‘OVER THE TOP”

By An American SoldierWhoWent

Arthur Guy Empey Machine Gunner, Serving in France

Oojrrrlgtn mr by artier Oar KailMr

CHAPTER XXV— When we took over the front Hoe rcctdTed u •Wfnl tboek. The <;.-rmans dlsplaj^d «!«..board* over til- top of thrtr trench showing the nutnc* that w« had called their tret, rhea. The nlfm read "Fair," 'Fart.” ’Fate,'’ and Taney," and ao on. nrcordlnt to the code namei on our map. The* to nib It In, they l,'listed Mine more algns which read. \rtn<- on. we are ready, atnpld Eng sll.” a It l« stlli a ntritery to me how they obtained thla knowledge. There had Iwen no raids or prisoner* taken, ao It must hare been the work of apiea In our own Ilnee. Three or four days bricre the big j.nJ, we tried to ahatter Frltx'a nerrea by feint attack*, and partially ancceeded a* the oOcUl reports of July

1 «how.

Although we were constanlly bomtiardlng their line* day and night, still we fooled the Germans aereral time*. Tills jni* accomplished by. throwing nn Intense barrage into hi* line*— then using smoke shell* we would put j curtain of whlfe smoke across No Mens I.and. completely obstructing hi* view of our trenebe*. and would raise our curtain of Ore as if In an actoal attack. All d-iwn our trenches Ibe men wouicl ebont and cheer, and Frit* would turn loose with machine-gun. rifle, and shrapnel Are. thinking we wen* com-

luc »rer.

After three or four of these dammy ■'.iks his nerrea muat hare been m-ar the breaking point. Da June 24. 1816. at 8:40 in tbe ruing our runs opened up. and hell - let loose. The din wa» terrific, c constant boom-bocan-boom In your enr. night the sky was a red glare. . bombardment had lasted about j hours when Frits started reply- ] Although we were sending over i tm slirll* to hla one. our caaualtiea were ln-ary. There was a constant *ti.nm of stretchers coming out of the - o.-minleatioo trenche* and burial jnnii-* were a common sight. In the <1 agouti the noise of the guns alaanit hurt. You bad tbe same aensation a» when riding on the subway you enter the tube under the rirer going t" H "ikly-n--a sort of preauure on the ear drama, and the ground constantly U'tubllng. Tli. roads behind the trenches were very dangerous because Bocfae ahrapnw was ivnatantiy bursting over them. Wr arcddaC these dangerous spots by -r .-ing through open fleid*. T1 ■ .b-stroction In the German line* awful aid I reaUy felt sorry for i-erauae I reatlsed how they must be ri'.idag It.

I was accepted, worse luck.. At 8:45 that nldkt we reported to the brigade headquarter* dugbut to receive Instructions from Old Pepper. After reaching this dugout we lined up In a semicircle around him. and he addressed us as follows: "AH I want you boys to do fa to go over to the German lines tonight, aurpriae them, secure a couple of priMUera. and return Immediately. Our artillery haa bombarded that section of the line for two days and personally I believe that that pari of the German trench Is tmocctntfed. so Just get a couple of prisoner* and return as quickly ms poaatble.” The sergeant on my right. In an undertone. whispered to me: “Say. Yank, how arc we going-to get a couple of prisoner* if the old fool thinks ‘personally that that part of the trench ia unoccupied.'—sound* kind of fishy, doesn't It mateT" I had a funny sinking sensation in my stomach, and my tin hat felt aa If It weighed about a ton and my enthusiasm was melting away. Old Pepper must have heard the sergeant speak because he turned In his direction and in a thundering voire asked: “What dIJ you say?" The sergeant with a scarlet look on hla face and bta knees trembling, smarflf sainted and answered : “Nothing, sir." Old Pepper said: “Weil, don't^say It ao londly the next

time."

Toon Old Pepper continued: “In this section of the German trenches there are two or three machine guns which our artillery. In the laat two or three days, has been un-

tbr signals for

mt the

..n ling ur killing of rvirr of hU fatherland.

