The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-12-31
Soldiers in Trenches
Kno1U But One Sentence
Men on French Front Think of Christmas as Cannon
Roar but Have Single Toast "Peace Through Vic
tory'' DeUotions Led by Warriors.

Arras. on the French Front, Dec. 26.
Hundreds of big shells tore the air
over Arras all Friday afternoon. The
echoes of these were the last compli-
ments Of the season and they had no
sooner died away than the life OF
Arras began to show itself through re-
opened cellar doors and windows in
preparation for the usual Christmas
eve preparations.
THE people of the Artois rise above
their Affections due to the war and
the spirit of Arras survives among the
heaps of ruins.
''It would really be shame if we
had not got used to it during all these
months said woman selling postal
cards and stationery by a candle light
on the first floor of building, three
parts open TO the sky. What we've
got to do" the woman continued, 'is
to hold out for final victory and last
ing peace"
After the usual systematic shelling
died down rife shots and the occa-
sional rattle of machine guns was all
that broke the stiffness Of death that
settled over the city. The cathedral
where midnight mass was said last
year under the thunder Of cannon,
stood out against the twilight in rag
ged ruins like a spectre with crumb-
ling walls of demolished buildings all
around and giving tna aspect of gi-
gantic cemetery with decaying head
stones.
Invisible Music Speaks.
The rattle of machine guns struck
I'D against and a few rife shots rang
through the clear air Toward 8 o'clock
the soft strains of an organ were heard
from an invisible source. Going
through heaps of stone and glass to
a chapel entrance one could see a
candle light Pickering through the
darkness a short distance away. Staff
officers, awaiting for dinner, led the
correspondent of the Associated Press
to an adjoining room which resembled
the crater of q miniature extinct vol
cano
.If it continues much longer you are
likely to have your dining room also
opened. to the weather, said the cor
respondent 10 the officers.
sThat is quite possible" replied a
captain, but the destination of a shell
IS something over which We have no
control yet, have We, Leutenant?"
But the lieutenant was absorbed in
an illustrated paper which had just
arrived and made no comment.
Santa Claus and the Christmas spirit,
notwiths :anding the war, were in evil
dence everywhere along the Artois
battle front, where the correspondent
passed Christmas eve. They were in
the trenches and shelters with the SIM
pie soldiers; in the temporary barracks
where the traditional Christmas the
ater was replaced by an improvised
concert and vaudeville which almost
rivaled the best Paris could do in time
of peace. In the quarters where the
officers celebrated with no less sim
plicity and dignity and in the first
little church still defying shell fire,
which one finds behind the battle front,
midnight mass was celebrated.
As Fourth of July.
From the road running almost par
allel to the trenches, rockets shoting
ur into the air from both lines recalled
the Fourth of July fire works in Am
erica. An officer explained that this
was partly due to habit.
"Fuses are set off every night, the
officer explained, "even when the moon
shines brightly as tonight, and besides