Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-04-17
With the Wounded Doughboys
at Fort Des MONIES Hospital
IBy r. A. Moscrip,l

|, splnters ana machine sun bullets arc
the rule,
A Desperate Case.
saw one lad brought in who had
Just been operated upon TO remove a
piece OF shravnel from his lung. lie
had carried II from the field In France
TO Fort Dcs Moines He sat bolstered
upright couShing, weak, white ana
seemingly weary OF It NIL.
How he had endured to live all tho
long days with that ragged fragment
Of German hate in his body, thru
WEAKNESS and pain OF days and nights
from the field hospital on back to the
base, to endure the ocean voyage no.
body knows. But he did II and there
he sat sleeplessly coughing. unable tn
eat a sight for those who counsel ana
cultivate war and the fools who never
saw the dread obscenity OF War and
pirate of glory.
He grew better, his cough improved
and he gained strength and hope as
the days went on and think he made
it." I hope he did and that he Will
live long years.
He was no different from the rest.
Weak and bloodless, as he was, he
met every advance and offer Of aid
with a smile. But then, they are all
alike, "a type as | said before. Those
lads would smile and hide their pain
in the last agony.
Hid Gaping Wounds.
Walking cases deceived the visitor.
The lad in his uniform walking about
the ward. chatting his buddes, arGu-
ing over some disputed point, met in
the corridors or seen at the Red Cross
house impressed the unknowng that
he was well and hearty. But the
dresser could tell a different story.
When the shirt comes off perhaps a
wound inches long and perhaps inches
deep is revealed, perhaps more than
one such hurt.
Here and there thru shoulders and
limbs run the tubes by which that
wonderful Carrel-Dakin solution Is
sent to heal and protect against in
lection. You wondered then whence
came the smile and the courage.
In bed or out they were the same.
None heard whimper.r They met you
level eyed, clean, dead game as any
pit bird bred to stand the steel. |
used to wonder whence this undaunted
and indomitable common courage came
until one DAY ii came to me as | walked
thru the corridor still wondering and
said aloud to the establishment of q
group Of doughboys, ITS youth. in
domitable. unconquerable youth that
nothing short Of absolute annihilation
can beat" And that is so and the
secret of it, That is why wars must
be fought by young men. Those fell
lows ere not beaten.
< THE Case Of Quinn.
The. difference is illustrated by
Quinn 90 years old, typical regular
armyssbuck private Of eight bitches
who left a leg at Chateau Thierry
Quinn doesn't smile. He is anxious
about how he is to get living and
go on.
Dye s'pose.' asked Quinn, that
they'd gimme a .dure to open in the
capitol at Washinston?" @
why not. Quinn" responded the
R. C.Sman. "we'lI try"
And SO the next day Quinn's plea
| went on to the powers that distribute
bookkeeping assreWards for the ulti'
| mate in service and suffering and the
probabilities are that Quinn will ge
his door or something as satisfactory
But the boys refuse to wonder wha'
is comingesoa them-at least openly
They smiiaRfn the face of fate; bur-
| imagine that after the lights are on
and the lads are alone with themselves
and their thoughts and losses in the
| dark that many tear travels where
smiles went by day.