Crittenden record-press., 1918-07-18
U.S.NEGRO'S IDEA
BEATSTHETEUTS

his trench. he caught sight OF one OF
the messengers, although they yener-
ally did their work at night. He de-
yeloped a respect and an admiration
for these dogs. ard he could scarcely
choke down fight when sniper pick.
ed OF one Of the animals. When one
OF the dogs was brought In after a
German raid. Ike made up his mind
that he had to have one Of those dogs
to chase rabbits down In Georgia. I
don't believe he realized that he was
TO have q kennel of them.
II was an evening In early spring
when Ike was seated by the edge OF q
deep French well on the outskirts OF a
dllapldated little village, where he was
billetcd during n rest period. He saw
something leaping along the top OF
hill a mile away. A second sight told
him II was a fox. and then he forgot
about II. The next night and the day
after Ike saw the fox, and then there
flashed through his mind the remem'
brancc that a dog that chased rabbit
chased fox when he got chance. To
make this part OF the story short, when
he went back TO the trenches few
days later Ike had the fox. dead.
On the next two or three nights Ike
volunteered regularly for patrol duty
In No Mans Land. The third night
he got permission and took the dead
fox with him.
Gets Results at Last.
On the third night after he started
patrolilng with his dead fox, he got re-
suits. But let the next part OF the
story be told by Ike's commanding of
ncer. wish l could mention his name
but the censorship rules forbid.
at was along about 4 o'clock In the
morning." this officer said, "just after
one OF our patrols had come In. re-
member Il was raining slightly. Tho
patrol reported II had encountered no
Germans and that things seemed rath.
er quiet. I was about TO 20 away when
there was a scrambllng underneath
our wire and a German messenger dog
popped over the edge OF the trench
and right Into the arms Of one of our
blg buck privates, named Davis. The
dog had a message around his neck d..
rectcd to one OF the pill boxes, telling
the gunncrs there that American pa
trolls were out. took the message and
started to lead the dog away TO have
my orderly take care OF II when Ike
begged for II so earnestly that I told
him to watch II while I got some sleep.
N forgot all about the dog and was
thinking OF home and mother some
hours later when one OF the lleutcn.
ants reported that during the night six
other German dogs had come into our
trench nt about the same place and
that Ike had been near enough to grab
each one OF them. went TO look for
Davis and that dnrkcy had those seven
dogs corralled IN n ready.made dugout
as neat rs you please and was feeding
them his own chow and NIL that he
could beg. borrow or steal. I'm darned
u can explain II, but know that II
the gunners had got the Instructions
those dogs carried all our patrols
wouldn't have come back.
"Couc on. I'll show you the cir
Gus"
Iic took me 200 yards away and MS
we mounted a little knoll I saw n big
negro hnstily completing tho jot Of
covering up something he had buried
In n hole. He dropped the spade aud
saluted az his officer cuiuc up.
"Prlvatc Davis" said the officer
"show the gentleman those dogs"
Here they IL. suh." ne answered
aud lifted n heavy board. Down
J through tho opening were seven lnnky
dogs, with powerful legs aud long
noseA