Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-16
BY WILLIAM T. MARTIN.

L
the soldier peers far out into the
territory of the Germans. Down below,
near the base of the hill, are his own
trenches. A little distance further on
he can indistinctly make out the net
work of the enemy's lines.
The Germans. knowing lookouts are
stationed on the bill and being unable
to locate them, have long since COM
pleted the destruction of the little village
AT The summit The observer has a deep
dug-out where he take shelter when
German shells fall too near.
Looking out over the land on the other
side all seems barren of life. Nearby
is part of little village, a remnant the
French have left standing-their village
and it. too. seems dead. The trenches
at the base of the hill lose individuality
in the distance in general network
that runs right and left. Some distance
to the left it is broken by a river. Nets
are stretched across it. The German
batteries are far in the rear and out
Of sight
To hide their movements from the
French the Germans bring their equip
ment UP in the night or behind screened
roads. Here and there at long intervals
the wind or a shell has made a break
in the cloth or the brush of the screens,
and before the Germans have had time
to repair them the soldier looking
through can occasionally see wagon
hurryinS along. and automobile laden
with supplies, a staff car rushing past
filled with officers or soldiers on their
way to or from the trenches.
Sometimes 'an ambulance dashes by
They usually rush up after the deep re-
sounding reports down in the trenches.
mines being thrown from one trench
10 another. or after the sharp fusillades
or exploding grenades or rife fire be-
tween attacks Sometimes the watcher
can almost tell the number of wounded.
inc ambulances are noiSeless from his
distance. but now and then he can hear
The lons-d wn-out rumbline of the
heaVy wagons as they jog along.
When his batteries shell the roads
behind the lines often he can see the
projectiles burst. hear the deep. roar
ing crashes and see their terrific havoc.
And then occasionally he can mark an
acceleration in the distant rumbling of
the wagons as they roll over the
ground. drawn by wild steeds urged
Some of the fields near the trenches
are worked by peasants-people fear
less of death, some wishing it. The
land is dotted with shell holes. but the
peasants work on. For long time
an old white horse, useless in its age
and forsaken, has graZed away among
little clumps of green things that still
stand up at spots in a devastated field
not far back. So far it has escaped
death. As shells often break around
the soldier marks it's escapes, it's fear
lessness. He thinks of it often, and
there is something of a feeling of re-
lationship.
This Afternoon as he looks out over
the land he suddenly sees far over in
the sky slightly above the horizon a
number of little specks that seem
hardly to move. They float about. van
ish and reappear inIa sky broken by
numerous little clouds. AS he looks
they seem to increase in number. They
look like flock of birds in the heav-
ems
They are almost invisible to the
naked eye, so the lookout reaches for
his glasses. lie sees them distinctly
now They are eroplanes-German
machines-and he makes out whole
feet of them. In the distance they
seem almost stationary. They float
slowly through space. but grow larger
while he stares, gliding along in regu-
lar formation.
The observer knows il is an air
raIdins expedition. He has seen man
of them and he knows there is no time
20 lose SO he rushes to his dugout. to
Y telephone and works special con-
N.ctiou that runs directly to the avia
- grounds out OF sight and the gun
tauEc in the rear.
From the great sheds along the field
=avy. awkward looking planes roll out
ith men tugging away around them
e>Jon there is whole line of them in
front OF the sheds along the field The
men go about their work with enthusiasm.
Unexpectedly from the hustle comes q
EARRING noise like the cracking Of a gil
From the other end OF the line d ma
chine wabbles unsteadily under the i'm
pulse of a roaring motor.
AT different points along the line the
operation is repeated. A moment later
all of the giant machines throb under the
roar Of the motors. that consumes every
thing with sound. The whole thing has
taken but few minutes.
The men are already mounted in the
little cars. There are two in machine,
pilot and observer. In time like this
the latter is handy man. Concealed
almost in garments of thick fur material
that covers their heads and the parts of
their bodies visible above the little cars,
they are hard to recognize men. but
have the appearance Of foreign creatures.
Looking closer the faces Of the men are
grim and set.
Suddenly from the line comes out one
OF the machines. moves slowly and un-
steadily over the ground. gazing in momen-
tum and bumps along TO the far end of
the field. Then. unsteadily, il rises from
the ground. mounts into the air and grace
fully sails away in the direction of the
high hill One by one the others follow
In a short time all are gone.