THE CONDON QLODE PAGE 4
11 i ii -r sr - i s.-wf s v stmt
5iJb
7T ",
7
El.
Condon's Chautauqua will start a week from tomorrow. If you haven t your tickets speak for them today. Six big entertaining
OYER THE TOP
By Arthur Gitf Empvy. an American toUiar
From page 3
All along the German trench, at
about three-foot Intervals, stood a big
Prussian guardsman with bis rifle at
the aim, and then we found out why
we bad not been challenged when the
man sneezed and the barbed wire had
been Improperly cut. About three feet
In front of the trench they had con
structed a single fence of barbed wire
and we knew onr chances were one
thousand to one of returning alive.
We could not rush their trench on ac
count of this second defense. Then
In front of me the challenge, "Halt,"
given In English rang out, and one of
the finest things I have ever heard on
the western front took place.
From the middle of our line some
Tommy answered the challenge with,
"Aw, go to It I." It must have been
the man who had sneezed or who had
Improperly cut the barbed wire; he
wanted to show Frits that he could
die game. Then came the volley. Ma-
cnine guns were lurnea loose ana sev
eral bombs were thrown In our rear.
The Boche In front of me was looking
down his sight This fellow might
bave, under ordinary circumstances,
been handsome, but when I viewed him
from the front of his rifle he had the
goblins of childhood Imagination rele
gated to the shade.
Then came a flash In front of me, the
Bare of his rifle and my head seemed
to burst. A bullet had hit me. on the
left side of my face about half an
Inch from my eye, smashing the cheek
bones. I put my hand to my face and
Pull snwn A Kttnw Yi e (tt)Aiinrt rtst
kicking my feet. I thought I was dy
ing, but, do you know, my past life did
not unfold before me the way it does
in novels.
The blood was streaming down my
tunic, and the pain was awful. When
. I came to I said to myself, "Emp, eld
boy, you belong In Jersey City, and
you'd better get back there as quickly
as possible."
The bullets were cracking overhead.
I crawled a few feet back to the Ger
man barbed wire, and in a stooping po
sition, guiding myself by the wire, I
went down the line looking for the
lane we had cut through. Before
reaching this lane I came to a limp
form which seemed like a bag of oats
banging over the wire. In the dim
light I could see that Its hands were
blackened, and knew It was the body
of one of my mates. J put my hand
on his head, the top of which had been
blown off by a bomb. My fingers sank
Into the hole. I pulled my hand back
full of blood and brains, then I went
crazy with fear and horror and rushed
uiuug iuv wire uuui i nuie iu vur
lane. I had Just turned down this lane
when something Inside of me seemed
to say, "Look around." I did so ; a bul
let caught me on the left shoulder. It
did not hurt mnch, Just felt as If some
one had punched me in the back, and
then my left side went numb. My arm
was dangllqg like a rag. 1 fell forward
In a sitting position. But all the fear
had left me and I was consumed with
rage and cursed the German trenches.
With my right hand I felt In my tunic
for my first-aid or shell dressing. In
feeling over my tunic my hand came
in contact with one of the bombs which
I carried. Gripping It, I pulled the pin
out with my teeth and blindly threw It
towards the German trench. I must
have been out of my head, because I
was only ten feet from the trench and
took a chance of being mangled. If
the bomb had failed to go Into the
trench I would have been blown to
bits by the explosion of my own bomb.
By the flare of the explosion of the
bomb, which luckily landed In their
trench, I saw one big Boche throw up
his arms and fall backwards, while his
rifle flew into the air. Another one
wilted and fell forward across the
sandbags then blackness.
Realizing what a foolhardy and risky
thing I bad done, I was again seized
with a horrible fear. I dragged myself
to mv feet and ran madly down the
lane through" the barbed wire, stum
bling over cut wires, tearing my uni
form, and lacerating my' hands and
legs. Just as I was about to reach
No Man's Land again, that same voice
seemed to say, "Turn around." I did
so, when, "crack." another bullet
caught me, this time In the left shoul
der about one-half Inch away from the
ofher wound. Then It was taps for me.
The lights went out.