<11 and 1 haa a tough time of H. • wing the different trenches at -bt. hot afte* awhile got used to it. U.« "Id outfit, tbe machine gun comav. was stationed In huge elephant - aUrat four '.lOridt-ed yp*ls beml the front-lint trench—diry were . r< —rr*. Occasionally I would stop 1 thrir dugout and have a confab with > I .nurr mates. Although we tried 1 !"• Jolly, still, there wai a lurking • u>2 at Impending disaster. Each on was wondering, if. after tb» •k»a. “Over ibe top with the heat of had been soOtided would he stlP sllre or would he be lying “some in France," In an old dilapidated *• tbe walls of which were crarred ' m-hlncgun bullet a. No. S aeo•f the machine gun company had - i i»rtera. The company's cooks prei the meals in this billet. On tbe ' b evening of the bombard tort,! a • ight Inch shall registered a Mt on the billet naff wiped out i « who ware srieep in the sup- - I > !~.wh-pru<>f ceilsr. They I <h* neat day and I uttends

CHARTER XXVI. fs'ri ft) no the Western Front brigade headquarter* I hap|>ened 'bear a eonveraatian between our

(general off' be divisional

' ‘Croatian I learned that we lenubard the German line* for dsy. and the Brst of July the ,1J *b wae to roami •’ day* order* ' ""•1. and It was cwnmoo prwp1 •‘«M the line. i ’tertxwm of the eighth day of ’“Mag." At wail and 1 war* ait tram Hist trench sovkl-f <1 mating ant mar reports if a* *!«*<«. tour ««f the ttenefaN '* Sad w iu*w in ta hoed*oar Vewm* day. wbea «a erde, •*«d down the trench mat OiC r * a trench raid that night to

Rscelvlng First Aid. able to tape. These guns command the j sector where two of oar romrounlcs- [ tlon trenches Join tbe front line, and * as the brigade l» to go over the top to- | morrow morning 1 want to rapture two ■ or three man from those guns' crews, and from them 1 may be able to obtain valuable information as to the exact location of the gnu*, and our artillery will therefore be able to detnollah them te-fore the attack, and thus prevent our lo«lng a lot of men while using these ■■omraunlratlon trenches to bring •jp re-enforcement*." These were the Instruction* he gave

vs:

'Take off your Identlflratloa disk*, strip your uniform* of all numeral*, -.-lalgnla. etc, leave your ps|wrs with /our captains, beesuse 1 don't went the ipw-he* to know what regiments sre tgslnsl them a* thla would be valuable 'jtfurtnatlnn to them In our attack tomorrow and I don't uant any of you to be taken alive. What I want is two Prisoners and tf I get them I have a way which util make them divulge all necessary information aa ta Uielt guns You ha*, your •liolce of two weapon*— you »»r ''• rT i T our 1**^ auadera or knuckle knives, and 'wrii mao will himself with four Mills bombs thewr to hr used only In rase of emergency “ A CeTwnade* la Tommy's nickname for a riot rarriad by the bambers. It I la about two fret Um*. thin *t one end I .ad very thick at the other. The thick rod 1* Studded with Sharp Steel aplkee. while through I he center of the club fbmvi la a nine-loch lead bar, to give It weight sod balance When you get a prisoner ail yoa •«*» d » u J n, ‘ stick rial* risk np In Cron' of bhn. and led lev* ms. the ,finance. to, -lieutnchisod usher Alle^ fsd •sr and hr •aiilingly obny* IU nrtiers at hla rapUf If h -'W. the . high-toned and refuse* to

over the grip. ThU guard la studded with at set projection*. At night in a trench, which la only about three to four feet wide, it makes a very handy weapon. One punch in tbe face generally shatters a man's Jaw and you can get Urn with the knife as be goes

dtfwn.

Then we had what we called our “come-elonga." These are strand* of barbed wire about three feet long, made into a noose at one end;.at the other end. the barb* are cut off and Tommy slips his wrist through a loop to get a good grip on the wire. If tbe prisoner wants to argue the point, why Just place the large loop around bis neck and no matter If Tommy wlahc* to return to hla tranche* at the walk, trot, or gailop. Fritz is perfect!) agr<—able to maintain Tommy's rate of

speed.

