<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">Runner McGee<br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/> (<span class="smallcaps">Who Had "Return if Possible" Orders</span>.)</h1><p class="byline"> EDGAR A. GUEST <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/>From Edgar A. Guest's book of war time rhymes, entitled "OverHere." Published and copyright, 1915, by The Reilly & Britton Company, Chicago. Special permission to insert in this book.</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">YOU'VE heard a good deal of the telephone wires,"</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%"> He said as we sat at our ease,</p><p class="line">And talked of the struggle that's taking men's lives </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">In these terrible days o'er the seas,</p><p class="line">"But I've been through the thick of the thing </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">And I know when a battle's begun</p><p class="line">It isn't the 'phone you depend on for help.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">It's the legs of a boy who can run.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">It isn't because of the 'phone that I'm here. </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Today you are talking to me</p><p class="line">Because of the grit and the pluck of a boy. </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">His title was Runner McGee.</p><p class="line">We were up to our dead line an' fighting alone;</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Some plan had miscarried, I guess,</p><p class="line">And the help we were promised had failed to arrive. </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">We were showing all signs of distress.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">"Our curtain of fire was ahead of us still, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">An' theirs was behind us an' thick,</p><p class="line">An' there wasn't a thing we could do for ourselves</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The few of us left had to stick.</p><p class="line">You haven't much chance to get central an' talk </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">On the 'phone to the music of guns;</p><p class="line">Getting' word to the chief is a matter right then </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That is up to the fellow who runs.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">"I'd sent four of 'em back with the R. I. P. sign, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">Which means to return if you can,</p><p class="line">But none of 'em got through the curtain of fire; </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">My hurry call died with the man.</p><p class="line">Then Runner McGee said he'd try to get through.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">I hated to order the kid</p><p class="line">On his mission of death; thought he'd never get by, </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">But somehow or other he did.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">"Yes, he's dead. Died an hour after bringing us word </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">That the chief was aware of our plight,</p><p class="line">An' for us to hang onto the ditch that we held; </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">The reserves would relieve us at night.</p><p class="line">Then we stuck to our trench an' we stuck to our guns; </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">You know how you'll fight when you know</p><p class="line">That new strength is coming to fill up the gaps. </p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">There's heart in the force of your blow.</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">"It wasn't till later I got all the facts.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">They wanted McGee to remain.</p><p class="line">They begged him to stay. He had cheated death once,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">An' was foolish to try it again.</p><p class="line">'R. I. P. are my orders,' he answered them all,</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">'An' back to the boys I must go;</p><p class="line">Four of us died comin' out with the news.</p><p class="line" style="text-indent:5%">It will help them to know that you know.'" </p></div></body></html> · Great War