Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-04-03
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of the man opposite. He had gone TO
rest across the Great Divide. think
at the time / envied him.
The man of the Royal Irish rifles
had had his left foot blown OF, the
Jolhng of the ambulance over the
rough road had loosened up the band
ages on his foot, and had started IL
bleeding again. This blood ran down
the side of the stretcher and started
dripping. was lying on my back. too
weak to move. and the dripping of this
blood got me In my unbandaged right
eye. | closed my eye and pretty soon
could not open the lid; the blood had
CONCEALED and closed II. as II 1t were
glued down.
An English girl dressed In khaki was
driving the ambulance. while beside
her on the seat was a corporal OF the
X. A. NJ. c.. They kept up running
conversation about Blighty which al
most wrecked my nerves; pretty
soon from the stretcher above me. the
Irishman became aware OF the fact
that the bandnge from his foot hnd be-
come loose; IL must have panied him
horribly, because he yelled In loud
voice:
"If you don't stop this bloody death
wagon and fix this d. bandage on
my foot, will get out and walk"
The girl on the seat turned around
and In a sympathetic voice asked.
han
woundedH"
The Irishman. at this question. let
out howl OF Indignation and an
swered. "Am ! very badly wounded,
what bloody cheek; no. I'm not wound
ed, I've only been kicked by a canary
bird"
The ambulance Immediately stopped,
and the corporal came TO the rear and
fixed him up. and also washed out my
right eye. was too weak to thank
him. but 1t was a great relief. Then
l must have become unconscious. be-
cause when | regalned my senses. the
ambulance was at standstill, and my
stretcher was being removed from 1t.
II was night. lanterns wero flashing
here and there. and could see stretch
er-bearers hurryIng to and fro. Then
| was carried into a hospital train.
The inside OF this traiu looked like
heaven to me. Just pure white, and we
met our first Red Cross nurses: we
thought they were angels. And they
were
Nice little soft hunks and clean.
white sheets.
A Red Cross nurse sat beside me
during the whole ride which lasted
three hours. She was holding my
wrist thought had made hit. and
tried 20 tell her how l got wounded.
but she would put her finger 10 her lips
and say. "Yes, know, but you mustn't
talk now, try TO so to sleep. TIN do you
good. doctors orders" Later on /
learned that she was taking my pulse
every few minutes, as was very weak
from the loss OF blood and they ex-
pected me TO snuff H. but didn't.
From the train we went into ambu-
lnnces for n short ride to the hospital
ship Panama. Another palace aud more
angels | don't remember the trip
across the channel.
| opened my eyes; was being car
ried on streteher through lanes OF
people. some cheering, some waving
flags, and others crying The flags were
Union Jacks, | was In Southampton
Blighty at last My stretcher was
strewn with flowers. cigarettes. and
chocolates. Tears started to run down
my cheek from my good eye. like
BOBBY was crying Can you beat it,
Then into another hospital train, a
gye-hour ride TO Paignton. another am
bulance ride. and then | was carried
into Munsey ward OF the American
Womens War hospital aud put into n
real bed.
This real bed was too much for my
unstrung nerves Ead l tainted.
When ] came TO. pretty Red Cross
nurse was bending over me, bathing
my forehead with cold water, then she
left and the ward orderly placed a
screen around my bed and gave me
muchueeded bath and clean pajamas
Then the screen was removed and a
bowl OF steaming soup was given me
II TASTED delicious
Before finishing my soup the nurse
came back to ask me my name and
number. She put this information down
In little book and then asked
where do you come from7r | an
swered
From the big town behind the
Statue OF Liberty" upon hearing this
she started jumping up and down.
clapping her hands, aud calling out TO
three nurses across the ward
Come here, girls--at last we have
cot real live Yankee with Us"
They came over and besleged me
with questions. until the doctor ar.
rived Upon learning that 1 was an
American he almost crushed my hand
10 his grip OF welcome They also
were Americans and were glad 10 see