"Over the Top"
By An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
Machine Gunner Serving In Franc*
"" .bl. WIT. bj ArUiur Uuj MuiiMf J
j *1 CHAPTER V.
Mud, Rats and Sheila.
I mnst have slept for two or three
hours, not the refreshing kind that re
sults from clean sheets and soft pil
lows, but the sleep that comes from
<S)ld, wet and sheer exhaustion.
Suddenly, the earth seemed to shake
and a thunderclap hurst In my ears. I
opened my eyes ? I was splashed all
over with sticky mud, and 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
rul>h<-d the mud from my face, and tin
awful sight met my gur.e ? his head
was smashed to a pulp, and his steel
helmet was full of brains and blood.
A German "Minnie" (trench mortar)
1 1 . i ? I ii, i!i,> ip \t tr.-iver^e. M. n
were digging Into the soft mass of mud
In n frenzy of haste. Stretcher-bear
ers came up the trench on the double.
After n few minutes of diguing. three
still, muddy forms on stretchers were
carried down the communication
trench to tlie renr. Soon they would
he resting "somewhere in France," with
n little wooden cross over their heads.
They hnd done their lilt for king nnd
country, had died without firing n shot,
hut their services were appreciated,
?nevertheless.
Later on, I found out their names.
They belonged to our draft.
I was dazed anil motionless. Sud
denly a shovel was pushed Into my
hands, and u rough hut kindly voice
said :
"Here, my lad, lend a hand clearing
the trench, but keep your head down,
and look out for snipers. One of the
lYHz's is a daisy, nhd he'll get you if
you're not cnreful."
Lying on my belly on the bottom of
the trench, I filled sandbags with tin
sticky mud, they were dragged to my
rear by the other men, and the work of
rebuilding the parapet was on. The
harder I worked, the better I felt. A1
though the weather was cold, I was
soaked with sweat.
Occasionally a hullet would crack
overhead, and a machine gun would
kick up the mud on the hashed-ln para
pet. At each crack 1 would duck and
shield my face with my arm. One or
the older men noticed this lution of
mine, nnd whispered :
,? "Don't duck at the crack of a bul
let. Yank ; the danger has passed ? you
never hear the one that wings you.
Always remepiber that If you are going
to get It, you'll get It, so never worry."
This made u 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 mo wonderfully. T uwd It
so often afterwards that some of my
mates dubbed me, "If you're going to
get It, you'll get It."
After an hour's hard work, all my
nervousness left me, and I was laugh<
ing and Joking with tbe rest.
At one o'clock, dinner came up In
the form of a dlxle of hot stew.
^ I looked for my canteen. It had
I fallen off the Are step, and was half
1 buried In tbe mud. The man on my
/ left noticed this, and 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.
Thut stew tasted line. I wa? as
hungry ns a bear. We had "seconds,"
or another helping, because three of
the men had "gone West," killed by
the explosion of the German trench
mortar, and we ate their share, but
still I was hungry, so I filled in with
bully beef and biscuits. Then 1 drained
my water bottle. Later on I learned
another maxim of the front line, "(Jo
sparingly with your water." The bully
beef made me thirsty, and by tea time
I was dying for a drink, but my pride
would not allow me to ask my mates
for water. I was fast leurning 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 was
nervous work for me, but the other fel
low seemed to take it as part of the
?night's routine.
Then something shot past my face.
/My heart stopped beating, and I ducked
my head below the parapet. A soft
chuckle from my mate brought me to
my senses, and I feebly asked, "For
heaven's sake, what was that?"
He answered. "Only a rat taking a
promenade along the sandbags." 1
felt very sheepish.
About every twenty minutes the sen
try in the next traverse would fire a
star shell from his flare pistol. The
"plop" would give me a start of fright.
I never got used to this noise during
my service In the trenches.
I would watch the arc described by
the star shell, and -then stare Into No
Man's Land waiting for it to burst. In
its lurid light the barbed wire ami
stakes would be silhouetted against its
light like a latticed window. Then
darkness.
Once, out in front of our wire, I
heard a noise and saw dark forms
moving. My rifle was lying across the
sandbagged parapet. I reached for it,
and was taking aim to fire, when my
mate grasped my arm, and whispered,
"Don't flr.Si" lie challenged in a low
voice. The reply came hack Instantly
from the dnrk forms:
"Shut your blinkln' mouth, you
hloomin' Idiot ; do you want us to click
It from the BocEesT"
Later we learned that the word, "No
challenging or firing, wiring party out
in front," had been given to the sentry
on our right, hut he had failed to pas.'
ft down the trench. An officer had over*
l.eard <mr challenge and the reply, and
Immediately put the offending sentry
under urrest. The sentry clicked
twenty-one days on the wheel, that Is,
he received twenty-one days' field pun
ishment No. 1, or "crucifixion," au
Tommy terms It.
I This consists of being spread-eagled
on the wheel of u limber two hours a \
duy for twenty-one duys, regardless of
the weather. I>uring this period, your
rations consist of bully beef, biscuits
and water.
A few months later I met this sentry
and lie confided to me that since being
"crucified," he had never failed to pass
the word down the trench when so or
dered. In view of the offense, the
above punishment was very light, In
that falling to pass the word down a
trench may mean the loss of many
lives, and the spolllug 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 the brigade.
Going down the communication
trench we wore In a merry mood, al
though we were cold and wet, and
every bone in our bodies ached. It
makes a lot of difference whether you
are "going In" or "going out."
At the end of the communication
trench, limbers were waiting on the
road for us. 1 thought we were going
to ride buck to rest billets, but soon
found out that the only time an in
fantryman rides is when he Is
wounded and Is bound for the base or
IJIIghty. These Umbers carried our
reserve ammunition and rations. Our
march to rest billets was thoroughly
enjoyed by me. It seemed as if I
were on furlough, and was leaving be
hind everything that was disagree
able niid horrible. Every recruit feels
this way after being relieved from the
trenches.
We marched eight kilos and then
halted In front of a French estamlnet.
The captain gave the order to turn
out on each side of the road and wait
his return, l'retty soon he came back
and told I! company to occupy billets
117, 118 and 119. Billet 117 was an
old stable which had previously been
occupied by cows. About four feet in
front of the entrance was a huge ma
nure pile, and the odor from it was
anything but pleasant. Using my
flashlight I stumbled through the doyr.
Just before entering 1 observed a
white sign rending: "Sitting 50, lying
20," twit, at the time, its significance
did not strike me. Next morning I
asked the sergeant major what It
meant. He nonchalantly answered:
"That's some of the work of the It.
A. M. ?. (Itoyal Army Medical corps).
It simply means that In case of an at
tack, this billet will accommodate
fifty wounded who are able to sit up
and take notice, or twenty stretcher
cases."
It was not long after this that I was
one of the "20 lying."
I soon hit the hay and was fast
?Bleep, even my friends the "cooties"
failed to disturb me.
The next morning at about six
o'clock I was awakened by the laoce
corporal of our section, informing me
that I had been detailed as mess or
derly, and to report to the cook and
jlive him a hand. I helped him make
the lire, carry water from nn old well,
and fry the bacon. Lids of dixies are
used to cook the bacon in. After
breakfast was cooked, 1 carried a dixie
of hot ten and the lid full of bacon to
our section, and told the corporal that
breakfast was ready. He looked at me
in contempt, and then shouted, "Break
fast up, come and net it!" I immedi
ately got wise to the trench parlance,
and never again informed that "Break
fast was served."
It didn't take long for the Tommies
to answer this call. Half dressed,
they lined up with their canteens and
I dished out the tea. Each Tommy
carried in his hand a thick slice of
bread which had been issued with the
rations the night before. Then I had
the pleasure of seeing them dig Into
the bacon with their dirty lingers. The
allowance was one slice per man. The
late ones received very small slices.
As each Tommy got his share he im
mediately disappeared Into the billet.
Pretty soon about fifteen of them made
a rush to the cookhouse, each carrying
a huge slice of bread. These slices
they dipped into the bacon grease
which was stewing over the fire. The
last man invariably lost out. 1 was
the last man.
