The Mobridge news. [volume] (Mobridge, Walworth Co., S.D.) 190?-1917, 1914-10-16
BATTLE OF SCISSORS AS Seen
BY WRITER ON FIRING LINE

SdteS Nhtn German shells DcSan
~screeching over our heads. We
scarcely knew where TO go for safety.
4 fearful crash on Jul right just be
hind the hospital showed that the Ger
man range was getting nearer. Some
CT our party naturally became
alarmed. Then We all crorched down
behind Il 3utOs as another shell
"hlStled close to us and dropped in a
garden. Two of the spent pieces ac-
jually fell at u feet ard a few sec
ond afterwards another spent piece of
shell, still hot, struck me OF our
party on the leg.
it vas evident that We were in
Great danger. Some one said. "staoi
by the cars
1t was a good job we did not take
this advice. but We might have done
It If at that moment a woman at the
door of the village wine shop across
the street had not shouted: Come
inside, Tor Gods sake!'
Flee Into a Cellar.
We did not need twice asking.
Hardly had w got ACROSS the thresh-
ola when a tremendous noise like a
million raWhide whips cracking at the
same moment, followed by the noise
"l falling masonry, showed that we
We're in for a regular b0mbardment.
everybody rushed fer the cellar.
IS COY as the dust and smoke had
cleared away someone crept up the
steps To look out and returned say,
ing one OF the turrets on each side OF
The entrance gates to the castle had
been completely demolished by the
asst shell. And still they came, and
there We huddled looking into each
others eyes, as well as the dim light
would admit, in that little wine cellar
with its solid vaulted roof that We
prayed might not give way should
the house be struck. | shall never
forget the time spent in that cellar.
There were twenty-three of us, in
CiUdlng about seven women of the
village and a little boy. We We're
there from 1890 a. IN. until q little
after noon, with shells dropping all
around US. One dropped five yards
from the door. the shock breaking
every pane of glass In the house and
making an enormous hole In the road,
Another shell struck the ground about
twelve feet in front Of our cars, just
grazing and MASKING n portion OF
the village cross.
Everything has an end. and we
could hear the shells bursting farther
and farther away. Still it was deemed
prudent to lie low for a bit.
Eat as Shells Scream.
After a time one of the villagers
went out at a rear door and brought
back q big dish of fried Clipped pc
tatoes and bread, so that with tht
vine in the cellar We made a hearty
lunch under the circumstances. W.
were very hungry, as we had eater
nothing since the previous evening.
When II was safe TO get out w
found that the shell that dropped neal
the cars had burst two tires on The
car ! rode in, had smashed all tire,
of the wind shields, and filed the ca,
bodies and covers full Of holes. The
cars looked as if they had been pep
pered with machine guns. Luckil,
the engines were not damaged in tin
least.
The Germans, being deeply in
trenched in old chalk quarries, a sor
Of natural fortress in the hillside!
overlooking Scissors, continued Il
reply TO the numerous French guns
with impunity and occasionally t.
lombard scissors and Nauxbuin. VI
to the time of my leaving this sam
thing had been going on for over
week.
scissors IS in a pitiable state. The
Germans have not spared its old Ca
thedral with its two Gothic spires.
From the rear of the hospital a
VauXbuin We had a fine view OF thi!
grand old landmark. One Of The
steeples is broken off about half way
and the other has a big hole in thu
side, plainly seen three miles off.
passed about four days here
The artillery firing was terrific from
morning to night. The battle range
over an enormously extended front.
saw some shocklngly wounded
men while at NauXbuin. The nigh
before | left five men were brought il
with fearful injuries in different parts
of the body. a German shell hat
dropped among eight artillerymel
serving one of the French guns. TIL,
other three men were killed on th'
| spot. This is just an incident amont
hundreds that are happening every day
At one village | passed through
where the Germans had left iGi
wounded, most Of whom were brough
in under cover two days after TIT
battle by the French, the doctors
asked me, impiored me. to try and &c
some milk for the wounded. Nearl.
all the cattle have been driven on
OF the country to safer places or have
been requisitioned either by the Ger
man or the French forces. Man.
lives are lost on both sides through
exposure and lack Of attention aftc