Newspapers / Polk County News and … / July 12, 1918, edition 1 / Page 7
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t t POLK GQUNTtlNEWS, TRYON, N. C MACHINE EMPEY HEARS THE STORY OF THE TOMMY WHO HAD A BROAD StREAK OF YELLOW. , Synopsis.- Fired by the sinking of the 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 France, where he first hears the sound of big guns and makes the acquaintance of "cooties." After a brief period of training Empey's company is sent Into the front-line trenches, where he takes his first turn on the fire step while the bullets whiz overhead. Empey learns, as comrade falls, that death lurks always In the trenches. Chaplain distinguishes himself by rescuing wounded men under hot fire. With pick and shovel Empey has experience as a trench digger In No Man's Land. Exciting experience on listening post detail. Ex citing work on observation post duty. Back in rest billets Empey writes and stages a successful play. Once more in the front trenches, Empey goes "over the top" in a successful but costly attack on the German lines. Soon afterwards Empey and his comrades repulse a determined gas attack launched by the German.-?. His next experience Is as a member of a firing squad which executes a sentence of death. CHAPTER XXIV Continued. 21 After standing at "attention" for what seemed a week, though in reality It could not have been over five min utes, we heard a low whispering In our rear and footsteps on the stone flag ging of the courtyard. Our officer reappeared and in a low, but firm voice, ordered : -About Turn !" We turned about. In the gray light of dawn, a few yards in front of me, I could make out a brick wall. Against this wall was a dark form with a white square pinned on Its breast. We were supposed to aim at this square. To the right of the form I noticed a white spot on the wall. This would be my target. -Ready! Aim! Fire!" The dark form sank into a huddled heap. My bullet sped on Its way, and hit the whitish spot on the wall ; . I could see the splinters fly. Some one else had received the rifle containing the blank cartridge, but my mind was at ease, there was no blood of a Tommy on my hands. "Order Arms ! About Turn ! Pile Arms ! Stand Clear." The stacks were re-formed. -Quick March ! Right Wheel P And we left the scene of execution be hind us. It was now daylight. After march ing about five minutes, we were dis missed with the following instructions from the officer in command : -Return, alone, to your respective companies, and remember, no talking about this affair, or else it will go hard with the guilty ones." We needed no urging to get away. I did not recognize any of the men on the firing squad; even the officer was a stranger to me. The victim's relations and friends in Blighty will never know that he was executed; they will be under the im pression that he died doing his bit for king and country. Jn the public casualty lists his name Vlll appear under the caption "Acci dentally Killed," or "Died." The day after the execution I re ceived orders to report back to the i line, and to keep a still tongue in my head. Executions are a part of the day's work, but the part we hated most of all, I think certainly the saddest. The British war department is thought by many people to be composed of rigid regulations all wound around with red tape. But it has a heart, and one of the evidences of this is the considerate way in which an execution is concealed and reported to the relative of the un fortunate man. They never know the i truth. He is listed in the bulletins as among the "accidentally killed." In the last ten years I have several times read stories In magazines of - cowards changing,, in a charge, to he roes. I used to laugh at it. It seemed easy for story-writers, but I said, "Men aren't made that way." But over In France I learned once that the streak of yellow can turn all white. I picked up the story, bit by bit, from the captain of the company, the sen tries who guarded the poor fellow, as well as from my own observations. At first I did not realize the whole of his story, but after a week of Investiga tion it stood out. as clear in my mind as the mountains of my native West in the spring sunshine. It Impressed me so much that I wrote it all down in rest billets on scraps of odd paper. The incidents are, as I say, every bit true; the feelings of the man are true I know from all I underwent In the fighting over In France. We will call him Albert Lloyd. That wasn't his name, but it will do : Albert Lloyd was what the world terms a coward. In London they called him a slacker. His country had bn at war nearly