We were ordered to black our faces end hands. For tb's reason; At night, tbe English and German* use what they call r.ar shell*, a sort of rocket affair. They are fired from a large pistol about twenty Inches long, which Is held over the sandbag parapet of the trench, and discharged Into the air. These star shells attain a height of about alxty feet, acd a range of from Bfty to seventy-live yard*. When they hit tbe ground they explode, throwing out n strong calcium light which light* up the ground in a circle of a radius of between ten to fifteen yards. They also have a parachute star shell which, sfter reaching a height of about sixty feet, explodes. A parachute unfold* and slowly float* to the ground. lighting up a large circle In No Man'* Land. The official nnme of the star shell Is a “ Very-Ugh t." Very-light* are used to prevent night surprise attacks on the trenches. -If a star ahell folia In front of you. or between you and the German linos, you are safe from detection. as the enemy cannot see you through the bright curtain of light. But if It falls behind you and. as Tommy says, “you get in the star shell gone." then the fun begins; you have to He Cat on your stomach and remain absolutely motionless until the Ugbt of the shell dies out. This takes anywhere from forty to seventy seconds. If yon haven't time to fall to the ground you must remain atmolutely still In whatever position yon were tn when the light exploded; It is adrisable not to breathe, na Frits has ao eye like an eagle when he think* yon are knocking at hi* door. When a star shell Is burning In Tommy's rear he can hold hla breath for a week. You blacken your face and hand* so that the Ugbt from the star ahell* will not reflect on your pal* face. In a trench raid there I* quite sufficient reason for your face to be pale. If you don't believe me. try It Just once. Then another reason for blackening your face and hand* la that, after you have entered tbe German trench at night, “white fsre” mi-nn* Germans, “black face" English. Coming around a traverse you a white fan- In ftoot of you. With a prayer and wishing Frill “the best o' lack." yao Introduce '.im to your “persuader" of km- fcle knife. a little later we arrived at the c •«- tnunlcation trench named Wh!«kjr street, which led to tbe Ore treo-li at the point we were to go over the t<ni and out in front. In our rear were four stretcher l-wr. era and a corporal of the K. A. M. carrying a pouch containing medi' me* ond first-aid appliance*. Kind "f a grim reminder to ns that our exped)-

ON GRASSHOPPER

New Formula Has Been Tested and Found to Be Cheap and Quite Effective.

CATTl£ MOLASSES NOW USED

Balts Prepared With Alfalfa Meal In Warm Climates Must Be Used Immediately to Prevent Souring—Bran It Expensive.

t-y the United fftates Department of Agriculture.) A new formula for a poison In fighting grasshoppers has been tested out and found to be tbe equal, tf not the superior, of the hran-mash formula, at least In the particular region where it ha* been nsed. The regular bran-mash formula composed of 25 pounds of bran. 1 pound of arsenic or parts green, onehalf gallon of molasses, and 6 lemons was found to cost aoout $1.75 at current prices In western Nebraska. Reduced Price for Mixture. By using 15 pounds of alfalfa meal j and 10 ounces of parts green, at the ! same time Increasing tbe molasses to 1 gallon and the water to 6 gallons.

g to I*

tartly e |>ir.

The order of things wss rev< r*cd. In civilian life the doctors, gene come first, with the undertaker* Sing In (be rear and then the lu unre man. but In our rase, the un taker* were hading, with tbe d » trailing behind, tnlnu* the Insnr*

adjuster

CTO fK CONTINUED )

I* Anyon* Old In New York? In Ilruce Barton'* novH. "The Wak-

ing of Georg* Grot«n.“ thv auilwr say*: “No one la old la New York. They drain In every year from ■'* part* of the country—million* of u,.-n. young and vibrant. They stay sod work, sod grow Into middle sge. *od (ben suddenly they vanl*h. On* m»y walk for hlo“k* «n Flflh avenue «r Broadway and hardly seo snyoae over fifty. Where do they go lol **0 .me seem* ever to die; no funeral* clog ■ he iralhc. There are plenty of f«nerala. of course, hut you don't ®‘>'lce (hem aa you do ta a Utile too' 1 1 have waoderad for hours ia '•'«

when they die. sod never yet I run ncross Hi. body at * dee What becomes of oid birds! Wt comes of old Nsw Yorkers! Tie twin mystsrira to me. I rsano) “ them."

One of Largest Species of Grasshopper Inhabiting Eastern Portion of

United States.

