Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Eagle Valley news. (Richland, Or.) 191?-1919 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 5, 1918)
I r. ,v n--. 66 OVER TOP'? By An American ArtSlllllf Guy Empey Soldier'WllO Wbnt Machine Gunner, Serving in France OopjrU& 191T, by Arthur Ony Bnip 3 CHAPTER XXVII Continued. 27 Tommy generally replies that he did not stop to figure It out when lie was hit. One very nice-looking ovorcnthusl nstlc young thing, stopped nt my bed and nsked, "What wounded you In the face?" ' . In a polite but bored tone I an swered, "A rifle bullet." With a look of disdain she passed to the next bed, first ejaculating, "Oh ! Only a bullet? I thought It was a shell." Why she should think a shell wound was more of a distinction beats me. I don't see a whole lot of differ ence myself. The Anierlcnn Women's War hospi tal was a heaven for wounded men. They were allowed every privilege pos sible conducive with the rules and mili tary discipline. Tho only fault was that the men's passes were restricted. ,To get a pass required an net of par liament Tommy tried many tricks to get out, but the commandant, nn old Boer war officer, was wise to thoin all, and It took a new and clever ruse to make him affix his signature to the coveted slip of paper. As soon as It would get dark many a patient climbed over the wall and went "on his own," regardless of many signs stnring him In the face, "Out of bounds for patients." Generally the nurses were looking the other way when one :of these night raids started. I hope this Information will get none of them 'Into trouble, but I xnnnot resist tho 'temptation to let the commandant iknow that occasionally we put It over on him. One afternoon I received a note, through-our underground channel, from ,my female visitor, asking me to attend a party at her house that night. I .answered that she could expect me and to meet me at a certain place .on the road well known by all patients, nnd .some visitors, as "over the wall." 1 told her I would be on hand at seven thirty. ' About seven-fifteen I sneaked my overcoat and cap out of the ward nnd ihld It In the bushes. Then I told the nurse, ri particular friend of mine, thnt jl was going for a walk In the rose gar den. She winked nnd I knew that ev erything was all right on her end. Going out of the ward, I slipped Into the bushes and made for the wall. It was dark as pitch and I wns groping through the underbrush, when sudden ly I stepped Into space and felt myself rushing downward, a horrible bump, iund blackness. When I came to my wounded shoulder was hurting horri bly. I was lying against a circular wall of bricks, dripping with moisture, and far away I could hear the trickling of water. I had In the darkness fallen Into an old disused well. Hut why wasn't I wet? According to nil rules I should have been drowned. Perhaps I wns and didn't know It. As the shock of my sudden stop gradually wore off It came to me that I was lying on a ledge nnd thnt the least movement on ray part would pre cipitate me to the bottom of the well. I struck a match. In Its faint glare I saw that I was lying In a circular hole about twelve feet deep the well had been filled In I The dripping I had heard came from a water pipe over on my right. With my wounded shoulder It was Impossible to shinny up the pipe. I could not yell for help, because the rescuer would want to know how the accident happened, and I would be , haled before the commandant on charges. I Just had to grin nnd bear It, with the forlorn hope that ono of the returning night raiders would pass and I could give him our usual signal of "slss-a-8-8," which would bring him to the fescue. Every half-hour I could hear the clock In the village strike, each stroke bringing forth a muffled volley of curses on the man who,' had dug the well. After two hours I heard two men talking In low voices. I recognized Corporal Cook, an ardent "night raid er." He heard ray "slss-s-s-s" and came to the edgo of the hole. I ex plained my predicament and amid a lot of Impertinent remarks, which at tho time I did not resent, I was soon fished out. Tuking off our boots, wo sneaked Into tho wurd. I was sitting on my bed In the dark, Just starting to undress, when the man next to mo, "Ginger" Phillips, whispered, '"Op it, Yank, 'ere comes tho matron." I limnedlutely got under tho covers and, feigned sleep, The matron stood tulldiig In low tones to the night nurse mid I fell asleep. , When I awoke In tho morning the yhsjii oluter, h American, wu bunding- over me. An awful sight mot my e.vr. Tho coverlet on the bed and tho sheet were n uufss of mud and green slime Sho wns a good sport all right, and hustled to get clean clothes and sheets so that no one would get wise, but "on her own" sho guvo mo a good tonguo lashing but did not report me. Ono of the Chnbdlans In the ward described her as being "a Jnkc of n good fel low." Next visiting dny I had an nwful time explaining to my visitor why I had not met her at