After breakfast our section carried
their equipment into a field adjoining
the billet and got busy removing the
trench mud therefrom, because at 8:45
a. ni., they had to fall In for inspection
and parade, and woe betide the man
who was unshaven, or had mud on his
uniform. Cleanliness is next to godli
ness In the British army, and Old l'ep
per must have been personally ac
quainted with St. Peter.
Our drill consisted of close-order
formation, which lasted until noon.
During this time we had two ten-min
ute breaks for rest, and no sooner tfce
word, "Fall out for ten minutes," was
given than each Tommy got out a fag
and lighted it.
Fags arc issued every Sunday morn
ing. and you generally get between
twenty and forty. The brand gen
erally issued is the "Woodbine." Some
times we are lucky and get "Gold;
flakes," "Players" or "Red Hussar*."
Occasionally an Issue of "Life Itayg"
('omen along. Then the older Tommies
immediately get busy on the recruits
and trade these for "Woodbine?'' or
"Gold flake*." A recruit only has to
be stuck once In this manner, and then
he ceases to be a recruit. There In a
reason. Totntny Is a great cigarette
smoker. He smokes under all condi
tions, except when unconscious or
when he Is reconnottering in No Man's
Land at night. Then, for obvious rea
sons, he does not care to have a light
ed cigarette in his mouth.
Stretcher bearers earry fags for
wounded Tommies. When a stretcher
bearer arrives alongside of a Tommy
who has been hit the following conver
sation usually takes place: Stretcher
bearer ? "Want a fag? Where are you
hit?" Tommy looks up and answers,
"Yes. In the leg."
After dismissal from parade, we re
turned to our billets and I had to get
busy Immediately with the dinner Is
sue. Dinner consisted of stew made
from fresh beef, a couple of spuds,
bully beef, Maconochle rations and wa
ter ? plenty of water. There Is great
competition among the men to spear
with their forks the two lonely pota
toes.
After dinner I tried to wash out
the dixie with cold water and a rag,
and learned another maxim of the
trenchep ? "It can't be done." I slyly
watched one of the older men from
another section, and was horrified to
see him throw into his dixie four or
five double liandfuls of mud. Then, he
poured In some water, and with his
hands scoured the dixie inside and out.
I thought he was taking an awful risk.
Supposing the cook should have seen
him ! Al ter half an hour of unsuc
cessful efforts I returned my dixie to
the cook shack, being careful to put on
the cover, and returned to the billet.
Resting Back of the Lines.
' Protty soon the cook poked his head
in the door and shouted: "Hey, Yank.
' come out here and clean your dixie!"
I protested that I had wasted a half
hour on it already, and had used up j
r.iy only remaining sldrt in the at- ;
| tempt. With a look of disdain he ex- j
claimed: "Blow me, your shirt! Why
i in didn't you use mud?"
Without a word in reply I got busy
with the inud, and soon my dixie was
i bright and shining.
Most of the afternoon was spent by
the men writing letters home. I used
my spare time to chop wood for the
cook and go with the quartermaster to
draw coal. I got back just in time to
Issue our third meal, which consisted
of hot tea. I rinsed out my dixie and
returned it to the cookhouse, and went
back to the billet with an exhilarated
! feeling that my day's labor was done.
\ I had fallen asleep on the straw when
j once again the cook appeared In the
door of the billet with: "Bllme me, you
Yanks are lazy. Who in a-goin' to
j draw the water for the mornin' tea?
Po you think I'm a-goin' to? Well,
I'm not," and he left. I filled the dixie
with water from an old squeaking well,
and once again lay down In the straw.
(To Be Continued.)
SKE I S FOR NEW W U ENGINES.
Cotter Harware Co.
Good.
THE kind of printing that
p^y? dividends is ths
k i . . d you should have.
Pale, n-.uddv, poorly arranged
printed matter is worse than
none. Tue quality of your
business is often judged by
the quality of your stationery
? inferior printing gives an
impression of cheapness that
is hard to overcome, while
good printing carries with it a
desirable suggestion of quality.
