The sun., 1916-12-24
The shrine near the town.
The Halt, the Manned and the Blind
in Great Tide Of Misery En-
gulf the Town

rest third class compartments, with
bare. straight wooden seats in them.
They are OF the old fashioned type,
dirty and unsteady. on four big wheels
each.
Only a thin stream Of people can get
through the single exit Of the station.
and during tho jam some faint. They
are carried to remote Of the
station. Soon there h a crowd Of
them.
The capacity Of the station 10 over
taxed. The officials. limited in their
efforts by their system OF handling
crowds. work feverishly. but the crush
increases and the clouds Of sui
phurous smoke grow, shut out the
whole upper part Of the shed and set.
tie owe all.
Outside Of the station many convey
ances arc drawn up. Some are hacks.
others two wheeled carts drawn by
donkeys, and there are a few little
carts with only men at the front to
pull them along. Those too feeble or
unable to walk are put into these con-
veyances and hauled away. Others
are pushed along In the wheel chairs.
and the remainder move afoot toward
the centre Of the town.
1t u the nrst day. and the pilgrimage
will last three days. The town seems
to be full Of people. but the stream
from tho direction Of the station 10 In
cessant. Already the shades Of eve
ming are gathering. While those on the
last trains arrive the sun set and
now mai streaks Of light shoot across
the dusk Of the town and hold the
snow splotched tops Of the mountains
about in iridescence.
The spectacle lasts but a few min
utes. The people In the town become
less noisy while II continues and those
from the last trains marching into the
town guard their steps with an effort
70 deaden somewhat the clatter Of
their wooden shoes In the road and on
the sidewalks.
The splendor Of II impresses all.
Here and there groups of people stop
In the streets to gaze above and about.
Awed by the magninence. they rever-
entity bow and cross themselves. 1t Is
a good omen, the people are saying,
e'A ~ Ot ioiA
row. the first great day.
Then q the last glow on the peaks
dulls and dies out begins again the
hum and hustle Of activity In the town
the activity OF beings who seem to be
restlessly seeking something. Later
several moro trains arrive. Two OF
them are from the north. They bring
people chiefly from small towns near
Paris.
From their dress most Of the pill
erims are Of the peasant class. They
represent every section Of the nation.
They are Of the backbone OF the coun-
try. Of the material that rescued II
after the war OF 1870 when the indem-
nifty was met, Of the material now nli-
ing a large part Of the trenches.
There Is something about them that
expresses thrift In the last degree.
One looks hard and long without see.
ing a single extravaganza. Even tho
dress Of these people has been SO care
fully considered that every piece works
TO the greatest efficiency and little goes
to waste or useless adornment. The
only extravaganza Of dress might be
found on the children.
Toward the centre OF the town the
life Is at It's thickest. Lights are turned
on and the glare from the many stores
throws into view numbers Of chairs
along the sidewalks. Here many
people are sitting. They MUNICH pieces
OF bread and things they produce from
bulky sacks. Children hanging around
take what II given them. A few cents
mean a lot to these. who have come
with provisions to last during their
stay here.
Within the restaurants and cafes are
the more fortunate; here those with
money sit at dinner. With many II Is
money saved through long months and
by many sacrifices. Through the
streets rush large buses occasionally,
They bear others. some who have Just
arrived on their way to the large
hotels.
Nine o'clock. and while . faint. dull
glow yet fingers far of In the sky in
tho west lights In the town begin to
flicker out. Half an hour later the
town Is In blackness except for the
stars overhead. Almost rs though by
magic a hush has come over every.
thing. Activity has ceased on the
streets and few persons walk about.
The girl and her blind husband have
but little money and no they sleep on
the floor Of a barber shop which the
proprietor has thrown open to supply
lodgings to those with only a few sous
to spend. Others In the same predica-
ment sleep on the floor about them.
- tho Nppt nnve 20 tknSr arl -. 49,
floor above. The proprietor and his
family have taken 20 the cellar. a little
place hut a few yards square. but here
they expect 10 spend the nights until
after the pilsrimaseA. e" s,t