The sun., 1916-11-26

quartered there. She takes n motherly
interest in the two young soldiers.
So far they have seen little fighting
and they ask man questions. In the
night time, when over on tho hi,
where the trenches are they sec the
fare Of the rockets, heal the occasional
duh boom Of things exploding. they
look at each other o%in!nouSly and
shrug.
It has been quiet recently over
there. but the woman has told them
Of the fighting Of the past. The one
whose name il Joliet from a VII
lage on the side now held by the Ger
mans. The other. r!errot. M from
Il town near Paris. The TWO are Of the
same company. They are great friends.
for they have known each other a long
time. Before the war they went to
school together in Paris.
They too are on their way 10 the
trenches. but do not know how long
they Will remain Ia the town. when
they will lie sent up. So they sit
along tho road and watch the now
never ending line OF vehicles c%rcaking
under bulky lo1ds on their way
through the town toward the lines.
over the broad sloppy road leading
up from the rear they continue to
come-ail day and night. IL has been
40 for three days and two nights. So
compact IL tho line hat but a foot
or 20 separates the heads Of the horses
from the rear ends OF tho wagon in
front. II Is thus as far a. the eye
goes either way. II the towering loads
- nn,tp.ap. - oil Inuartpttnn Tho
line begins at the trains. some miles
back. out OF shell range.
In ordinary times tho wagons come
UP In sections that pass under cover
OF darkness. But now, In the daytime.
the sky Is guarded with the aeroplanes
OF the French. They are IN such num-
bcrs that the Germans have not been
able to fly yer for any length Of
time. At dusk the planes ny home
ward. Darkness comes thick and the
line goes on.
Tho third night and through the rain
there Il still the incessant rumble and
creak!ng OF heavy. burdened wheels.
tho clanklng.Of chains, tho snprting OF
horses, The drivers, high in their seats,
! clad In heavy coats and loose rubber
hoods, look like strange beings in the
darkness instead Of fellow soldiers.
They pass by saying nothing. In tho
night guns are brought mp. II they
pass on the road In the daytime they
are carefully covered.
The following morning breaks and
the train still rumbles on. In the past
months, except In tho biggest OF the
attacks, the mornings have always
found the roads clear. The train con-
tinues all through the following day
and more troops arrive. The aero
planes swarm overhead.
There are other main roads In the
sector and villages like this one. II
Is the same there, too, but the soldiers
OF a town ordinarily arc not allowed
beyond its limits.
over along the hill the occasional
flare Of light reminds one OF lightning
before n storm. Up there soldiers
on duty stealing back for their few
days rest after service in the trenches,
mud cakcd and unkcmpt-many proba-
bly, even beyond the recOgnLL.n Of
those they have constantly ia mind
and write to, far away in a world dif-
ferent from ~this-pass on their way
down rows upon rows OF freshly
stacked shells.
There are shells Of all types. for
guns OF all caIibrcs In the army, II
seems. Their numbers arc incalculablc
In other piles are heavy, misshaper
looking things. one near at hant
lying there on tho. ground has &
long rod like IA piston at one end, Will,
AZ the other end are wings. In stu
other piles are similar looking thing,
without In" wings. They arc tn,
havoc working torpcdoes and over,
ground mines 50 much used Of late II
trench warfare.
Everywhere are supplies, and the!