Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 15, Ed. 1 Friday, May 3, 1918 Page: 3 of 12
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PALACIOS BEA(
-
PALACIOS, TEXAS
THE
By An American Arthur Guy
M
£&v'
Machine Gunner, Servii
Copyright It*7, by Arthur Qny Empty
EMPEY GETS INTO THE FRONT LINE TRENCH—AND
WISHES HE WERE BACK IN JERSEY CITY.
Synopsis.—Fired by the sinking of llie Lusitania, with the loss of
American lives, Arthur Guy Empey, an American living in Jersey City,
goes to England and enlists as a private in the British army. After a
short experience as a recruiting officer in London, he is sent to train-
ing quarters in 1'ranee, where he first hears the sound of big guns
and makes the acquaintance of "cooties."
taMKj
*>• V.
Ir
CHAPTER II.—Continued.
The greatest shock a recruit gets
when ho arrives at his battalion In
France Is to see the men engaging in a
"cootie" hunt. With an air of con-
tempt and disgust he avoids the com-
pany of the older men, until a couple
of days later, in a torment of itching,
he also has to resort to a shirt hunt,
or spend many a sleepless night of
misery. During these hunts there nre
lots of pertinent remarks bandied back
and forth among the explorers, such
as, "Say, Bill, I'll swap you two little
ones for n big one," or, "I've got a
blaclc one here that looks like Kaiser
Bill."
One sunny day In the front-line
trench, T saw three officers sitting out-
side of their dugout ("cooties" are no
respecters of rank ; I have even noticed j
a suspicious uneasiness about a certain
well-known general), one of them was
a major, two of them were exploring
their shirts, paying no attention to the
occasional shells which passed over-
head. The major was writing a letter;
every now and then he would lay aside
Ills writing-pad, search his shirt for a
few minutes, get an Inspiration, and
then resume writing. At last he fin-
ished his letter and gave It to his "run-
ner." I was curious to see whether he
wait writing to an Insect firm, so when
p I engaged hiW ,
Now, just Imagine my hard luck. Out
of five religions I was unlucky enough
to pick the only one where church
parade was compulsory!
T he next morning was Sunday. I
was sitting In the billet writing home
to my sister telling her of my wonder-
ful exjilolts while under fire—all re-
cruits do this. The sergeant major put
his head In the door of the billet and
shouted: "C. of E. outside for church
parade 1"
I kept on writing. Turning to me, In
a loud voice, he asked, "Empey, aren't
you C. of E.?"
I answered. "Yep."
In an angry tone, he commanded,
"Don't you 'yep' me. Say, 'Yes, ser-
geant major,'"
"I did so. Somewhat mollified, he
ordered, "Outside for church parade."
I looked up and answered, "I am
not going to church this morning."
He said, "Oh, yes, you are!"
I answered, "Oh, no, I'm not 1"—But
I went.
We lined up outside with rifles and
bayonets, 120 rounds of ammunition,
wearing our tin lints, and the march
to church began. After marching about
five kilos, we turned off the road Into
an open field. At one end of this field
the chaplain was standing lujt; limber.
We fopaed s semicircle ytfmd him.
k clr-
maklng wide
little puffs Of
Ing all arc
like tiny bu
each burat
"plop."
Informed us j
plane and I v
from such a <
seemed like
sky. I ei
whether It
man. With
ther Inform*
aircraft she
white smoke
gave forth bio
pressed it, "It i
cause our poi
I know our bat
baiiy nappers 1
strafelng our on
piece of adl
weight abobt
line and learnt
I lihm«
weight about"
Just before J
we were mi
singing one of J
I want to go
I don't want
more
Where
lore.
