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

| AtOpyFlkhtt WV, pN ii'IbtiN N'i'g ,
(cure OF Triaucourt. a village held
eight days by the Germans IN lgit.
dered. and In which several houses
were burned. personal narratiVeJ
Sunday, Sept. 6.-This morning
the Germans put our church clock
at 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 TO us. During
the occupation we never knew the
time. We hardly knew the day. AT
half-past o'clock | went to the
church 10 celebrate mass. There
were only a 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 10 these tintamarres.
mo one will dare venture out 10
the mass" said to myself II shall
return 10 my home"
A crowd did not delay to join me
there. My cellar is large and well
vaulted and | had provided Il with
the things needful. | even had
pick and some spades with which
10 enlarge the windows If II seemed
advisable. arranged seats. had
water brought down. and lighted
candles fixed In the mouths OF bot
ties. Some refugees came 10 the
cellar and some remained on the
stairs 4 was according TO their
degree OF fright During the occu.
| patton ! had the happiness 10 offer
hospitality 10 rs persons. When one
has companions ones fear is less
Sometimes an amiable pleasantly
brought smile to the lips. but the
smile soon vanished The mitraille
was so near and so terrifying.
Sometimes the men went into the
garden in order TO judge whether
! the combat was growing more dis.
tant We exerted ourselves then to
calm the fears OF those who re-.
| NAMED We recited the rosary in
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 the partly opened doors We
watched all day long a continual
coming and going OF batteries and
troops. Only once | heard the Ger.
mans sing 4 regiment returning
dirty and covered with mud on -he
third day OF the battle cdan,ed do
! lorously
Toward II o'clock several bat
teries stopped on the Rue Basse.
dTrYres. The men leaped OF the
! horses. the cannoneers remained on
! their caissons All took in haste a
! cold repast Not 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 broughr
several sacks Of -four into my Gel
lar. against the time when there
should b. no more bread No one
thinks OF eating a meal We mere
" nibble az potato, a little choco
late. a morsel O! bread.
This afternoon we see smoke arts
ing from neiGhboring villages which
arc 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 AZ 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 chicken
ready for the spot
Cook It in your stove" he said to
my housekeeper. ut is for our gen.
eral. who will sleep tonight on the
grass in the forest"
No one thinks OF sleeping We
cit 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 n
village they first take the horses
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