Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1918-02-14

outpost Of the Italian advance.
As we stood surveying this scene
there was the steady rumble Of guns,
with the crack Of quick-firers and then
the long "whiz" Of ever-passing shells.
But there was one 'whix" which in
stantly engaged every, attention. We
could hear 1t coming, and 1t was not
going over, nor under. nor at either
side. Every one instinctively recoiled,
and then
Crash!
No More Observation Post.
Five Of us went down in a heap.
stunned as with hammer blow. There
was great, enveloping noise, with the
smash and crack of walls, the flying Of
fragments, and then the heave Of tons
Of earth, mortar and masonry, plowed
up by the huge missile.
It had struck that observation post,
just Is feet away, which we were about
to enter. There was no more observa-
ton post; 1t was swept clean. But
fortunately the shell had gone straight
through, battering down massive walls
and digging deep trench into the
earth where it had exploded under
ground, throwing up great geysers. But
while the earth and stone few like
hail. the underground explosion had
held the shell fragments. Stunned as
we were, the first impulse was Of self
preservation. A hasty glance showed
no one was seriously injured, though
the trickle of blood on the right tenn
pie of one Of the party told that fly
ing stone had found a mark.
"They have this range" said the es-
cOrt as we struggled to our feet, land
one shot means that another will fol-
low"
There was hasty scramble from the
battlement, over the tons Of debris
thrown up, which now completely
blocked the three-foot path skirting
the wall.
The shell had suddenly brought to a
close our observation of the battle
front with all its tragedy and majestic
beauty. But worst of all. it put an end
to all trips to Goritz, for the officer
said no further chances Of this kind
could be taken. 1t was just as well,
for now the great offensive of the
enemy burst Unexpectedly, and with it
came the retreat from the Goritz line.
Fortunately or unfortunately, 1 had
seen 1t at the last moment when the
tide was turning.
Situation Explained.
At the cafe where we went for lunch
the officer from headquarters laid out
the big military map on the table and
explained the military situation. It
was this: The enemy was bringing
great masses of men to the north of
the Biansizza plateau. His design was
evident. The Italians by their last adj
vance had swung a ring which was
threatening Trieste. To save Trieste
the enemy must force the Italians back
to the Isonzo river, as another Italian
offensive would clear the Carso range
Trieste. To the enemy the time had
come when he must act before the Ital-
ians played their final card and held
the Jewel Of the Adriatic.
AS we pored over the map the in
creasing roar Of the artillery told that
the enemy was losing no time in his
part Of the military game. The pro-
prietOr Of the cafe was an intelligent
old man, and / asked him If the fire
we heard was the same as usual. He
shook his head and said: "No. 1t is
though something was going to hap
pen." This was the instructive feel
ing Of the people on the spot who had
| gone through this day after day for
months. They felt the blow coming.
On the corner there were two women
of the working class talking together
under an umbrella, for 1t was raining
hard. Their indifference to the she'll
ing seemed strange, and I stopped to
ask them II the bombardment did not
brighten them and keep them awake al
night.
They were puzzled for a moment, as
though not comprehending such an in.
.quiry, and then they shrugged their
shoulders.
ave are used to It," they said. at
used to brighten us at first, and the
children still cry at night. But what
can we DOR
These were typical townswomen
who had become habituated to the dan
ger and destruction all around them
and were now stopping on the street
corner in the rain to exchange the
latest gossip. One Of the women had
the features Of an Austrian, and she
smiled as she heard the rumble of the
Austrian guns and looked of toward
the enemy lines 80 near.
Within three hours when we got
back to headquarters the full force OF
the blow had been struck and the grea,
Austro-German offensive against Ital,
was In full operation.
Big Profit In One Hog.
Llndale, Ga.-Charles Guyton, q
farmer bought n hog Inst Saptomho,