The Cordova daily times., 1916-10-04

there were big fragments of shrapnel | lying at every turn. It was pleasant at first to pick them up, but after three or four of these heavy chunks of steel were carried half mile, the task was abandoned.
 The ingenuity of some of the trench quarters along the way Is shown in the use of empty glass bottles for win dows. One officer pointed with pride to the very artistic effect he had se- cured with thes empty bottles. A triple row extended all across the front of his log shack, giving light within and having rather a cathedral window effect without. The bottles are of white glass, used for bottling the white wine of Bordeaux.
 The headquarters of General Ne vile, in command of the operations at Nerdun, are quite a way outside the city, at little cross road hamlet, which cannot be named for military reasons. The generals offices are in the town court house, a two story stone structure. It was in this same building that General Petain, who pre- ceded Neville, and General de Castel- nau, quickly made the plans on the first onrush of the Germans. which held them until endorsements could be brought up
 General Neville goes to Verdun and along the trench front frequently. But most of his time is at headquarters, in telegraph and telephone communi cation with the whole circle of defen. ses, and in tough. too, with the other army corps and masses of supplies ready to be moved forward to fill any gap the Germans may make.
 As we were at General Neville's headquarters, a party of German pris. oners came by. They marched two and two, their gray uniform and round cap contrasting with the French blue and casque. Already they were being set to work, and instead of gun each German carried a spade over his shoulder. At Verdun there is no civilian life whatever, but around General Neyille's headquarters there were peasant women and girls ming ling with the poilus, indicating civil ian life still existed thus near to the bOmbarded town.
 The roads back of Verdun present the most varied scenes of activity. On one side is a vast aeroplane camp, with some twenty enormous hangars of basket steel construction, covered with canvas. Across the road is a riding course running for miles, where officers can exercise their mounts. and cavalry can push forward in em- ergency without blocking the high road Every now and then one sees a big vehicle shoot by bearing the sign American Ambulance Corps"
 The thousands of horses and mules along the road are in good condition. Many of the horses came from Ameri- ca, and were run down by sea voy- age, but after a months feeding they proved very seryiceable. On seeking the mules, one of the officers said:
 "The demobolization of the Greek army had one very important result for the allies - it released 10000 mules which the Greeks had been using, and now these mules are prov ing invaluable to the allies"
 The last glimpse of Verdun came as the party passed a detachment of French soldiers, just out Of the trenches and going to the rear for rest They were tired and heavily laden, but happy and cheerful as they swung along in irregular ranks, laugh. ing and smoking as though they came from some agreeable occupation. They were all fine looking young fellows, and they typified that calm and in- yincible spirit which the young French soldiers are putting into their service.
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