THE CRUCIFIX

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 62, 7 December 1918, Page 9

THE CRUCIFIX

A BATTLEFIELD SKETCH (By Rifleman Patrick MncGill, author of "The Groat Push," etc.) "Now what would bo the most horrible thing that has come under yer eyes, or occurred to yerself since the beginnin' iv the war?" asked Bifleman Gabey, D.C.JL, fixing a contemplative oye on the empty bottle in fron.t of him then on his two mates. Ho 6Jghod, put his big hand in his tunic pocket, drew out a five-franc note, and beckoned the patronne of the cafe towards Mm with u calloused trigger-finger. "A bottle van α-oosli," ho said to tho woman. Then he looked nt his two mates again. They sat at the table ivith him, his bosom friends, with yhom ho had fought, slept, and' eaten for many yoar?. One of these men was Spudhole Ijudd. a Cockney, virile though small, kind-hen rted though mischievious. Ho played a Jew's harp and kept tally on tho rifle-butt of those who had fallen to' hi" hand in the war. Bowdy Benners, the other man, was of different get. Though low-set no had magnificent shoulders and mighty-muscled arms. He was one of the strongest nion in the battalion, as well is the most modest. "Always Muslim' ye are," Rifleman Gnhey often told him. "And gottin' so red iv fnee that one could' draw blood from .yer cheeks with the point iv a rush." Galiey was an Irishman, fond, perhaps of red wine; but nlfo fond of jv fight. Tho bayonet was His favourite weapon in Imitle. "Fair fiolcl, elbow room, and the cold steel, and there's nothin , in tho world better than that when a soldier lias to do his bit," he often' said, and he meant what he said. Rifleman Gahey, D.C.AF., the red-haired Irishman, was a magnificent fighter. "Many tilings wo have seen the three iv us since wo put on the khaki," Gahey continued when tho bottle of nxl wine was placed on tho table. "Things good and funny that we'll often talk about when tho ructions come to an ond and things bad and awful that we. hud better forget as soon as we can. '.'hero was one occasion when Spudhole went into Fwim in the L.i Bii&rcc Canal, and when a shell fell on his clothes on the brons'h and we had to carry him through the village of Gorre oii a stretcher with notliiu' to hide his nakedness bar n Hi'ound sheet. There was a time when Bowdy snw a rum jar lyin' out behind the trench, onil 1:p crawled out under murderous rifle firo to bring it in, thinkin' that it was filled with mm; but for all his trouble he found that the jar was an empty one. Then again there was a time when I crossed the

bags in a charge and was goin' i'or a German through, the mud when I fell, and all I, conld do to bate fcho man off was to use ono hand throwin' mud in his face. But I got the better iv my man nnd chased him back. These things were the height iv fun, but there are other things that makes yer heart bitter with hatred against the Jerry. Many things iv this kind we've all"seen, bn't what was the worst? What was the worst thing that has happened to yerself, Spudhole?" "Me," said 'Spudhole, drawing the bottle towards him and emptying a portion of the red liquid into his glass. "Wot was the worst tiling that 'appened to me?" He' emptied the glass at one gulp, then placed it on the table and smacked his hps. "Well, I'll tell yer!" he said, in a slow voice. " 'Twas when I was a rooky in the start 'o the bloomin' war. 'Twas in St. Albans where we were dnin' our dnllin, formin' fours and salutin' by numbers. I 'ad a pair o' ei'vvv boot? and them pinchin' me 'orrid. I asked a mate wot I was .ter do about it. 'ow was I to got a now pair o' boots. Report sick,' says/c. And blimey I was 'green nipner' in them days. I went and reported sick and ver should five 6e en the M.O. when 'o'asked mo wot was wrong nnd'l tolls 'im that I wanted » pair o' boots. 'Twas a bloomin' schemoozle in tho M.O.'s room, it was; but twos nolhin' to what it was when tho battalion got to 'ear about it. It almost made mo desert, it did, the way they carried on." "The saddest thing Pre known in tho war was the caso of a little French boy named Pierre," said Bowdy Bennors. ,rn„jrviV ,vel ? , littl ° y<"">«Btor that 110 all liked and he used to como up to the trenches every ovening and sell papers tons That was in '15, before to-day. Little Pierre's mother lived in Les Brebis, and ho worked hard making fiancs for tho old woman. Her husband vns dead and Pierre was her only child. But the httlp rascal had the heart of a lion. Lot it blow rain, hail, enow or scrap-iron, it didn't matter. Ho was 'alin'" S HH. M Vi, tho ltr ? nchcs „?t eight o'clock in tiro the ovemng selling the English papers to the men. Then ono nigh! 1," i""n t turn up, and we wondered what ad happened. I was in the trenches M tho time, and when darkness fell I was one of those who went down across the fields to take up the rations, un our way out we camo across Pierre lying dead on the field, his bundle of papors undor his Arras and a bullet through his head. It broke my heart to seo him lying there, and when tho boys came to know of it, 'there wasn't a dry eyo in tho trenches that night."

Gahoy couched and swallowed something. Spudholo drew the back of liis hand across his eyes and looked up at (ho roof as if l la had suddenly become interested in the blackenod coiling. Something glistened in Bowdv's eye as ho glanced at Rifleman Gahoy. "Franco has paid for tho war in blood and tears," said tho Irishman. "Paid up to the hilt. And with such an oncmy overrttnnm' the country it is nothiii' more than the world can expect. The •lerrys are up to anything, an the dirtier it is the belter they like it. Toko the enso iv the village that we captured from them (lie oilier day, and I'll toll vo something about it. I would have fold yo iv it afore, but (he lif'o up fliero is bad enough without adding to the horror iv if. "fiviw an action that 1 saw mcsolf when none iv ye two wore near mo. And it shows yo llm kind iv bensls that we have to banish off tho face iv the earth aforo our job iv war is at an end.

" 'Twas whon the village was in our hands and wo wero iiosin' round to soo wh.it was ploffc ho the Jorrys" Galioy continued. I went into tho church, or ■ all that was left iv, it, at the, top iy tha.