The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-06-23
which is very funny and not at all

nice.
"Of course, could not 60 to church.
Great shooting seemed very near. A
house near us searched, and two Sim
Feiners and quantity Of ammunition
found. Great excitement. Jim and
Margaret make friends with sentry
outside gate, and give Jim his badge.
Gave him tea, etc.
"In the afternoon not allowed out
side the garden gate, and as Jim and
Margaret stood there just after tea
'pip-pip,' and bullet went past their
heads. which FASTENED their steps in
doors in a great state Of fright. After
this much shooting round about. They
seemed to store up their energy until
ordinary people are trying to Sleep
Horrible roar at night, and noise
seems to come along the road and also
in the back garden. found out next
day that two snipers were caught on
the roofs Of houses near by, which &C.
counted for much. Went to bed feel
ing very shaky. Rumors said the ma
jority of the rebels in town had sur
rendered, which, in view Of the great
noise near at hand, we found hard to
| believe.
Firing Continues After Week.
"Monday.-The trouble has lasted
whole week, and the firing still con-
tinues, but nearer town, I am thank.
full to say. Went for walk in the
afternoon, the sentr1es having been re-
moved. Went to our friends as before,
and found them terribly frightened.
Houses near by had been shelled and
lot of fighting had taken place around
their house. Sentries still posted at u
| number Of roads, and no one allowed
into town without military permit.
Firing gradually decreasing, but broke
out again at night as usual Rumors
Of rebels surrender confirmed. and
we seem to be near the end. Still no
mail.
"Tuesday.-A newspaper at last, but
only four pages and cost twopence. At
about eleven o'clock at night great
lot of firing broke out very near at
hand and continued till twelve, when,
being used to such noise, we fell
asleep. Still no trains, and great food
famine in the city. We have no meat,
but otherwise are very fortunate in
the food line. forgot to say that the
soldiers came around Tuesday and or
dered us to get all the bread we could,
as flour and yeast were running short.
No women were allowed beyond the
! station, so dad started off with linen
bag to get loaves from bakery about
one-half mile away. After great diff
Guilty he got, with three other men, as
far as the bakery and bought As loaves
at nine cents each, which is very dear.
There were riots around the bakery
and people were there from all parts
Of the city, very hungry.
"Wednesday.-Dad determined to go
to town and got pass for the purpose
from headquarters. Uncle Jack went
with him, and both came home very
upset at the dreadful sights they had
seen. Pools of blood along the road
and in town. The ruin" is terrible.
Nearly all Sackville street is burnt
| down, including Uncle Jacks Office,
which means that at the age Of sixty
he will have to start life again. His is
only one Of dozens of cases, and so far
| the misery and distress among work.
men and shophands is awful. Uncle
Jack is very cut up, and when he saw
the office and hundreds of pounds
worth Of valuable machinery wrecked
he nearly cried
"Our friends next door also have
lost their office, but as they are very
wealthy they will not feel it so much.
The general post Office was opened,
having undergone very extensive alter
| atoms, only about month ago, but all
that is left now is the empty shell, the
four walls and no roof. A new theater,
opened just over year ago, is also in
ruins, also one of our biggest dry
goods stores. 1t is impossible to tell
on paper the awful destruction that
these lunatics have wrought, as if
there were not sufficient blood being
| shed in the world at present without
their miserable efforts to add to it.
Trains and trans are beginning to
run within a very limited area and
business is quite at s'andstill. No
| mail as yet or wires, and newspapers
cost twopence each still
"This is Thursday, and l have fin
ished my tale. 1t was very exciting
while it lasted, and now we are to
taste the sorrow of it. Dad has gone
to town again to try to get to Kings
bridge, to let mother know that she
may come up again. 1 couldn't begin
to tell you how glad I'll be to see her
again and to have her back safe and
sound. am dreadfully afraid she will
have been worrying herself crazy, for
if the reality was bad enough the ru-
mors were ten times worse.
CAS- one old man remarked, Glory
be to God! They've fine weather for
their fighting!' So they had. for it has
been just perfect spring weather for
fortnight past, with the most beautiful
sunshine At times 1t has been very
hot.
dad is going to cable Uncle An.
drew, and no doubt you will have re-
ceived the news from him long before
this arrives, but I have done my best
to tell you of the state Of excitement
in which our lives have been spent
for the last week or more. Thank God,
it is all over now, the reign OF ter
ror' is finished. I am thankful, too,