The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-05-04
PICTURE OF LIFE
in ST. QUENTIN
Asiir With Military Activity =
kaiser's Son There People
Treated Well and Wait
Patiently for Relief
BY WILLIAM c. SHEPHERD.

Omitted Press Staff Correspondent
Paris, April 26.-(By mail to New
York-)-7Within sixty or seventy miles
OF the capital are cities filled with
French people who for the past nine
months have lived under German rule
what is life like in these towns?
When the kaiser's hordes swept
southwark last July on their gigantic
attempt against Paris the people or
northeastern France heard them com
ing and fled in vast numbers, scatter
ing to all parts of the country. MANY
could not flee; many more would not;
SO the colossal gray flood swept over
them and pinned them down and there
they are to this day, their daily lives
ruled and regulated by orders emanat-
ing from the local headquarters of ths
various German commanders.
Here is picture of life in st. Quen.
tin under German rule, st. Quentin, a
charming French city, but little more
than an hours ride on railway train
northward from Paris. Fhe picture
was drawn by French citizen of the
place who succeeded in making ms
escape through the German lines:
The city was never SO bustling as
now" the speaker told the correspond.
ent. Across the square in front OF
the city hall rapid autos filled with
German officers dash in all dire lions.
They are coming from La Fere. from
Loan, from Vernaud and from Cam.
brai. Troops are leaving the train at
the station, flies and drums playing:
landwehr patrols come and go escort
ing small groups of prisoners, or re.
lieving the guards in various quarters
OF the town; group of townspeople
stand reading notice just posted by
the German military authorities pur-
porting to quote a Paris newspaper
begging for peace; the notice is head
ed:
Wise Words of French Newspaper
Under the gothic arches of the city
hall detachment of landwehr stands
sheltered. On the first floor, in the
great gala hall a group Of municipal
councilmen sit, night and day, issuing
billets for lodging soldiers and requi-
sition demanded by the German invad-
ers; the police commissary and his
men, in civil attire, but with arm
bands in St. Quentin colors, are held
at the disposition of the military.
THE German commanders head
quarters are at the Credit Lyonnais.
the city's largest banking establish
ment, but part of his administration
has quarters at the second largest
bank, the Comptoi dEscompt
"The theater houses company OF
landwehr. Nearby the restaurant
Aigle-Nois has become The German
Restaurant and here the German
A'oA NSAAaAAASoAoiiCu OillccTS nave I1elT
mess, The commissioned officers fire.
ouent the more imposing cafes and
restaurants, this being one of their
favorite occupations.
AT 5 O'Clock the pastry shop, Ca
veug, becomes the rendezvous of the
elegants Of the army. Spik and span
officers in monocles and full regimen.
tails, strut and gossip and devour
cakes or group themselves around tiny
tables and sip port or sherry with
tartes ond petitfours.
"But the liveliest table of all is that
at which the kaiser's fourth son, Prince
Auguste, fraternizes with his cronies
and cracks jokes with his dapper staff
officers.
"All these officers live in the pretty
villas bordering the aristocratic Rue
Carles-Picard and the rich Champs
Elysees. up and down which streets
every morning they caracole upon
horses OF great pride. The emperor
himself. when he visited st. Quentin.
lived in the old Charles Basuuin home