The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1917-05-05

farther away; Immediately more reports nearer at
hand, and instantly it is followed by a crash and
tear Of sound. The first impression is that the
town is being blown, up in a bombardment. Few
have ever heard anything like it. The soldiers look
at each other.
at is the attack beginning" they say. Later
they get their orders.
In q smaller town nearer the trenches, where
there is even more artillery, the noise is still great
er. By the sound there seems to be a gun to
every few square feet, one thinks when thinking is
possible. The scream of the shells passing over
from batteries in the rear is drowned in this din.
1t is an inferno of ear-splitting noise.
In the trenches the few soldiers cover in the
dugouts. Heaps Of debris fall about them. To
them the noise of the guns in the rear is drowned.
in the crash of hundreds of shells bursting In the
Germans trenches before them and the shrleks of
the shells rs they tear above them in the air faster
than sound in such numbers that the noise is in
describable. Where the enemy's trenches are is now
q continuous mass of spouting dirt that shuts out
everything. The whole German line here is be-
ing beaten to pieces.
Few of the soldiers have ever experienced any
thing like this. The trenches of the Germans are
but 400 feet away. Now and then a shell falling
short of its range comes near the French trenches
or tears into them, but with the innumerable shells
now tearing about it cannot be helped.
The Germans, taken by surprise, do not reply
until some time later. They open up their own
artillery little by little. Their guns, is seems, are
aimed at the batteries of the French they know,
for few of the shells fall about the trenches. But
1t Is nothing to the madness Of the fire they are
fighting against.
Some of the French guns are aimed at the Ger
man batteries and an artillery duel is on. The Ger
man guns are outnumbered. Other French guns
are firing on the roads of the enemy to prevent
troops and supplies from being fastened up.
And now in the rear of the French lines-no-
body seems to know where they are coming from,
where they have been concealed all this time-still
other guns of all sizes are being rushed up. They
tear through the amazed villages drawn by wild
steeds maddened by the drivers. Efforts of spies
are now in vain.
The line bearing assorted equipment has ceased
In a measure. Instead are the guns and the heavy,
%skidding caissons bearing ammunition. Darkness
falls and the whole countryside is covered with
flashes. 1t is Impossible to distinguish sound from
sound, but the flashes dart out from everywhere
like summer lightning. More guns are being
rushed up, an increased lumber of ammunition
wagons, and troops-countless numbers
The terrific cannonading continues all night.
Soldiers, who are able, sleep in dozes. Morning
breaks. The soldiers nearer the front begin TO
march up. AS soldiers enter the rear towns those
who were there, equipment ready and waiting, go
forward.
AS the men march they frequently turn off into
the fields along the road to avoid the guns and
wagons laundering by. As far as one can see the
whole road. ahead and behind, is a compact mass
of troopS-marching up.
The Germans are now Smelling the roads at
many places. At first the shells fall among them.
There are the usual scenes of the dead, torn up in
every manner, while the chaplain-priests facing
the almost certain death of their Loo, are seen
through little clearings in the thick clouds of chok-
ing smoke rushing about, some themselves wound
ed. helping those asking for aid.