and reducing the number of lemons to B, It was found that the same bulk of poison mixture was obtained for approximately $1 at current prices. The molnaie* used was cattle molasses. obtained at a beet-sugar factory for about 5 cents a gallon. Alfalfa meal has such swelling power when plenty of water Is added that the 15 pounds makes approximately tbe same amount of polsou mixture aa 25 pounds of bran. Must Be Used at Once. It ha* been found that In warm ell1 matca the poison halts prepared with alfalfa meal tnuxt be used almost Immediately, ns they sour If kep: until i 'be following day. Another objectionable fit,lure is that the meal is usuaFy so finely ground that H cannot be I .'Usiributcd without considerable waste by tbe use of nn end-gate grain seeder, hurb aa employed In some portions of ibe country in distributing the halt. The grratly lessened cxiiense of I fighting grasshopper* by the use of alfalfa mral mixture Induced Nebraska farmers to combat the pest much more energetically than they would have done if the more exjietistve branmash formula had been used. PROVIDING BINS FOR WHEAT kuitablc Storage Houses May Be Necessary on Many Farms to Save Large Crape This Ysar. IPrapar.-ri by thv United Slats* Depart-nx-nt of Agricultural •Farmers tu ■^•etloos where Ur- aweftge <if w brat 1* unusually Urge are urged by the department of agriculture to provide euough bloa on the farm to take rare cf their wheat when thrashed. ThU U said to be necessary to aave the wheat that will probuM> j. i.- up In certain loralltle*, bees u*- the Urge crop U likely to put a heavy strain on storage elevators and trail ■‘pirtatlim systems. The wheat kbotild Im- stored in bln* on the farm, according to the bureau of markets, n-Llrh haa iaaued a rirruUr containing plan* and drawings tor a portable bln tint ran be qnlraly builL Copl"* of this circular have been distributed t.< county agents throughout the large wheat-producing sections. APPEARANCE OF NEW WEEDS Much Leu and Traubi* Could Se Avoid'd by Rvporln** Pretence cl Noaiou* Plants.

SHEEP AID FARM LABOR (Prepared by the U. a Departrornt

of Agriculture.)

The extra labor required to „ keep weeds under control L* prob8 ably the greatest economic loss whirl) they rause. Labcr is too much needed tor other line* of farm work and abonld not be u> -d In fighting weeds if they ran Ik- eradiented in nny other v.ny. Vet wee.Is must lie controlled if maximum crop yields are to Im- necun-d. Iti this respect sheep can aid In the torn) Ulior problem. They will eat most word*, and on nny farm will greatly reduce the amount of hand labor needed to bold weeds tn check In pastures and grain field*. Keep sheep and arrange your fnrm so they ran help in the fight with weeds.

HOG CHOLERA CAUSED BY VERY SMALL GERM Dangerous Factor in Spreading Disease Is Sick Animal

Aliment Cannot Always Be Diagnosed With Abac lute Certainty, as Symptom* Are Not Uniform—Prevention I* Bert.

The real cause of hog cholera 1* a very small germ found In the blo.*d oi urine. It may be Mid that anythint which tend* to lower the health of the animal, such a* Improper feeding. In Mnltary conditions of bog lots, damp or cold sleeping places and dirty drinking nr.d f.i-dlnc troughs may bt regarded as an imilaect can*e. Since the disease ran only Ik- KtartM by the introduction of the germ Into the herd and the organlvm 1* alwayi present in the bodies of sick hog* and 1* thrown off in the feces and urine the most dangcron* factor in spreading the disease is the sick animal. It may get Into tbe herd by sick hogs escaping from a neighboring herd by the purchase of new stock noi showing symptoms, by returning show hog* after vidu to fairs or stockyards and by the purchase of hogs which ap pareatly have recovered. The symptoms are not rometant and uniform, therefore the disease cannot always be dltgm-ord with absolute cer talnty. Animals Buffering from tntea tinnl troubles. Indigestion and poisoning exhibit symptoms which closely re semble those of cholera. In the early stages hog* huddle together; have temperature* (105 to 101 degrees F. or higher); are constipated ; the feces often streaked with blood; a characteristic odor la present; and after the third or fourth day diarrhea develops. As death approaches there la usually a reddening of the

MAIN OBJECTS OF STANDARDS Aim It to Secure Uniformity and Establish Series of Grade* ai Basil of Trading. (PrepxrcJ by the United Slate* Department of Agrirallar' > The object of making standards for poultry In the same as the object uf making Kluudrnls of weight, volume, or quality for any product rr commodity: that la, to secure uniformity and establish a series of grade* ns a basis of trading in the article. In making standard* for poultry which apply In the process of prodnetioo the principal points considered are site, shape and color. Size and shape are breed character* and largely determine the practical values of poultry. Many standard breeds arc divided Into v.-trietle* differing in color, hut identical In every other respect. Color is not a primary utility point, but as a secondary point often cornea In for special conrideratlnn. For example. a white variety and a black variety of the same breed are actually identical tn table qualliy. hut because black birds do not dress for the

