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About Eagle Valley news. (Richland, Or.) 191?-1919 | View Entire Issue (June 27, 1918)
EMPEY TAKES HIS FIRST TURN ON THE FIRING STEP OF THE TRENCH WHILE BULLETS WHIZ OVERHEAD. Synopsis. Fired by the sinking of the Lusitunln, with the loss of American lives, Arthur Guy Empey, nn American living In Jersey Cltyt goes to England and enlists ns n private In the Urtttsh army. After n short experience ns a recruiting olllcer In London, he Is sent to train ing quarters In France, where he first hears the sound of big guns and makes the acquaintance of "cooties." After n brief period of training Empey's company Is sent into the front-line trenches. CHAPTER V. Mud, Rats and Shells. I must have slept for two o& three hours, not the refreshing kind that re sults from clean sheets and soft pil lows, but the sleep thnt comes from cold, wet nnd sheer exhaustion. Suddenly, the earth seemed to shake nid a thunderclap burst In my cars. I opened my eyes I was splashed all over with sticky mud, nnd men were picking themselves up from the bottom of the trench. The parapet on my left had toppled Into the trench, completely blocking It with a wall of tossed-up earth. The man on my left lay still. I rubbed the mud from my face, and an awful sight met my guze his head was smashed to a pulp, and his steel helmet was full of brains nnd blood. A German "Minnie" (trench mortar) had exploded In the next traverse. Men were digging Into the soft mnss of mud In a frenzy of haste. Stretcher-bearers came up the trench on the double. After a few minutes of digging, three still, muddy forms on stretchers were carried down the communication trench to the rear. Soon they would be resting "somewhere In France," with a little wooden cross over their heads. They had done their bit for king nnd country, had died without firing n shot, but their services were appreciated, nevertheless. Later on, I found out their names. They belonged to our draft I was dazed nnd motionless. Sud denly a shovel wns pushed Into my hands, and a rough but kindly voice said: "Here, my lad, lend a hand clearing the trench, but keep your head down, nnd look out for snipers. One of the Fritz's is a daisy, and he'll get you If you're not careful." Lying on my belly on the bottom of the trench, I filled sandbags with the sticky mud, they were dragged to my rear by the other men, and the work of rebuilding the parapet wns on. The harder I worked, the better I felt Al though the weather was cold, I wns soaked with sweat. Occasionally n bullet would crack overhead, and a machine gun would kick up the mud on the bashed-ln para pet. At each crack I would duck and shield my face with my arm. One of the older men noticed this action of mine, and whispered: "Don't duck nt the crack of a bul let, Yank ; the danger has passed yon never hear the one that wings you. Always remember that If you are going to get It, you'll get It, so never worry." This made n great Impression on me at the time, and from then on, I adopt ed his motto, "If you're going to get It, you'll get It." It helped me wonderfully. I used It so often afterwards that some of my mates dubbed me, "If you're going to get It, you'll get It." After nn hour's hard work, all my nervousness left me, and I wns laugh ing and Joking with the rest. At one o'clock, dinner came up In the form of a dixie of hot stew. I looked for my canteen. It had fallen off the fire step, nnd was half buried In the mud. The man on my left noticed this, nnd told the corporal, dishing out the rations, to put my share In his mess tin. Then he whis pered to me, "Always take care of your mess tin, mate." I had learned another maxim of the trenches. That stew tasted fine. I wna ns hungry ns a bear. Wo had "seconds," or another helping, becnuso three of the men had "gono West," killed by the explosion of the German trench mortar, nnd we nto their share, but still I was hungry, so I filled In with bully beef nnd biscuits. Then I drained tny water bottle. Later on I learned another maxim of the front line, "Go sparingly with your water." The bully beef made me thirsty, nnd by tea tlrao Wt M TOP" ANAMOKMSOim WIIO WENT Mrtl(il)YI;riWT MACHINE GUHHERERYINC IN PRAWCB- ' OISI7 OY I was dying for n drink, but my prldo would not allow me to nsk my mates for water. I was fast learning the ethics of the trenches. That night I was put on guard with an older man. We stood on the fire step with our hands over the top, peer ing out Into No Man's Land. It wns nervous work for me, hut the other fel low seemed to take It as part of the night's routine. Then something shot past my face. My henrt stopped bentlng, and I ducked my head below the parapet. A soft chuckle from my mate brought me to my senses, nnd I feebly asked, "For heaven's sake, what was that?" He answered. "Only n rat taking .n promenndc nlong the sandbags." I