Very Busy With Them in Fact

Major Bob Witt, of San Antonio, Texas, was an artillery officer in the big scramble over yonder. He still tells "new" war stories, all of them about colored soldiers, and with his delightful Virginian accent, he puts them over strong. He will be telling "new" stories of the big war as long as he lives. He slipped me this one the other day.

There was a colored regiment of fighting men in the front line trenches, and they had been there for some time, with furious attack, counter-attack, and general bombardments. It appeared that the Germans had deserted a couple of machine guns that were visible out in "no man's Land," as there was no sign of life about them, and the white Captain pointed them out to a colored Sergeant. "Take a sguad of men and go out and bring them in, the first time the smoke drops over them so as to give you some protection," he said to the big black Sergeant. "Yassuh," replied the Sergeant.

S. E. SIADE TUMBER C().

Then the Captain departed for another part of the trench. A few minutes later conditions seem right, and with his duslry gang behind him the Sergeant climbed over the top, and started on a run for the two machine guns. Then it suddenly developed that the Germans were just playing possum, for suddenly two of them rose from a hole behind the guns, swung them toward the approaching darkies, and began spattering lead at them. The Sergeant led his men .at full speed back into their trench, where they remained.

After a while the Captain came back, and looking out, he saw the two machine guns still in sight. He said to the Sergeant: "Didn't I tell you to take a squad of men and bring in those two guns?"

"Yassuh," said the Sergeant. "Well, why didn't you bring them in?" he asked. "Becrz," replied the Sergeant, "Dey WUZ USIN' 'EM."