The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-03-13
CHAPTER xIx-Continued.

CHAP N NIN-SOHtbitSS'
Row the automatics and the rifles
from the redoubt to which the Browns
had fallen back opened fire 80
close together we're these bullet-ma-
chimes that the orbit Of each ones
swing made a spray Of only a Few
yards breadth over the redoubt' where
the Browns gun-fire had not for mo
ment ceased it's persistent shelllng'
with increasingly large and solid tar
gets OF flesh for their practice. Inc
thing for these targets to do' lhey
knew. was to intrench and begin 10
return the infantry and automatics /
fire. Desperately. with the last enor'
of courage, they rose in the attempt
rose into playing hose streams OF Dull
let's whose close hiss was steady I'M
dertone between shell bursts. In the
garish, jumping light brave ofncers
tmpulsively stood up to hearten their
commands in their work, and dropped
with half.uttered urgings, threats, ana
paths on their lips.
The bullets from the automatics
missing one mark were certain to hnd
another, perhaps four or five In a row,
such was their velocity and power OF
penetration. Where shells made gaps
and tore holes in the human mass, the
automatics cut with the regularity OF
the driven teeth of a comb. The men
who escaped all the forms Of slaughter
and staggered on to the ruins OF the
redoubt, pressed their weight on top
of those In the craters or Rugged be-
hind the pyramids Of debris, and even
made breastworks from the bodies Of
the dead. The more that banked up,
the more fruitless the efforts of the Of
ficers to restore order in the frantic
medley OF shell screams and explosions
at q time when a minute seemed an
age.
Meanwhile, between them-this
banked-up force at the charges end
and the Brown redoubt with Its auto
mates, the Gray gunners were making
q zone of shell bursts in order to give
the soldiers time to make their hold
OF the ground they had gained secure.
Through this zone Stransky and his
men were to lead the Browns in a
counter-attack.
At the very height Of the Gray
charge, when all the reserves were In,
dark objects fell out of the heavens,
and where they dropped earth and
flesh were mingled in the maceration
Like some giant reptile with it's YER
tebrae breaking, gouged and torn and
pinioned, the charge stopped, in with
ing, throbbing confusion. Those on
the outer circle of explosions were
thrown against their fellows, who
surged back In another direction from
an explosion In the opposite quarter
From the rear the pressure weakened;
the human hammer was no longer driv
ing the ram. Blinded by the lightnings
and dust, dizzy from conclusions and
noise. too blank of mind to be sane oil
insane, the atoms of the bulk Of the
charge ia natural instinct turned from
their goal and toward the place whenct
they had come, with death from al
sides still buffeting them. Staggering
ly, at first. they went, for want Of in
itative In their paralysis; then rapidly
as the law Of self-preservation asserted
itself in wild impulse.
Al sheep driven over a precipic'
they had advanced; as men they fed
There was no longer any command, NJ
longer any cohesion, except of Leg
struggling in and out over the uneven
footing of dead and wounded. Will,
they felt another pressure, that of tn,
mass Of the Browns In pursuit. OF al
those OF Fracasse's company whom
we know only the judges son ant
Jacob Pilzer we're alive. Stained will
blood and dust, his teeth showing II
q grimace of mocking hate of all hu
mankind, PLIERS savagery ran free o
the restraint of discipline and civilize,
convention. Striking right and left
he forced his way out OF the region O
shell fire and still kept on Clubbin,
his rife, he struck down one office
who tried to detain him: but anothe
officer, quicker than he. put revolve
bullet through his head.
Westerling, who had buried his fac
In his hands in Martas presence a
the thought OF failure, must keep tn
pose OF his position before the stat
With chin drawn In and shoulder
squared in sort Of petrified militar
habit, he received the feverish new
that grew worse with each brief bull,
tin. He, the chief of staff: he, Het
worth Westerling. the superman, mus
be a rock in the food of alarm. whe
he heard that his human ram was 1
recoil he declared that the repulse ha
been exaggerated-repulse alway
were. With word that a heavy counte
attack was turning the retreat into a
ungovernable rout, he broke into
storm He was not beaten; he coul
not be beaten
Let our guns cut few swaths
the mob!" he cried THAT will ste
them from running and bring the,
back to a sense OF duty to their coul
try"
The irritating litter of the bell
the closet of the library only increase
mis- defiance of facts beyond contrc
He went to the long distance with
reply to the premier's inquiry ready
his lips.
I'VE got into the enemy's works b
had to fall back temporarily" he sal
Temporarily! What DO you mean