The Dermott news., 1914-12-31
FIERCE MIDNIGHT BATTLE WITH
 SOLDIERS IF RUSSIA IN POLAND
Prussian Battalion Advancing to Occupy Farm Houses Finds Czar's Men Hidden Beneath Straw Sabe-Horses of Battery of Artillery Stampede-Lone Gunner Gets Into
 Action and Drives Russians Back Into Forest.
,st Who can ain in this pitch dark.

est Who can am iu thls pltcA ddf k ness
 Behind the barn. the battery Is just uulimheriag The horses rear and stampede The riders are hanging 10 the bits and some manage 70 swing themselves into the saddle T. is use less. The stampede cannot be pre. vented and awa4 thuuders the battery into the iuk-hiack night All 20 but one. with an empty limber A gun. Ter has ioosrned h.s ealssoH. opened the box. and torn out the wicker hask- cts hoIdIns the shells
 "HelI Hounds" Roar.
 NoW heHrus the mazzle ot the gun towards Che fafest. faads. and the G6st ~Aat haoas above che d.a os tho rifle fire into The ulLhl The gunner has commanded two infantrymeu 10 rraeh hm tGa ammunition Solid shot sh@anc, anything l, makes no difference Who can Lldge the dis. tauccs Who raH got time fuso@ Into the barrel uith ft and toward tha torest where the eueuys fire is h'az.us the strongest Tho ramon roars above the rattle and cracking and suaFp5ur af rifle and machine @ua Whether he hits few or many never uIul the Russians have a terrible respect far one of the German hell hounds too often and most painfully have they bitten them
 At last the evenings fire slackens. and finally dies out altogether The Russians have gone back in the forest. In the barn on the threshing floor stand a crowd of prisoners A lieu tenant and d reserve oficer-in one hand a pocket lamp. in the other re- volyer. marshal the prisoners in or der The petty officer still iabs Russian in the ribs with the butt of his gun If he does not obey quickly or is slow in raising his hands. Not one of them has dared to make a break or get his arms Now they are counted. and sentrtes are placed over them in the yard-125 men
 Next Is to look for the wounded and then once more to the hay to snatch what httle sleep there Is to be had before the gray dawn of the morn ing. for the morning IS not far off and with il comes another battle. Soon weariness and youth oyerpower the most excited nerves. One after an other sleeps.
 What was that" a private has walk ened "A groan. A wounded man9 It cant be, they have been taken into the house There it is again It sounds as if it comes from the under , world or cellar.
 Another Batch In the Straw.
 Whats the matter?" a comrade asks Man. are you crazy? Shut up-do you hear me. Be quiet. Have you a nightmare9"
 T? It's you that's dreaming"
 Again the groaning now in two or three places.
 officer, cries the soldier, there Is something under the straw that's nov ing and groaning.
 Light light! Himmelkreuzmillion on shall We never get rest?' One of the men is tunneling into the straw and draws out Russian boot. On to it hangs a Russian who raises implor- ing hands and gasps for air The per spiration is running down his face and he is almost choked to death.
 50 there you are, you fool! Serves you right! Why didn't you come out with the first batch?"
 Out of this, you dogs. else we'll look for you with the bayonet." Again the straw is alive with gray uniforms. a second batch is herded with the first in the yard-over two hundred alto gether.
 It's hardly worth while to go to sleep now. A few throw themselves down. Others repair to the kitchen to make l coffee.