Gilpin observer., 1914-10-08

1 have passed through a smiling
land to q land wearing the mask of
death; through harvest fields rich with
great stacks snugly builded against
the winter to the fields of a Drawer
harvest; by jocund villages where
there is no break In the ebb and flow
Of everyday life to villages and towns
that despoiling hands have shattered
In ruins.
And / have passed up this Via Dolo-
rosa toward the very harvesting it.
self toward those great plains
stretching away on the banks OF the
River Aisne, where the second act of
this drama of battles is at this mo-
ment being played.
Details of this fight are very scanty,
butt partly from personal observation
and partly from information which has
reached me | know that the struggle
so far has been a terrible one. equal
to, II not greater than. the struggle
on the banks of the Marne.
Battling for Life.
The events of Monday revealed
foe battling desperately for his life;
and this defense of General Won
Kluck's army demanded of the allies.
and is demanding, their utmost
strength and determination.
Picture this battlefield which before
these lines are printed will assuredly
have taken it's place with that of the
Marne as one of the greatest combats
OF the greatest war Through the
middle of 1t flows the great river. pass
ing from the east to the west The
banks of the river here are very steep.
Above the plain, which sweeps away
from the northern bank, rises the
"massif" of Laon. 1t is an ideal area
for great movements and for artillery
work directed upon the valley OF the
river. Pass eastward little. there
are the heights behind the city of
Reims and above the Vesle a tribu-
tary of the Aisne. Here again nature
has builded a stronghold easy to de-
fend, difficult exceedingly to attack.
/ know of heroic work against these
s-eat lines, work that will live with
the most momentous of this struggle.
! know OF smashing attacks the
thought of which takes cne'f breath
away. / have heard narratives of the
trenches and of the bridges-these en-
gineers. French and English, have in
deed played the game'-which no
man can hear unmoved; how the col
umns went down again and again to
the blazing death of the valley. and
how men worked. building and grid
ing in a very inferno-worked with
the furious speed of those whose time
of work is short.
Tells Of Heroism.
And in the trenches. too, the tale
OF heroism unfolds itself hour by
hour. Here is an example, one among
ten thousand. the story OF wounded
private: We lay together my friend
and -. the order to fire came
We shot and shot till our rifles burned
US. Still they swarmed on towards
us. We took careful aim all the while
All, good. did you see that?' | turned
TO my friend and as | did so heard a
terrible dun sound like spade strik
ing upon newly turned earth. His
head was fallen forward. ! spoke.
called him by name. He was moan
ing a little. Then I turned to my
work again. They are advancing quick
ly now. All, how cool ! was. | shot
so slowly so very slowly.
And then-do you know what 1t
feels like to be wounded? rose Just
little too high on my elbow. A sting
that pierces my arm like hot wire
too sharp almost to be sore. felt my
arm go away from me-it seemed like
that-and then my rifle fell believe
! was a little dazed. I looked at my
friend presently. He was dead"
Make Great Stand.
So, on these green river banks and
across these fair wooded plains the
stand that If they are defeated will be
their last In France. And meanwhile
behind them lie the wasted fields and
the broken villages. It is impossible
adequately to describe the scenes
which ! have witnessed on the line OF
the great retreat, but here and there
events have had place. which, In truth.
" w th' htaNth ioi itpoiNs vi Suti
Is the grim story of Senlis.
I spent many hours in Senls and
will recount that story as ] saw It and
as | heard II from those who lived
through the dreadful procession OF
days. On Saturday September s. the
Germans reached this beautiful old
cathedral town and entered into occu.
patton. They issued proclamation
to the inhabitants calling upon them
to submit and to OFFER no sort OF re
sistance on pain of severe reprisals.
People Are Reckless.
But the Inhabitants OF Senlis had al
ready tasted the bitter draft of Ger
man war making. The people had be
come bitter to the point OF losing care
of their own safety. They were reck.
less. driven to distraction.