The Washington herald., 1919-04-13

artillery officers. There were two
women characters in the drama, and
was chosen for the leading role. The
other feminine role was played by a
young officer. 1t was with great reluc-
tance that l consented to take the
part. only after the urgent appeals of
the commander did not believe my
self capable OF performing. and even
the thunderous applause I won on that
occasion has not changed my belief.
Grewsome Tboughts.i
At Beloye many of the soldiers and
officers were visited by their wives.
made many acquaintances there and
some fast friendships. One of the lat
ter was the wife of a stretcher-bearer
with whom l had worked. She was a
young. pretty and very lovable wom-
an. and her husband adored her. When
the month of our rest was about to
expire and the order came for the
women to leave the sanitar (stretcher-
bearer borrowed the commanders
horses to drive his wife to the station.
On his way back he suffered a stroke
OF apoplexy and died Immediately. He
received a military funeral, and 1
made and placed wreath on his bier.
As we lowered his coffin into the
grave the thought inevitably suggest
ed itself to me whether l would be
buried like this or my body lost and
blown to the winds in No Mans Lana.
The same thought must have run
through many a mind
Another friend, made at the same
time. was the wife of Lieut.. Bobrov.
the former school teacher. Both OF
them helped Ine to learn to write and
improve my reading. The peasant
women of the locality were so poor
and ignorant that | devoted part OF
my time to aiding them. Many OF
them We're suffering from minor ills
that were neglected. One evening 1
was called to attend a woman in
childbirth, my first experience in mid
wifery. Another time ! was asked to
visit a very bad case Of fever.
Then came the trenches again. Again
Intense cold, again eternal watchfuI-
ness and irritating inactivity. But
there were great expectations In the
air. As the winter drew to its close
rumors of q gigantic spring offensive
grew thicker and thicker. Surely the
war can't end without a general bat
tie, the men argued, And so when,
towards the end of February. we were
again taken for a two weeks rest. it
was clear that we were to be pre-
pared for an offensive. We received
new outfits and equipment. On March
the 5th the commander of the regiment
addressed US. He spoke of the coming
battle and appealed to us to be brave
and win a great victory He told us
that the enemys defenses were enor-
nous and that it would require pow
erful effort to surmount them.
New Offensive.
Then we started for the front The
slush and mud were unimaginabIe. We
walked deep in water, mixed with ice
On the road We met many wounded
being carried to the hospital We also
passed by a fraternal cemetery where
the soldiers fallen in our lines were
being buried in one huge grave. We
were kept in the rear for the night
as reserves, and were told to await
orders tomorrow to proceed to the
trenches.
On March the 9Th we began an un-
precedented bombardment. The Ger
mans replied mtensively. and the earth
fairly shook. The cannonade lasted
several hours. Then an order came
for US to form ranks and march into
lht lTSuChtS- W. knew InaI IL meant
participation in the offensive.
Lieut.. Bobrov came up to me unex-
pectedly with these words:
'Yashka. take this and deliver it Ia
my wife after the attack. l have had
a premonition for three days that
would not survive this battle" He
handed me letter and a ring.
But. lieutenant" / tried to argue
we'll knowing that protestations are OF
no avail at such moment. cit is not
so. II will not be SO. Premonitions
are deceiving"'
He grimly shook his head and press
ed my hand.
Not this one. Yashka," he said.
We were in the rear trenches al.
ready, under a veritabIe shower O,
shells. There were dead and dyins
In our midst. Waist-deep in water
we crouched, praying to God. Sud.
denly a gas wave came in our direc.
tion. 1t caught some without masks
on, and there was no escape for them
myself narrowly missed this horri,
BILE death. My lips contracted and my
eyes watered and burned for three
weeks afterward.
The signal to advance was given
and we started, knee-deep in mud. fol