Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-03-02
EXTRACTS FROM a SOLDIERS
DIARY.

November 10. 1olS.-My temples
throbbed. my head acres, was in hid
eous misery of scmiconSciouSncSS At
this juncturc opened my eyes weakly:
ceiling and several faces indistinctly
swan before me. 1 then felt the indc-
scribablo sensation that my right leg,
below, the knee, was gone! How in
tolerable! But 1t was SO. All this oc-
c cur Yesterday, as first rcsarTed
near the little villa of --. wounded
from that last scrap! am so sick.
cannot even write, but have kind
November IS, l9lS.-ror nearly three
weeks now my life has been painfully
mononotous.. almost uncomfortable at
getting better. Indeed il it were not
thoughts Of mother. / know ] could
not live.
December 3, 191s.-This morning they
wrappc'Hmc up and wheeled me in a
chair Oh on tho spacious piazza OF
our hospital. Other men from our rcgi-
ment were there too 1t was q beau
think more clearly then for many
weeks. My thoughts are necessarily
OF home since ! was wounded: try
not miss my other leg--the ono 1 left
ont there on mo mans land" But
it's awfuIly bard TO bear.
rcadI fnoI maeazine in Qua b,s sill sat
room. three United states Army Of
ncers entered with the nurse. They
e se that had a been s nansd IN
the Distinguished Service Cross for in
dividual sallanry!. And as, he told me.
Win the medal. Americas hlghos:
was bemildesed; indeed. could think
be considered sinEulariy brave |
finally told them that they surely had
made Il great mistake. they had got
ten the wrong man; But upon so say
ing, was again informed that in that
last charge Con the llth) I had been
at first slightly wounded in the head
but did not stop. and as our cap
tain fell. I assumed full command Of
our company tas was my duty. being
nr5t lteutandnt). and led our men on.
until finally a hochc shell whzzed by
and took with II my leg! Thcn Knew
no more for four days. And they
have medal
December Is. 1sls--And just think,
tomorrow I shall leave the hospital
know ! Shall he SO glad to see them
al again. Dear LITTLE mother. and
oracle IRA wonder II she VIII care
up?
December 90. 191s-we have been
on the ocean now for three days. and
did not write that was coming 7
thought it. would DC kind OF a sur
necembcr Is. 1ols-1t seemed so IA
miliar for me, to be walking up that
street. Somehow 1 hardly felt that
I had been away so long. came to
housc-therc hung a wreath Of holly,
and one-star service flag in the
| window. That was our house.
opened the Sate--as ] had done hun
dreds of times beforehand walked up,
and on 10 the porch: / did not ring.
but simply walked in. AS entered
our little sttingroom there sat
mother, and with her was Oracle.
They had been sitting there just talk
ing. and trying to cheer each other
up, for this tas they thoughD wae the
first Nmas had ever spent away from
home. I said Merry Christmas!" Just
as Oracle looked UP TO see me stand
ing there in the doorway. Mother was
Mt my side In an instant, her arms
around inc. saying only. My own little
BOY! And Oracle stood there, her
hands clenched ucrvously---hcr eyes
swan with tears OF sympathy and
thankfulness.
December 81. 1a1S--I had wondered il
Oracle would still want me in this
She still cared IA little bit.
This evening | learned that Oracle is
not the same rather frivolous Girl I
Left Behind Me-" nor the same Oracle
I had thought her to be. Indeed, the
was has changed her. as we'll as my
self. Oracle told me that she loves
me more as am. and she promised to
be my own little wife. even IL / am
all crippled up. But she says wen
manage 1t some way.
have learned the truth: Gods love
anu Woman's passeth all understand
ing. tOriTinan. lThe Enid: