Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-23
'(By Joseph Pierson.)

(By JoSeph P1erSon.)
Paris. Aug. ga low grooming,
strange. pitiful, penetrating. like winds
in cave. filled the air.
What's that z" cried an American
woman. leaning forward to speak to an
English chauffeuse, who for two years
had looked on the war.
"A tear rolled down the drivers
cheeks.
1.-THE children Of France"
TT sounds like great dove COTE" /,
s. Suddenly the automobile entered the
streets Of French town in the section
recently evacuated by the Germans.
The cannon Of the Germans had been
numbering all day to the-north, but
now only distant mutterings disturbed
the mysterious chant
y such village. Once it was a town
Of 5000 happy people. Now the streets
are filled with rubbish. Pretty homes
have been shattered with shell and
dynamite. The streets are untenanted
except by sentries and occasional wo-
men and children. who by force OF habit
hurry from cover to cover. There is a
faint sodor Of chemicals. The Germans
had been casing the town during the
day
Always Expecting Gas.
The motor stops. The chauffeuse ex-
plains to the sentry that sheis bring
ing officials Of the reorganized Ameri-
can Red Cross to the town to remove
the little children and women. The
sentry examines the Identification card
under his hooded sentry light. The
captain Of the guard arrives. He speaks
fair English, -
Il have bfflets for you" he said.
you may rest tonight, but IN the
morning, please withdraw from the
town. The Boche may gas fus again. It
is very dangerous here, especially for
the children"
mo, we cannot rest tonight. the
American nurse said. I'VE will take the
children out tonight to -" a town
some miles to the rear.
Very good. very good" the captain
replied. He returned and summoned five
or six poilus.
sscroon For Happiness.
What is that peculiar grooming
hear the American woman asked the
captain.
"The children Of France" he replied
"Why are they grooming like that?"
Because they have been In caves all
day. They are happy because with the
French back in this town they don't
have to stay in the caves all night, too
When you see the caves where the ba-
bies, boys, girls, and women have be-
compelled to live two years and a
half while the Germans were here you
will understand. It Is just as well to
visit the caves now % by day. for they
are all dark.
..soon the party, equipped with shad-
ed lanterns, stepped thru the entrance
Of one Of the shattered houses and
down into the cellar. The shades were
frances to the subterranean galleries
were revealed.
Dig Down Like Animate.
The party entered one Of these. Tho
4passageways led from cellar to cellar.
So intense had been the bombardment
that even the Collars provided, no shell
ter. and the men and larger children
had burrowed stin deeper. into. the
earth.
1--WE shall not attempt to enter the
deeper Of these caves" the captain
said.
I'VE will merely spread the word Of
your purpose here and instruct them
to do as you wish. We will gather them
south of the town and then you can UNI
derstand the ltrip-but beg you to
hurry. Many little children have lost
their lives IN gas attacks. We have
made masks for them, but the new gas
which the Germans use gags them and
they remove their masks in the excite
tnent, despite our warnings. Then they
die in commissions.
The captain halted the party. A poilu
lifted his lantern.
! An aged woman. lying on q cot her
hair dishevelled. her face lined with
care, looked ut the party with
startled eyes Of flaming Goals. She
crowded back into IL darkness. Two
children lay at her feet not yet asleep
Her Daughters Stolen.
THE Germans took her two daugh-
ters," the captain said.- Zone was 10
and the other was %. They kept them
prisoners in q cave on the other side
lof the town. The girls endured living
Atorture until children were about to
be bofn to them, when they died.
whether by disease, this dirty wretch
edness or by their own hand, do not
know.
"But don't wonder at that, madam
More than hundred girls had like ex-
periences Others were killed by bayo-
nets, because they refused the advances
OF German soldiers. You'll see some
babies born within the last 10 months
Many others died. tbs Is terrible
place to1ive.
You Will not see any baby boys
The Germans sent baby boys to Ger
many, altho some Of them have French
fathers. The mothers were allowed to
keep the girl babies"
Babies Born 20 War.
While the ablebodied women worked
In the fields some miles away, 10 or Is
children were placed in charge Of each
OF the aged or incapacitated women in
the town. Usually these nurse women
were grandmothers over 60 years old.
The party found some babies years
/ old and Less who had never been out
/ OF their subterranean birthplaces. They
were covered with~scales. their skin
was red with constant rash. Their ey
were caked, Their nurses feared to
bring them suddenly into the sunlight,
because Of the danger Of blindness.
Everywhere there was vermin. and
j disease. malnutrition and wide opened
eyes Of mouths Of horror
Emerging from the caves in another