Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-12-22
LIFE IN MAfEKlNG TOWN
Conditions That Prevail In the
Bes -ged Place.
SOMBARDNLSI BY TIE ENEMY.

C1rIo1s EG..,. % the Boers' shells.
Some EEIra0s Iinsry Escapes-Bard
Work and Caiiaat Conduct of He
role NsH.-CsiSneI Bsden-POwelr.
Plan to RelIe7e Distress.
Cronle las been recalled by orders
from Pretoria, and Commander SDy-
mnn IL la supreme command Of the
forces Investing Msfeklng, writes the
London Times correspondent under
date Of Nov Is. The new comman-
dant. Insttutng a new procedure this
week, opened Ore with 81 FOUNDER
gun and changed It's position from the
southwest to the southeast. The she'll
ing from thai quarter later was weak
and the position of the gun was again
moved In the sane direction nearer TO
the town.
We had hopes GO general advance
under concentrates ar .!llcry fire. From
the advanced trenches Of the town we
can detect n quick Iring Krupp -
FOUNDER, one ItOt- lliiss and one Max
-Nordenfeldt as supports TO Big
Ben" There is 10 attempt at COM
bined fire. 1t Is i-1pOssible 10 under
stand the enemy's plans. There is no
sign OF mutual cooperation, but much
galloplng about and some apparent In
diligence In pant0m.m'C warfare. At
different times different bodies Of Boer
troops have been seen = approach the
three mile limit Cf the town. They
were put through extraordinary cvolu
tions. but nothing resulted from them.
However, the du!!Ces3 Of the week
was happily broken yesterday. On the
previous night rnIl5r came Of a day
break attack and caused excitement in
the town. camped IN the most ad-
vanccd rcdan on the east side, but ex-
! pcricnced IL" usual disappointment.
The hush Of night was broken by three
shells at half past i. When daylight
dawned. 10 signs Of activity about the
gun efnplaComcnts u Tie south were
apparent.
At 10 O'Clock proceedings were open
ed by the enemy, and The alarm bell
was rung. The 81 Founder sent n shell
from It's new site which knocked down
a wall Of Rlesle'S hotel In the adjoin-
! ing room 1t knocked down some CORE
spon1ents who were playing a game
| OF billiards. AZ the she'll burst In the
| hotel the conclusion shifted the billiard
table some inches. This she'll was fol-
lowed by others. One passed through
| a house where FIVE people were break
| fasting. They had an extraordinary
! escape. The roof was taken off, but
the people were unhuEt, A heavy
downpour Of rain In the afternoon
! checked the enemy'S zeal.
The bombardmelt was resumed ut
. o'clock. despite deldss CT rain. The
Boer gunners secured their range and
made magnificent shooting. The north
east front Of Masson's f0tt, to which I
have the honor TO be attached, was
struck by seven successive 81 FOUNDER
shells The men were UEinjured, hut
! the trench was completely demolished
Today the men were standing "a
arms when the first shell. with a ter
rife velocity, struck the bSse Of the cx.
terror facing Of the redan. After treat
exception 10 a wees OF general activity
the Beers threw a few shells into the
town and the hospital. Tie cunven,
has now been hit eight tines. The
nuns refuse 10 leave their post beyond
taking refuge In the bonbproOt shelter
| oI ~ (,
sisters take their share in the hard
work, making and distributing coffee
and tea to the neighboring redans
Their gallant condnct has set mag
niticent example 10 the town. IN Itself
> the town presents strongly contrasting
features, since as the sieee FvogreSse.
the characters OF the yIr:Gus unit.
constituting the town defense revea
themselves In their true light.
At the beginning q the s,ese, wheE
there was no very serious gl0End t(
believe that It would be Of long dura
tion, few people We're Impressed l.!
anything. The best Of high spUAfs pre-
vailed. and there WAS q plain 3eterlni
nation 10 enjoy the actual hostllitIes
With the ntg.nning 0t the SIKH wtel
Of the siHgr the t00a EGala EEL ~,
strain Of tie novel situation 'rheI,
Is but little crNmhling, HE chief ann
Iety heing TIE position 0s ths wINe
and children in the uew Ell GUMS; s;ances
Business Is 1T q complete staE1still
,he weekly wage tarners VINO 10 pO
possess any other means being t.
: chief sufferers. In An attempt 20 Ie
) llevo the distress caused by camip
prices Colonel BADEN EoUcu is dis
tributiug rations Mt cost prices WheG
the recipient possesses money aud tre
, otherwise. In ADDITION 10 this, Cglone
Baden-Powell has authorized TIE sun
. Of half q crowD a day 10 Eg paid - th
J town guard for working IL n
trenches, dating from Nov 4, III
step IS approved Of generally, Esin
felt to he one - ;bg right diIet tiol
The town -Nar1, fp The most payt
collection Of civiiiaba accustomed (
careful feeding. comfortable surr0GAc
ingS and the enjoyment OK luxury pei
mittcd by comparative af1uencc, AZ
living .undcr conditions that test Ia
endurance cf the hardest ana mos
experienced soldier.
Fast HniIrUadtng La the sOUth,
The Southern railway smashed K