iM
;r W MACHIN
er the Top"
ji Americas Soldier
L Who Went i
IUR GUY EMPEY n!
ft Conner Serving In Franca |J I
,!
at realize th,e~ awfulness of
e; his brain, seamed paraKnew
nothing- of ijjls trip,
J, in a motosr Wa^ to the
guardroom, in.fltie^llage,
us dumped on the floor and
i Bfentry wtth a fixed bayoE>
and dow&in front of the
i
r, water and biscuits were
dm for his supper.
7, seeing that he ate nothslde
and shook him by the
ring In a kind voice:
laddie, better eat some11
#aal Hat+a* Dnn'f <rlve
Tou'll be pardoned before
know the way they run
. They're only trying to
at's all. Come now, that's
eat something. It'll make
>k different to you."
hearted sentry knew he
out the pardon. He knew
t of a miracle could save
ned eagerly to his sentry's
relieved them. A look , of
ito his eyes, and he raven
meal beside him.
in hour's tine, the chapsee
him, but Lloyd would
him. He wanted no parto
be pardoned.
ry behind the 'lines sudup
with everything they
snse bombardment of the
s bad commenced. Tne i
guns was deafening.'
came back with a rash,
Bred on the earthen floor
^Bs over his face.
H seeing his position, came
^Bo cheer him by talking to
Kd them guns, boy, they
^kiu. They are oure. We
Boches a dose of their
Wpi
Iiyed Hit Country.
Our boys are going over
a of the morning to take
We'll give 'em a taste
rith their sausages and
sit tight now until they
'11 have to go now, lad,
Ime for my relief, and I
em to see me a-talkin'
long, laddie, ^heero."
he sentry resumed the
>ost In about ten mlnwas
relieved, and a D
took his place.
the guardhouse, the
j^^nhe cowering attitude of
j^^Bh a sneer, said to him:
HjHvhimpering in that corH^Hto
be saying your pray BK
conscripts like you
^Knr record. We've been
m onto eighteen months,
HSH first man to desert his
fflH>le battalion Is laughin'
ii'M i'
mmv soimr
0 WENT ':
HUD 6UYEMPEY
E mm.MVIMIHFmCd-?1
?1917 err
ARfflfl arfOTtr
and pokln* fan at D company, bad
luck to you! but you won't get another
chance to disgrace us. They'll put
your lights out in the mornln'."
After listening to this tirade, Lloyd,
In a falterlfcg voice, asked: "They are
not going to shoot me, are they? Why,
the otlrer sentry said they'd pardon
me. For Qod's sake?don't tell me I'm
to be s]ttot v7 and his voice died away In
-a sob. ? *- - .
"Of course, they're going to shoot
you. The other sentry was jest a-klddif'
you. Jest like old Smith. Always
a-tryln' to cheer some one. You ain't
got no more chance o*vbeIn' pardoned
than I have of gettlln' to be colonel of
haft ' **
When the fact that all hope was
gone finally* entered Lloyd's brain, a
calm seemed to settle over him, and
rising to his kne -s, with his arms
stretched out to heaven, he prayed, and
all of his soul enter<id Into the prayer. *
"O, good and merciful God, give me
strength to die like a man! Deliver
me from this coward's death. Give me
a chance to die like my mates in the
fighting line, to die fighting for my
country. I ask this of the A" *'' w
A peace, hitherto unknown, came to
him, and he crouched and cowered no
more, bat calmly waited the dawn,
ready to go to his death. The shells
were bursting all around the guardroom,
but he hardly noticed them.
While waiting there, the voice of the
sentry, singing In a low tone, came to.
him. He was singing the chorus of the
popular trench ditty: .
* \ / ? '
I want to go home, I want to go home.
I don't want'to go to the trenches no
more.
Where the "whizzbangs" and "sausages"
roar galore.
Take me over the sea, where the Allemand
can't get'at ma
Oh, my, I don't want to die! I want to go
home.
Lloyd listened to the words with a
strange interest, and wondered what
kind of a home he would go to across
the Great Divide. It would be the only
home he had ever known.
Suddenly there came a great rushing
through the air, a blinding, a deafening
report, and the sandbag walls of
the guardroom toppled over, and then
?blackness. v '-'i
When Lloyd recovered consciousness,
he was lying on his right side,
facing what used to be the. entrance of
the guardroom." Now, It was only a
jumble of rent and torn sandbags. His
head seemed bursting. He slowly rose
on his elbow, and there In the east the'
dawn was breaking. But what was
that mangled shape lying over there
among the sandbags? Slowly dragging
himself to It, he saw the body of the
sentry. One look was enough to know
that he was dead. The soldier's head
was missing. The sentry had had his
wish gratified. He had "gone home."
