The Raymer enterprise., 1917-05-03

farther away llIlheulHtry more reports nearer nj
hand, and instantly it Is followed by crash and
tear of sound. The first impression is that the
town is being blown up In a bunbarlment Few
have heard anything like ii. The soldiers look
al each other
at is the attack beginning" they say Later
they get their orders.
In u smaller town nearer the trenches where
there is artillery the noise is stll great
er. BY the sound there seems 10 be n gun to
every few square feet, thinks when thinking is
possible. The scream of the shells passing over
from batteries In the rear is drowned in this din.
II is an inferno of earespIitting noise
In the trenches The few soldiers cover In the
lugnuts, Heaps Of debris fall about them TO
them The noise Of the guns In the rear Is drowned
in the crash Of hundreds Uf shells bursting in the
t;cruans trenches before them and the shreks Of
the shells they tear above them In the air fastrr
thnn sound in such numbers that the noise is ln-
lescrihabe, Where the enomy's trenches nre Is now
continuous mass of spoutng dirt that shuts out
everything, The whole German line here is be-
ing beaten 10 pieces
Few uf the soldiers have ever experienced any
thing like this The trenches of the Germans are
but 100 feet away. Now and then shell falling
short pf It's range comes near the French trenches
tears into them, but with the lnnumerable shells
The Germans taken by surprise. do not reply
until some time Inter. They open up their own
artillery little hy little Their guns is seems. are
aimed at The batteries of the French they know
for few of the shells fall about the trenches. Eut
It is nothing to the madness of the fire they are
lighting against.
Some of the French guns aimed at the Ger
man batteries and an artillery duel is on. The Ger
man guns are nutnumhered. 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 IneS-nn-
body seems TO know where they are coming from
whore they have been concealed all this time-stilI
other guns of all sizes ARE being rushed up. They
teur through the amazed villages drawn by wild
stceds maddened by the drivers. Efforts of spies
are in vain.
The line bearing assorted equipment has ceased
in measure. Instead are the guns and the heavy
skiddlng eaissons bearing ammunition. Darkness
falls and the whole countryside is covered with
flashes. II 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 number of ammunition
wagons, and tronps-rountless numbers
The terrific eannonading continues all night.
Soldiers. who are able, sleep in dozes, Morning
breaks. The soldiers nearer the front begin 10
march up. As soldiers enter the rear towns those
who were there. equipment ready and waiting, 90
forward.
As the men march they frequently turn of into
the fielda along the road TO avoid the guns and
wagons laundering by. As far one can the
whole road ahead and behind, is a compact mass
Of troops-narching up
The Germans IRE shelling the roads ut
many places. Al first the shells fall among them.
There are the usual scenes Of the dead, torn up In
every manner, while the chaplainpriests, facing
the almost certain death of their lot. are
through little clearngs In the thick clouds Of chok
Ing smoke rushing about, some themselves wound
ed halning those asking for aid.