We produce only Quality
Printing. Whether you waDt
an inexpensive handbill or ?
letterhead in colors, if you
order it from us you will be
sure of getting good work.
We have the equipment and
the "know how" that enables
us to get out really good print- _
ing ? printing that impresses
people with the good taste of
' its user*. That it the only
kind of printing that
?p
ays
BUSINESS NOTICES.
OCR ARMY AND HOW TO KNOW
IT for sale at THE HERALD of
fice. Price 25 cents.
J 1ST RECEIVED BIG LOT CAN
vas cloth for tobacco beds. Cotter
Underwood Company.
ALL THOSE MEMBERS OF THE
congregation of the Baptist church
having copies of the church's song
books, "The Gospel Hymttt, Nos. 1
to 6", in their homes will please
return them to the church. They are
needed. T. J. Lassiter, church clerk.
FOR J .R. W ATKINS' MEDICINES
and toilets go to Selma Supply Co.,
Selma, N. C.
TWO CARS OF STOVES AND
Ranges just received. Cotter Hard
ware Company.
J I ST RECEIVED AT COTTER-UN
derwood Company's a car load of
Red Rust Proof seed oats.
TWO CARS OF STOVES AND
Ranges just received. Cotter Hard
ware Company.
I HAVE A NICE JERSEY COW
with young calf for sale. John H.
Lnngston, Bentonville, Route 2 N.
fjC.
FOR J. R. \Y ATKINS* MEDICINES
and toilets go to Selma Supply Co.,
Selma, N. C.
TWO CARS OF STOVES AND
? Ranges just received. Cotter Hard
ware Company.
THREE HUNDRED TONS BEST
grade fertilizers now in warehouse.
Cotter-Underwood Co., Smithfield,
N. C.
MONEY SHOULD WORK. WE SELL
Acid Phosphate, 16 per cent, for
818.75 per ton cash. Quality guaran
teed. Farmers Mercantile Co., Sel
ma, N. C.
IF YOU WANT TO SELL YOUR
. farm it will pay you to figure with
with us. Abell & Gray, Smithfield,
N. C.
SEE I S FOR ASPHALT ROOFING.
Cotter Hardware Co.
A< !I> PHOSPHATE, 16 PER CENT.
<ash, analysis rfnd quality guaran
teed. Farmers Marcentile Co., Sel
ma, N. C.
RINGLET BARRED ROCK EGGS,
from fancy type. First prize win
ners every year. $1.50, $2 and $3
per 15. Hamilton Bros., Smith
field, N. C. ^
SEE US FOR ASPHALT ROOFING.
Cotter Hardware Co.
WE ARE IN THE MARKET FOR
several farms, of different sizes. If
you want to sell see us. Abell &
Gray, Smithfield, N. C.
IF YOU NEED A GOOD SEWING
machine for your wife buy the New
Home. For sale by J. M. Beaty,
Smithfield, N. C.
SEE US FOR ASPHALT ROOFING.
Cotter Hardware Co.
WE HAVE JUST RECEIVED A CAR
of Muriate of Potash. Come quick
if you want any. Cotter-Under
wood Company.
I HAVE FOR SALE ONE MILCH
. .cow. C. W. Willaims, Selma, N. C.l
R. F. D. No. 1.
WE HAVE THE JOHN DEERE
?Corn Planters. Cotter Hardware
Company.
FOR SALE? SEVERAL RHODE is
land Red cockerels at $1.50 cach.
Eggrs 15 for $1.25. R. A. Bain,
Four Oaks, N. C.
He Ha sTried this Method for Twenty
Five Years and Now Says That for
Purposes of rest A Horizontal Po
sition in lied Beats Draping the
Body Over a Chair.
WE HAVE THE JOHN DEERE
. Corn Planters. Cotter Hardware
Company.
fcin HOARD YOUR MONEY
yhen we sell ylti per cent. Acid Phos
phate for $18.75 per ton for the
cash. Farmers Mercantile Co., Sel
ma, N. C.
