Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1915-04-16

kered more than ever to take part in
the fighting. But he knew his desire
was futile. Duty would hend other
men to the firing line; duty would
force him to mix dough while they
battled.
At dawn the German guns opened
fire, grumbling like a tired sleeper
awakened too early: then for the first
time in weeks OF active campaigning,
Stephen saw real battle begin. The
commissary wagons were back Of
ridge hardly half mile behind the
line OF rifle pits, and from the top Of
the hill he could see the whole battle
field in the bend of the river.
The infantry swarmed into the
trenches. each man working diligently
with his bayonet to dig himself in
deeper, using planks, branches OF
trees, or any other material at hand to
construct overhead coverings as pro
lection from shrapnel A group OF
statf officers galloped the length of the
lines, then the English batteries went
into action, firing at regular intervals
as they tried out the range.
The cannonading swelled to a
steady pulsing roar that answered the
throb Of German howitzers masked in
the hills beyond the river and soon
the black squirt of smoke from high
explosive shells mingled with the
white cotton balls of bursting shraps
mel
All morning Stephen watched the
Germans attempting to force their
way across the river
He paused In his work to see an
English battery knock a pontoon
bridge to pieces, and marveled when
the Germans went doggedly to work
to rebuild 1t, while their guns conceu.
trated deadly fire on the pieces
which had caused the damage
From both sides he heard the throb-
bling of cannon and the smashing rife
volleys-like the sound or hail on a
glass skylight. For miles up and
down the river the battle was in prog
ress, and at every point the German
onslaught was equally determined
The pontoon bridge was completed
again, and ghost-gray thousands
poured over it,
Cavalry battalions swan their
horses across the stream. and under
the shelter of the high banks the
kaisers legions massed themselves
for an attack.
They waited while their artillery
drenched the English position with
shrapnel, then surged out from under
cover in gray hordes, and with rip
like the tearing of tough cloth, the in
fantry cut loose, the racket swelled by
the wicked snarl of machine-guns
which were spraying the advancing
lines with steel-jacketed bullets.
Into the little village, now deserted
by its inhabitants, poured German
column; and as .the English shells
pumped down among the houses. thin
plumes OF smoke-which thickened
and grew blacker-appeared at a
dozen points But the Germans did
not hesitate.
Through the burning town they
swept, while other columns advanced
on each side, and across the river the
living stream still flowed.
In the fields the solid masses spread
out fanwise and charged up the slope
toward the trenches. Now they were
at the foot of the hill, and Stephen
could no longer see the ones directly
in front Of where he stood; but on
each side he had good view of their
onward rush, little flashes of light
glinting from bayonets fixed for the
charge.
Machine-guns and rifles took heavy
toll.
The ground the Germans passed
over was carpeted with writhing Oh
motionless figures; but ever theJ
closed their ranks and went on. TIKI
attack seemed rresistible-their mum
} bers hardly diminished.
} Halfway up the hill the Germans
faltered as an enfilading battery
] plowed red burrows through theii
ranks: but it was only for a moment
then they pulled themselves togethel
and surged upward At the edge O
the hill Stephen saw the English clam
| bering out of the trenches and hearC
the final volleys that withered tn,
} charging host and. above the thuddinl
; of cannon and the splitting rattle 0
rifles. the deep shout of the infantr,
as they met steel with steel.
Back down the slope rolled the RET
line of battle!
stephen caught the imperative cal
of bugles commanding the English :,
retire to the trenches and watched tn,
Germans reform and again storm for
ward to the attack, only to be fun
back. A third time they hurled them
selves upon the English, but this tim
they were more quickly checked.
Another battery had been brough
into position and the gray forces brok
halfway up the hill-broke and RI
coiled in confusion.
A yell of victory arose; caps wave
from the British lines, then again tn
| men burrowed in the holes they ha
dug as the storm of shrapnel was r.
| sumed
| Stephen swung his hat and cheere
| too; but secretly he was afiame wit
| revolt because he could not take a
Il active part in the fighting. A grea
I possibly a decisive, battle was OF
\ and he was a mere spectator.
| He realized he should be mixin
Y dough, for the men in the trenche
1 would be hungry They must be fe
j SO they could fight again.