The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-27
By WILLIAM T. MARTIN.
- HE voices Of the men as they sit
around the long. ~cleanly spread

room become indistinct aga.ns; the
din outside which shakes the house.
As they talk louder the noise grows
N volume and becomes a confusion ~.
deep roars. distant crashes. sharpe.
explosions nearer at hand and ;h.als
that 10 shrieking by overhead in the
night.
II is one Of the intermittent French
Commandments of the German trenche.
Il the past few weeks. The men. lis.
,enins for a momort for the sharp.
tearing crashes denoting a reply from
the other side and hearing nothing.
know that so long as this continues
there VIII be few wounded on Their
own side. n the dhnncr goes on.
With tho exception Of two or three
men now threading their way through
the ~blaCkness to thp trenches I'm an
swer TO n call received some time ago.
the gathering represents the ambu-
lance corps for the sector. which In
dudes seven miles Of some OF the most
holly contested trench frolt in France.
sF 'ihs'lAs W NC Us are .AIIltll-
cans. They are all young men: some
with professions. Others from college
or business back home.
Before the war "A German family
lived here. "a family Of distinction. APP
pdrently, and wealth. 1t seems rs
though the Germans have spared the
place. for it now stands almost alone
VIII heaps of ruins on al. sides within
half n mile Of the German trenches.
IN the third foor the blinds remain
Untouched and movement is restricted.
Tn" Germans. from the top of the Hill.
can look YET and sec what is happen
.ug
several shells have fallen IA tho
garden II front II as "a Consequence
the room next 10 the dining room is In
ruins. The men find consolation in
believing the shells were intended for
the soldiers and equipment going along
the road To tho trenches that passes by
the house.
Although the dining room faces
away from the trenches the shutters
are closed. heavy curtains are drawn
and every precaut.on Is taken t. lessen
tho danger of IA ray o. light passing
outside.
While the men talk the tink,e of the
bell above the door connected with the
telephone in the harricadcd office
downstairs suddenly sounds and "A
French orderly answers the telephone
and runs upstairs with a call for two
cars. Five seriously wounded, he SAYS.
at a certain trench post near the end
OF the sector.
The " men next out have on their
coats already n are on their way to
their cars In the yard. II is a bad call
IN the dead of night. for the road leads
. mile or 30 undo the very Roses Of
the guns now hurting destruction al
me Germans and the men know the
Germans might return the fire any
minute.
outside. the two tumble around 70
crank their cars n then are of.
From n world OF soft lights. reminis-
cences and friends. they find them
selves in utter darkness and are I'M
able to see their hands on the wheels.
through the din. other noises. the rat
Ting OF chains, wheels creak!ng, seem
"a come up from all sides OF the cars.
No.r"s, an occasional shrill "Atten-
ton and maledictions go through the
air Ike the whistling OF the shells as
wagons here n there come together.
There is little restriction on noise now,
Tor the Germans are unable to hear.
The driver in the lead finds the
right of the o by brushing the
wheels Of his car against a curb, for
there was once a town here. and
leaning forward with bullying eyes
and ears strained. runs along slowly
with muscles drawn ready to stop in
stantiy at tn" first sound that might
denote something in front. Occasion
hIy, almost periodically. he blows long
low blasts on the horn. as "A ship in a
'or' 1t is his consuming ambition TO
set TO the wounded as quickly as pos
sole and avoid a smashup.
Around a bend in the road and past
me shadow OF "A fringe OF buildings, a
rocket f'arlng over the trenches re-
Veals enough OF the road for him to
get his bearings and proceed with
confidence for a short distance. Here
uefe" is an octroi, a toll station before
ire war, and the road forks. Sent.nels
stand 70 demand the password and see
mat the endless stream of wagons
row on the march up shall take the
less exposed road TO the left.
both Join again n mile ahead. AZ
ms point countless German shells
spread death at all hours almost. The
Germans here are sur of the range
ana know the equipment must pass
ms point on its way IN the trenches
the road IL even now pitted with shell
holes that ann be filed up until to-
morrow. As tho driver passes his
point his breath comes quicker and
ne hall expects to hear the familiar,
merciless shrek OF q shell crashing
into the road.
He takes the mad to the right. The
motor OF the ambulance makes little
noise and will not he heard tonight.
before ne enters Upon the road he
zigzags through narrow openings
among tall screens Of burlap material
Put there by the French to cut off
The View OF the Germans from their
positions on the hill q quarter Of n
milo away, The road here is In eX-
cellent condition. II Ia because OF the
absence OF all Transports and by the
light OF the periodic rockets that the
arrive Is able to make better time,
Passing through tho last town up,
expecting a collision any instant az
he enters the tumble OF seemingly in
Vulnerable wagons horses and men
CraWn up In all positions preparatory