The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-11
Sudden Thunderstorm Ap- pears to Be Firing of Big
 Guns in Forts
STANDS IN AWE OF
 SILENCE AT NIGHT
When Aeroplanes of Enemy Appear Everybody Begins to Fire at Them in Hope of Bring
 ing Them Down

lady's impression of the tense sit-
 uation in Paris are given in todays
 letter to The Age- Herald. Being a
 former American she writes of the
 things which appeal most strongly to
 those on this side of the water. Her
 letter is as follows:
 Paris, September 20
 About clock this morning I was awakened by a tremendous noise and thought the forts outside of Paris had begun their work.
 It lasted about half an hour and proved to be nothing more than a violent thun- derstorm. Il, however, gave me glimpse of what war must be and how unnerved c fellow Is when he hears the cannon for the first time.
 Paris is dead. The papers give us noth- ing Everyone is telling of 10000 Russian Cossacks landing at Ostend and Havre. Yesterday we were in the direction of raintin and on returning could not get into Paris owing to the crowd. The fort of Romcienvilliers had brought down a German aeroplane and the two men were prisoners. One was dressed as an English soldier the other as a French officer. The mob were bowling and shrieking and wanted to lynch them, but the gendarmes were in such numbers they were able to keep the frenzied crowd. back. Tonight hear there Is great excitement in that direction. Yesterday afternoon there were three aeroplanes over Paris one we saw quite distinctly, and recognized it as a German the other two were too far off.
 All Paris were shooting at the one we saw but he took good care to keep out of range of small arms. Twice they thought they had winged him." as he tot. tered as if to fall. but no such luck. They came about 6 o'clock in the even- ing, just to give us good appetite for our scant dinner. All the numbers of a special newspaper are called in today. probably because of the strict censor. Only very few of the gates of Paris are opened for bringing in carts laden with fruits. veg etables and eatables of all kinds. Thirty thousand herd of cattle are herded inside the town. The remaining gates are closed and barricaded with huge trunks of trees etc.
 Trenches are dug and every one is ir readiness to give the great ruler whc hopes to make a triumphant entire into this Beautiful city reception such as he might find in his Hast home.' There arc no lights in the streets at night. Tn, | Champs Elysee is in total darkness. Oh
 
 I stand under the lonely chestnut tree. which line this most beautiful of all bou | evards and look down on to the Plac, de la Concord, usually so brilliantly illum mated Now her only illumination is thaf most glorious one the moon, shining SC peacefully and brilliantly behind the obe | fisk, well named God & night lantern How peaceful all is> and, oh so quiet One can hardly picture the dreadful scenel which took place on this spot not so man, scores of years ago, and as we sit for | few minutes looking out on this lovel. square we can almost imagine the ghosti of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI. 1 And then a few years more the war O | 1870, the Franco-Prussian. when beautiful Paris was seized and the German troop took possession and William the Firs was proclaimed Emperor of Germany am called William the Great" Will histor repeat itself and William II, the Iva lord of Europe" be called William tn Greater. and La Belle France Jose nor coast to the German empire, and thu aiding Germany to be a near neighbor { England for future purposes?"
 | Noi thousand times no! As long a there Is a breath left in the bodies, or man able to shoulder rifle among ou brave men of the allies
 Shall France regain her dear Alsace Lorrain? Let us be patient and hope. Tn authorities have been round to ascertai the number of people in each house, wha children there are who require milk, etc 'l s. B. B.