The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-04-10

were ascending with the same
mouotonouS regularity that marks
the German positions along the,
entire front.
The glorious weather Of Easter
Sunday had disappeared anu from
menaclng black clouds overhead
rain began TO fall 1t was driven
along by a. singing gale left over
from the abundant storms OF
March. The storm delayed Inc
coming of dawn to such an extent
that il was still quite dark when
tho moment set for the British at
tack arrived.
Then, as if The myriad of guns
had been Syl hronized TO the tex
Of n watch. hey broke the fore
boding stiffness with 4. volcanic
roar, The earth trembled from
the shock. The licking tongues OF
the Inferno appeared now TO nave
been multiplied a hundred fold.
The affective hills began 10
yrithe under the fortunes OF the
screaming shells. The dark pro
files Of the ridges etched against
the background Of the CRAVING
.kies now were more clearly de-
fined Nv the high explosive mis-
silps. which burst along tue
ground like flaring pots OF IRE.
Above these in the air played ,nt
shrapnel barrage shells. 5reahlhg
Will, giant fire fly flashes ann
hnrling their leaden hal! o. uea'h
on all below.
The First Voiley
Thu, first volley scarcely had
reorhed tho German lines when
m went the ever READY S!sh"ta
Of distress and SOS. calls LOT as
sisianCc from their supporting ar
iillcry. Most Of tic distress rorS-
cts burst in great showers OF Soiu'
on rain; others loopel hlGn IN l,ie
air and broke into flaming oAtis
If red and green. Il was dlfilcuit
~ realize that this was not simply
:tunendouS, almost SupcrnatuI,
al nyrotpchniC spectacle arraneeu
Fnr tho Measure Of IN" gods. IL
was more difficult still 10 realize
,h., il was actual reality ol war
md ,ha, The thousands Of iiaSn"S
and quick flames playing III me
lawn we're funeral torches Iisht'
;mg Inc way of souls INFO eternity
World Seemed Red.
Erom the moment the great
c,tnr nrunted along the horizon,
no whole world seemed red. IN
dor the glare of the exploding
m,nes which had been dug unuer
The enemy lines. and out under !ne
.h,]Is could be seen the Brlusn
Soldiers Notwithstanding across
En Mans Land 10 Il hand 10 nand
encounter with the Germans hes
moved closely behind the proiect-
Ing shell curtain sent up pF thelF
guns.
As this barrier fire moved LOT.
ward the men kept pace. II VII
ever he an amazing feature oil ms
war The absolutely cold ralor with
which the men got into action.
Never the old shouting or IN" I'M
nulsiyr rush To TictOry--IlisE ii
SLOW. deliberate trudge. not more
Than TWO or three mon grouped
and each silent. with MS own
thoughts until actural IgntElg WIN
the hitherto unseen Zoe begins.
Then il is a quick surr"ndeE',,
shot or 4 bayonet thrust. and me
attacking wave moves on.
The Picture Changes.
The coming day changed the
magic picture Of night completely
and with almost naked sudden
ness. Now the horizon WAS dull,
with accumulated smoke. Shells
which had burst into pillars of fire
BY night now appeared as black
fountains springinS from the earth.
There WAS an occasional flash TO
the shrapncl bursts. but generally
they flew in merely as puff-balls
of smoke. The roar however. was
always the same.
The sun broke through the
clouds just before noon, as The
British were breaking through the
third and fourth German lines.