The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-03-06


I Asr.assnsss wisA sAs osssvs HsssAsw AAsas
cer's legs. which might have made 1t
worse. only he was good-natured about
It. Then he said that he had been
asleep In . battalion headquarters dug
out, about hundred yards away, and
only walked mp when part of the roof
caved In on him. Yet he did not know
he had been shelled!
went on down Me road 4 stretch,
but soon found It was easier walking
bsside It. because the Huns had shelled
It neatly right up and down the middle.
Also, there were 20 many wrecked
horses and wagons to climb over on
the road-bAsides dead men.
After had passed tho area Of the
bombardment and got back on the
road sat down to rest and smoke. A
couple Of shells had burst % near the
crater that they had thrown the dirt
right into the dugout. and was q little
dizzy from the shock. While was sit
ting there a squad Of Tommies came
up with about twice their number Of
German prisoners. The Tommies had
been making Fritz do the goose step
and they started them Mt Il again when
they saw me sitting there. It sure
II good for q laugh any time. this
goose step. guess they call 1t that
after the fellow who invented It
One thing I had noticed about Frits
was the way his coat Jared out at the
bottom. % took this chance to md
out about II, while they halted for .
rest just Q little farther down the
road. found that they carried their
emergency kits In their coats. These
kits contained canned meat. tobacco,
needles, thread and plaster-al this
In addition to their regular pack.
Then drilled down the road some
more but had to stop pretty soon 70
1t Q column Of French infantIy swing
o. 10 the road from q neld. Thsy
were on their way to the trenches -
re-enforcements. After every two
companies there wsnld be 4 wagon.
Pretty soon I saw the uniform Of the
Legion. Then . company Of my regi-
ment came up and wheeled In with
them. We were In the rear Of the col
umn that had passed. Our boys were
going mp for their regular stunt In the
front lines, while the others had Just
arrived at that part Of the front
Then for the first time my feet be-
gan hurting me. Our boots were made
Of rough cowhids and fitted very well.
but II was Q days labor to carry them
on your fest. began lagging behind.
I would lag twenty or thirty yards
behind and then try TO catch up. But
the Thousands of men ahead Of me
kept up the steady pace and very few
limped, though thsy had been on the
march since 8 q. n. It was then about
IL Q. m. Those who did limp were
carried In the wagons. But had seen
very few men besides the drivers rid
ing In the wagons, and wanted to
be ~ tough - the next guy, 20 I kept
on. But, believe me, was sure glad
when We halted for q rest along the
road.
That IL, the re-en1orcements did
Our, company Of the Legion had not
come from 20 far, and when the front
Of the column had drawn out Of tho
way along the road We kept on nling,
u ku0 UoyAu8 ~ OAN aOs ~SAV 0oVos
being tough then. and was ready for
the wagon.
Only now there were NO wagons
They belonged with the other troops.
So had to ease along a. best could
for what seemed like hours-to my
feet-until We turned on onto another
road and halted for . rest. found
out later that our onlcers had gone
astfay and were lost at this tina,
though, Of course. they did not tell
~ %.
We arrived at our section Of the
trench about three o'clock that altar
noon and I re3oined my company.
was all tired out after this trek and
found myself longing for the Cassard
and the rolling wave. where no Mara
thons and Ave-mile hikes were neces-
sary. But this was not In store for
me-yet.
CHAPTER VI.
Fritz poss q Little "Strafelne.s
Ny outfit was one Of those that saw
the Germans place women and chill