Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1919-02-07

/ ner where we turned to the left to
take the road at ST. Al"
| We all remembered it and turned in
| curing glances in Curly's direction.
"Well, this morning, when I went
down with the quarter (quartermaster
sergeant), to draw coal, | met fellow
at division headquarters who told me
mighty interesting story of how he
and another fellow rounded up cou-
pie of spies.
| "This bloke, through modesty, and
to cover up his own good work, tried
to make me believe that it was only
through lucky chance that he STUN
| bled over the clue which lead to the
spies arrest, but I'm a-thinkin', and |
know you'll all agree with me, that it
was not so much luck as it was clever
thinking I'm not much at telling
story, but I'm going to try and give it,
| as far as / can remember, just the
way he handed it to me.
''It seems that this fellow, who told
me the story, and another chap, had
been detailed to the divisional intelli-
gence department, and were hanging
around division headquarters waiting
for something to happen.
"NOw, here's the story as he reeled
1t off to me:
"'About three kilos behind division
headquarters was the old French VIII
lage of B. One of our important
roads ran through it. This road was
greatly used>by our troops for bringing
up supplies and ammunition for the
front line. 1t was also used by large
numbers of troops when relieving bat
talions in the fire sector.
"'Of course, ON account of this road
being in range of the German guns, it
could only be used, at night; other
wise the enemy airmen and observa-
ton balloons would get wise and it
would only be short time before the
road would be shslled, thus causing
many casualties.
For the last ten days reports had
been received at division headquarters
that every time troops passed a GER
tain point on this road, marked by an
old church, they were sure to click
heavy shell fire from the Boches. On
nights when no troops passed through
there would be very little Smelling, if
any, but if battalion or brigade hap
pened to come this way they suffered
from heavy shell fire.
upon receipt of the first two or
three of these reports we put it down
as strange coincidence, but when the
fifth report of this nature reached US
it was evident to us that a spy was
at work, and that in some mysterious
way the information of the movements
of our troops were communicated by
him to the enemy.
"'Myself and another bloke, who
had been working with me for the last
| two weeks, were assigned to the task
of discovering and experimenting this
spy. To us it seemed an impossible
job, as there were no clues to work
upon. AS is usual, our general, "Old
Pepper" called us in, and said:
"There is spy working in the
village of B; go get him.
'Foolishly, l butted in and asked
for further information. / got it, all
right. With a lowering look which
made me tremble, he roared:
"'"Go and dig up your own clues.
What are you with the intelligence de-
partment for? Intelligence department!
1t ought to be called the 'brainless de-
partment' if you two are sample Of
the rest"
Somehow or other we didn't stop
TO argue with "Old Pepper"
At this point Sailor Bill butted in:
"Blime me, he's just like an admiral
we had in our navy, this old Pepper"
A chorus of, ooh. shut up, you're in
the army now," cut off Bills story. We
knew Sailor Bill If he ever got start
ed talking navy, nothing short of gas
attack could stop him.
Sailor Bill, with an indignant glance
around the circle, reiapsed into silence.
Curly Wallace exclaimed:
ITO ell with your admiral; do you
want to hear this story? If you do,
shut up and let me tell it."
10 Ous CuElys never Ii1Hu lac
harmless" calculated Happy Hough-
ton.
Curly carried on, with:
"'Getting our packs and drawing
three days ratiOns, we started hiking
it for the village of B. We arrived
there about four in the afternoon, and
after putting our packs and rations in
an old barn which we intended to use
as our billet during our stay in the viii
iage, we left on general tour OF H.
spectiOn.
"'There were about three hundred
civilians in the place, who preferred to
brave the dangers of shell fire, as there
was a rich harvest to be reaped from
the sale of farm produce, beer ana
wines to the troops billeted all around.
Two estaminets lFrench sal0OnS)
were still open and did thriving bust.
| ness.
Occasionally a shell would burst
! in the village, but the civilians did not
seem to mind it; just carried on with
| their farming and business as usual