felt very sheepish. About every twenty minutes the sen try In the next traverse would fire a star shell from his flnre pistol. The "plop" would give me a stnrt of fright. I never got used to this noise during my service In the trenches. I would wntch the arc described by the star shell, and then stare Into No Mnn's Land waiting for It to burst. In Its lurid light the barbed wire nnd stakes would be silhouetted against Its light like n latticed window. Then darkness. Once, out In front of our wire, I heard a noise nnd saw dark forms moving. My rifle wns lying across the snndbngged parapet. I reached for It, and was tnklng nlm to fire, when my mnte grasped my arm, nnd whispered, "Don't fire." He challenged In n low voice. The reply came back Instantly I from the dark forms: ; "Shut your bllnkln' mouth, you bloomln' idiot ; do you want us to click j It from the Bodies?" Later we learned that the word. "No i challenging or firing, wiring party out In front," had been given to the sentry on our right, but he had failed to pass It down the trench. An olllcer had over heard our challenge and the reply, nnd Immediately put the offending sentry under arrest. The sentry clicked twenty-one days on the wheel, thnt Is, ho received twenty-one days' field pun ishment No. 1, or "crucifixion," ns Tommy terms It. This consists of being spread-eagled on the wheel of a Umber two hours a day for twenty-one days, regardless of the weather. During this period, your rations consist of bully beef, biscuits nnd water. A few months Inter I met this sentry and he confided to me that since being "crucified," he hnd never failed to pass the word down the trench when so or dered. In view of the offense, tho above punishment wns very light, in thnt falling to pass the word down n trench may mean tho loss of many lives, and the spoiling of some Impor tant enterprise In No Man's Land. CHAPTER VI. "Back of the Line." Our tour In the front-line trench lasted four days, and then we were relieved by tho brigade. Going down the communication trench wo wero in a merry mood, al though we wero cold nnd wet, and every bono In our bodies ached. It makes a lot of difference whether you are "going In" or "going out." At tho end of tho communication trench, limbers were waiting on tho road for us. I thought we wero going to ride back to rest billets, but soon found out that tho only tlmo an In fantryman rides Is when ho Is wounded and Is bound for the bnso or Blighty. These limbers carried our reserve ammunition and rations. Our march to rest billets was thoroughly enjoyed by me. It seemed as If I wero on furlough, nnd wus leaving be hind everything that was disagree nblo and horrible. Mvcry recruit feels this way after being rellovcd from tho trenches, Wo mnrehed eight kilos nnd then halted In front of n French cstnmlnet. Tho cuptuliv gave tho order to turn out on each side of tho rond and wait his return. Pretty soon ho cniuo back nnd told II company to occupy billets 11T, 118 nnd 110. Billot 117 wns nn old stable which had previously boon occupied by cows. About four foot In front of the entrance wns n huge in a miro pile, nnd tho odor from It wns anything but pleasant. Using my flashlight I stumbled through tho door. Just beforo entering 1 observed, n whlto sign rending: "Sitting 60, lying 20," but, nt the time, Its significance did not strike mo. Next morning I asked the sergeant major what It meant. Ho nonchalantly answered : "That's som of tho work of tho It. A. M. 0. (Hoynl Army Medical corps). It simply menus that In enso of an nt tack, this billot will nccommodnto fifty wounded who aro nblo to sit up nnd tnko notice, or twenty stretcher cases." It was not long after this that I was ono of tho ") lying." I soon hit the hay nnd wns fast asleep, oven my friends tho "cooties" fulled to disturb me. The next morning nt about six o'clock I was awukened by tho lanco corporal of our section, Informing mo that I hnd been detailed ns mess or derly, and to report to tho cook nnd givo him n hand. I helped him make tho fire, enrry water from nn old well, nnd fry the bacon. Lids of dixies aro used to cook the bacon In. After breakfast wns cooked, I carried a dlxlo of hot tea and the lid full of bncon to our section, and told the corporal that breakfast was ready. He looked nt mo In rpntcmpt, and then shouted, "Break fast up, come and get It 1" I Immedi ately got wise to the trench parlance, and never ngaln Informed that "Break fast was served." It didn't tnko long for the Tommies to nnswer this call. Half dressed, they lined up with their canteens nnd I dished out the ten. Each Tommy carried In his hand a thick slice of bread which had been Issued with tho rations the night before. Then I hnd the pleasure of seeing them dig Into the bacon with their dirty Angers. The nltownnco wns one slice per man. Tho into ones received very small slices. As each