THE SMITH FIELD BUILDING &
Loan Association has helped a num
ber of people to build homes. It will
help others, and maybe you. New
series of shares now open. See Mr,
J. J. Broadhurst.
WE HAVE THE JOHN DEERE
Corn Planters. Cotter HArdware
Company.
SEE US FOR NEW WAY ENGINES,
Cotter Hardware Co.
LET US SCREEN YOL K HOUSE
for 60 cents. At Herald Office.
WE HAVE ON HAND A FEW GOOD
mules and horses for sale. Cotter- '
Uafcnmi Qmwy. I
WANTED.
White men between the ages of six
teen and twenty-one to operate ma
chines in Tobacco Factory. Good
wages. Come at once.
BLACKWELL'S DURHAM
BRANCH,
Durham, N. C.
PURE BRED S. C. WHITE ORPING
ton eggs for sale. $1.50 per setting.
Mrs. C. S. Braodhurst, Smithfield,
N. C.
THE WORLD ALMANAC FOR 1918,
cloth bound. A book of 290 pages
now. Cotter Hardware Co.
WANTED 25 GEESE. WILL PAY
highest price for same. Joel John
son, Route 1, Smithfield, N. C.
MISTAKE ? ON SATURDAY NIGHT
March 9th some one through a mis
take carried out a package belong
ing to Mr. J. S. Strickland contain
ing the bowi of a store lamp. The
mistaken patty will please bring it
to my store. Jas. A. Creech Co.
Four Oaks, N. C.
FOR SALE OK EXCHANGE? ONE
Overland touring car, newly over
hauled and in splendid condition.
Would exchange fcr Ford roxd
ster. Joel A. Johnson, Smithfield,
N. C., Route 1.
DON'T PUT OFF SCREENING
house. See us at once. Cotter Hard
ware Company.
FOR SALE? 5 ROOM COTTAGE,
electric lights, good garden, three
blocks from Selma Graded School.
Bargain for quick purchaser. Reas
on for selling, moving away. Apply
,C. W. Stallings, Box 140, Selma, N.C.
JUST RECEIVED A LARGE LOT
of New Testaments, ranging in
price from ten cents to $1.40 each.
Herald Book Store, Smithfield, N. C.
DON'T PUT OFF SCREENING
house. See us at once. Cotter Hard
ware Company.
BUY YOUR ACID AND COTTON
seed meal from the Cotter-Under
wood Company, Smithfield. Full
supply now cn hand.
SAVE THE QUARTERS
and
SEE THE DOLLARS GROW.
BUY WAR-SAVINGS STAMPS!
An Aged Man Says Sleeping
In Chair Is Not A Success
He Has Tried This Method For Twenty-Five
Years And Now Says That For Purpose
of Rest A Horizontal Position in
Bed Beats Draping The
Body Over a Chair.
There never has been but one sat
isfactory manner discovered for sleep
ing, and that is with the body in a
horizontal position in a bed, and any
effort to change this method defeats
one of natures most important pur
poses.
One of Raleigh's well-known citi
zens, Mr. J. R. Pool, 708 Hargett St.,
says that he has been forced to srend
many nights trying to sleep on a chair.
Mr. Pool says:
"I could not sleep lying flat on my
back and had to get up and try to
sleep sitting in a chair. This was due
to a severe cr.se of liver and stomach
trouble, from which I suffered for twen
ty-five years. I was also unable tj eat
meat and suffered intense pains in
my shoulder, and at times these pains
were so severe that I would fall
over.
'"My son recently pave me a bottle
of Peplac and now, for the first time
in twenty-five years, I can sleep peace
fully in bed, free from pain. I cafn
eat meat and vegetables three Vines
a day. I am sixty-four years old, but
Peplac has made a new man of me.
Now, in addition to looking aftrr my
grocery business I can plow and am
feeling fine and happy."
The merits of this great construc
ture tonic will be gladly explained at
Hood Brothers where it is recommend
ed and sold.
IN a year it has become
famous; the man's cig
arette for the men who are
working over here, and
fi^htin.^ over there.
o o
The reason? Because
it's made of Burley pipe
tobacco and because?
IT'S TOASTED