The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-27
LIKE OLD TIMES
War Hero Enjoyed Storm Imi-
tatiOn of Battles.
The Noises and Flashes Only
Made Him Laugh.
HE EVEN Went OUT IN IT
Home. Folks Thought He Had
Gone "Dippy."
He Said 1t Was a Perfect Imi-
tatiOn of Barrage.
HE EVEN Went OUT IN IT

~ was during the height of the
storm Tuesday night A, young chap
lay on the floor near a hall window
he was all alone in the darkness, ex-
cept for the flashing lightning. Occa-
SiOnally he would chuckle to himself
The vividly flashing lightning revealed
satisfied. happy smile on his face.
Several times when the flashes were
most vivid and the thunder exception
ally loud in its reverberating blasts.
he laughed out loud. Either he found
the storm pleasingly thrilling or it had
turned his senses.
one OF the family went to see why
he lay there on the floor chuckling
while he watched the turmoil Of ma
ture outside the house.
Boy Howdy. Believe me they are
sure putting over some barrage," and
he laughed as a deafening blast Of
thunder split the air and rumOled into
the distance.
That's the best thing I've heard
since November II. That comes as
near sounding like big barrage being
put over as anything I've heard in a
long time" he said.
Big Ones Coming Over.
A low, rumbling. grumbling roll Of
thUnCer was hearu in the distance. 1t
3, emru to approach closer, increasing
IN noise and II sort of whirring whistle
in the air. 'Ooo-la-la, there's a big
Z one coming over. It's sure going to
bust right close" and he laughed with
slce as Il magnificent crash made you
blink your eyes shut, hold your ears
ala get ready to jump.
zach different noise reminded him
OF some different she'll sound Of the
Lattle front. He named the big ones,
picked out the small ones, described
their various peculiarities OF sound.
ana picked out a storm thunder noise
To represent each one of the many
smells used on the fighting fronts.
He told how, when barrage was
coming over them, either on their
POSITIONS or points further back, the
1Aen lay deep in the dugouts and
laughed at the noise. Laughed when
they knew by the sounds that the
over anxious moments when the shells
dropped on their positions and they
listened, hoping that the dugouts were
az deep as they ought to be and wish
ing that they were a mile deep.
Went Out To See 1t.
AS the storm increased he said,
Cant stand 1t any longer. I'm going
to get dressed and go out where
can see It," He put on his clothes.
He had been in bed. Then went out
on the porch. AS the sky lit up close,
and then shimmered and blazed in the
distance he said, Looks just ike the
sky in a big barrage. The simmer
ing light close to the horizon looks
like it does when a big barrage is
being put on in the distance. The big
flashes are visible for miles. When
you are closer it lights up the sky
more. Then when your guns are
laycd out in n long line all firing rap
idly on a dark night it looks just as
it does when the lightning flashes are
close.
This has sure been a fine night.
wouldn't have missed 1t for the world
The best part of it is, altho it looks
like the real thing. / am sure that one
OF them is not going to light on me-
And he stayed out there and laughed
and enjoyed Il all until the storm had
quieted down. Some little war, eh
Well it was the best war we had.