East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1914-11-16
REFUGEES TELL ABOUT
FLIGHT FROM HOMES
WOMEN AND CHILDREN SEEK
SAFETY IN THE NIGHT WHEN
GERMANS COME.
(By William G. Shepherd. United
Press Staff Correspondent

me that l could depart in peace; he
was satisfied that l was not a German
spy The son of the Frenchman who
had taken me into his little house told
me that he could bet a horse and wa
Gon to drive me to Senlls. 20 miles
away. While 1 was waiting for him
to bring the rig his mother put me
up package OF food consisting OF
cold chicken. bread and a bottle OF
water.
An hour later we were on the road.
1t was a wonderful Indian summer
morning. The sound OF the guns
floating over the golden fields of stub
BILE; through the blue haze. The long
road was dotted with little groups of
fugitives; some OF them were resting
under the great elms that lined the
thoroughfares; others were plodding
along. women and children, homeless,
living almost like Indians.
The horse wasn't good one. II he
had been, the Germans would have
taken him days before when they held
possession OF this territory.
We had gone about a mile when
two women and little girl. plodding
along in front OF us. turned and ask
ed the driver for a lift.
gave my consent One OF the wo-
men climbed onto the seat with the
driver and the other got in beside me,
putting the little girl on her lap.
We've walked Is miles today" ex-
planned the woman. Were going
home to Senlis."
'But Senlis Is destroyed" I SAID.
It's the only home we have" said
the woman. struggling her shoulders.
Il hope our home is not entirely gone.
Oh, 1t was terrible. We ran away in
the night"
Were you there when the Germans
came?"
Indeed yes. took Yvonne, my lit
tie girl here, into the cellar. and her
'Aunty Mana (pointing to the woman
on the seat) followed US. We stayed
in the cellar until 1t was pitch dark.
Then We fled. The houses in the town
were burning and there was shooting
on every hand. An old man, who is
the village street lighter, told us that
the mayor had been shot and twelve
other big men OF the town, and that
We must fly. So we went without a
bit OF food or water. and with only few
clothes. But the Germans are gone
now we hear, and we are going back"
oh, We've worried and worried and
wondered. these weeks" said Madame
Grimaud, for that was her name.
We talk and talk and talk about
what might have happened at home
and about who will be there and who
VIII be gone when we get back. It's
no use. Wen know enough.
We talked about things we saw as
We went along the road; a big Ger
man artillery wagon which had been
ditched; threshing machine standing
beside unfinished hay stacks, lust as
the threshers had left it when the
war started; a big stone tower that
mad been blown open at its base by
German shell: trees that had been
cut down so that marksmen could
sweep the road with machine guns a
dozen graves marked by little wooden
crosses which bore among other let>
terings the word "Hier"; a great open
barn in which stood a dozen French
aeroplanes. ready for action.
1t was evening when we came into
Senlis. Many Of the residents who
had fled were back again. The viii
lage street lighter was in the act of
lighting a corner lamp when Madam
Grimaud pointed him out to me.
He's safe" she exclaimed. "They
didn't kill him" A candy store was
open to the sky: burned out. A turn
in the street would show us the Gri-
maud home. Yvonne jumped out and
ran ahead; Aunty Mana leaned out
from the drivers seat to look around
the corner: the driver leaned out too.
and so did Madame Grimaud and
myself.
You dear darling dido, You light
OF my life" we heard Yvonne yell
A huge black dog had attacked her,
in frenzy OF delight. my babyi
My old rascal baby" said Yvonne.
hugging the big writhing mass of dog.
We turned the corner.
Our house is therel Our house is
there!" cried Aunty Mana.
yes! yes," cried Madame Grimaud
gathering her few possessions into her
arms.
There It is. Stop there" ordered
Aunty Mana THE door is closed.
The lock is broken. The roof is on"
Some windows are broken" cried
Yvonne.
Madame Grimaud and Aunty Mana |
didn't have time to take their be-
longings out OF the wagon. They |
jumped to the pavement and dashed |
TO the door. Before they got to II the |
door opened and three women rushed |
out. with open arms to meet them. |
Tears and cries Of delight were mingl-
ed: there was a torrent OF words
took the things out OF the wagon,
put them in the doorway and drove
away They were too excited to no
tice my departure.
] suppose the women were neigh
bors who had been burned out OF their
homes But / had entered deeply
enough. as 1t was into the intimacies
Of the lives Of the three wayfarers.
and ! had no more part TO play in
their Homecoming