The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1919-01-24

~~fO--
One Aunny afternoon our guns crew
was sitting on the Are step OF a front
llns trench, just In front Of Gomme-
court wood.
Happy Houghton wes bnaily engaged
In rigging up a fash screen 70 hide the
flare Of our gun, which we were 10
mount on the 9arapet that night.
Sailor Blll Was sewing q piece 81
khaki cloth over his tin hat. because
the night previous, while on sentry
so. standing III the moonlight. with his
head over the top the rays from the
moon had reflected from his steel he'll
met aud u couple of German bullets
had knocked up the dirt within few
feet ~ bis head
As was usual with him. Hungry Fox.
craft was wrestling with a tin OF bully
beef. while Curly Wallace was hunt
ing FOR coolies.
Isey Honney, with our maHcet, jim,
was sitting On the iire,atep. HIS back
leaning against the traverse at the fire.
hay, picking mud out OF his harmonlca
With a silver of wood jim seemed
happy and contented NOT knowing the
fate n store for him. Two days later
poor Jim was killed by q German bnl.
lei and We buried hlm behind the lines,
placing 4 little wooden cross AZ the
head ef his grave After working d
few minutes az the harmonica. key
would pause, put II 10 his lips and
blow into NJ; a sqneaky, rattly noise
resulting. Then. With deep sigh, he
would resume the picking process.
had Just finished letter home and
wRa sighting Tor the lime 70 come when
once again | would he able 20 say .hel-
los 10 the old Girl with the lamp In her
right hand guarding New York har-
Dor.
Although II was warm and sunny.
the floor Of the trench was about three
inches deep ii soft, sticky mud
ON my right heard low mutter-
Ing and a splashing Ia the mud. and
around the traverse. into our tirebay
carrying a box pf ammunition on his
shoulder, came the most weird.loOklng
soldier had ever seen AZ he passed
la front Of me he turned his gaAe TN
ny direction aud a cold ahiyer seemed
10 run NJ and down my spine as
looked into his eyes, They were UNI
eanny q sort Of vacant stare. as II the
owner If them WIS looking into the
Great neyOnd a. this soldier stag
gertd through the are,hay. almost bend
Ing double under the weight Of the
anmunltiun and passed from view
around the traverse, Il seemed 20 me
o. II the Grim Reaper had slalked
through,
Shuddering little. | lnstlnctIyely
turned my eyes IN the direction u the
rest Of the crow. They we're also
staring az the traverse around which
the gioomy.looklng soldier had dis
appeared.
My heart sank 20 zero and had a
sinking sensation Ia the region OF my
stomach. aud on the parad0s In front
OF me, like moving picture ON a
screen. dashed a cemetery dotted all
over with little wooden crosses. felt
queer aud uneasy,
Curly Wallace. Ia a tow. haif-frtght'
encd voice. exclaimed;
Hllme me. that was Aunted Jerry's
brother. the one who clicked It by the
d, lone tree. n y0u hlokea want Il
ECt The ereeps YOU ought TO ear In
talk Some . the fellows claim that
it's unlucky 20 set i'm started, They
sye that one o. r. carers Is sure 4
click in within few days time, bui
lf you fellows want TO tyke thS
chance. ril SO over to ~ section. which
Is occupying the second iirehay on oul
left. aud see II ean get I'm 20 tel
us about Is brother But, now mind
this fellow Is little baimy In lis nap
per. so don't myke fun Of Inn"
| eonsrNs thnt ! was glad 60 be rii
~ him, but my curiosity overcame m,
fears. 50 I asked Curly to 90 ahead
The rest " the crew weakly assented
and Curly went after Iorry's brother
II about twenty minutes he raturne,
with him. Jerry's brother came owe
and sat On the ilrestep next 20 me. Ht
sat silent for few minutes, and then
Id a thick piping, hlgh-pitehed vote
spoke.
So you want 70 ear about Jerry. a
your They called him ''Arnted Jerry
bat be weren't Runted; no could Jus
see--'e could see into the future
could SORT o tell what was agoln' 4
apnen. r could talk to the dead
aud they told lni. 10 always al
spirits around Inn ghosts. you cal
'eul. hut there amt no such thing a
ghosts they're souls awanderlr
around; they're about US now
slowly eased down the firestep AVA
from him.
Jerry used 70 talk 10 the dead; :
would SIT In a cemetery at night Will
ia rest billets. and receive message
from them what can't speak no NOR,
-Sometimes, lyte at night, can ea
far AMY, voices calm to me, but d