The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-09-11
GO ABOUT THEIR DAILY TASKS UNDER
CONTINUAL ROAR Of BURSTING SHELLS
Several Towns France That Are Continually Bombarded BY Great
German GunsPeope Grow Accustomed to the Unceasino
Fire and Eat, Drink and Sleep as UsuaI-The Case
of Arras Is Typical of Many French Towns.

Iui' without any apparent cause or mo-
tive. as Arras has no strategic impor.
lance and is not garrisoned in force.
towards the end of April, however,
the tactics changed. and every day
since then at least a hundred shells
nave been sent into Arras. Latterly
the heaviest 'marmites,' or Jack John
sons have begun to fall together with
1ncendiary bombs.
One would have thought that the
inhabitants would have long since
quilted the inferno, and preferred to
put more than half a mile between
themselves and their relentless foes.
When the bombardment began there
were perhaps $4,000 inhabitants, and
IN the first fright at least half of these
ned. AS time went on others thought
life was scarcely worth living under
the existing conditions, but 1000 have
stoutly stuck to their native place.
and refused to quit what is left of,
or represents. their homes. These
are mostly small tradesmen and the
working classes, the majority of whom
lead troglodytic life in cellars and
underground shelters, but still at
nome They know well the habits
and customs Of the enemy, and when
they are sure that the firing is going
TO cease for a while, they venture out
and do their shopping and meeting
with each other.
ca Nm Mill rk>f. uy.-r-
with that love of order that dis.
tinguishes French official life, the pre-
fectual service has never stopped
working. and though the walls of the
prefecture have long since been blown
down, and little but the skeletons is
left OF the town hall, the staff con-
tinue to carry on their duties as calm.
ly as II in time of peace. One of the
most curious and touching features
OF the life of Arras is the school.
where eighty little boys and girls reg.
ularly attend, and where ten male and |
three woman teachers daily give their
lessons In a spacious cave. The hours
are not very regular, and the bonn.
pardment often makes some of the
children late. both in coming and 20
Ing home In the evening. The mid
day meal is prepared and taken in the
school room and though
several of the children have fallen
victims Of the shell fire this has not
deferred a single one from continu-
ing the lessons.
Another strange and admirable In
'titution Is the Coffin league When
The bombardments began the victims
we're so numerous that it was not DOS
'lDle to give each a separate burial.
For instance, in the almshouse one
shell alone killed thirty-two women
md wounded forty-three more. The
cemeteries as usual being outside the
own, and fully exposed to the enemy's
Ire. arrangements had to be made for
In gardens or courtyards.
md on one occasion one hundred and
ifty bodies had to be incinerated at a
treet corner. This tragic spectacle
70 impressed the people that a Coffin
eague was started, and it's members
YORK almost all day and night in eel.
ars making collins. And now all the
Williams who are killed and all the
oldiers who die in Arras are decent.
buried in a coffin. so that their
riends will be able to find their last
esting place later on.
Distinguished Fire Fighters.
OF course fires are FREQUENT 90.
ecially lately. since the Germans
ave taken to delivering incendiarv
bells upon Arras. There were on,v G
Wo old hand fire pumps in the town n
all after the steam engine had been r
mashed to pieces by a shell. These c
ere put into such order as was NOS. Z
BILE, and twelve ancient firemen took 4
lie places Of the modified fire brigade
len. There is never any lack of vol. e
nteers. though the Job is doubly dan. \
erous when the bombardment ia in Z,
III blast. Men and women issue ON, n
their retreats, and a story ts told o
how on one occasion the prefect q
10 mayor, the bishops vicar, and the
ce-president Of the prefectural conn. -
l. together with the bishop himself n
ere all seen together working the