Oxford Democrat., 1916-01-11

| ing house for shelter md a place to
write my dispatch.
found the house In better shape
than one would have supposed. True
several shells had made openings In
the walls, but had not exploded within
Some of the furniture had been knocked
into kindling wood, but there were
| bed and bedding which had not been
even disarranged. It occurred to me
that after I had finished my scribbling,
In case no opportunity occurred to
reach a point where could send it.
would use that bed for the night.
found eatables.. lights, almost any
article I needed So, having helped
myself to the contents Of the cup
board-cold meat and bread and but
teri lighted kerosene lamp and
wrote out a description Of the fight I
had seen.
When I had finished my work ]
went outside to reconnoiter; undecided
whether 1t would be better to attempt
to send of the report at once or wait
till morning. stood alone, surround
ed by ruins. All was still except for
an occasional distant boom and the
creak of ambulances, farther on, TAX
| ing up the wounded. A young moon
east q dim light over all I walked
down the street that separated the
ruins and saw not a living thing. But
here and there passed corpse OF a
soldier. Two, the one wearing the
French uniform and the other the
German. lay near together. the Ger
man having fallen upon the French
man 30 that they seemed to be sleep
ing In an embrace. A German boy.
he looked no more than seventeen
was sitting with his back against a
stone wsil. where he had bled to death
from q wound in his chest. He had
doubtless been thinking of home.
Rather than remain among these
grewsome scenes I preferred to take
my dispatch to station where ]
would be permitted to send 1t, but I
knew not which way to go, and II I
moved about in the dark was liable
| to be shot. So returned to the house
where I had prepared 1t with the de-
termination Of sleeping on the bed I
had seen till morning. Throwing my
self on 1t dressed and without turning
! out the lamp-I did not relish dark
ness In such place-I tried to sleep.
but the exciting scenes ! had witness
ed during the day and the grewsome
scenes about me kept me awake for
awhile; then, tired with the exertion
I had been put to, I fell asleep.
| But not for long dreamed shell
had exploded above me, and I woke
up In tremble. And now saw the
first living thing that appeared to me
in this wrecked abode. A door stood
ajar, and In the opening was the face
Of q girl peering at me. On it was an
expression Of dread. The moment she
saw that was awake she drew away
and closed the door.
Starting up, ran to 1t and pulled 1t
open. could see nothing, but heard
steps descending a pair Of stairs.
In twinkling understood what It
all meant. When the tide of battle
had surged over this house the in
mates had hidden in the cellar. call
ed out: "Je ne suis pas Allemand, made
moiselle. Je suis American" q am not
German. am American.) Then, TAX
ing up the lamp. descended the stairs.
Huddled together was an old man, an
old woman and several children. The
girl had seen stood between me and
them.
Never have I seen more pidable
sight. These people were living In q
cellar, into which little light permeat-
ed. The old persons and the little chill
dren suffered most, the former being
chilled by the damp atmosphere, the
latter deprived Of proper food. They
had evidently entered their place Of
concealment in haste, for they had no
bedding or other articles to make their
Imprisonment less distressing than It
might otherwise have been.
I stood looking at them,. plying
them; they looked at me, supposing
that an enemy had discovered their re-
treat and expecting I know not what
calamity. Ny first thought was to re-
assure them.
1.-THE soldiers are gone," said In
French. There is no danger. Come
upstairs"
"Are you sure. monsieur" asked the
girl.
"Come and see for yourself"
I retraced my steps. and she follow
ed me, but on reaching the floor above
stood looking about her, as II dreading
to see some fierce creature who would
butcher her. As soon as she was sat-
isfed that there was no such person
about she called to the Others, who
came struggling up. looking furtvely
about them.
It was some time before I could
| quiet them SO that they would COM
! municate anything to me, but present
ly cleaned from the girl that they
had been In the cellar nearly two days,
during which time they had had moth
ing to eat. They were all. especially
the children, nearly famished. help
ed them to get out what eatables there
were at hand, and In few moments
they were eating ravenously, though
before the girl began to eat she re-
turned to the cellar and brought up
bottle Of wine. For there are few per-
sons In France but drink the wine OF
| the country.
The family insisted on my occupying
| the only bed that had escaped being
wrecked, but I resolutely declined.
taking my blanket to an upper room,
where / could see the stars through
hole in the roof made by a shell.
There stretched myself on the floor,
feeling that If the dead were without
the living were within. Consequently
I went to sleep and slumbered till the
sound Of distant cannon awakened me,
and I knew the slaughter had recon-
menced.
decided to spend the day hunting
an opportunity to send OF my report,
and after partaking Of breakfast of
what was left In the larder sailed
forth. But did not get very far.
Guns, provisions, ammunition, were be-
ing hurried forward along the roads,
Ia vxvH4 - MI N