eighteen months, an J still he was n6t in Knaci. He had no good reason for not eo lfcttng, being alone In the world, hav - ln been educated In an orphan asy--4wa, aad there being no c dependent . ANAMEBKMt SOLDIER WHO WENT MM ajNHER,XRYING w nwria 1917 BY ARTHUR UYEWfY upon him for support. He had no good position to lose, and there was no sweetheart to tell him with her Hps to go, while her eyes pleaded for him to stay. Every time he saw a recruiting ser geant he'd slink around the corner out of sight, with a terrible fear gnawing at his heart. When passing the big re cruiting posters, and on his way to business and back he passed many, he would pull down his cap and look the other way from that awful finger pointing at him, under the caption, "Your King and Country Need You;" or the boring eyes of Kitchener, which burned Into his very soul, causing him to shudder. Then the Zeppelin raids during them, he used to crouch in a corner of his- boarding-house cellar, whimpering like a whipped puppy and calling upon the Lord to protect him. Even his landlady despised him, al though she had to admit that he was "good pay." He very seldom read the papers, but one momentous morning the landlady put the morning paper at his place be fore he came down to breakfast. Tak ing his seat he read the flaring head line, "Conscription Bill Passed," and nearly fainted. Excusing himself, he stumbled upstairs to his bedroom, with the horror of It gnawing into his vitals. Having saved up a few pounds, he decided not to leave the house, and to sham sickness, so he stayed in his room and had the landlady serve his meals there. Every time there was a knock at the door he trembled all over, Imagining it was a policeman who had come to take him away to the army. One morning his fears were realized. Sure enough, there stood a policeman with the fatal paper. Taking it in his trembling hand he read that he, Albert Lloyd, was ordered to report himself to the nearest recruiting station for physical examination. He reported im mediately, because he was afraid to disobey. The doctor looked with approval upon Lloyd's six feet of physical per fection, and thought what a fine guardsman he would make, but exam ined his heart twice before he passed him as "physically fit ;" it was beating so fast. From the recruiting depot Lloyd was taken, with many others, in charge of a sergeant, to the training depot at Al dershot, where he was given an outfit of khaki, and drew his other equip ment. He made a fine-looking soldier, except for the slight shrinking in his shoulders and the hunted look in his eyes. At the training depot it does not take long to find out a man's character, and Lloyd was promptly dubbed "windy." In the English army "windy" means cowardly. The smallest recruit in the barracks looked on him with contempt, and was not slow to show it in many ways. Lloyd was a good soldier, learned quickly, obeyed every order promptly, never groused at the hardest fatigues. He was afraid to. He lived in deadly fear of the officers and "noncoms" over him. They also despised him. One morning about three months after his enlistment Lloyd's company was paraded, vand the names picked out for the next draft to France were read. When his name was called, he did not step out smartly, two paces to the front, and answer cheerfully, "Here, sir " as the others did. He just faint ed In the ranks and was carried to bar racks amid the sneers of the rest. That night was an agony of misery to him. He could not sleep. Just cried and whimpered in his bunk, because on the morrow the draft was to sail for France, where he would! see death on all sides, and perhaps be killed him self. On the steamer, crossing the channel, he would have Jumped over board to escape, but was afraid of drowning. Arriving la France, be and the rest .oro huddled Into cattle cars. .On tn side of each appeared In white letters, "Hommes 40, C&evaux 8." After hours of bumping over the uneven French roadbeds they arrived at the training base of Rouen. At this place they were put througp a week's rigid training In trench war fare. On the morning of the eighty day they paraded at ten o'clock, apS were inspected and passed by General H , then were marched to the quar termaster's, to draw their gas helmet and trench equipment. f ; At four In the afternoon they weft) again hustled into cattle cars. Thi time the Journey lasted two days. They disembarked at the town of Frei vent and could hear a distant duj booming. With knees shaking, LloyJ asked the sergeant what the noise waag and nearly dropped when the sergeaa replied in a somewhat bored tone : , J J "Oh, them's the guns up the Hnfe We'll be up there in a couple o days or so. Don't worry, my laddie, yout see more of 'em than you want before. I you get ome to Blighty again, tnat if you're lucky enough to get back Now lend a hand there unloadln' thero. cars, and quit that everlastin' shaking. I believe yer scared." The last with a contemptuous sneer. ! They marched ten kilos, full pack,: to a little dilapidated village, and the sound of the guns grew louder, con-t stantly louder. The village was full of soldiers whof turned out to inspect the new draft I the men who were shortly to be their mates In the trenches, for they wer ; going "up the line" on the morrow, t J "take over" their certain sector or a trenches. The draft was paraded in front oil battalion headquarters and the mecfy were assigned to companies. jj Lloyd was the only man assigned to. D company. Perhaps the officer la charge of the draft had something tol do with it, for he called Lloyd aside?! and said: h "Lloyd, you are going to a new com-?t pany. wo one Knows you. lour Dea will be as you make It, so for God's sake, brace up and be a man. I think, you have the stuff in you, my boyj so m W ft a good-by and the best of luck to you." The next day the battalion took overt their part of the trenches. It happened' to be a very quiet day. The artillery behind the lines was still, except for an occasional shell sent over to let the. Germans know the gunners were not asleep. In the darkness, in single file, the company slowly wended their way; down the communication trench to the : front line. No one noticed Lloyd's white and drawn face. After they had relieved the company in the trenches, Lloyd, with two of the old company men, was put on guard la one of the traverses. Not a shot was fired from the German lines, and no one paid any attention to him crouched on the firing step. On the first time in, a new recruit Is not required to stand with his head "over the top." He only "sits It out," while the older men keep watch. At about ten o'clock, all of a sudden, he thought hell had broken loose, and crouched and shivered up against the parapet. Shells started bursting, as he Imagined, right in their trench, when la fact they were landing about a hun dred yards in rear of them, in the sec ond lines. One of the older men on guard, turn ing to his mate, said: "There goes Fritz with those d -d trench mortars again. It?s about time our artillery 'taped' theVn, and sent over a few. -Well, I'll be d d, where's that blighter of a draft man gone to? There's his rifle leaning against the parapet. He must have legged it. Just keep your eye peeled. Dick, while I report It to the sergeant. I wonder If the fool knows he can be shot for such tricks as leavin' his post?" Lloyd had gone. When the trench mortars opened up, a maddening ter ror seized him and he wanted to run, to get away from that horrible din, anywhere to safety. So quietly sneak ing around .the traverse, he came to the entrance of a communication trench, and ran madly and blindly down it, running into traverses, stumbling into muddy holes, and falling full length over trench grids. Groping blindly, with his arms stretched out In front of him, he at last came out of the trench into the village, or what used to be a village, before the German artillery razed It. Mixed with his fear, he had a pe culiar sort of cunning, which whis pered to him to avoid all sentries, be-, cause if they, saw him he would be sent back to that awful destruction in the front line, and perhaps be killed or maimed. The thought made him shudder, the cold sweat coming out in beads on his face. Empey learns that a streak of yellow sometimes can turn all white. He tells the unusual tory In the next installment. . (TO BE CONTINUED.) 1 Best Material for Splints. Galvanized wire netting Is claimed, to be much superior to wood s a ma terial for surgical splints. It Is strong, light In weight, non-absoftent and easily sterilized, and, unlike wood and plaster, gives free ventilation. The new splints are woven from wire so tempered that it can easily be pressed Into shape to be bound closely upon the Injured limb. Dally Thought No nobler feeling than this, of ad niratlon for one higher than himself, dwells in the breast of man. It is to this hoar, and at all hours, a vivifylo Influence la man's UXe, C rlyle. IMPROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL mi (By REV. P. B. FITZWATJEK, U. u Teacher of English Bible in the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago.) '(Copyright, 1918. Western Newspaper Union.) LESSON FOR JULY 14 READING GOD'S WORD. LESSON TEXT-Paalms 19:7-11; Acts 8: 26-39. J GOLJDEN TEXT Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FOR TEACHERS Psalms 37:31; 119:9-18; Pro verbs 13:13; Isaiah 55:8-11; John 5:39-46-47; Romans 15:4. DEVOTIONAL READING Psalms 119: 9-16. 