The Bolivar County Democrat., 1915-12-04
German Doctor Gives Vivid De-
scription Of Air Raid.
one Feels Just as DefenseIess Against
an Attack by Aeropianes as Against
the Power Of Thun-
derstorm.

Berlin.--The vossische Zeitung con-
tains vivid account of an air raid
by a French squadron Of aeroplanes
from the pen Of German doctor, who
says:
Il was at work in my room lin the
top floor of hotel) when suddenly
heard the sound of firing, which grad
ually came nearer and nearer. Ha!
Ha! That's an enemy aviator some
where near. and he's getting greet
ing from our antiaircraft guns. but
the short. sharp shots became more
and more frequent and followed more
closely one upon the other. And now.
tack-tack-tack, the machine guns
join in. Whatever is up?
Il go to the window which, being on
the top story. gives me view of a
good stretch OF sky. True enough,
there's the beggar already in sight.
He hovers at great height, amid a
regular collection of white shrapnel
clouds. But what's this now? Here
comes q second, and a third Yes. and
fourth and a fifth. More come up
from the side. more and more.
There's q whole squadron over the
town. / count, fourteen. sixteen.
twenty-in q serried column they
come flying up with regular intervals
between the machines, with an ad-
vance guard and flank guards. Is it
to be a regular attack? Come down
below, blares trumpet. It's the sig
nal for everybody to clear out OF the
streets and take aviation cover
The trumpet signal becomes more
are clear, and 1t is high time, for al
ready there is q rattling on roofs and
pavements Shrapnel bullets are COM
Ing down. And now-and shall new
or forget it-a fearful, horrible crash.
or rather roar, like the roar Of an anil
NAL. Those fellows in the air have
dropped their frst bomb. begin to
think that my room Immediately un-
der the roof Ii not altogether q suita-
BILE place in such circumstances. On
the stairs meet others of the same
opinion. They are officers who had
come from the front and had just lain
down for long. unaccustomed~ but
well-earned sleep. and we're cursing
freely at this inconsiderate disturb
ance. AS we go down the stairs the
beast roars q second time. The next
bomb had fallen. Then we hear, in
the voice of command: Take avia-
tion cover The group breaks up.
stand for moment irresolute. don't
know the ground. Then young cap
tain laughingly takes my arm. saying:
Come with me. doctor; it's no bravery
to wait till thing like that falls on
your head
And 80 we 60 down narrow stair
case leading into little corner of the
cellars under the house which. as
now find. is built on a very ancient
foundation of extensive vaults. Under
a massive stone arch we have a COM
Portable room, the captain who took
my arm, first lieutenant. staff sur
geon. two landsturm men, a college
professor and myself. There is even
an electric light.
The racket and din outside gets
worse and worse. Clearly we can per-
ceive that the hideous row comes
nearer and nearer. And now it is
quite close. Then fearful bang and
roar. There must have been an ex-
plosion quite close to me. The house
and even the massive cellar arches
tremble. 1t is just as In wild thun-
derstorm. when the thunder follows
close 1t the lightning's heels one feels
csrtain that struck something quite
close. and one feels just as defense
hess against such an aviation attack
a. one II against the power OF thun-
Z dorst0rm.
Bang. This time still wilder and
nearer. Through the crannies of the
cellar there drifts In from the street
something misty. At first one can't
tell whether It Is smoke or dust. II
II Il smoke from u condagration close
at hand. the position Is not exactly Q
pleasant one The problem becomes
the more probIematical owing to the
electric hght going out. The wire
must have been hit. But as we
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