Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-18

abstraction of concentration as thin
lips compressed and relaxed
He glanced at the bridge, at the dis
tant hills about two miles away. then
turned to his staff clustered about him
This bridge must be secured at all
hazards. The hills yonder must be held
strongly. Here"-he turned to a man
in the hands of an aid-"from here To
here. Go forward and turn the infantry
OFF to the line. Send the leading bat
terfes to the east. They can clear out
easily when necessary Have the COM
manding officers report Immediately
upon taking position. Send the 14th
Regiment to occupy the stone and brick
houses west of the road. Hurry now.
my boy"
He glanced at his watch You have
about three hours he added. This, of
course" indicating the line of the
stream. lis our real line of defense but
we must delay them in advance until
the retirement is completed
The aid dashed away, and in A mo-
ment the blare of bugles rang out and
line OF dusty men became erect at
the edge of the woods. There was a
swinging up of field packs, ciatter of
rifles as the stacks were broken. an
other bugle note and an infantry COL
umn unwound from the shadows and
started across the fields to the front
There were no Haunting colors with
the regiment, for two slender black
lances dipped back at a sharp angle
and showed the standards fncased.
The men were spare and bronzed.
where faces were not hidden by I'M
shorn boards. The uniforms, dull in
their neutral tint when new. were of
an even more nondescript color, for
days and weeks in sun and weather
and sleeping where the night came on
mad made it blend of war But the
rifles were spick and span and in the
dull scabbards. from which. no CLINT of
betraying sunlight could glance the
oavonets were blue and speckless.
When the ridge was reached the
regiment scattered by battalions and
companies. At the crest of the rise, a
few hundred yards to westward there
arose squat .two-storied house of
stone and brick set in garden of
flowers and trees. The roof, of quaint
shape, was of a newer period than the
stocky walls, and from the farthermost
corners of the building plastered
brick wall made an Enclosure for the
garden, the wing walls Interrupted by
the back of the house, which, in the
same line, fronted the expected enemy
company of about 200 strong took
possession. There was no need for
posting sentries. for troops were pour
ing down the road from the direction
of the battle. Rifles were stacked, kits
unslung and, taking tools from the ac-
companying wagon, preparations were
made for determined resistance
few yards to the front stood a row
OF Lombardy poplars, close together.
Axes swung until the trees were cut
almost through. then they were pulled
over toward the expected attack, the
branch tips chopped off until they left
bristling row of natural lances, and,
trunk still adhering to butt by few
strong splinters, each tree formed a
section of abatis, to check a closing
enemy under fire.
A portion of the company entered the
house. and in a moment, with ire
mendous clatter, every pane of glass
was thoroughly broken out Glassware
and framed pictures sailed through the
gaping windows to the ground below.
Flying splinters of glass, set adrift by
the smash of a bullet or shell frag-
ment, make nasty wounds.
Within the house there resounded the
thud of pick points. crowbars and