The sun., 1917-06-10


Of our nelghbors ran into tho house
for safety. Only a few OF us remained
outside. But we refrained from speak
ing 80 that we might not betray our
state; OF nervousness. The monster
continued on its way southeast. Ia.
ward Budesti, suburb of Bucharest.
where the smokeless powder factory
was situated. But owing to the wind
1t had a hard time in pursuing its
course. After a man1uvre of about
three-quarters OF an hour the Parsiral
threw down two bombs which fell at 4,
crossing, where the German aviator
must have thought the factory was
situated. After having treated us 10
such a spectacular entertainment IT
disappeared in a southerly direction.
The following evening the great bel
OF the Metropolitan church rang an
alarm, which was followed by the ring.
ing OF bells of all the other churches
of Bucharest. This was to inform the
population that another Parsifal was
coming. In vain did we look for 1t.
While waiting for our expected visitor
to come I fell asleep in the garden;
but 1t failed to appear.
The third evening the church bells
rang again. This time we were in
formed that the enemy machine had
crossed the boundary line and that We
had nothing further to fear, for the
present at least. Being situated on a
high elevation. where is also located
the House of Parliament, the Metro
politan church had the advantage that
its bell could be heard even in the day.
time at quite distance. At night.
when there was no noise and all was at
rest, the grave monotonous tones which
the bell sent out would resound with
such unusual force that they filed the
population with awe. Especially so
since the Government gave orders that
no church bell be rung except in case
or danger ofsan attack from the air.
The loud vibrating bell sound was SO
strong that it seemed as though all
the bass voices on earth were concen-
trated in 1t. Whenever the bell an
nounced the threatening danger its
emotional voice, so to speak. touched
the hearts OF the pious and of infdels
alike.
AS soon as the Metropolitan church
bell began to ring the bells uf al the
other churches of the capital followed
In those trying moments, when tie
big bell gave the alarm, when its fur
ous voice resounded and all tho
churches sent out their PRAYERS To
heaven. thousands of human beings
jumped from their beds. The rich and
the poor. especially the former, ovcr.
come by fear, stood tremblingly IN
prayer, as though the day of judgmen,
had come. Men, women and children
were now preparing to die That wts
the largest bell in Rumania It WIS
later removed and melted by the G,,-
mans.
And the demon OF the air did U.'
come. 1t went to Constanza whetc {
killed few victims. The follow u@
evening, however, it did come W.
expected that it would come from t.e
south, but it came from the NORTH 'l
order that the now darkened D'.
might not be discovered the search.
lights were not turned on II. \ lo1s.
shaking like an earthquake foiluNoI
by terrific explosion, proved that ',e
air monster had located its victin,
The searchlights Immediately let luo~e
their powerful streams of light against
the air vessel. 1t was Zeppelin ~
enormous size and flew at a distance
of about 400 meters- over the city. T.
had a formidable length and its body
glistened like silver. Owing tu the
searchlights the narceles were DIS
tinctly seen. They were big, long ONES
suspended from the big cylinder Nht.l
hoated over the capital At intervals
or about fifteen seconds il dropped
four bombs, and then ii ascendod Foo
an altitude of about 1000 motors. TIE
guns below kept up a rapid fire AMI
the air ratified" with their explosion
The monster continued its way dnI
kept on dropping boLos. Every IS
plosion threw up tao shaped cur
tain of light in the ar. Under Tia
formidable conditions the entire CIR.
was shaken to its foundations. IT,
Zeppelin. after the throwing Of o. ,
bomb, would ascend higher. Dur.H-
all this time the guns incessau'
kept up their fire. but made no hit
Not one of the Zeppelin's eighto,.
bombs did any serious damage. Thr,
fell in vacant places and In park
One fell in the garden OF the FlNn,u
Legation: another in a vacant lot near
n fire house: one bomb fell in tho pir>
Of the royal palace. The printiu. os
Enlistment Of the newspaper Cu'o,i
in Strada Campanoanu was stru,N
by a bomb, TWO other bombs fou iu
Cismigiu Park and one in the houl,-
ward at the gate OF the park. In the
yard OF the arsenal one fell and a fcw
others in the yards of Dealu Spircj
suburb Of Bucharest.
Those who hid themselves in thA
cellars did not feel the slightest enc
tion. On the other hand those WI,
stood in the open and were in
proximity OF the explosion felt as
afterward, so violent was the force e'
the explosion.
/ visited the publisher OF tho Cp,-
turd, who at the time was in a has
ment a few meters away from whclf
the explosion took place. Poor ma
He and his wife were physically lI.
Capacitated. They could neither t4'.
nor move, and for days they remain
in the same condition, in state
coma.
From the point of actual damage
can almost he said that the Zeppe
raid on Bucharest was failure. + \
the moral effect of the explosions W.
extraordinary. The following day tle
railroad depot was crowded with thot.
sands who were anxious to leave a..
country, TO seek safety somewhcrA
else and thus escape the horrors OF the