The Detroit times., 1916-09-07
BY PAUL vlLLER.

Copyright. 1915. by Herbert corey)
(Cure OF Triaucourt, a village held
eight days by tho Germans In 1914,
in which eight persons We're muir
dered, and in which several houses
were burned. A personal narrative)
Sunday, Sept. 6.--This morning
the Germans put our church clock
az the German hour. but the bell
refused TO obey them. The hands
galloped at their will. but the clock
continued 10 strike the French hour.
II mattered nothing 10 US. During
the occupation we never knew the
time We hardly knew the day. Al
halfpast D o'clock | went 10 the
church 20 celebrate mass. There
were only few OF the Boches In
the street-stragglers who had be-
| gun TO pillage-for there was fight
ing near at hand and the troops had
gone TO the combat The sound OF
the cannon seemed very near AS
entered the sacristy there was
! hubbub so great that the soil
| trembled-and | also. We were not
yet habituated TO these tintamarres
mo one will dare venture out 10
the mass, said 10 myself II shall
return TO my home"
A crowd did not delay TO join me
there My cellar is large and we'll
vaulted and had provided II with
the things needful. | even had
pick and some spades with which
TO enlarge the windows IL IL seemed
advisable arranged seats. had
water brought down, and lighted
candles fixed in the mouths OF bot
! ties. Some refugees came to the
| cellar and some remained on the
stairs. II was according 10 their
! degree Of fright During the occu-
| patton | had the happiness 10 offer
! hospitality 10 76 persons. When one
has companions ones fear is less
Sometimes an amiable pleasantly
| brought a smile 10 the lips, but the
| smile soon vanished The mitraille
was so near and so terrifying.
Sometimes the men went into the
1
the combat was growing more dis.
/ tant We exerted ourselves then TO
/ calm the fears 81 those who re.
| manned We reCited the rosary I'm
n loud voice The little ones on
their knees on the stone floor
prayed like angels The noise of
! the cannonading shook our doors
| and windows Peering through the
Sits OF tho partly opened doors we
watched all day long continual
| coming and going OF batteries and
troops Only once heard the Ger.
mans sing regiment returning
dirty and covered with mud on the
third day Of the battle chanted do.
lorously
Toward II o'clock several bat
! teries stopped on the Rue Basse.
dTyres. The men leaped of the
horses, the canuoneers remained on
their caissons. All took in haste
! cold repast Not a bit of noise or
confusion. A whistle, and each man
| took his place and the batteries
moved on No one dares venture
| into the streets. There one sees
only Boches, some going forward
TO the firing line. and others pillag
ing the houses. The miller brought
several sacks OF -four into my Gel
lar, against the time when there
should be no more bread No one
thinks OF eating meal. We mere
ly nibble at a potato, a little choco
late. a morsel OF bread.
This afternoon we see smoke arts.
ing from neighboring villages which
are in flames. French prisoners be
gin 10 come through Triaucourt
They appear sad This evening and
in the evenings which follow we
dare have no light. lest we attract
the attention OF the enemy. We
remain silent in our dark cellars.
But al o'clock a messenger orders
that every barn shall be lighted and
! that our men shall stand at the
doors with lanterns. Two squad.
rons OF Uhlans come In silence.
lead their horses in, and throw
| themselves on the straw behind
their mounts. They do not even
climb into the lofts. and remain
ready in case of alarm. A soldier
comes into my house with a chicken
ready for the spot
Cook it in your stove" he said to
my housekeeper. at is for our gen
eral. who will sleep tonight on the
grass in tho forest
No one thinks of sleeping. We
sit on chairs on the floor along the
walls, on the steps OF the stairs.
The children lie on great carpet
which we draw over them to the
neck and they fall asleep. All this
day the Boches ravage The man.
ner in which they pillage is worthy
OF description. When they enter
village they first take the horses
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