The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-16

airmen were indlsposed to fight or the
| commanders on both sides pre-
ferred to reserve these machines for
| scouting.
But as yet Barnet had seen no more
than the mildest beginnings Of modern
warfare. SO far he had taken part only
in a little shooting. The bayonet at
| tack by which the advanced line was
broken was made at place called Croix
Rouge, more than twenty miles away,
and that night, under cover of the
darkness. the rifle pits were abandoned
and he got his company away without
further loss.
His regiment fell back impressed be-
hind the fortified lines between Namur
and Sedan, entrained at a station called
Mettet and was sent northward by Ant
werp and Rotterdam to Haarlem. Hence
they marched into North Holland. 1t
was only after the march into Holland
that he began to realize the monstrous
and catastrophe nature OF the struggle
in which he was playing his undis-
tinguished part.
He describes very pleasantly the jour-
ney through the hills and open land OF
Brabant. the repeated crossing of arms
OF the Rhine and the change from the
undulatlng scenery Of Belgium to the
fiat. rich meadows. the sunlit dixie
roads and the countless windmills of the
Dutch levels. In those days there was
unbroken land from Alkmaar and Ley
den to the Dollart. Three great prov
inces. South Holland. North Holland
and Zuiderzeeland. reclaimed at vari-
Gus times between the early tenth CEN
fury and 1945, and all many feet below
the level OF the waves outside the
bikes. spread out their lush polders to
the northern sun and sustained a dense
industrious population. An intricate
web of laws and custom and tradition
insured a perpetual vigilance and a
perpetual defence against the be-
leaguering sea. For more than $50
miles from Walcheren to Friesland
stretched line Of entertainments and
pumping stations that was the admlra-
tion OF the world.
The aeroplanes were fighting at last,
and suddenly about him, above and be-
low. with cries and uproar rushing out
OF the four quarters OF heaven, striking
plunging. overseeing. soaring to the
zenith and dropping to the ground, they
came to assail or defend the myrads
below.
Secretly the central European
Power had gathered his flying machines
together. and now he threw them as a
giant might fling a handful of 10000
knives over the low country. And
amidst that swarming flight were Ave
that drove headong for the sea walls
OF Holland, carrying atomic bombs.
From north and west and south the
allied aeroplanes rose in response and
swept down upon this sudden attack.
So 1t was that war in the air began.
Men rode upon the whirlwind that
night and slew and fell like archangels.
The sky rained heroes upon the as
tonished earth. Surely the last fights
OF mankind were the best What
was the heavy pounding Of your Ho-
merle swordsmen, what with the creaking
charge of chariots. beside this swift
rush. this crash. this giddy triumph,
this headlong swoop to death?
And then athwart this whirling rush
OF aerial duels that swooped and locked
and dropped in the void between the
lamp lights and the stars came a great
wind and a crash louder than thun-
der, and first one and then a score
of lengthening fiery serpents plunged
hungrly down upon the DutchmenIs
bikes and struck between land and sea
and fared up again in enormous COL
umns of glare and crlmsoned smoke
and steam.
And out OF the darkness leaped the
little land. with its spires and trees,
aSnast with terror, still and distinct.
and the sea, tumbled with anger, red
foaming like sea OF blood.
over the populous country below
went strange multitudinous crying
and furry of alarm bells.
| was aroused by the sudden realiza-
ton of the presence of a squadron OF
aeroplanes far away 20 the northeast
and very high They looked like little
black dashes against the midnight blue.
| remember that looked up at them at
first rather idly, ~ one might notice a
flight of birds. Then I perceived that
they were only the extreme wing OF a |
great fleet that was advancing in a
long line very swiftly from the drec-
ton of the frontier. and my attention
tightened.
Directly saw that fleet was as
tonished not to have seen 1t before.
The allied aeroplanes--they were !
mostly French--came pouring down like |
a fierce shower upon the middle of the |
central European fleet They looked
exactly like a coarser sort of rain. !
There was cracking sound-the first |
sound ] heard--it reminded one of the |
aurora boreais, and I suppose 1t was
an interchange of rifle shots. There |
were flashes like summer lightning
and then all the sky became a whirling |
of battle that was still largely |
noseless. Some Of the central Euro |
pean aeroplanes were NSrtainly charged |
and overset; others seemed to collapse |
and fall and then fare out with so |
bright light that II took the edge Off |
ones vision and made the rest of the
battle disappear as though it had been !
back out OF sight. /
And then, while I still peered and |
tried to shade these flames from nv |
eyes with my hand and while the men |
about me were beginning to stir, the |
atomic bombs were thrown at the bikes. |
They made mighty thunder in the |
air, and fell like Lucifer in the picture. |
leaving flaring trail in the sky.
Then he bethought himself of food |
and contrived to land five men. get in |
A few dozen cheeses and ship his men
again before the inundation reached |
them.
lie Is reasonably proud of this piece