a loud
voice:
IF you don't stop this bloody death
wagon and fix this damned bandage on
my foot. I viii get out and walk"
The girl on the seat turned around
and In a sympathetic voice asked,
Poor fellow, are you very badly
woundedT'
The Irishman. at this question, let
out howl Of indignation and an
swered. "Am ! very badly wounded,
What elpoay shssk; ". I'm net wound