Take me ovir'i
mand
Oh, my,
I want
when overht
the air, rapk
era. Then at
our left in
of black ear
nlr, and the
air, while
were burst-
Is appeared
■ -while after
urd a dull
my platoon
Vrinan elr-
| lie could tell
use the plane
speck In the
Ffloubt as to
or Ger
apt he fur-
allied anti-
ling emitted
nan shells
as he ex-
Mlemand be-
velling, and
l»ot off their
ninly not
£«nd another
cCbuck your
been up the
licking my
ae on.
erve billets
Shing, and
ench ditties:
to go home,
trenches no
knvs are ga-
the Alle-
pP§ through
three oth-
I yards to
columns
b Into the
Dm the
I sky and we could hear the fragments
j slapping the ground above us on our
right and left. Then a Fritz would
traverse back and forth with his "type-
writer" or machine gun. The bullets
made a sharp cracking noise overhead.
The boy in front of me named l'ren-
tlce crumpled up without a word. A
piece of shell had gone through his
shrapnel-proof helmet. I felt sick and
weak.
In about thirty minutes we reached
the front line. It was dark as pitch.
Every now and then a German star
shell would pierce the blackness out
In front with its silvery light. 1 was
trembling all over, and felt very lonely
and af-ald. All orders were given in
whispers. The company we relieved
filed past us and disappeared into the
blackness of the communication trench
leading to the rear. As they passed us,
they whispered, "The best o' luck
mates."
I sat or. the fire step of the trench
with the rest of the men. In each
traverse two of the older men had been
put on guard with their heads sticking
over the top, and with their eyes try-
ing to pierce the blackness in "No
Man's Land." In this trench there
were only two dugo'its, and these were
used by Lewis and Vlckers machine
gunners, so it was the fire step for
ours. Pretty soon it started to rain.
We put on our "mucks," but they were
not much protection. The rain trickled
down our backs, and It was not long
before we Were wet and cold. IIow I
passed that night I will never know,
but without any unusual occurrence,
dawn arrived.
The word "stand down" was passed
along the line, and the sentries got
down off the fire step. I'retty soon the
rum Issue came along, and It was a
Godsend. It warmed our chilled bodies
and put new life Into us. Then from
the communication trenches came
dixies or Iron pots, filled with steam-
ing ten, which had two wooden stakes
through their handles, and were car-
ried by two men. I filled my canteen
and drank the hot tea without taking
It from my Hps. It was not long be-
fore I waytaslecp In the mud on the
fire si
bltlon had been attained! I
n a front-line trench on the west-
ern front, and oh. how I wished I were
back In .Tersev CIty.
IBS
. » .
THIS WOMAN'
SAVED FROM
AN OPERATION
By taking LydiaE. Pinkham's
Vegetable Compound, One
cf Thousands of Such Cases.
Black River Falls, Wis. —"As Lydla
E. Pinkbam's VegeUfclo Compound
me from an
lation, I cannot
mough in praise
_ I suffered from
;anic troubles and
side hurt me so
I could hardly be ud
from my bed, and I
was unable to do my
housework. I had
the best doctors in
Eau Claire and they
wanted me to have
an operation, but
LydiaE. Pinknam's
Vegetable Compound cured me so I did
not need the operation, and I am telling
all my friends about it."—Mrs. A. W.
Binzer, Bla<!k River Falls, Wis.
It is just such experiences an that of
Mrs. Binzer that has made this famous
root and herb remedy a household word
from ocean to ocean. Any woman who
suffers from' inflammation, ulceration,
displacements, backache, nervousness,
irregularities or "the blues" should
not rest until she has given it a trial,
and for special advice write Lydia E.
Pinkham Medicine Co., Lynnj Mass.
Boys and Girls
Clear Your Skin
With Cuticura
Soap 25c. Ointment 25 ond 50c.
PARKER'8
MR BALSAM
Empey takes his first turn on
the firing step of the trench
HAIR
A toilet preparation of merit.
Helps to eradicate dandruff.
For Reatorinc Color and
Bea uty to Gray or Faded Hair.
60c. and tl-00 at DruyglsU.
Not every man can accumulate a
fortune, but It Is a slow one who can*
not contract a few debts.