When I came to I was crouching in
a hole In No Man's Land. This shell
hole was about three feet deep, so that
It brought my head a few Inches below
the level of the ground. How I reached
this hole I will never know. German
"typewriters" were traversing back
and forth In No Man's Land, the bul
lets biting the edge of my shell hole
and throwing dirt all over me.
Overhead shrapnel was bursting.
I could hear the fragments slup the
ground. Then I went out once more.
When I came to everything was silence
and darkness in No Man's Land. I
was soaked with blood and a big flap
from the wound In my cheek was hang
ing over my mouth. The blood run
ning from this flap choked me. -Out of
the corner of my mouth I would try
and blow It back, but It would not
move. I reached for my shell dressing
and tried, with one hand, to bandage
my face to prevent the flow. I had
an awful horror of bleeding to death
and was getting very faint. Ton would
have laughed if you had seen my
ludicrous attempts at bandaging with
one hand. The pains In my wounded
shoulder were awful and I was getting
sick at the stomach. I gave up the
bandaging stunt as a bad job, and then
fainted.
When I came to, hell was let loose.
An Intense bombardment was on, and
on the whole my position was decided
ly unpleasant Then, suddenly, our
barrage ceased. The, silence almost
hurt, but not for long, because Fritz
turned loose with shrapnel, machine
guns, and rifle fire. Then all along our
line came a cheer and our boys enme
over the top In a charge. The first
wove was composed of "Jocks." They
were a magnificent sight, kilts, flapping
In the wind, bare knees showing, and
their bayonets glistening. In the first
wave that passed my shell hole, one of
the "Jocks," an Immense fellow, about
six feet two Inches In height Jumped
right over me. On the right and left
of me several soldiers In colored kilts
were huddled on the ground, then over,
came the second wave, also "Jocks."
One young Scottle, when he came
abreast of my shell hole, leaped Into
the air, his rifle Bhootlng out of his
hands, landing about six feet in front
of him, bayonet first, and stuck In the
ground, the butt trembling. This Im
pressed me greatly.
Right now I can see the butt of that
gun trembling. The Scottle made a
complete turn In the air, hit the
ground, rolling over twice, each time
clawing at the earth, and then re
mained still, about four feet from me.
In a sort of sitting position. I called to
him, "Are you hurt badly, Jock?" but
no answer. He was dead. A dark red
smudge was coming through his tunic
right under the heart. The blood ran
down his bare knees, making a horrible
sight On his right side he carried his
water bottle. I was crazy for a drink
and tried to reach this, but for the life
of me could not negotiate that four
feet Then I became unconscious.
When I woke up I was in en advanced
first-aid post I asked the doctor If
we had taken the trench. "We took
the trench and the wood beyond, all
right," he said, "and yon fellows did
your bit ; but, my lad, that was thirty
six hours ago. Ton were lying In No
Man's Land in that bally hole for a day
and a half. It's a wonder you are alive."
He also told me that out of the twenty
that were in the raiding party, seven
teen were killed. The officer died of
wounds In crawling back to our trench
and I was severely wounded, but one1
fellow returned without a scratch, with
out any prisoners. No doubt this chap
was the one who had sneezed ind Im
properly cut the barbed w'..e.
In the official communique our trench
raid was described" as follows:
"AH quiet on the western front, ex
cepting in the neighborhood of Com
mecourt wood, where on of our raid
ing parties penetrated Into the German
lines."
It Is needless to say that we bad no
i use for our persuaders or conie-alongs,
j as we brought back no prisoners, and
uutll I die Old Pepper's words, "Per
sonally I don't believe that that part
of the Gennan trench Is occupied," will
always come to me when I hear some
fellow trying to get away with a fishy
statement. I will judge It accordingly.
CHAPTER XXVII.
Blighty.
From this first-aid post, after Inocu
lating me with antitetanus serum to
preveut lockjaw, I was put Into an am
bulance and sent to a temporary hos
pital behind the lines. To reach this
hospital we had to go along a road
about five miles In length. This road
was under shell fire, for now and then
a Hare would light up the sky a tre
mendous explosion and theu the road
seemed to tremble. We did not mind,
though no doubt some of us wished
' '- '''''' ',,' 'i'f"-' ''''y"'''J', ,-?,'''"' '' ' '' '' ' '
i r , Qvfl h flP In a Charge.