Tommy got hts share ho Im mediately disappeared Into tho billet. Pretty soon nbout fifteen of them made a rush to the cookhouse, each carrying a huge slice of bread. These slices they dipped Into the bacon grense vfhlch wns stewing over the fire. Tho Inst mnn Invariably lost out. I was the last man. After breakfast our section cnrrled their equipment Into n field ndjnlntng the billet and got busy removing the trench mud therefrom, because nt 8:45 n. m., they hud to fall In for Inspection Resting Back of the Lines. nnd parade, nnd woo betide the man who wns unshaven, or had mud on his uniform. Cleanliness Is next to godli ness In the British nrmy, nnd Old Pep per must havo been personally ac quainted with St. Peter. Our drill consisted of close-order formation, which lasted until noon. During this tlmo wo hnd two tcn-mln-uto breaks for rest, and no Hooner tho word, "Fall out for ten minutes," wns given than each Tommy got out a fag and lighted It. Fags nro Issued every Sunday morn ing, and you generally get between twenty and forty. Tho brand gen erally Issued Is tho "Woodbine." Somo times wo nro lucky nnd got "Oold flukes," "Pluycrs" or "lied Hussars." Occasionally un Issuo of "Llfo Itnys" comes nlong. Then tho older Tommies Immediately get busy on tho recruits nnd trade these for "Woodbines" or "Goldflnkes," A recruit only has to be stuck onco In this manner, and then ho ceases to bo a recruit. Thoro Is a reason. Tommy Is a great clgarctto smoker. ITo smokes under nil condi tions, except when unconscious or when ho is rcconnotterlng In No Man's Land ut night. Then, for obvious rea sons, ho docs not care to havo a light ed clgarctto In his mouth. Stretcher bearers carry fags for wounded Tommies, When n stretcher bearer arrives nlongsldo of n Tommy who has been hit tho following conver f i sation usually taken place: Stretcher henrer "wnnt n fug? Whero nro you hit?" Tommy looks up nnd answers, "Yes. In tho leg." After dismissal from parade, wo re turned to, our hllluts and I hnd to get busy linmodlntoly with tho dinner Is sue. Dinner consisted of stow mndo from fresh beef, n couple of spuds, bully beef, Mnconochto rations nnd wn tor plenty of water. There Is great competition among tho men to spenr with their forks tho two lonely pota toes. Back on the front line, after a stay In rest billets, Empey gets a shock when a Cerman bullet cuts down his first friend of the trenches. He tells the story In the next Installment. (TO 1113 CONTINUED.) MOST PERILOUS OF TRADES Ship's Rlooer, When at Work, Has Realization That Each Moment May Be His Last. It Is not tho trapeze performer, tho steeple-Jack, or tho old-tlmo sailor who faces tho greatest peril In his work, but tho ship's rigger, who combines nil three of these callings. During tho present wnr, with tho reappearance of sailing vessels In our ports, tho an cient profession of ship's rigger had been suddenly revived. Tho seaports have been scoured to discover old rig gers, for their service today Is Invalu able. Tho skill nnd daring of Amer ican ship's riggers was onco ns fa mous us that of the Yankee skippers, says Hoys' Life, the boy scouts' maga zine. When n salting vessel comes Into port In need' of repairs tho ship's rig ger Is tho first man aloft. It may bo Impossible to tell If her rigging will support n mnn's weight. The ropes may be covered with Ice. Tho rigger must Jtulgo tho strrngth of the ropes with hts eye nnd risk hh llfo upon them. A trnpezo performer In tho circus must trust his weight to ropes high In nlr, but he Is sure that they arc strong nnd will bear his weight. The ship's rigger must swing himself In quite ns perilous positions nnd ro main there for hours, doing the hard est kind of work. The salting of the ship usually waits upon tho repairs he makes, and the expense of maintaining tho crew and delaying tho ship makes It neces sary for him to work with feverish haste day nnd night. New Type of "Vampire." Arrest at tho Instance of an nrmy olllcer of n young woman who bod committed bigamy In order to sccuro the allowance granted to soldiers' de pendents gives color to tho warning Issued ngalnst this new typo of "vam pire," notes tho Omaha Bee, Young soldiers are picked nut by these wom en nnd deliberately led Into mnrrlago, the ono purpose being to seetiro money from tho government, The gumo Is not a now one, nor does It exhibit much modification In Its details. It Is reported from somo of the Southern nrmy cnmp,s that as many as thrco nnd four soldiers have been wedded td tho snmo woman. The young men Who nro nway from home for thu first time, wearing their country's uniform, phould bo warned that marriage Is not merely an enlistment fur the war, and therefore, to bo approached very seri ously. Itomnnco Is part of a soldier's life, but It may have consequences that will embarrass him In - after years. Tho "vnmplre,T Is ono of Ids chlcfcst dangers, and ono against whom It Is dllllctilt to-guard. 