BfV
i
CStoSJSK headaches
9
* r*-5 95
-Iik*.,,
love letter during a "cootie" hunt: but
ftuch la the creed of the trenches.
CHAPTER III.
I Go to Church.
Upon enlistment we had Identity
-disks Issued to us. These were small
disks of red fiber worn around the neck
"by means of a string. Most of the Tom
miefi also used a little metal disk which
they wore around the left wrist by
means of a chain. They had previous-
- ly figured It out that If their heads
were blown off, the disk on the left
wrist would identify them. If they lost
their left arm the disk around the neck
would serve the purpose, but if their
head and left arm were blown off, no
one would cure who they were, so It
did not mntter. On one side of the
disk was inscribed your rank, name,
number nnd battalion, while on the
other was stamped your religion.
C. of E., meaning Church of Eng-
land ; R. C., Roman Catholic; W„ Wes-
Ieyan; P., Presbyterian; but If you
"happened to be an atheist they left It
blank, and Just handed you a ptck and
shovel. On my disk was stamped C. of
E. This is how I got it: The lieuten-
ant who enlisted me asked my religion.
I was not sure of the religion of the
British army, so I answered, "Oh, any
-old thing," and he promptly put down
"C. of E.
plane. ** *** bottt «>e alr-
After church parade wi were
Whh?,d t0 onr b,llet8-nnd P'ayed
football all afternoon.
r ~
CHAPTER IV.
"Into the Trench."
The next morning the draft was in-
spected by our general, and we were
assigned to different companies. The
boys in the brigade had nicknamed
this general Old Pepper, and he cer-
fninly earned the sobriquet. I was as-
signed to B company with another
American named Stewart.
For the next ten days we "rested "
repairing roads for the Frenchles, drill-
ing, and digging bombing trenches.
One morning we were Informed that
we were going up the line, and our
march began.
It took us three days to reach re-
serve billets—each day's march bring-
ing the sound of the guns nearer and
nearer. At night, way off in the dis-
tance we could see their flashes, which
lighted up the sky with a red giare.
Against fho horizon we could see
numerous observation balloons or "sau-
sages" as they are called.
On the afternoon of the third day's
march I witnessed my first airplane
being shelled. A thrill ran through me
and I gazed In awe. The airplane was
.... . ..L i.
A Bomb
COMMUNICATION
TRENCH
TRAVERSE
3 to $ Ft. 7 nlwT err
//////.^ VVWp AR)AJ D O S *
UMm
„ h-
mm
Diagram Showing Typical Front-Llne and Communication Trenches.
report—the explosion
flve-nlne's, or "eoalb
whistle blast, lmmeAL,
two short ones, rang ot
of our column. This
"artiiiery formation."
small squads Und wen
on the right and left !
crouched on the groi
shells followed this sal
first baptism by shell ,
waist up I was all enthu
there down, everythlUf
thought I should die
After awhile, we .
utnns of fours, and
way.
About five that night, 1
ruined village of H-
flrst sight of the aj..
caused by German Kult
Marching down the _
came to the heart of t)
took up quarters in shl
(shellproof until hit by I
were constantly whlstlli
I age and bursting In ou
lug for our artillery.
These cellars were ,.
smelly, and overrun wit
big black fellows. Moal
mles slept with their
their faces. I did not.
of the night I woke up
cold, clammy feet of a
over my face. I lmm«
ered myself in my over,,
not sleep for the rest of '.
Next evening, wc- tookil
tor of the line. In single!
ed our way through a*
municatlon trench, six
with mud. This trenclj
"Whisky street." On o«
the front line an occas.
bursting shrapnel would j
HjV:
' flmr German
V* A sharp
k followed by
ithe head
i .to take up
lded Into
the fields
oad, and
, tfo other
tras our
" Prom the
, but from
ilng. I
lit.
