The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-06-24

A cruiser rushed at their island. Heavy with turreted guns and broad 1 side batteries tall with laced iron mast towers and wide tunnels and | ponderOus cranes, swarthy gray over all like a Vulcan's smithy, the enor- nous thing stopped half mile out with the guns of the secondary bat teries pointing at the land. From un- der her quarter, around bow and stern, swept destroyers with cooked tunnels splitting smoke and with ready, alert men at the lean little guns.
 They moved straight for the little harbor in a long line. On the bridge of the foremost an officer waved a hand at the crowd of fishermen on the shore, pointed to his guns and with a backward motion to the cruiser.
 faye, we take the hint, blank yei' growIed an old man. f'He means"-he turned to the rest, ''that we'd better not make a fuss! Drop that!" He turned sharply to younger man who had just joined the group. He had a shotgun half concealed under his coat
 Are we going to take it laying down ?''' groWled the armed man.
 The old man pushed him backward with both hands. fsYou fool! That thing out there could blow, us off the island, men, women and children, as if we was dead maple leaves afore a southeastern galer'
 The destroyers had stopped. The crews swung their guns toward the shore. From the cruiser dropped six ships boats full of bluejackets. They swung past the destroyers, beached and formed in line. There was click of breeeh bolts shot home, so quick that it was as but one sound A lieutenant advanced his men with the swinging navy trot. He pointed to men in the little throng, selecting six of the older ones. I've take the island" he said in precise English. .sFal1 inl We hold you responsible for the good order of the rest of your peo- pie. There must be no attempt at re- sistance."
 While he spoke another detachment of the landing party had been busy among the huddle of boats in the har- bor. Some were being made up into a tow. Others were being scuttled at their mOorings- A third detachment was knocking holes into the smaller craft hauled up on shore. Three sail Ors were just driving boat hooks through the bottom of an upturned catboat when a tall young fisherman leaped at them with an oaken til1er handle and struck one down. The oth- CT two closed on him, but let go again almost instantly at the sound of sharp order. They tore themselves away and jumped aside.
 There was another order in the same sharp voice. Instantly while the fish, erman still stood staring, with his weapon in the motion of striking, a blast of fire spat at him, from six car pines. His head went up, exposing his broad brown threat. He thrust his hands before him, all the fingers out spread With his eyes wide open he tottered and pitched face down. An i other order and the sailors wheeled, ! covering the islanders.
 'sDan!' screamed a girl in the crowd. Flush! Don't Iook!" An older woman i caught her around the neck and press i ed the girls fsce to her breast
 'sHe brought 1t on hirnself,'' said the i lieutenant to the fishermen Take warning! That is war;, He turned l and walked to the beach.
 i The dead man lay where he had fall en. Slowly chnching and unclinching their hands, the big. weather beaten strong men stared at the corpse that lay uuOuISO SO dWkWdEQ1Y D0n1nQ the sailors. One of the women touched a white haired, white bearded islander on the arm. Wont they let us have him?'' She turned her eyes toward the dead man. The old man address ed the lieutenant. "I wanted to ask you he began, but signal man in terrupted him, pointing at his head The Block islander looked at him, be- zziIf7eTsad TmDatientlv the sa flor enoinf ed again, and the islander understood Hesitatingly, reluctantly, he took off his hat. Crushing it's brim with the grip of helpless anger, he faced the officer.
 q wanted to know-sir-if mebbe we couIdn t''- he indicated the corpse.
 "YesI' answered the officer shortly. I>'sYou can have hinr' With a change in his voice he added: q am sorry, very sorry.' Yes, you may take him away