The Washington times., 1915-07-29


the agony Of the hour of twilight and
falling darkness and then the long
drawn-o strain of the night watch
iEg, working. and lighting. all now sys-
tcmatiZed ana carried on according to
practically fixed principles. are described
from direct experience by one Of the
oditcrs OF the Paris Journal. With the
strain SO intense on the side OF the
French. it is clear the anguish of the
niHht can be no less fearful In the
German trenches.
The sun slowly. like an enormous in
candescent bomb. falls to the horizon
b. hind the pine woods, which 1t lights
up with a sinister glow AS 1t gradually
disappears. The night cre-ps on slowly.
silently: step by step 1t nvades the
plain and buries 1t under its shroud of
shadow. 1t Is the hour when the trench
becomes animated and. although al
ways mute. Is filled with movement.
with a confused crawling says the
editor.
1T is the hour Of the relieving OF the
guard. the hour Of placing the listening
outposts. the treacherous hour which
requires redoubling Of surveillance,
eye and of the ear In order to avoid the
patrols. the raids. the incessant am
bushes of an enemy always active, un-
firing. in order to foil in time the crafty
attacks which. with the wires cut and
the accessory defenses demolished in the
darkness, which acts as an accomplice.
are suddenly launched in fiendish ava
lanches with hoarse and painting clam
oring amid the brusque and binding
smashes Of the hand grenades. the
short sharp flashes and dry and
methodic crack Of the machine guns.
1t Is the hour also in which. the artil
lery has become silent through pru-
dence. as it fears to betray itself by
thrower. the minenwerfer, the howitzer.
the whole pack Of short barking can
non break forth with full-throated jov,
cough and growl, vying with each
the imperative and irresistible roar Of
the long-bore cannon. whose all-power-
full voice has become silent through
necessity for the time being.
I'm long line through the narrow
and sticky stretches of tortuous trenches
deformed shapes. large and bearded
bent under heavy sacks and loads OF
covering, the men who all day were
resting on the second line are coming
slowly. painfully. to re-enforce their
heard but the soft friction OF the KNAPP
sack against the walls Of earth, the dull
pounding of the marching men. the
short and embarrassed breathing, a few
literally between the teeth. for the least
noise brings unfailingly the brutal and
immediate punishment whistling
salvo Of the 77-centimeter.
Outpost Watches for Charge.
Little by little the trenches fill; at
each hole. with fully provided gun. the
soldier is watching. shapeless, hairy
mass fixed to the parapet, immov BILE
and silent. Out forward in the middle of
the protecting wire inclosure. crouching
down in the shaded holes which they
have reached by creeping. with eye and
ear alert and finger on the trigger,
scanning the hostile darkness with
steely glance. the watchers Of the out
posts attentively spy out on the black
German trench.
Nothing is seen, nothing is heard,
not a single definite noise not q breath
that can be characterized, and yet this
momentary calm, more profound be-
cause 1t is momentary. far from being
tranquillizing. arouses anguish and
anxiety. One feels that this silence is
full of ill-defined movements of active
life. hushed and stilled, of confused and
dangerous rumors. Instead of enjoying
the tranquility Of the hour after the OBJ
session of the days noise the mind
works and draws up chimeras, the over
strung nerves take the upper hand, the
eyes are opened wide in an effort TO
guess what is going on in the opaque
shadow. with the apprehension of not
arriving on time or of being too late
for great effort. One raises one $
back. without knowing why. as If ex-
pecting a blow to fall.
But this dreadfully depressing feel
ing does not last: action becomes i'm
peratiye: work presses which cannot
be done by dav and which, like Pene-
lope's web. or the work of Danaids, con-
tinues to be done all over again each
night without ever being finished. The
wire Enclosures cut up during the day
by the enemy's cannon have to be
stretched out anew. breaches in the
| parapet have to be closed a part of
the trench which has been filled in by
| sholling has to be deepened
THE work is portioned out without
noise, and each one sets about his duty
| Under the protection of their comrades
! in the trench. ready for any attack, the
workers. without baggage and carving
only their tools. actively creep out or
even walk, where darkness perm rs
cross to the omen ground. climb para
pets. reach their appointed places and