4v '
if
In "Blighty."
that a shell would hit us and end our
misery. Personally, I was not particu
lar. It was nothing but bump, Jolt, rat
tle, and bang.
Several times the driver would turn
around und give us a "C'heero, mates,
we'll soon be there " flue fellows,
those ambulance drivers, a lot of them
go West, too.
We gradually drew out of the fire
zone and pulled up In front of an im
mense dugout. Stretcher-bearers car
ried me down a number of stops and
placed me on a white table In a brightly
lighted room.
A sergeunt of the Royal Army Med
ical corps removed my bandages and
cut off my tunic. Then the doctor,
with his sleeves rolled up, took charge,
lie winked at me and I winked back,
and then he asked, "How do you feel,
smashed up a bit?"
I answered : "I'm oil right," but I'd
give a quid for a drink of Bass."
He nodded to the sergeant, who dis
appeared, and I'll be darned if be
didn't return with a glass of ale. I
could only open my mouth about a
quarter of an inch, but I got away with
every drop of that ale. It tasted Just
like Blighty, and tbat Is heaven to
Tommy.
The doctor said something to an or
derly, the oidy word I could catch was
"chloroform," then they put some kind
of an arrangement over my nose and
mouth and it was me for dreamland.
When I opened my eyes I was lying
on a stretcher. In a low wooden
Imlldlng. Everywhere I looked I saw
ows of Tommies on stretchers, some
dead to the world, and the rest with,
fags In their mouths.
The main topic of their conversation
was Blighty. Nearly all had a grin on
their faces, except those who didn't
have enough face left to grin with. I
grinned with my right eye, the other
was banduged.
Stretcher-bearers came In and be
gan to carry the Tommies outside. You
could hear the chug of the engines in
the waiting ambulances..
I was put Into an ambulance with
three others and away we went for an
eighteen-mile ride.
I wus on a bottom stretcher. The
lad right across from me wus smashed
up something horrible.
Right above ine was a man from the
Royal Irish rifles, while across from
him was a Scotchman.
We had gone about' three miles when
I heard the death-rattle In the throat
of the man opposite. He had gone to
rest across the Great Divide. I think
at the time I envied him.
The mnn of the Royal Irish rifles
had hud his left foot blown off, the
jolting of the ambulance over the
rough road had. loosened up lhe Mndi
ages nn his foot, aul Lad started It
bleeding nguln. This blood ran down
the side of the stretcher and started
dripping. I wus lying on my back, too
weak to more, aud the dripping of this
blood got me In my nnbandaged right
eye. I closed my eye and pretty soon
could not open the lid ; the blood had
congeuled aud closed it, as If It were
glued down.
An Kugllsh girl dressed In khaki was
driving the ambulance, while beside
her on the sent was a corporal of the
It. A M. C, They kept up a running
conversation about llltghty which al
most wrecked my uerves; pretty
nm from the stretcher above me, the
Irishman became aware of the fact
that the bandage from bis foot hud be
come loose; It must bave pained bliu
horribly, because he yelled in a loud
voice:
"If you don't stop this bloody death
wagon and fix this d bandage ou
my foot, I will get out and walk."
The girl on the seat turned around
and In a sympathetic voice asked,
"Poor fellow, are you very badly
wounded I"
The Irishman, at this question, let
out a bowl of ludlgnatlon and an
swered, "Am I very bailly 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 cam to the rear and
fixed him up, and also washed out my
right eye. I was too weak to thank
him, but It was a great relief. Then
I must have become uncouscloaa, be
cause when I regained my senses, the
ambulance was at a standstill, and my
stretcher was being removed from It.
It was night, lanterns were flushing
here and there, and I could see stretcher-bearers
hurrying to and fro. Then
I was carried Into a hospital train.
The Inside of this train 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 bunks and clean,
white sheets.
A Red Cross nurse sat beside me
during the whole ride which lasted
three hours. She was holding my
wrist ; I thought I had made a bit, and
tried to tell her how I gut wounded,
but she would put her finger to her tips
und say, "Yes, I know, but you mustn't
talk now, try to go to fcleep, It'll do you
good, doctor's orderB." Later on I
learned that she was taking ray pulse
every few minutes, as I was very weak
from the loss of blood and they ex
pected me to snuff It, but I didn't.
