The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-08-29

u
racking time. The newspaper accounts and the
magazine stories do not tell you One-hundredth
of the anguish lived through by the people who
crouch in their cellars, listing to bombs that ex
plode close by and expecting all the time that
next missile Will demolish the house over their
heads
The favorfte gathering places for civilians dur
ing air raids is in the cellars During the raid of
which speak, of these underground places
was crowded with refugees But they were not
mOping trembling. Instead, they were con-
stanty joking and laughing about their predfca-
ment They did not for one second lose their
fine courage and stanchness.
When the bombs had ceased to fall they came
up to the street level more, But they did
not breathe great signs of relief and thaRk their
lucky stars for not being hit Not they! Their
eyes glowed with the fire of unquenched spirit,
and they shook their fists in the direction of the
departing German airplanes.
Those fools % they shouted. '"Those fools
They think they can break US They do not know
us! Never shall yield Never!'
This is the only splendid exhibition of
French devotion that have with my
eyes The people in the rural regions are no less
determined in their ardor Although nearly one
fifth of France has been invaded by a ruthless
enemy and some portions invaded the second
time, these country folk would die rather than
give themselves up to the foe
In village of the devastated district 1 found
little old woman who was living alone. She
was working at washing linen for the soldiers
house had been burned down by the Germans.
She told her pathetic story.
It seems that a German officer who had very
bad reputation for mOlesting the civilians had
been quartered in her house. After he had been
there for few hours he went to the small stove
which heated the house and opened it to put
in some wood. But when he put in the stick OF
wood he allowed the end to prOtrude, that,
it began TO burn, the fire blaZed outward
into the He then placed a
this blazing wood that it would catch fire.
The old woman what he was doing and knew
that it was his design to burn down her house.
He had already burned house in the next street
in the same manner. Knowing that she was pow
eress to prevent him. and being filed with des-
pair she fell her knees before him.
"Spare mel" she entreated of him. spare
this house and allow to live here in peace.
What have done TO you"
But she had hardly uttered these words when
shame overcame her because she abasing
herself before German. In another instant she
had risen to her feet
"What am 1 doingr' she exclaimed. "Je suis
perdul I am disgraced 1 have entreated favor
from the foe of my native country"
Then she crossed the before the aston
iShed officer and took up his gun. Placing it in
his hands she told him to kill her.
ct deserve no less than DEATH" she said "I
have disgraced France by kneeling to ask favor
of of her enemies
Probably the German officer would have killed
the woman, but at that moment one of his brother
officers came into the house. He must have had
tender heart, for he took pity on the old
and put a stop to the proceedings So her