the appointed time and place. And for a week every time I passed a patient ho would call, "Well, well, here's tho Yank. Hope you are feel ing well, old top." The surgeon In our ward wns nn American, a Harvard unit man, named Frost Wo nleknntned him "Jack Frost" He was loved by all. If n Tommy was to he cut up he had no ob jection to undergoing the operation If "Jack FrosI" wns to wield the knife. Their confidence In him wns pathetic,. He was the best sport I have ever met One Saturday morning the command ant nad some "high up" officers were Inspecting the ward, when ono of tho patients who had been wounded In tho head by a bit of shrapnel, fell on the floor In a fit They brought him round, and then looked for the wnrd orderly to carry tho patient back to his bed nt the other end of tho wnrd. The or derly was nowhere to be found like our policemen, they, never nro when needed. 'The officers were at a loss how to get, Palmer Into his bed. Doc tor Frost was fidgeting around In a nervous manner, when suddenly with a muffied "d n" nnd a few other qualifying adjectives, he stooped down and took the man In his arms like a baby he was no feather, either and staggered down the wnrd with him, put The Author Just Before Leaving for Home. him In bed and undressed him. A low murmur of approval came from tho pa tients. Doctor Frost got very red, and as soon as ho had finished undressing Palmer, hurriedly left tho ward. The wound in my face had almost healed nnd I was a horrlblo-looklng slght-rthe left cheek twisted Into n knot, the eyo pulled down, nnd my mouth pointing In a north by north west direction. I wns very downheart ed and could Imagine myself during tho rest, of my life being shunned by all on account of the repulsivo scar. Doctor Frost arranged for mo to go to tho Cambridge Military hospital at Aldershot for a special operation to try und make tho scar presentable. I nrrlved nt tho hosnltnl and irot nn (awful shock. Tho food was poor and the discipline abnormally strict. No patient was allowed to sit on his bed, nnd smoking wns permjttcd only nt certain designated hours. Tho faco specialist did nothing for mo except to look ut tho wound. I rnndo appli cation for a transfer hack to Paignton, offering to pay my transportation. Tills offer wus accepted, und after two weeks' ubHerico, onco again I urrlvcd In MuiiHoy wurd, all hope gone, Tho next day after my return Doc tor Trout stopped at my bed und said; "Well, Umpoy, If you want mo to 'try und see wliut I can do with (hut scar I'll lo It, hut you are taking an nwful chance." 1 answered: "Well, doctor, Stove Brodlo took n chance; ho halls from New York and so do I." Two days after tho undertaker squad curried mo to tlio operating room or "pictures," as we called them because of tho funny films wo see un der ether, and tho (jporntlon wns per formed. It was n wonderful piece ot surgery and n marvelous success. From now" on thnt doctor tan hnvo my shirt. More than onco some poor soldier hns been brought Into tho wnrd In n dying coitdltlou,.jcsultlng from loss of blood und exhaustion caused by his long Journey from the trenches. After nn examination the doctor announces thnt tho only thing that will snvo him Is a trnnsitislon of blood. Where Is tho blood to come from? He does not hnvo to wait long for an answer sev eral Tommies Immediately volunteer their blood for their mate. Threo or four nro accepted; a blood test Is made, and next day tho transfusion tnkes plnco and 'here Is another pale face In tho wnrd. Whenever bone Is needed for some special operation, there aro always men willing to give some a leg If necessary to save some mangled mato from being crippled for life. More than one man will go through Itfo with another mnn's-blood running through his velus, or n piece' of his rib or his shlnbone In his own anatomy. Some tlmcu ho never even knows tho nnnio of his benefactor. The spirit pf sacrifice Is wonderful. For nil ttie-aufferjng Caused this war Is a blessing to I-fugland-r-lt hns made new men of her sous; has' welded all classes Into ono glorious whole. And I enn't help saying thnt tho doc tor.", sisters, aud nurses In tho F.ngllsh hospitals, nrc angels on earth. I lovo them all and can never repay the caro and kindness shown to me. For tho rest of my llfo tho Ued Cross will bo to me tho symbol of Fnlth, Hope nnd Charity. After four months In the hospltnl, I went before an examining bonrd and was discharged from the servlco of his Ilrltnnnic majesty as "physically unfit for further war service." YIELDS "APPLE OF SODOM" Curious Plant Which Grows on tho Borders of the Deajl Sea Pro duces This Fruit The Dead sea Is situated In tho southeast part of Palestine, nnd Is called by the Arabs Hahr Loot, or Sea of Lot. It Is about -IT miles long, with nn nvernge breadth of nine miles. Its depth varies considerably. It Is fed by the Jordan from tho north, nnd by ninny other strenms. but hns no ap parent outlet, Its superfluous water be ing supposed to b entirely cnrrled off by the