He was safe at last from the "whizzbangs"
and the Allemand.
Like a flash it came to Lloyd that he
was free. Free to go "over the top"
with his company. Free to die like a
true Briton fighting for his king and
country. A great gladness and warmth
came over him. Carefully stepping
over the body of the sentry, he started
on a mad race down the ruined street
of the village, amid the bursting shells,
minding them not, dodging through or.
around hurrying platoons on their way
to also go "over the top." Coming to
a communication trench he could not
get through. It was blocked with laughing,
cheering and cursing soldiers.
Climbing out of the trench, he ran
wildly along the top, never heeding the
rain or macmne-gun. ouuets ana sneus.
not even hearing the shouts of the officers,
telling him to get back Into the
trench. He was going to join his company
who were In the front line. He
was going to fight with them. He, the
despised coward, had come into his
own.
While he was racing along, jumping
over trenches crowded with soldiers, a
ringing cheer broke out all along the
front Hne, and his heart sank. He
knew he was too late. His company
had gone over. But still he ran madly.
He would catch them. He would die
with them.
Meanwhile hip company had gone
"over." They, with the other companies
had taken the first and second
German trenches, and had pushed
steadily on to the third line. D company,
led by their captain, the one who
had sent Lloyd to division headquarters
fnr trinl rhnrtrprt with dpsertion.
had pushed steadilj' forward until they
found themselves far in advance of
the rest of the attacking force. "Bombing
out" trench affer trench, and using
their bayonets, they came to a German
communication trench, which ended in
a blindsap, and then the captain, and
what was left of his men, knew they
were in a trap. They would not retire.
D company never retired, and
they were D company. Right in front
of them they could see hundreds of
Germans preparing to rush them with
bomb and bayonet. They would havo
some chance.il ammunition and bombs
could t^ofTtfrem^fFonf the' rear;' Tiifclr
supply was exhausted, and the men
realized it would be a case of djlng
as bravely as possible, or making a run
for it. But D company would not
run. It was against their traditions
and principles. !
The Germans would have to advance
across an open space of three to four
hundred yai'ds before they could get
within bombing distance of the trench,
and then it would be all their own way.
Turning to his company, the captain
said:
"Men, It's a case of going West for
us. We are out of ammunition and
bombs, and the Boches have us In a
trap. They will bomb us out. Our
bayonets are useless here. We will
have to go over and meet them, and
n rasp nf thirtv to one. so send
every thrust home, and die like the
men of D company should. When I
give the word, follow me, and up and
Sit them. Give them h ! Lord, if
w? only had a machine gun, we could
wipe them out! Here they come, gtt
ready, men."
Just as he finished speaking, the welcome
"pup-pup" of a machine gun in
toelr rear rang out, and the front line
of the onrushlng Germans seemed to
melt away. They wavered, but once
again came rushing onward. Down
went? their second line. The machine
gun was taking an awful toll of lives.!
Then again they tried to advance, but
tae machine gun mowed them down.
Dropping their rifles and bombs, theyj
broke and fled-in a wild rush back to'
their trench, amid the cheers of "D"
company. They were forming again
for another attempt, when In the rear
of D company came a iqlghty cheer.
The ammunition had arrived and with
it a Battalion of Scotch to re-enforce
them. They were saved. The unknown
machine gunner had;come to the rescue
in the nick of time.
With the re-enforcements it was an1
easy task to take the third German
line.
After the attack was over, the captain
and three of his noncommissioned
officers, wended their way back to the
position whure the machine gun had
done its deadly work. He wanted to
thank the gunner In the name of D
company fcr his magnificent deed.
They arrived at the gun, and an awful
sight met their eyes. i
Lloyd had* reached the front line
trench, after his company had left it A
strange company was ninbly crawling
' up the trench ladders. They were reenforcements
gelng over. They were
Scotties, and they made a magnificent
sight in their brightly -colored kilts and
bare knees.
Jumping over the trench, Lloyd raced
across "No Man's Land," unheeding the
rain of bullets, leanine over dark forms
on the groulid, some of which lay still,
while otheni called oat to him as h#
Speeded past
He came to the German front line,
but it was deserted, except fbr heaps
of dead and wounded?a grim tribute
to the work of his company, good old
D company, leaping trenches, and
gasping for breath, Lloyd could see
right ahead of him his company in a
dead-ended sap of a communication
trench, and across the open, away in
front of thenr, a mass of Germans preparing
for 11 charge. Why didn't D
company flro on them? "Why were tliey
so strangely silent? T^hat were tj?ey
waiting for? Then he knew?their ammunition
was exhausted.