From the train we Vent Into ambu
lances for a short ride to the hospltul
ship Panama. Another palace and more
angels. I don't remember tin trip
across the channel.
I opened my eyes; I was belnrf car
ried on a stretcher through lunes of
people, some rheoilug, some waving
flugs, and others crying. The flags were
Union Jacks, I was In Southampton.
Blighty at Inst. My etretcher was
strewn with flowers, cigarettes, and
chocolates. Tears starti'd to run down
my cheek from my good eye. I like a
booby was crying. Can you beut It?
Then Into another hbspltul truln, a
five-hour ride to Pulguttm, another am
bulance ride, and then I was carried
Into Munsey ward of the American
Women's War hospital and put Into a
real bed.
This real bed was too much 'for my
unstrung nerves and I fainted.
When I came to, a prvtty Red Cross
nurse was bending ovor roe, bathing
ray forehead with cold wuttr, then she
left aud the ward orderly placed a
screen around my bed, and Jjave me a
much-needed bath and clem pujjimus.
Then the screen wus removed and a
bowl of steaming soup was given me.
It tasted delicious.
Before finishing mfy soup ;he nurse
came back to ask tue my name and
number. She put thlj information down
In a little book and then asked :
"Where do you come from?" I nn
swered :
"From the big town behind "the
Statue of Liberty ; upon hearing this
she started jumrfng uu und down,
clapping Jier hundb, and culling out to
three nurses across the Ward:
"Come here, girl at lust we have
got a real live Yankee with us."
They came over and besieged me
with questions, until tlij doctor ar
rived. Upon learning tliut I was an
American he almost cmslied my'linnd
In bis grip of welcome'. They also
were Americans, and were glad to1 see
me.
The doctor very terrdorly remofod
my bandages and told ?me, after vl lw
Ing my wounds, that Jue would have 'to
take me to the operating theater Im
mediately. Personalty I didn't fttre
what was done with me.
In a few minutes, four orderlies vdifl
looked like undertakers dressed lrt
white, brought a stretcher to my ted
and placing me on It carried me out of
the ward, across n courtyard to the i
operating room or "pictures, as Tom
my calls it
r!;rx v.-
rr,.L.
V,'
'Vsco '
7riJ
a,iS
m
3
We Set Tire
Standards
Why is it that United States Tirea
are setting new records for mileage
and serviceability ?
Why is it that the sales of these
tires are constantly mounting by
leaps and bounds t
The answer is found in the fac
tories where United States Tires are
made.
Standards of construction for
these tires are higher than ever be
fore known in the tire industry.
Makers of tire fabrics tell us that
the standards we have given them
for United States Tire fabrics are
higher than any previously known.
Likewise through every process
of construction from crude rubber
to finished tires we hnve set new
and higher standards everywhere.
These standards work out on your
car in the practical economy de
manded by war-times.
United States Tires will raise any
car to higher efficiency.
There is a type to suit every con
dition of service.
The nearest United States Sales
and Service Depot dealer will cheer
fully aid in selecting right tirea for
your requirements.
United States Tires
arc Good Tires
s We Atiou; United States tires are GOQD. That's why
we sell them.
Shelley's Garage
PUBLIC SALE
TUESDAY, JUNE 25
I will Bell at public auction on my placn 2 1-2 miles above OIx on
Ftock Creek, Tuesday, June 25, 1918, Twenty three Head of Horses
9 nd Colts, seventeen head 3 years old and over; Six Hnad of vear
lings and 2 year olds. Terms of site: Four months time on ap
proved notes with 8 Der cent interest. Five per cent discount for
cash on all sums over $10 Sale to commenco at 10 o'clock A M.
jRefreshments served by the ladies of the Red Cross :: ::
l WHE1R, Auctioneer G. M. FARR, Owner
Gei your War Stamps today or pledge them
Continued on text page
fiONDOtl DRAY & TRANSFER LINE
P. E. BENNET, Proprietor
, LlKht and Heavy Hauling Hauling Trunks and
all Job work a specialty
CONDON Phone No. 10X utinruu
u MIHI I I I M I H i r
.1