Gunnison news-champion., 1915-01-15

of Japan Prior to engaging
the city's defenses the feet had sent
wireless message demaB Bding surrender
The mayor and his advisers still chung
10 their belief In the ability OF the forts
On sandy Hook 10 defend the CITY
They returned a refusal Whereupon
the Japanese engaged and silenced the
forts after an hours steady lombard.
ment with the new aerial bomb whice
proved terribly effective
Without waiting they immediately
steamed into the lower harbor and pro
ceeded toward the city In that prog
ress two cruisers and q battleship
struck mines and were completely or
partially destroyed
fourth was hit by q bomb thrown
from a strange aeropiane which darted
above II and Disappeared
They set about their terrible task In
cold blood A bomb was launched
against the Metropolitan tower 1t
struck well up near the top and burst
In binding sheet of flame. which
seemed TO wrap the monoith of stone
and steel in fiery embrace
The tower shook. bent. and as the
ioosened stone and brick broke from
its setting In the frame a terrible cas-
cade of debris poured downward into
the street, while a cloud of powdered
brick, stone and mortar rose and drift
ed north and west before the wind
The second bomb struck lower down.
with a similar effect. save that now the
entire framework. driven entirely ou1
OF plumb and partly riven asunder
topped like a great tree and fell with
an earth shaking roar across the street
and the lower buildings At the time
the streets were full Of people, and the
loss of life was immense
A roar as Of mighty cataracts rang
through the canyons of the streets Il
was the noise Of the falling walls of
buildings of plunging. splintering
brick and rock. which hurtled from its
high emplaement. carrying death TO
whatever living thing II struck Fires
broke ont and burned unchecked
As the destruction spread the Japs
nese ceased firing their bombs and sent
up numerous aeroplapes equipped with
smaller explosive grenades. which flew
over the city In all directions. casting
their explosives upon crowds and
houses and adding 10 the demorali liza
ton of the helpless wretches who
found themselves caught In the mael
Strom of fate
Cnder the miniStrations OF Bernice
ner aunt opened her eyes. and the
girl half carried. haIf Dragged her To
n couch and lifted her upon "
loud roar Tiled Bernices ears In
nalf comprehension she saw the wall
back Of her auut's couch crack and
ureak asunder the solid masonry nil
,nwlpe inward firs-tiy toward her
i'hen. like a ricker IN motion nlm.
the solid mass broke up. After a long
time she stirred and moaned With
great effort she opened her eyes. The
pale sunlight of a smoke clouded sky
was pouring in through ragged gap
in the wall of the room. With con
sciousness came recollection. and she
looked for her aunt Where the couch
had been WAS tumbled mass of brick
and plaster and lathing A sickenins
fear gripped her heart She staggered
20 her feet aud erept dizzily toward
that tumbled pile.
Then she stopped, and a stransied
cry burst from her lips. She had
caught sight of a thin hand rrotrud-
ing from beneath a jumble of bricks
and a strand of gray hair struggling
about a pain twisted face. pale with
the pallor of death
Choking back her outcry and re-
straining her wavering senses. Bernice
bent above the half concealed figure
and began clawing away the debris
She freed the slight form and dragged
it to place on the floor near where
she had sat when 10 flying bit of the
wall had struck her
Bv and hv she crept 10 the window