Scarborough High School - Four Corners Yearbook (Scarborough, ME)

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6 FOUR CORNERS The long, arduous days in the training camp passed without much variety, and one day early in June, Harry found him¬ self sailing out of New York Harbor on an immense transport. He was seasick at first, but the end of the voyage was delight¬ ful, for always from a little boy, he had a great love for the sea. His trip was without excitement for no submarines crossed their path, and after an unusually short time on the ocean, they arrived at a small French village. From there Harry was taken to another training camp in the heart of France, but somewhat back from the trenches. The work was even more difficult there and the men were anxious to “get into things,” as they expressed it. Finally their desired advance came and they were placed in a position in the trenches, beside the French and English. Up to this time, letters, boxes, and goodies came regularly from the folks at home to nearly everyone except Harry. Of course they shared with him, but after a while, a spark of long-dead pride awakened and he would find some reason for refusing. Oh, how he longed for a letter from home! But he realized that his mother and sister did not even know of his release from prison, and indeed there were few at that lime, outside of officials, that did know it. Nevertheless he could not bring himself to write. There was comparative quiet in the trenches for some time after Harry arrived, and then one night their orders were to go “over the top.” There was almost deathlike silence for a second, then the big guns boomed out, preparing the way for the infantry. The soldiers, picked for the charge, showed in the few remaining minutes the real spirit lurking beneath the usually indifferent exterior. Some smoked feverishly, others sang, a few prayed, more than one was intensely interested in a picture. Harry remained a little apart, busy with paper and pencil. No one dreamed of asking him what he was doing. He had never invited familiarity and the others never offered any advances. The time for the charge had been set for a certain moment, and, at the exact time, the soldiers, supported by the tanks, started “over the top” and across No Man’s Land. The

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FOUR CORNERS 5 iCitrtanj. AN UNKNOWN INCIDENT OF THE WAR. It was a cold, bleak November day and there were few people in the court-house. A young man was being tried for larceny, and as it was his fourth or fifth offense he was at once ordered to Sing Sing for a term of five years. As he was being led from the court-house, one had a good chance to look at his face. It was a handsome one, though marred by dissipation, He was tall and slender, with dark hair and eyes, and one would judge him to be about twenty- live years of age. One unfavorable feature was his look of recklessness, as if he “didn’t care.” An old woman and a young girl followed him out, weeping, but he Look no notice of them, except to glance at them impatiently. The young man was taken away to prison and made to put on the “stripes.” He had a chance to read the newspapers occasionally, however, and early in the year 1917 he became interested in the great European struggle. On the declara¬ tion of war by the United States, he and one or two other young fellows became excited, although they knew it was next to impossible for them Lo ' go. Nevertheless, they talked about it whenever they got a chance. At last an idea came to one of them and they decided to try it, although it seemed at first hardly worth thinking about. They resolved to send a petition to the Governor, asking to be pardoned and allowed to go into the service to fight for their country. At first the petition was abruptly refused, then the Governor said he would consider it, and finally came back the word that they might go. There were never more happy boys than Harry Nolan and his comrades on the day they were allowed to take off their “stripes” and put on the uniform. But still that look of recklessness lurked in young Nolan’s face. Not once did he write or in any way let his mother or sister know of his release. To quote his words: “What a re women good for, anyway? Who wants to be cried over and petted by some silly woman?”

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FOUR CORNERS 7 batlle raged fiercely all that night and the next day. Many a heart at home was racked by anxiety during those dreadful hours. Not long after the first charge, the faithful Red Cross workers started out on their errand of mercy. One of the first men to be picked up was Harry! Both legs had been shot off and there was a great bullet hole through his breast, but he was still alive. They carried him to the field hospital as soon as they could, but he died a short time after, trying to say something to the nurse. When his pockets were searched in the hope of finding articles to identify him, the following letter was brought to light: Dear Alarm! —I’m well and in hopes you are the same. We’re going over the top pretty soon and I’m doin’ this to pass away the time. I’m not scared but we fellers feel kind of shaky. It’s the first time over and chances look good for its bein’ the last. I can’t pertend, Ma, any soft stuff, but My God, Marm, I wish you could sort o’ hug me to-night an’ tell me them things you uster. You remember, Marm, the time you licked me fer killin’ the robin. I wish you’d licked me harder and maybe I’d have amounted to somethin’ now. Harry. AbbieB. Small , ’20. THE GREAT BIRTHDAY GIFT. George Milton sat alone in his lonely parlor, in one of the most fashionable houses of Chicago. He had been reading the evening paper, but it had fallen to the floor, and as he stared blankly into the fireplace, two great tears left his eyes and rolled down his cheeks. Why was he not happy? He had a beautiful home, plenty of money, and unlimited friends. He needed someone to make his house a home, someone to share his troubles, and to make those long winter evenings shorter. Then he thought of his beautiful wife, so far away, where she lay in the depth of the sea. How happy they had