Mature Early Hatched Pullet. market as dean and nice looking a» White ones. It often happen* that they are not salable. When a flock of fowl* Is kept (<'t egg production only, uniformity In col or is much less Important than approximate uniformity of size and type, yet the more attractive appear ’ •nec of a flock of bird* of the *amf color Justifies selection for color nt 1 far n* it ran be followed without sacrificing any material point When a poultry keeper grows hit own stock year after year he oughf by nil niran* to use stock of a wellestablished popular standard breed By doing so and by selecting as breed era only us many of the best specimen* of the flock as are ne<*!i-d • - product the chickens geared ea--h year, a poultry keeper maintain* in In* flock a highly desirable uniformity of excel •Mice in every practlral ijuabry and with little extra care and n-i extra cost can have a pU-asinz uniformity In color.

I the tery Jar* and r

field hsirkwc hail b-s, rep. and trouble v

' In this ciuntUHtan thistle, 'anafia thistle.

Not a Good Place for Hog*—Clean Pen* and Abundance of ExsraiM Will Do Great D*al Toward Protecting Hog* From Cholera. skin on the utidrr surfaces of the body, u»ut and ears. ThU turn* into a purple color if dr*til U delayed a day or two. There ia a discharge of mucus from the eye*. Coughing may or may not be present. In chronic case* there Is riuaciutlon and patient may linger for days and vreekx. I’rrvnitlou Is tbe better treatment. Separate oick animal* from the beru ■I once. Varciunte the apparently healthy bogr. with •ntih'ig-cholera serum. This « rum only protects the hogs against cholera. It U a preventive and tn do wise a cure, ll is advisable to take the tr«i|iertitiirv of the hoc*. Thl* should not be more than HM degree* F. Burn or bury the rarrasmsa of hogs that have died with tbe dlseus*. disinfect all pens and yunla after an outbreak of cholera. Burn all manure, lllter and straw, then apply ■ cost of coal tar. I '-um abuuld be situated Mi that (hey ran be projo-rly drained and cleaned. I Toper feeding, plenty of exercise, dear pens and an abundance of suniJuue will do a great deal toward prelecting hogs from cholera.

Put the Bull to Work,

cans of a tread mill the bull made to furnish power for running the cream separator, the feed

ilded. Ii I* Unpor-, grinder.

taut to repAri ihe appearaix-e of new etc. Thin exarcia* »Ul do him K'skI sr.-e.t-. and l<> take prccuuUona to pre- j and tend to keep his disposition bet*

UK.! Uimr dia»-ulaaU<>a. Iter.

CHICKENS TAKE FIRST PLACE Some Reason* Why They Lead In Scheme of Povltry Production— Utilize Much Watte. (Prepared by the United B'stej TV partmet'l of Agriculture.I Chickens, In any general scheme of poultry production, of course must raka first place. They are be.- idapp-d to general condition*, take a wilier ranga of feed* and convert them, ['--rhapa, with the gn-nti-st margin of profit. Chickens, bctirr than uuy other Chios I of poultry, utilize table scrap* and the general run of waste from th» kitchen door, all the way fnen apple ard pota'ii paring* t« .our milk. Chick- ■ '.-r-l far hurpan all other kinds of poultry In Kelvngitig waste grain from tb* liable., t .UI the abed -.r lot when I the cattle nre fed. and from bog tuna I During the winter month* on farm* wh'-rr any considerable nutulter of ilv* flock are kept, the le-ns would take their tiring from ibe»e sour.-* with only ailgiit ad<lltl-<nal feeding from time to time. Chickens nre great dn-. atroyf-ra of lnw-i-t.. tmluilliig many Injurious form*, in yard, |in*tore and orchard. Thiy utilize also tunny graase* ond weeds, and seed* fr-nn tb* same, that would otherwise Im- of no use. Kxcej't in Isolated Instance* the part of wisdom would lie. un hoibtedlj', to keep more chickens thm nil othag kind* of iMMiltry combined, but ther* ■h.iuld Im-. In a majority of • use*, some of all thL iitlnf common kind* of pout-

try.

TURKEYS GIVEN FREE RANGE Two Broods .n On* Flock Are Easy tt Care for—Larger Number I* Not Favored. When two turkey liens with brood* of abuut the same ege ure turned out on free range t.igetb-f they will re nmln in one flock, and thl* makes It eusier to huuf them up and car- for them. It Is not a g.-'l I dan «*» hava more than thl* number «.f young poults la sme floek. however, as tb.» may all try to crowd under one ur tw? bens ta t»« borer «1.