But what was that on his right? A
machine gun. Why didn't it open Are
and save them? He would make that
gun's crew do their duty. Rushing
over to the gun he saw why it had not
opened fir^. Scattered around its base
lav six. still forms. Thev had broueht
their gun to consolidate the captured
position, but a German machine gun
had decreed they would never Are
again.
Lloyd pushed to the gun and, gra sping
the traversing handles, trained it
I toil the Germans. He pressed the thumb
piece,, but only a sharp click was the
result. The gun was unloaded. Then
[ he realized his helplessness. He did
not know how to load the gun. Oh,
why hadn't he attended the machlnej
gun course in England? He'd been
offered the chance, but with a blush of
shame he remembered that he had b een
afraid. The nickname of the machine
gunners had frightened him. They
were called the "Suicide club." Now,
because of this fear, his company
would be destroyed, the men of D company
would have to die, because he,
Albert Lloyd, had been afraid ol! a
name. In Ms shame he cried like a
baby. Anyway he could die with them
and, rising to his feet, he stumbled
over the body of one of the gunners,
who emitted a faint moan. A gleam
of hope flashed through him. Perhaps
this man could tell him how to load
the gun. Stooping over the body he
gently shook it and the soldier opened
his eyes. Seeing Lloyd, he closed
them again and, in a faint voice, said:
"Get away, you blighter, leave me
alone. I don't want any coward around
me."
The words, cut Lloyd like a knife,
but he was desperate. Taking the revolver
out ,cf the holster of the dying
Wtnn V?r\ nroeeo/1 fho mil77lP tM tilP
soldier's head and replied:
"Yes, it is Lloyd, the coward of
Company D, but so help me God. if
you don't tell me how to load that gun
I'll put a bullet through your brain!" i
A sunny smile came over the countenance
of the dying man and he said
In a faint whisper:
"Good old boy! I knew you wouldn't
disgrace- our company "
Lloyd interposed: "For God's soke,
if you want to save that company you
are so proud of, tell me how to load
that d?-d gun!"
As if reciting a lesson in school, the
soldier replied in a weak, singsong
[ ftonF." JW tirnnlr San'dle Back on roll*
i er, let go, and repeat motion, Gun Is
I now loaded. To fire, raise automatic
! safety latch, and press tliumbpiece.
| Gun Is now firing. If gun stops, aseeri
tain positiou of crank handle?"
j _ But Lloyd waited f?r no more. With
I wild joy at his heart, he took a belt
from one (jf the ammunition boxes lying
beside the gun,-and followed the
dying man'a Instructions. Then he
pressed the i:humbplece and a burst of
fire rewarded his efforts. The gun
was working/' "
Training it on the Germans he shouted
for joy as their front rank went
down. '
Traversing, the gun back and forth
&TOng the" mass of Germans, he saw
them break and run back to the cover
of their trend* leaving their dead and
wounded behind. He had saved his
company, he, Lloyd, the coward, had
"done his bit." Releasing the thumbl
.. ...
p!ece, he looked at the watch 0:1 his
wrist. He was still alive at . "3:381"
"Ping!"?a bullet sang through the
air, and Lloyd fell forward across the
gun. A thin trlckle-of blood ran down
his face from a little, black round hole
In his forehead. .
* *
' - "The sentence of the court had been
"duly carried out",
The captain slowly raised the limp
form drooping over the gun and, wiping
the blood from the white face, recognized'it
as Lloyd, the coward of D
company. Reverently covering the face
with his handkerchief he turned to his
"noncoms" and, in a voice husky with
emotions, addressed them:
"Boys, it's Lloyd, the deserter. He
has redeemed himself, died the death
of a hero?died that his mates might
live."
* . . *
rTKrt*
niai ajiiciLiuuu a duicuju j^iuvcoaiuu
wended Its .way toward the cemetery.
In the front a stretcher was carried by
two sergeants. Across the stretcher
the Union Jack was carefully spread.
Behind the stretcher came a captain
and forty-three men, all that were left
-of D company ' - >; - ^Arriving
at the cemetery, they halted
In front of an open grave. All about
them wooden crosses were broken and
trampled into the ground.
' A grizzled old sergeant, noting this
destruction, muttered under his
breath; "Curse the cowardly blighter
who wrecked those crosses! If I could
only get these two hands around his
neck his trip West would be short."
