Gilpin observer., 1915-06-10

IuInesS OF the stricken villages when
one looks on the beauty of the fields
which lie between the houses of des.
olation.
Frignicourt has been swept from its
place on the plains. Not one stone
rests upon another here. Was there
justification for this laying waste or
was 1t sheer wantonhess? Time per-
haps will disclose the truth. I wanted
to determine for myself whether or not
] the tales constantly told of incendiar-
I Ism were true oor untrue. l began to
observe closely and hit upon a means
Of test which have found that already
the Frenchmen have applied.
Faremont q not far from Frigni-
court, and 1t was destroyed only in
part by artillery fire. A fine highway
runs through the heart OF the village.
and 1t was along this highway that the
invading army passed. The houses on
either side of the road and Immediately
confronting 1t have all been destroyed
while the houses back of them are in
tact. Gunfire from a distance makes
no such fine distinctions. The houses
along the street were set on fire by
| hand.
The old church of the village Of
Faremont Is still standing. There is a
shell hole In its tower, and more
breaches in the wall below.
From Faremont / passed through
Favresses. Blesme and Maurupt-le-Mon-
toy. There is little left of any one of
these places to give IT the right to be
called village. At Blesme there are
some curious contrasts. The lowly
homes of the villagers all were de.
stroyed. but close to them an old and
beautiful chateau stands unharmed
amidst its trees.
A. II by Miracle.
At Maurupt-le-Montoy the lombard
ment caused heavy damage to the vii.
lage church and churchyard. In the
latter. where the shells had fallen
thick. there is a stone cross bearing
upon its marble front a representa-
ton of Saint Veronica's handkerchief.
upon which. according to the Catholic
belief. was imprinted the face of the
| Christ. In curious workmanship. upon
the marble handkerchief in this ceme-
terry. the face of the Savior was inlaid.
Almost alone. this cross and this Christ
stand uninjured in this shell-shattered
acre of God.
| Frequently stress has been laid upon
the escape from injury by shell fire of
representations of the Savior and the
Virgin. his mother. l know, however.
that these escapes are only accidental,
and while 1t may be pleasant for the
faithful to believe that immunity came
to the things they hold sacred. 1t is
only the part of truth to say that
have seen the same destruction Wis
tied upon crucifix and on shrine that
fell upon other images and other sane
tuaries Of which Christians take less
account
| At Vaubecourt such walls as still
rear themselves from the ruins ara
shaken daily and nightly by the thun-
der OF pounding guns. At least one
half OF the Vaubecourt villagers have
returned to their blasted dwellings
ready again to take up life where their
forefathers lived for centuries. These
villagers give no heed to the trembling
of the earth under their feet The can
non shot does not disturb their
dreams. He'll came here last fall.
There was terrific fighting at Vaube-
court and in the country all about 1t
and there is still terrific fighting near
at hand. The village has been bat.
tered from its foundations by shell and
shot. When the time comes for an
swering the question of responsibility.
1t is probable that no fine interroga-
tions will be raised as to whether this
place was swept from the face of the
earth by bombardment or deliberate
incendiarism. Here, the question will
concern itself with the right OF the in
vader to put to death summarily three
French soldiers whom they found in
the village.
Were Shot as Spies.
| The cure Of Vaubecourt, a priest
who stayed loyalty at his post, told
me that the French soldiers were in
uniform and in advance of the enemy s
lines and that therefore they could not
have been spies. The Germans, how.
ever. have said that these soldiers
were spies ana II was on this ground
they shot them.
The priest of vaubecourt has gath.
cred a part of his flock together once
more. He is rAbbe Perrenot. He was
sentenced to be shot by the order OF
the commanding officer of the invad
ing army. He added that this officer
was a good deal of brute but that
his immediate junior in command was
a soldier and gentleman. The junior
he said, secured his release. So one
hears the stories and SO one may or
may not pass Judgment as he will.
AS things are, however, the village
of Vaubecourt as village of homes
and houses is no more, but the people
are coming back to find the May sun
shining on the ruins and showing forth