Plainfield High School - Milestone Yearbook (Plainfield, NJ)

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Uni Ol kes C Meh SD hip through, found his master lying pale and still. The dog knew something must be the matter, so sitting down near Larry’s head he sarted to lick his face. This awakened Larry from unconsciousness, and looking up at Lad, he just managed to pat his head. Then an idea came to him. Ages ago, it seemed to him now, he had taught Lad to fetch and carry, so, taking up his hat, which lay on the ground near by, he held it up near the dog and just barely whispering the word “carry,” he lapsed back into unconscious- ness. The dog, taking the hat between his teeth, turned and ran. Just then a rocket rose in a graceful are from the German trench, shedding a bright blue light over the field. Four shots rang out and Laddie faltered in his steady lope, but still kept on. Limping along he finally reached the trench. Then he made such a disturbance, by leaping and barking at the men, that they finally caught hold of him, and took the hat out of his mouth. “Why, it’s Larry’s, that little Cockney,” exclaimed one of the men. At this Lad, though quite weak, caught hold of the man’s trousers and tugged at them. He finally made the soldier understand that he wanted him to follow, so, getting two other men, he pursued the limping dog out into No-man’s-land. The dog’s footsteps dragged slower and slower, but he kept bravely on until he finally reached the shrubbery. There the men found Larry, both legs riddled with bullets and tenderly picking up the unconscious man, they carried him back to the trench. From there he and Laddie were carried to a field hospital. By this time the men had heard of Laddie’s bravery, and though he was wounded in the leg it did not hinder him from eating the choice tid- bits offered him. After getting back some of his strength, Larry was sent back home on furlough, taking his dog with him. Larry was very proud of his dog, but he was not the only proud one, for Laddie, now the mascot of the regi- ment, strutted proudly around the town, wearing a bright new collar, witha silver medallion pending from it. On it is just these two words, “For Valor.” This story is made up by myself and is absolutely my own ideas. Some time ago I read a very short account of what the Red Cross dogs have done in the war. I myself have trained a dog to carry.

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IO ih Eh Oy RAWOL Laddie, though a mongrel, was not a coward. He had been known to make dogs twice his size go whimpering away from him with their tails between their legs, and though he did not like the sound of the guns very well, he still plodded on beside his master. They soon reached a place where, to get to the first line trenches in comparative safety, they would have to go through the branch trenches which led to it. Officers were standing on each side of the entrance, and Larry knew if they saw his dog they would not let him pass. So he picked him up, and stuffing him in his large overcoat, slung it under his arm. He admonished the dog to “shut up,’ and so got past the officers safely. As soon as they were out of sight of them he let Lad down. After following the twistings and turnings of the trenches, they finally reached the first line trench, where the men they were relieving crowded by them on the way out. How relieved the poor fellows did look, after being under such a strain. I will not describe the long, tedious hours that passed, how the men of both sides kept up a continual rain of machine gun and rifle bullets, with the artillery backing up. About five o’clock word was passed along that thev would soon advance on the enemy. One hundred and seventy-five yards of practically bare ground to go over before the enemy’s trenches were to be reached! Covered with craters made by large shells, it would be difficult to advance. That certainly was facing death; but not a man murmured. Larry had just time enough to take a piece of heavy twine out of his pocket and tie one end around Lad’s neck and the other around,a stone before the order to advance was given. With a yell the men climbed out, firing as they ran. Man after man dropped, riddled by the deadly machine-gun bullets, but still they kept on. Finally the commanding officer saw that if they kept on, his now rapidly diminishing force would be totally annihilated,so he ordered the retreat. The disheartened regiment, or what was left of it, soon were under cover of their own trench. In the excitement nobody noticed a small dog, with a chewed piece of cord hanging to his neck, go the rounds of the men, smelling at their leggings or looking wistfully up into their faces. As soon as it grew dusk the Red Cross men, bearing stretchers, carried all the wounded men in from the field between the trenches. They thought they had gotten all the wounded, but they had forgotten to look into a small bunch ofshrubbery, although they had passed near it quite often. But there was one who hadn’t forgotten. He had followed the stretcher bearers, go- ing from man to man, sniffing at each, and passing on. Finally, Laddie, for that was who it was, reached the shrubbery, and upon struggling

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Tae ORAS Gules Class Poem We're here for the last time, hand to hand, As our school-life draws to a close, And we pledge new fellowship, while we stand To the friend that our youthhood knows. Side by side we have worked and played, And the fast-fleeting years depart; We fought the fight, and, were undismayed hontniewlastvorm the srace, com ete ms taints A surer hand and a steadier eye, And strength to play fairly the game— These are our gifts we've gained for the try, In winning or losing, the same. There’s a shadow that clouds our pleasure And chills the warmth of the day; Our joy has been full to the measure, Yet the heart’s smile fades away. For soon we go, and the hours fly fast, Sweet memories cling to the walls; Songs we remember so well float past, Dim-echoing down the halls. But ever thy hand, shall guide our feet, In the thick of the greater fight, Till in the last assembly we meet In the gleam of eternal light. And so good-bye, for the time has come. May those that follow, true, Play up. and conquer as we have done; Farewell, dear old school, to you. BURNHAM CARTER.