The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1915-07-02

reading.
All our outposts now. no less than our main
lines of defense. are protected by formidable
barbed wire eptanglements, behind which we
can rest secure from the surprises that cost
us lives in the early days Of the campaign.
The Germans have done no less on their side.
In fact night resounds with the hammering
of stakes from all directions and in the quiet
of his lonesome watch the sentinel imagines
with amazement what will be the cost of life
for either army that attempts to break
through a line which seven months of con
tinuous work have fortified with all the muir
derous defenses that ingenuity can devise
At 3 O'Clock now the east begins to pale
and an hour later the posts can return. Pick
ing nm our blankets we hurry down the hill
side. through the cemetery and back to the
chateau on the edge Of the village. An hour
of animated conversation ensues MS the days
distribution is made and the places laid in
the straw. Then fine siesa until the cry
Of "soupe" calls us all out again around II
O'Clock.
Our life during the six DAYS in the rear is
of a nature designed TO counteract the effect
OF the six DAYS of enforced naction at the
front and in the trenches, II means chiefly
work and field exercises There is always
one afternoon of target practice when. after
many a period in the trenches without see
ing mark. il is n pleasure TO hear the I.ebe
speak and TO get a line on ones marksman-
shin. In big abandoned sugar refinery some
eiQht or ten kilometers down the valley some
fine hot showers have been. arranged for all
The troops in this section and march down
there with soap and towel comes on every
visit IN the renr and is oreotly enioyed nv nil
VILLAGE IN RANGE OF FIRE
Though these weekly returns 10 the rear
nre n relief after the strain of outpost work
the element of danger is not really any fur.
lher removed for the village is well within
The range of artillery fire. though hid bv an
intervening ridge. and shells came whisilinr
into II occasionally. ospecinlly in rcprisal for
some msadventure ON the firing line. Thus
the denot of the regiment ON orr right. who
Ind wiped ont German most few DAYS be-
fore. was bombarded the other evening and
the preitv village whose old Gothic church
peeks over The green ridge mile east of MS
was yelled for half nm hour in clouds of black
smoke and the dust of the explosions in the
narrow streets A chance sheII thot rnmo
through The roof Of the artillery regiment
cantoned in our village one night cost more
lives than were lost during their whole re-
went from Relgium
The third neriod-tbot In tbe rescrvo
trenches n mile bnck in thc forest from tho
front ine-is The six DAYS that ARE looked
forward TO generally with the least pleasure
This Il becanso II Is tbo dutv of tbe comnn.
MOS IN Tho reserve to work nm tbe dcfenses
and tho labor IL infinite Uore wo 1.-Two in
eartben dngonts ike nil tbe rest Of
Tho troncbes tbe haitian covorod with strow
hroneht from q md Tho roof made If
hags beoned ovor with hroncbos and dirt
irbon%b tbo wool, in tho sooond Eno l. ,ho
nor;od ~ hardest vorl, /, olso hr;ngs o,,,or
,un;t;os for Tho n,oSt o%ctomont Co., tho com
nanias in resey,,o are oiso those Which furnish
,ha n;rh, natrols 81 Observation-Disclosures Do
,ror;iios p,a,roni How, tSo boari loot, a.
honr tbo , u"rd a,o ronnJ in ,bo of,orroon ond
,c iaorn thai ore has hoen cboscr ~ toto ,,art
~ ''''s wv e H.. .nve w I'm paIs
III " ~ 'HNulf NUN lil' fANiltll