97-105. I. Characteristics of God's Word (Ps. 19:7-11). The Psalmist here sets forth six de scriptive titles of God's Word, six out standing qualities, and six resultant effects. FIRST GROUP 1. Title: 'The Law of the Lord" (v. 7). By this Is meant the fundamental principles which God as a moral being reveals to the consciences of men as binding upon the soul. 2. Quality: "Perfect" (v. 7). It is free from omissions and re dundancies. It Is perfect as a moral 'code, .and it perfectly accomplishes man's salvation. " 3. Effect: "Converting the Soul (v. 7). The practical effect of the law of God is to turn men to God himself, righteousness and hollnet-i. SECOND GROUP 1. Title: "The Testimony of the Lord" (v. 7). It is the witness which God bears as to his attributes, and against man's I sins. 2. Quality: "Sure" (v. 7) It is plain and infallible. We can repose in It our Interests for time and eternity. . 3. Effect: "Making Wise the Sim :ple" (v. 7). The simple are those who have hum rjble open and teachable minds. THIRD GROUP r. 1. Title: "The Statutes of the Lord" M 8). I These are the principles or charges Which the Lord gives to us all, to fit .us to rightly perform the duties which the different relations of life make obligatory upon us. 2. Quality: "Right" (v. 8). l They are from the righteous God jjund are absolutely just and equftable. f & Effect: "Rejoicing the Heart" (v. :8). ) ' The true heart rejoices In Justice and equity. Fourth group ! 1. Title: "The Commandment of the .ord" (v. 8). I This brings Into view the personal (Jod who stands bagk of his law to en force Its demands to require obedi ence to its precepts. 2. Quality: "Pure" (v. 8). It is free from deceit and error. 3. Effect: "Enlightening the Eyes" tv. 8). J The effect of (Sod's law Is to give tfian ability, nt only to under stand his love and salvation, but to be vf lse as to the things about him. IFTH GROUP It 1. Title: "The Fear of the Lord" (v. ). J Reading the Word of God produces reverential fear in the heart of the reader. 1 2. Quality: "Clean" (v. 9). jjflt is not only clean in Itself, but sanctifies the heart of those who re ceive it. ! 3. Effect: "Enduring Forever"! (v. 9). !The life and relationship founded ujpon his law abide forever. SJXTH GROUP Title: "The Judgments of the tVd" (v. 9). ,lBy this Is meant the sentences pro nounced by God's Word. ':2. rQuality: "True and Righteous t- ). lThe penalties prescribed by God ae true, conformable to the intuitive rjafral sense of man. 'S. Effect: "Serve as Warnings a.id Bjring Reward" (v. 11). lt the warnings be heeded, hip wecks upon life's sea will be pre vented. Besides God pays a wage for obedience to his laws. Godliness is profitable unto all, having the promise dfjthe life that now is, and that which la to come. jil I. A Notable Example of Bible tudy (Acts 8:269). jjl. Who It Was (v. 27). ' IjjjFhe Ethiopian eunuch, a man of gtf&t authority. He was the secretary oflithe, treasury of the Ethiopian queen. The wisest and best men and women of the earth have been reverent stu dents of the Bible aad have testified to jits beauty and power. The Circumstances of (v. 28). jjft was while traveling that this gTifat man was studying the Bible. TJt.is is a most excellent way to im prove moments while on a journey. ' 4?. Doing Personal Work (vv. 29-37). ifhilip was taken from his great evfmgelistlr work in Samaria and di rected to go to the desert. The Spirit dlijt'cted Philip to Join himself to the harlot in which the Ethiopian wag traveling. Philip ran in obedience to ihf Spirit's command. One should be Hlwt for 'the Spirit's direction as for th, Individual with whom to do per $al work. The eunuch was inquir ing after the way of life. But still he. needed the help of a Spirit-taught ma.n. lesson Late Summer Silk Suit Those who design suits showed us Just how adroit they could be when they managed their early spring offer ings of wool. They had t be made of the shortest allowance of goods, but the designers made a ylrtue of neces sity and the conservation of wool worked to the advantage of styles. Later they turned to several new and heavy weaves In silk as a substitute for wool and for midsummer they were able to forget all about saving ma terials and design suits of taffeta and satin according to their own fancy. These make the last of their offerings ; for now they must begin their work for fall. No one could ask for more than they have done this season In giving us va riety In styles. In the pretty suit at the left of Hhe picture there returns once more the banished plaited skirt, with four double box plaits, to com mend it to the possessor of a slender figure. The short coat boasts side plaits below the waistline, the design er apparently determining to make the most of the privilege of using plaits again. The coat opens over a narrow White vest, the straight pieces at each side of the front having the effect of scarf ends finished with pendent, silk covered balls. 