The Washington herald., 1919-04-13

band and son were in the army. she
told me. and she hadn't heard from
them for a long time. She gathered
me into her arms. gave me food and
treated me to some milk, tnQuirinE
about my mother and mourning over
her lot We parted affectionately, her
blessings following me.
It was showing when we returned
to the front line. Our position was
now at Ferdinandovi Nos. between
Lake Narotch and Baranovitchi. The
first night the commander Of the COM
pany issued a call for thirty volunteers
TO go scouting and investigate the
strength and position OF the enemy.
was among the thirty.
We started out in single file, NOV
ing forward stealthily and as noise
lessly as possible. We passed by some
woods in which an enemy patrol, upon
hearing the cracking OF the snow be
meath some Of the soldiers boots, had
hidden. We crawled on TO the enc
my's trenches and lay in front OF his
barbed wire. Our chests were fat
tened against the snowdr1fts. We
were rather uneasy, as our presence
seemed strangely unnouced. Our ON
ccr. Lieut.. Bobrov, a former school
leaCntIs DAl a uEAAAllE lAAAAA Va AAlS al
order, suddenly caught noise in our
rear.
There is something on" he whis-
pered TO us.
We pricked up our ears. but scarcely
had we time 10 look around when We
found ourselves surrounded by an en-
envy force larger than our own. II was
too late 10 shoot We resorted TO our
bayonets. and it was brief but saw
age scrap.
l found myself confronted By q Ger
man who lowered far above me-.
There was not an instant 20 lose. Life
and death hung in the balance.
I rushed at the German before he
had time to move and ran him In the
stomach with the bayonet- II stuck.
The man fell. y stream OF blood
gushed forth. ! made an effort to
pull the bayonet out, but failed. II was
the first man had bayoneted. II was
all so ughtning-like quick.
1 fed, pursued by a German. toward
our trenches. falling several times.
rising always to go on. Our wire en-
tanglements were Iig-Lagged. and !
was unable TO find quickly our posi-
tions. Ny situation was getting criti-
4 CAL when / discovered that / had
some mana ErenaQes Win me. 1 threw
them at my pursuer. falling to the
ground TO avoid the shock Of the e1-
plosion, and afterwards reached our
trenches.
Only ten returned Of our party OF
! thirty. The commander personally
thanked me, expressing his wonder
ment at my ability TO bayonet a Ger
man. Deep in my soul ! also won
dered.
The year OF 1915 was nearing its end.
! The winter was severe. and life in the
| trenches unbearsble. Death was a
welcome visitor. Even more welcome
was a wound that enabled one TO be
sent to the hospital. There were
many cases OF men showed under and
, frozen 70 death. There were many
more cases OF frozen feet that required
amputation. Our equipment was run
ming low. Our supply organization was
already breaking down. IL was din
cult to replace a worn pair OF boots
Not infreouently something went
wrong in the kitchen. and we were
forced TO hunger as well as suffer
cold. But we were patient. like true
children of Mother-RussiA- II was
dreadfully monotonous. this inactivity.
the mere holding OF those icy ditohes
We longed for battles, for one mighty
battle. TO win the victory and end tne
war.
one bitter night was detailed 10 a
oxr.xu2 an ,AauuA