evaporation. Tho north shores of tho sen nro marked by tho blackened trunks nnd branches of trees which nro Incrustcd with salt, as Is everything thnt Is exposed to tho spray of this sea. On tho southern shore Is the remnrk nhlo mass of rock called Ddsum (Sod om). It Is a narrow, -fugged rldgo of hill extending flvo miles northwest, and consisting of rock snlt. To tho north of Udsum, and nt no great dis tance, Is tho supposed slto of tho an cient Sodom. On the borders of tho Dead sen a curious plant grows which yields fruit cnlled tho "Apple of Sodom," benutlful on tho outsldo hut bitter to tho tnste, nnd, when mature, filled with fiber nnd dust. The mean level of tho Dcnd sen Is 1,202 feet below tho level of tho Medi terranean. Tho water contains from 2-1 to 20 per cent of salts, of which 7 per cent Is common salt A salt-water fish put Into the Dead sea perishes at onco. Owing to its density duo to salt tho water of the sea Is very buoyant Making the Dandelion Beautiful. Tho original chrysanthemum, from which all tho superb vnrlotles wo know today nro descended, was, In Its wild state, no bigger or handsomer than n dandelion. It is found that tho latter grows with astonishing rapid ity and luxuriance of bloom under cheesecloth shade, New Book Mark. Carried on the ribbon of u now hook murk Is u celluloid panel through open ings In which appear vurlouw refer ences that can ho altered by moving pointers, with which Ihu dovlco U equipped, Aftor my dlschnrgo I engaged pnss no on the Anierlcnn liner Now York, null after a stormy trip across tho At lantic ono momentous day, In tho lmio Of early dawn, 1 saw the statue of lib erty looming over the port rail, and I wondered If ever again I would go "over tho top with tho best of luck and give them hell." And oven then, though It mny seem strange, I wn really sorry not to bo back In the trenches with my mates. War Is not n pink tea, but tu n worth while cnuMo llko ours, mud, rats, coo ties, shells, wounds, or death Itself, are far outweighed by tho deep sense of sattsfactloulelt by the man who does his bit. There Is one thing which my ex perience tiiu.Jit mo that might help tho hoy who may hnvo to go. It Is this anticipation Is tar worse than realiza tion. In civil llfo u man stands In uwo of the man above him, wonders how ho could ever till his Job. When tho time comes ho rises to tho occasion, Is up nnd at It. aud Is surprised to find how much more easily than he anticipated ho fills his responsibilities. It Is really so "out there." lie has nervo for the hardships ; tho Interest of tho work grips him ; he finds relief In the fun and comradeship of tho trenches nnd wins that best Jort of happiness that comes with duty well dono. TUB UND. ROMEO WAS CLAD IN KHAKI Played the Popular Qame, Choosing tho Dinner Table to Work on Af fection! of Waitress. It Is natural thnt we should bo eager to do whatever wo can for tho boys In khaki ; but sometimes, when tho pa triotic zeal Is not accompanied by n sympathetic liunglnnllon, tho bonrfl clary mny prny to bo delivered from our friends, writes "An American Woman" In the Outlook. A homesick Ind Is likely to want either an ntmosphnro llko thnt of his own homo or else tho exotic flavor tho expectation of which has helped him to undertako tho great adventure so cheerily. In nno family nmong my neighbors tho son of the homo wns scandalized when ono of their guests nt Sunday dinner made tho perfectly simple and natural request that he bo permitted after tho meal to repair to tho kitchen where tho pretty waitress was. Per mission wns dented, but young Itomeo wns not dlscouniged, and this letter came "To tho Girl Thnt Walts for Mrs. So-nnd-So: You nro tho best ever. Aro you keeping company with nny body?" Ho ndded his name and a few personal details, and this dcllcloun hit of Idcntlflcntlon: "If you don't know which soldier, wroto this, It Is tho ono thnt touched your hnnd under the dish when you passed tho potatoes." , And Spain, Tool Although neutral Spain may not ho In tho war, the Spaniards nro certainly In It. The French have been perfectly well nwuro that hundreds of Span iards Joined tho Foreign Legion, nt tho beginning of the war; so that Paris wns not tnken the least by surpriso when J100 Spnntsh soldiers paraded In French uniform to receive decorations for vnlor. Tho Spanish colony patri otically welcomed them with fiery speeches, while tho French loaded them with medals. Three received tho re ward of the Legion of Honor, nnd scores the Croix Mllltalro nnd tho Croix do Guerre. Since, from n strict ly legal point of view, tho Spanish legionaries hnvo Imperiled their nn tlon's neutrality, It will ho Interesting to know what Berlin will hnvo to say about It; or rather about tho HO sink ings of Spanish ships nnd tho GO pro tests rnndo by Spain, which "frien.Uy" Germnny hns consistently lgnorec', Chrlstlnn Science Monitor. BOY-SCOUTS (Conducted by National Council of tho Hoy Hoouts of Amur If n.) SCOUTS HELP POLICE CITY; When tho patrolmen of