1 Hottest Heat ' Tho highest tcmnerntnro over reached by man Is 0.-100 degrcea Fahrenheit. This was nroducnil liv two English experimenters, Sir Andrew Noble nnu Mr i adci, nsscrts n scien tist. This wns dono by exploding cor dlto in n durable steel cylinder. Thin wns duo to the suddenness of tho reac tion, and, nitiioiign or momentary dur ation, It was an Interesting sclent I lie achievement, nevertheless. With tin nld of cordlto Sir William Crookes was ablo to mako small diamonds. Profes sor Molssnn, who has produced dia monds, can heat his electric furnaca to 0,800 degrees. Make Light of Heavy Loads. Tho streets of Jerusalem within the walls aro as narrow and crowded thnt It Is Impossible to drlvo a wagon through them, nnd many of them are built of a scries of steps upon tho hill side, so that It Is a task to lead cnmols or donkeys through them after sunrise. Therefore most of tho carrying and portcrlng Is dono by men. Thoy carry tho most surprising londs. I am told that thoy will stop along briskly with GOO pounds on their I) neks, with stout ropes Holding tho bundles to their foro- heads. Exchange. On Life's Pathway. Do today's duty, fight toduy's tempta tions, nnd do not weaken and dlBtrnct yourself by looking forward to things which you cannot sec, and could not understand If you saw them. Gharlcfl Klngslcy. ROAD-BUILDING FACTORS IN ROAD BUILDING Necessity Emphasized In Giving Great, est Consideration to All Local Conditions. (Prepared by (lis United Mates I)otr mvnt of Agriculture) Theory Is simply tho sign post that points tho way In roild building, while Judgment Is thu vehicle on which tho Journey Is dependent, says a pub lication on "The Design of Public Honda" by the United States depart ment of agriculture. The publication emphasizes tho necessity of giving tho greatest con sideration to all local factors In road construction. In order to furnish tho kind of roads that a community wants and to furnish them with tho least poNslhlu drain on tho public treasury, the person who designs them must bo thoroughly familiar with local condi tions and must posses tho Judgment necessary to wolgh the Imporlanio of nil considerations. The publication mukes no attempt to state donatio nnd exact rules for designing roads to suit every locality hut takes up sep arately tho Important features of tho problem with a view to showing tho variations In current practice and tho Influence of somo special conditions with regard to ench feature In order to solect the type of sur face best adapted to the need of n particular rond, It Is necessary to con sider first, tho class of traffic to which the rond wilt ho subjected, nnd second, to compare the estimated ulti mate cost of tho different surface types which would be capable of sat isfactorily caring for that particular class of tralllc. The number of roads for which accurate tralllc and effi ciency records hnvo been kept Is said to be Insufficient to warrant definite conclusions ns to the bent type for any particular class of tralllc, hut tho following summary Is said to contain about us definite Information on this point ns can be drawn from unliable records. (a) Earth roads, when properly maintained, aro satisfactory In dry weather for a light volume of all kinds of hlghwny traffic. (h) Sand-clay roads are the same as earth roads, except that tho sur facing material has been seluctvd care fully with a view to Increasing tho stability of the surface In both wet and dry weather. They aro satisfac tory for a modernto traffic of horse drawn vehicles and n light tralllc of automobiles. Tlioy seldom are satis factory for even n light tralllc of heavy trucks unless the roadbed ma terial Is very stable. (c) Gravel roads, when well built, are satisfactory for a heavy tralllc of Brick or Concrete Roads Aro Econom ical If There Is Considerable Heavy Traffic. horso-drnwn vehicles, n light traffic of automobiles, and a light traffic of heavy trucks. (d) Water-bound mncadam roads are adapted to tho snmo general char acter of traffic as gravel roads. (e) Surface-treated mncadam roads aro aduptcd especially for a heavy tralllc of automobiles. Thoy also aro satisfactory for a light traffic of horso-druwn vehicles and heavy trucks. In nil cases they require con stant maintenance. (f) Bituminous roads aro suitable for a heavy tralllc of both automobiles and horsq-drawn vehicles and n mod orato traffic of heavy .trucks. tg; uoncroto ronus aro adapted to tho snmo general class, of tralllc ns bituminous roads, nnd generally nro capable, of withstanding tho tralllc of somowlint hoavlcr vehicles without In- Jury. (h) Brick roads aro adapted to tho same general class of trajllc as con crete roads, Either brick or concrofo roods, howevor, may ho economical for only moderate traffic whero other, road-building materials aro scarce J