The corpse on the stretcher seemed
to move, or It might have been the
J /v4 +V. ? TTnl/VIt
Wiuu uiuwuig LUC iuiua ua uie urnuu
Jack. . j*. v. i
:'s J ' , " \ , * .
IXO BE' CONTINUED;)
>,V, > . I ^
Roger s Was Unatble to J
Move Without Help
i * . ' .1
'gives tanlac credit for
working great change
V ., ,,
for him. ; ;.
\ ' . \
From a condition -xrom which he
*7 ' 1
suffered so that h? }>p:'d to be holped
>y- .i j
around, Ora H. Rtfgers, of 1009
* * ' ' I
Kossuth St., New York, was changed
into a vigorous man who could
walk mil&s without having pains.
\ .
Because of this remarkable benefit,
Mr. Rogers said, "I praise Tanlac
above all other medicines, because,"!
as he publicly stated, "Tanlac worked
the change." Mr. Rogers' statement
is so interesting and holds
such encouragement for others that;
it is given word for word.
"I suffered from rheumatism and
pnins so bad that I often had to be1
helped when I walked across the
room," he declared. "That was
only a few weeks ago, and now I
can walk miles without suffering
| any pains.
"I will say right here," he continued,
"that rheumatism and stomach
trouble are about the' worst
things a man can have. I had pains
down my legs and through my body.
I had to sit down for hours, but
this only gave me a little relief.
"I tried many mcdicines, but not
one of them seemed to do me a|
particle of good. I kept hearing such
good reports from people of what
Tanlac was doing for others that Ij
decided to give it a trial. The first j
| bottle gave me some relief from!
those dreadful pains in my legs andi
back.
"As I kept on with Tanlac 1 bc<?an
to feel like a new men. The!
I
pains passed away, I could go any-i
where I wanted, and, as I said, travel
miles by myself.- You can im-1
<.'*ine how I felt to finally find a!
i7.'.livine with such merit as this
wonderful Tanlac."
Tanlac, the master medicine, is
sold exclusively by P. B. Speed, Ab-1
bevillo; A. S. Cade, Bordeaux; J. T.J
Black, Calhoun Falls; J. H. Bell &|
Sons, Due West; Cooley & Speer, j
Lowndesville; E. M. Fuller & Co., J
McCormick; J. W. Morrah & Son,
Mount Carmel; Covin & LeRoy, Wellington.
Frice, $1 per bottle straight.
fr. ** , * ***
CANTEEN W0RKE1
TO Pftllll'S
M. V A V ?UV U
FOR OYS1
Eleanor Robson Belmon
Tells of Her I
In the R
; .
i By ELEANOR ROl
W HEN I left for Europe a few
months ago I had no castiron
reverence for the Red
r# Cross. When I returned
from Europe I brought home with me
1 Ka1(a4I In Iia,' ftrflronlvoffAn
UUUUliUUCU UCUCl JJLl U1E Ulguuiauuvu.
I had seen enough to make me realize
that this was the best method of serving
the soldiers and sailors. We are
waging an economic war. Therefore
the surest and most effective way to
help is'through the established channels
selected for that purpose by the
government .
The main work of the American Red
Cross, however, is, of course, carried
on In France. The policy of those
heading this work is to back up, the
French .in their own efforts and to
help them develop along their own
lines, not to root out French institutions
and transplant American ones."
Whether we work, then. In canteens,
in' warehouses, in dispensaries, for
poilus 'or for refugees, in Paris or in
ff ^RSBPIHHr,
I nff^L . . j^-'f- ' ' * <
f b ^JHfl
ELEANOR ROBSON BELMONT.
_
the devastated districts, for the children
or for the aged, it is always on
the same plan of backing np the
French if they have any organization
or plan. 4
' < Poilus Like Oysters and Salad.
The canteen work is one of the most
gratifying ways of helping the men.
To see those poilus enjoying the first
delicacies they have had for days is a
soul-satisfying sight The English and
French maintain canteens where they
dispense soup, hot coffee and cocoa, tobacco.
chocolate, etc., but the American
Red Cross canteens serve real
dinners at Cost or under. The poilus
are inordinately fond of oysters and
salad; when they can order a plate
of oysters or a dish of salad in an
American canteen they are as happy
as children. We have six canteens In
the French zone for the French ?rmy
?France Is, of course, divided into
zones. In one line of communication
canteen we serve from 4,000 to 8,000
men a day. These canteens are near
the railroad stations for the benefit of
the men going to the front, being transferred
to some other section, or going
home on a furlough. In one section the
THE RE1
By EDGAR ,
TAM too old to shara
Too many yeara
Since Ttrst i saw in
My youth has b
I am too old to join thi
Far-flung today th
1 may not die for wha
But I am not too *
I am not yet so old th?