4 The suit at the right Is of black Inexpensive Hats for Little Girls h ! ' Three little inexpensive hats for the small girl, in the picture above, dem onstrate that headwear need not be fine in order to be tasteful. These shapes are well blocked and very, sim ply trimmed with velvet or silk rib bon in narrow widths and good qual ity. The braids are of the cheaper kind, but they are substantial enough for the short-lived millinery of the little miss who is apt to put their stay ing qualities to the test. At the left of the group the most popular of shapes for little girls is shown, made of a heavy tuscan braid rather closely woven. It is the natural straw color. Narrow blue satin rib bon is banded about it and finished with a knot at the front, and the hat Is lined with blue silk. Very much the same shape Is shown at the right, of white milan hemp. Narrow satin ribbon, gathered along one edge, is used to make a band and medallions on the crown. There are three small medallions, one at each side and one at the back, and a larger one, at the front. A little blossom is posed, with a bow of the ribbon, at the base of each medallion. In this particular hat the ribbon is light blue satin and the blossom a pink wild rose. The odd hat of fancy braid (In the natural straw color) atthe center of the picture Is a Chinese inspiration. The curious peak In the crown distin guishes It from other shapes and is reminiscent of coolie hats and turbans with distinguishing buttons at-the top. Xarrow brown velvet 'ribbon makes a hand with ends crossing at the front, t-here dusters of little buds are s taffeta with a plain. morWn',.. skirt. Coats pointed at the bottom have proved so graceful that this tea ture of spring styles is retained in ttui inuuei. ine couar, cut in points that are embroidered, is new. The gird( at the high waistline is extended Into points at each side of the back, and these are embroidered also. The sleeves are gathe&ed Into flaring cuffs, ornamented with a1 row of rather large silk-covered buttons. Children's Clothes. There are many serviceable froclu of linen of heavy weave. For some reason, some of the smart children! outfitters .have put out an unusual number of linen frocks in yellow and lavender; perhaps because these colors are off the beaten track of children's equipment. , We must all have grown a little weary of the In cessant pink and blue conventional!? selected for little girls a few years and more ago, observes a Paris fash ion correspondent. It does seem a lit tle odd to put lavender on a two-year-old, doesn't It? And yet one of the most charming frocks recently shown by a children's dressmaker of note was of white voile, with collars and cuffs of violet orgundie finished with loose, coarse buttonholing. tacked over the ribbon. It uldn possible to place trimming more.. ply, and that is what gives childish w their character. Washable Walls. Whir c-KmiIH hiirlrpn nrefer to write on Immaculate walls rather than writing paper? Because, first, i mothers caution them not to do It second, because the walls are and the writing looks better on u than it does on paper. Hut the has come when the mother need for the white nursery walls n0 !'m' a They can indeed, be charged rr source of Irritation to e(1"citll al purposes by means of a fiis rd. makes them washable. In other all pencil, crayon and p n m the be washed away. Conseq ueritl.v. 11 no (T, 1(1(1 11 pl1 far drawing pictures or making & as a blackboard. Although tne is intended primarily for the the nursery, it may he used kitchen, living room or other u Q the house where children are try out artistic ability on tne & The "finish may be In any o number of different shades. i Q IrtllECS. for DarBa." -"-,. a . net Uvufl stripes and flowery designs n &ni thrown on the remnant cou for are selling for almost notI'in"aterlfl from 25 cents to $1 enough o for a blouse may be picked ud-
Polk County News and The Tryon Bee (Tryon, N.C.)
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July 12, 1918, edition 1
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