Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-11-20
NUMBER AZ.
outskirts of the city. Al we got nearer
the noise became deafening and the

outskirts of the city. Al we got nearer
the noise became deafening and the
smoke began to bother us too.
Before one enters the city proper one
must cross q double line Of railroad
tracks. The machine ahead Of Us had
iust crossed these when q big fifteen
inch shell screamed over and burst just
beside the car In front From where
we were It looked as II the car aud Its
occupants must have been wiped OF
the face Of the earth.
stopped our car to wait until the
smoke cleared away before going on.
u seemed like hours before We saw
the spot again, but when the smoke
was finally gone you can imagine our
surprise at seeing the chr turned COM
pletely around and coming toward us.
The chauffeur was gathering speed
all the time, and when he passed US his
car was going at fairly decent pace.
We bad time enough, though, to sea
one Of the most horrible sights that
witnessed during the whole time was
at the front.
The cur itself was In awful condi-
tion. The two rear doors were torn
away, the body was full Of jagged
holes, the front and rear mud guards
and the running board on one side were
torn of and the wind screen had been
swept away
The major. who was sitting with the
driver. had his head and the whole side
Of his body torn away, and the rest OF
him was leaning on the driver. who
was being covered with the blood
which was gushing from this awful
thing beside him. The colonel, who
had been sitting In the back Of the car.
was curled over on the seat and his
head and part Of his shoulder were ly.
ing In a pool of blood in the bottom OF
the car To me the most terrible part
Of 1t was the driver. He was as white
as a ghost, and his eyes seemed to he
sticking an inch out Of their sockets.
His teeth were barred, and his whole
face was twisted into the most helIish
expression one could imagine.
Good God, he's gone madw cried my
officer. And was sure Of 1t. The Oil.
Ger ordered me to turn around and fol.
low him and to catch him II possible.
The car was away down the road by
the time got turned around, but set
out after him for all l was worth.
gained OIL him, too, but as ! went
through vlamertinghe he y'as just
stopping In front Of the field dressing
station there
The orderly rushed out when be
heard the car, and heard that driver
say, For Gods sake take this thing
away from ME"
1t was horrible beyond description.
saw that poor fellow u couple Of weeks
later. and lie was bad enough to look
ut even then. lie was walking around
alone all right except that his face was
continually twisting and twitching h0r.
ribly. His nerve was completely gone,
and he was discharged almost at once.
For all the shock lie had his was q mi
raculous escape.
When we saw that the driver was
being taken care Of we started back to
make our attempt to pass through the
burning city.
AS we got nearer the city seemed u
have lost all feeling Of fear, and In fact
didn't have any feeling at all
tried to think about what was SO
ing to happen to US, for It worried me
that didn't seem to have nerve
in my body. kept telling myself that
I was going to my death and that in =
few minutes l would be lying some
where In those smoking ruins. But II
was no use. I didn't care one way OF
the other. Before one comes to the
railway track just outside Ypres there
is q road which branches OF to the left
and leads to the village OF Elverdinghe
Before We came to where this road
branches of the officer spoke.
'T think 1t would be worth while try.
ing to get to the canal bank through
Elverdinghe." he said. "and from there
We would perhaps be able to leave the
car. swim the canal and get through ia
Potijze on foot. It will take longer.
OF course. but the main thing for US to
90 Is to get there safely. no matter II
It takes great deal longer. Let Us
try that way, anyway"
was willing to try anything, and %
We turned of the road and headed fOt
Elverdinche II was only Few kiloA
metres. and we didn't take long getting
there. but when we arrived we found
that we had jumped out of the frying
pan into the fire, for Elverdinghe was
getting It hot and heavy from the Ger.
man Geld batteries
We rushed into the town, and as We
swung Into the village proper We came
A field ambulance was moving out OF
the place, aud the road was blocked
by ambulances which were loading up
with wounded. jammed on tho
brakes and pulled over almost into the
ditch, but the brakes stopped the car
before we got clear In.
A sentry informed us that the road
through the village was closed and
that we would have to turn around and
60 back. tried to back up. but my
two front wheels were stuck away
down In the ditch. and she wouldn't
pull out under her own power.
appealed to the driver Of an empty
ambulance to help me- and he quickly
got his towrope around my back axle.
aud we came out with the first heave
= noticed while We were taking the
owrope OH that the car was big SIX.
cylinder American make.
I asked the driver how he liked .
Yankee cur. and from the way he re-
lied knew that he was an American
himself. asked him where he came
rom, and You can imagine my surprise
when be said Boston
! never say hin. again, and when
eft him he was In one hot little corner
II the map. hope be gets through al
light