Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-06-11

the place a ruin"
"Ah. monsieur said the girl. I'VE
are lucky to escape with lives
"Come.r l said; you all doubtless
need food and to breathe the fresh air.
They left the subcellar In which they
had been perfectly safe,gfrom bursting
shells. While passing through the
rooms that had contained their 0
vanished wealth the older ones groan-
ed; when they assembled to the main
floor and saw the ruins of their build
ings they looked at each other in de-
spair. The young girl did THAT she
could to keep up their spirits. saying
that all would soon be recovered. but
her words had no effect upon them
From the south came a distant
booming of cannon. though night hav-
ing come on there was a lull In the
fighting. There were no men on the
premises, except the old man who had
hidden in the celler, for the men were
all In the army. The women therefore
cherished my presence with them and
looked to me for guidance. | told the
young girl. whom they called Clochette.
that we had better go to the house
where the proprietor had lived. and she
led the way thither.
We found 1t much upset, but not a
ruin. The officers had occupied 1t. and.
though they had left the furniture
topsy turvy. the house itself except for
being perforated by a few cannon balls
was not injured. We lighted candies
and set to work to make the house
habitable. Fortunately it was summer.
and we did not suffer from the pas
sage of air through the holes In the
walls.
Clochette and I. being the only young
persons present other than the chill
dren, did most of the work and got the
premises In tolerabie shape. except for
cleanliness. which wonld require more
time and effort. Then Ciochette took
me to one of the buildings. beneath
which provisions had been concealed.
and selecting what was needed we re-
turned to the others. and Clochette got
up a supper which was seasoned with
hunger, and all ate ~ravenously.
Being the only man on the premises
fit for service. and these people relying
upon me alone for aid and comfort, |
did not go to bed with the others. but
securing a fowling piece for defense
stationed myself on the porch to
watch. for grim visaged wal was
about us, and I did not know at what
moment l might be called upon to pro-
tect my charges. The firing grew less
toward midnight, but here and there
In every direction the heavens were lit
with a light that indicated some house
was being destroyed, and heaven only
knew what dreadful calamities were
being visited upon those who dwelt
therein.
Now and again | heard voices OF
those who were probably stragglers
and likely marauders who were out
for pillage. Coming upon the build
ings which were In ruins, they
on. The house in which
sleeping. being as dark ~
fortunately not visited. l was sitting
In a chair. with my gun resting on the
porch, nodding, when l felt a light
tOucn on my shoulder.
"You are very kind" said a voice
which / knew to be Clochette's. 81
will relieve you for a time. Go In and
get some sleep. You Americans are
the finest people in the world"
l told her that l preferred to watch.
When | asked her IL there were any
more arms on the place she replied
that she knew of none excepting a
~revolver which she drew from under
the skirt of her dress, and which she
told me she had kept there from the
time the tide Of battle began to roll
over the vineyard. She would not go
to bed. so | drew a chair for her. and
we sat together on guard.
Clochette was the daughter Of the
superintendent of the vineyard. Among
the women was her mother. and the
others were mostly her relatives. She
had evidently peer the dependence OF
the party before my arrival. and even
now was unable to throw off the re-
sponsibility resting upon her. And yet
she was especially feminine. Sitting
there together. whenever a yell. a curse
or a shrek rang III In the night she
drew near me and shuddered. while I,
though | dreaded what might at any
moment happen. spoke In tones Of as
surance that might so far as possible
keep up her courage.
During the night we met with vari-
GUS causes for especial terror. One I
remember for the narrow escape we
made. Half a dozen stragglers, all evil
IDENTIFY drunk, came through the vine
yard. My companion and | withdrew
behind some latticework, where we
were well concealed. The men passed
the house and stopped before It I
heard them discussing whether or mo-
there was any loot within, and for
some time we were in doubt whether
or not they would come up IN to the
porch where we were preparatory to