The sun., 1919-03-09

ended abruptly right there, and before
continuing the narrative | may as we'll
give a brief account of what happened
TO me.
Just about the time Sibley's men
struck the woods a sniper's bullet hit
me in the chest. 1t felt exactly as
though some one had struck me heav-
lily with a sledge. 1t swung me clear
around and toppled me over on the
ground. When l tried to get up l
found that my right side was para
lyzed.
Beside me stood Capt Tribot-Las-
pierre. He had been begging me to
get back to safer place, but was
obstinate, and he never once thought
Of leaving me. When l fell he came
out Of his cover and rushed TO my
side He is little man and l am not
but he dragged me head first back to
the shelter trench some twenty or
twenty-five feet away. My life has
been spared and I owe much to that
F'renchman.
Drilled by bullet, He's Annoyed.
have heard of men getting
wounded who said that il felt like
red hot iron being jammed through
them before the world turned black
None of these things happened TO me.
suffered but little pain and l never
for a moment lost consciousness. Nor
did any thought of death occur to me,
though ! knew I had been hit In a
vital spot. I was merely annoyed at
my inability to move and carry on.
The bullet went clean through my
right lung, in at the front and out at
the back. drilling a hole straight
through me. I am inclined to think
that II was fired by a sniper in the
trees at some distance to the left, who
was trying to pot our machine gun
ners. ! believe it was chance shot
and not the result of good marksman-
ship, for the bullet must have come
some 600 yards.
Experts have made a study of the
action of rifle bullets and have discov-
cred that bullet fired at short range
less than 500 or 900 yards-twists in
such manner that when it strikes an
obstacle 1t wabbles. If my bullet had
been shot from near at hand it would
have torn a piece out of my back as
big as my fist. on the other hand,
spent bullet is already wabbling and
would have made a big hole in the
front of my chest and perhaps would
not havG-eone clear through. That is
why l believe that my bullet came
from "A sniper about 600 yards away
and I am thankful that it did
Capt. Laspierre laid me down in the
bottom Of a three foot trench and there
I remained for an hour and a half. lie
opened my coat and shirt, but there
was little he could do. Most of the
bleeding was internal.
In about three quarters of an hour
came from Lucy and administered first
aid treatment. These trips all had to
be made under heavy fire.
AS I lay there before turning the
orders of the day over to Lee l was
chiefly conscious OF my anxiety over
the outcome OF the battle. My mind
was as active as ever and II was tor
ture TO lie there and not be able to see
or do anything. l received reports
from Sibley by runners telling of his
progress and these read to Lee when
he came.
DIR. Farwell brought stretcher bear
ers with him, but l was kept there in
the trench for a while because of the
heavy artillery fire. Gas shells began
TO burst near us and they put my gas
mask on me. never knew before how
uncomfortable one of those things
could be. 1t is hard enough for man
TO breathe with lung full of blood
without having one of those smother
ing masks clapped over his face.
Fortunately my interest was so
firmly fixed on the fortunes of battle
that had bat little time TO indulge
in any feeling OF discomfort. heard