Have drifted fron
I still can hear the hel
And mercy still c:
I still can share from
The burden that <
And I thank God that
The Red Cross is
I am too old to bear a
Across the shell-tc
I may not go where tr
- ' And death's grim
But I can hear the he!
And I can serve tl
And I thank God that
I shall not be too
^^^^SliliMMWfejbSSED^^^y
r .#*, it>
JS CATER
> APPETITE
!? AND SALADS
- '
?. . .. ' . ? ' .* * 1
it, Home From Europe,
Inbounded 'Faith
1 r*
am ?*AO a \> i
CU VIUOW /
\M 'i
BSON.BELMONT.
hats used for this purpose are little
alleys marked "Paris," "Dijon," or Tfljf ' ''
ons." These little alleys are laid eat
with bunks filled with sleeping men.
If a poilu Is going to Paris, he throWt
himself down In the Paris bunk, serene
In/the knowledge that he will be called - *
in time for .the Paris train.
In some of the canteens the lights
have to be dimmed on account of aeroplanes.
Often the lights are ceyered
with colored muslin shields* which
make a rosy glow that la very home*
like. One of the canteens has been
[ decorated by some of. the best camon* <,
flage artists in France, who havfe taken
great delight in covering the walls uU
even the ceiling with their pictures. /,
The canteens are open day and night
I for the benefit of the men at the big
Junction'points. '
Do More Than Feed Men. J*The
wocien in the canteens do mon r
than feed-the men, howete*. Important
as that-is. Poilua tearing tMf
families are patnrally depressed agd
"~^ed sympathetic listeners. Some on*
to admire his wife's picture, some one
to laugh Aver the baby's latest sit*
of genius, some one to tell him. that
the oldest boy is the Image,of'.Ills <
handsome father?*his is as real a
need in the poliu's life as salaft er
soup. In fact the preSencrf of theae
fine women is- such an infloaaca for,
good that .'officers say the morale at
the army is distinctly higher wherever
the canteens are. This'diiueis great
rlValry among'the canteen workers.
Each one wants her canteen to be the
best and most popular in the Serrice.
.. Besides this direct, personal aerrlea.
to the soldiers the lied Cross is defag
a kind of John the Baptist, work with
dispensaries. We have fifteen dlSpen
sarles ' scattered tnrougn mscncta
where war has been or fa likely te k*.
France 'had mobilized 18,000 of her
24,000. physician a,-, leaving abotlt 6,000
for the whole of civilian France.
Sometimes yotf will find one old deder
taking, care * of several villages with
no means of transportation except occasionally
an aged. Overworked horse.
Here is a chance for the Red Cross to
step In and help. There ts a syndicate
of physicians to which thq Red Creas
applies to find out if a certain village
has a medical adviser; If not we establish
a center and- operate in a gives
section around the center. t
Bathing a Luxury.
a Pros* doctor and nurse so out
regularly to the villages is their section.
Each village Is Informed when they are
coming so that all who want medical
adylce or treatment can meet together
In one spot and save unnecessary call*.
Of course, If any one Is too 111 to come
to the doctor, the doctor goes to him.
The nurses carry among other things
shower baths for bablea. In many' regions
of France, owing to lack of facilities,
bathing Is a luxury, "so the superstition
has grown up that It la dangerous.
Now since the mothers are
convinced that their children will
be neither killed nor Injured, but on
the contrary benefited by baths, how
they do look forward to them I
' ?II InanttHnff Ailflvltw ||f
AllCf ttU' iuu) umpuu?5 wvm ??iy v*
tfie Red Cross on the other side, romantic
in spite of tl f drudgery and
tragedy, I expected the work here to
be an anti-climax. I was amazed, thai,
when I returned to see what we weTe
accomplishing at home.
' '/ . ... . ' ' i
acrossA.
GUEST.
the fight; , i ,
i have come and gone
e morning light.
een and traveled on* *
e line,
iat truth' shall live};
t Is fine,
Did to give.
111
i the world apart1
pless cry, '
in reach my heart
day to day
>ur youth must bearv
I can say
my symbol there.
i lance,
irn Flanders' field
oops advance
terrors are revealed? '
Ipless call,
lem while 1 live;
through it all
old to give.
1 ^ ? J