The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-05-12

farther away; Immediately more reports nearer at
hand, and instantly it is followed by crash and
town is being blown up in a bOmbardment. Few
have heard anything like it. The soldiers look
at each other.
at is the attack beginning" they say. Later
they get their orders
In a smaller town nearer the trenches, where
there is artillery the noise is still great
er. By the sound there seems to be a gun to
every few square feet, thinks when thinking is
possible The scream of the shells passing over
from batteries in the is drowned In this din
1t is an inferno Of ear-splitting noise
In the trenches the few soldiers cover in the
dugeuts Heaps of debris fall about them. To
them the noise of the guns in the is drowned
in the crash of hundreds OF shells bursting in the
Germans trenches before them and the shrieks Of
the shells they tear above them in the air faster
than sound in such numbers that the noise is in
describab1e. Where the enemys trenches are is
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
but 400 feet away. Now and then a shell falling
short OF its range comes near the French trenches
tears into them but with the innumerable shells
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,
aimed at the batteries of the French they know
for few Of the shells fall about the trenches. But
/
! fighting against.
Some of the French guns aimed at the Ger
man batteries and artillery duel is The Ger
man guns are outnumbered. Other French guns
are firing the roads of the enemy to prevent
| troops and supplies from being FASTENED up.
And in the of the French ineS-no-
body seems to know where they coming from,
where they have been concealed all this time-stiI1
other guns of all sizes 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 measure. Instead the guns and the heavy,
| skidding caissons bearing ammunition. Darkness
falls and the whole countryside is covered with
flashes. It is impossible to distinguish sound from
| sound, but the flashes dart out from everywhere
| like summer lightning More guns being
rushed up. increased number 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 of 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 compact mass
| OF troops-marching up.
The Germans are Smelling the roads at
! many places. At first the shells fall among them
There ure the usual of the dead. torn up in
ever5 manner, while the chaplain-priests, facing
the almost certain death of their lot, are seen
through little clearingS the thick clouds of chOk
ing smoke rushing about. some themselves wound
ed, helping those asking for aid