Into col-
on our
ached the
I got my
itructlon
street we
lllage, and
of cellars
i). Shells
rer the vll-
ear, search-
damp nnd
large rats—
t the Tom-
•coats over
the mkldie
J terror. The
it had passed
lately smoth-
iat. but could
that night,
over our sec-
llle wo wend-
zlgzag com-
lnches deep
i"- sfcalled
in * J up to
re of
CivfuP
(TO BE CONTINT •5D.»
NEW AND GREATER THINGS
Possibility Ever Open to Mankind as
the Periods Dividing Life Are
Successively Crossed.
The poelry of all growing life con-
■slsts In carrying an oklness Into a new-
ness, a past Into a future, always. So
only can our days possibly be bound
"cach to each by natural piety." I
would not for the world think that 20
years hence I should have ceased to see
the things which I see now, and love
them still. It would make life weari-
some beyond expression if I thought
that 20 years hence 1 should see them
Just as I see them now, aud love them
\vILli no deeper love because of other
visions of their lovableness. And so
there conies this deep and simple rule
of any man as he crosses thp line divid-
ing one period of his life from another,
the same rule which he may use also as
he passes through any critical occur-
rence of his life. Make it a time in
which you shall realize your faith, nnd
also in which you shall expect of your
faith new and greater things. Take
what you believe and are, and hold it In
your hand with a new firmness as you
go forward; but look on It with con-
tinual and confident expectation to see
It open into something greater aud
truer.—Phillips Brooks.
It's easier to tell a child what he
must not do than to s>-ow him what he
should do.
Twinkle in It. w
He (with newspaper)—Here's some-
thing odd. A summer girl by mistake
fastened her girdle with a needle in-
stead of a pin, and two months later
the needle came out of a young man's
arm.
She—But how do they know it was
the same needle?
He—Can't say, unless it was by the
expression in Its eye.—Boston Tran-
script. . f
Riddles.
Miss Mary Garden, the singer, com-
miserated at u New York reception
with a movie star, whose betrothed had
had the bad taste to abandon her for
another.
"My dear child, I can't understand
it," said Miss Garden. "You're the
prettiest girl in the profession. To
leave you for that scarecrow! All,
well—"
And Miss Garden smiled and sighed.
"Ah, well," she said, "men are rid-
dles. They keep us guessing, and yet
we'll never give them up."
Rehabilitation of Holy Land.
Immediate plans for the rehabilita-
tion of the Iloiy Land, to tit it for the
home of the Jews of the world, are
now under consideration by the officers
of the New York Zionist organization.
A medical unit will be dispatched to
the stricken land, loans will be made
to the colonists to rebuild and retit
their farms and vineyards, and irriga-
tion and sanitation problems must be
solved. The $1,000,000 fund now being
raised will be used for Immediate pur-
poses, and it Is believed the recon-
struction work will Involve an expen-
diture of approximately $100,000,000.
Natural Propensities.
"Money Is the root ol' all evil."
"Yes, and it seems to grow best by
the grafting process."
Advance Information.
"Bobble, did you know I was going
to marry your sister?"
"Why, yes; before you did."—Life.
[Post
I Toasties
Advance by Retrogression.
The rookie was being taken to the
guardhouse.
"Quick promotion," he muttered to
himself. "I am already lu charge uf
a squad of men."—Boston Evening
Transcript.
Women Will Tell.
Mrs. Bacon—I see English banking
Institutions employ over 54,000 wom-
en.
Mr. Bacon—Of course. Where would
you expect to find tellers?
NO WASTE
in a p^ck^ge or
PostTo&ties
says ddo&tyt
Corn Food Good ToThe
Last Flake
m
yjp r
m*
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Tucker, T. L. Palacios Beacon (Palacios, Tex.), Vol. 10, No. 15, Ed. 1 Friday, May 3, 1918, newspaper, May 3, 1918; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth411669/m1/3/?q=%22%22~1: accessed June 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Palacios Library.