Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-12-31

Al ths ,ura. ~, ,ha rnsa IN front Of
the castIe an. ssv tho runner OF the
batter,s. msl,n. an smnlacement for
their r,ns In /. aeIa NJ carrots that
had mo, vst hosn h.rvas,ed The roots
OF golden yellow were mixed with the
tossing spadefuls n, earth.
A shadow IKE n great cloud in mad
flight shot over the earth, and with the
gunners she looked up to see a Gray
dirigible. Already It was turning
homeward; already It had gained It's
object as a scout. On the fragile plat
form Of the gondola was q man, seem.
ingly a human mite aiming a tiny toy
gun. His target was one Of the Brown
aeroplanes.
They're in danger Of cutting their
own envelope! They can't get the an
gle! The plane Is too hight" ex'
claimed the artillery commander. Both
he and his men forgot their work IN
watching the spectacle of aerial David
against aerial Goliath. eff u man
lands with his little bomb, oh. my!'
he grinned. That's why he Is 30
high. He's been waiting up there"
Pray God he will" exclaimed one
Of the gunners.
Look at him volplane-motor at
full speed, tool"
Into It! Making sure! Oh, splen-
o." cried the artillery commander.
A bal, Of lightning shot forth sheets
of fame Dirie,bIe and plane were
hidden in an p9lv swirl OF yellowish
smoke. rolling mt into a purple cloud
that spread into nrismatic mist over
the descent Of cavortine human bodies
and broken machinery and twisted
braces. Avine nieces ~ tattered or
burning cloth. David has taken Goliath
down with him in a death grip.
An ooron,.ro -,o,,ow,ro the dirieible
as a screen boninp IN get home with
information ~ the dirisible were lost,
had escaped the sharpshooters In the
church tower NV fiying around. the
town. However. it ran within range Of
the automatic and the s@barpshooters
on ton of the castle tower. They failed
of the bulps-eye. but their bullets, rim
ming the target, Gripping the motor,
and cutting braces, brought the crum-
pling wings about the helpless pilot.
The watching gunners uttered "Ahs!"
of horror and triumph as they saw him
fall. gliding this way and that, in the
agony of slow descent.
Come. nowi" called the artillery
commander. I'VE are wasting pre-
cious time"
Entering the grounds of the Galland
house. Marta had to pass to one side
of the path, now blocked by army
wagons and engineers materials and
tools. Soldiers carrying sand-bags
were taking the shortest cut, tram
ping the flowers on their way.
"Do Won know whose property this
is?" she demanded in a burst Of an
ger.
"Ours-the nation's!" answered one,
perspiring freely at his work. "Sor-
ry!" he added on second thought.
Already parts of the first terrace
were shoulder.high with sand.bags and
one automatic had been set in place.
Marta observed as she turned to the
veranda. There her mother sat in her
favorite chair, hands relaxed as they
rested on its arms, while she looked
out over the valley in the supertran-
guilty that comes to some women
under a strain-as soldiers who have
been on sieges can tell you-that some
psychologists interpret one way and
some another, none knowing even
their W wives.
Marta, did any of the children
conner" Mrs. Galland asked in her
usual pleasant tone. So far as she
was concerned, the activity on the
terrace did not exist. She seemed OBJ
livious Of the fact OF war.
Marta's %monosyllable absently an.
swering the question was expressive
of her wonder at her mother. Most
girls do moi know their mothers much
better than psychologists know their
wives.
"Marta whatever happens n
sbou,d On regularly about what he
considers his duty" said Mrs. Galland.