Cluduim'tt went on strike, tho city was left In n very serious situation, Tho city officials called upon n num ber of civic organization for assist mice, Including tho Hoy Scouts of America. Tho following editorial from n local paper Indicates how well they did their work nnd how much It was appreciated: "Saturday morning boy scouts worn on duty ns traffic officers nt street In tersections In downtown Cincinnati. "The boys went at thn work with tho energy and enthusiasm which were to bo expected of them. An thesn lines nro written, ono of tho youngsters. In bossing tho traffic at tho corner of Sixth and Walnut In u way that brings smiles of approval and encouragement from passers-by. "lU-gulntlon of traffic In n necessity In Cincinnati. Law-abiding people will obey tho orders of tho hoy scouts on trnllle duty nnd try to fiolp them In their work. If there are any small enough In mind to Impose upon tho boys, It Is more than probnblo that they will find thu undertaking both un successful and costly." 8COUTS QROWINQ RAPIDLY. In splto of tho fact that of tho scoutmasters nnd other scout officials n largo percentage volunteered for ac tive servlco Immediately following tho declaration of thn war, nnd another largo percentage was called to the colors by tho first draft law, the rec ords show that today the Hoy Scouts of America has -13 per cent more scout officials than It had on tho day war was declared nnd (Ml per cent moro scouts than It had on tho day war was declared. For every mnn who will go, each community will have nt least live or more men who have the samo quali ties of leadership for carrying on tho work. It Is not necessary for them to know scouting from the technical point of view In order to efficiently serve us scoutmaster1. They can se cure experience by following the samo course as their predecessors. Tho war has proven not only In Kngland, but hero lnAnierlcn,'that between W) nnd GO there nro scoutmasters even bet ter than younger men. Today thero are -110,800 men nnd boys un compared with 27-, 0.'! I on April 0, 1017. What will tho records be In ono year? There will bo nt least 711,000 men and boyti If this percentage of increase Is maintained. 81am 8tudlea Philippine Health, The Phlllpplno model snnltnry housn which hns aroused so much Interest not only nmong Filipinos hut ulso nmong residents of neighboring countries, hns been adopted by Slam, and contractors locnted nt Itnngkok, hnvlng secured In structions from tho Phlllpplno health service, havo begun tho construction of n number there. Tho Slnmeso(nro keenly alive to tho Importanco of pro moting public henlth, and Inasmuch ns tho health problems of Slnm nro very similar to those of tho Philippines ow ing to climates and products, delega tions of Siamese hnvo arrived from time to time In Manila for tho purposo of studying Philippine methods, one of them laht year, being headed by his ItoyaV Highness Prince Itangslt, broth er of thu king of Slam. Oasadepaga Head, This remarkable looking rock Is known ns n schist which Is weathered and crumbled'' Into a human expres sion which Is startling. Not only la there a distinct resemblance to a muq'j profile but - tho head Is apparently dressed In a pi!rlwlg of thu stylo of Ihu lust century such as thu soldiers of Cornwallls wore, Tim rock Is located on the lop of a 2,000 fnot hill on He ward peninsula, Alaska, and Is called by Ihu natives Ihu Dig Head, or Ihu CuHudcpiigii Head, Thu faco In uboul eight feet liltfli. THE HEADY BOY SCOUT. A hnll ta thn lad who nlwayn does his bit) When tliaro I work, lie huitlcs Into It With the rot of a, batter who Is nwlnjr- Inif for a hit The ready nnd tho steady nnd tho heady Hoy Scout Ho'a often small and he's never very . hi: llo'n always square, and ho cannot bo a , prlK! And when thrro In dlgRlnR you ought to see him dlK The ready and tho steady and the heady Hoy Scout The woodland loro Is n bit of what ho knows: . Ho loved the flair and follows whom It koc: He's a man In the making, the very best that irrowB The ready and the steady and tho heady Hoy flcout. John Clair Mlnot In Youth's Companion. BOY 8COUT8 RUN A CITY. On n Snturdny tho mayor, tho city offi cials nnd nil members of the Sioux City commission turned over tho city Kovcrnmcnt to eight boy scouts for one half hour. The boy scouts hold n regular ses sion of council nnd discussed nn ordi nal! co for crentlng u city plnnnlng com mission for Kloux City. At tho end of the half-hour session tho boys pnss rd the ordinance creating such n com mlfH.'mi, und then surrendered tho reins of government to tho city commissioners. 8COUT8 RUN FIRE ALARM. Tho Bcoiits of Ilosello Park, N, J hnvo been placed In charge of tho en tiro electric fire alarm system of tho borough, Including bells, Imuso alarms, gangs, wire, alarm boxes, storage bat teries nnd other equipment, Tho appointment carries a salary of ?W) per annum which will bo added to tho troop treasury, For two yearn tho troop lias had Ihu caro of -12 flru hydrants nniMlirno lings.