The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-02-26
Eyes it isl. It's the Zeps."

NO"
Yes. it is! It's the Zeps!"
Really" A soft hand slipped over
from the next bed and met mine half
way. What do we do?"
Il don't know"
Silence for moment, while we
considered that delicate question;
that is, silence on our part, though
outside the mighty fusilade increased
air, followed by an explosion, told
of a descending bomb near by.
IL was a curious sensation, that
of lying in snug bed in the dark
with bomb likely to pop in on one
at any instant.
Il was going back to Sleep" came
the quiet voice out of the darkness
My first thought was that it might
De the Zeppelins, but l wouldn't be-
lleve it. We're so used to subway
blasts at home, you know"
laughed as got out of bed.
1T does sound natural" / COM
mented; "but I'm sure this is an air
raid. Don't show light" Threw
on robe and went to the door. The
hall was din1ly illuminated as usual,
over their night attire, hurried along
They We're giggling!
Bang, bang, bang, bang, boom,
boom, boom! went the big guns;
whizz! went the bombs. I came in
side and turned on the lights; and
was met with the natural question:
"What do we do about it? Any
thing?"
81 don't know" I puzzled, listen
ing to the echoes of an explosion
which was louder and closer than any
of the others. We looked toward the
windows longingly. 1t was against
the law to open curtains or shutters.
even so much as a crack.
II think I'll ask the clerk about
it." I decided, and took up the phone.
Every well, SIR" came a bored
voice over the wire.
"What does one do in the case Of
an air raid?'' I inquired. "We're
strangers here"
SOW yes, sir" he drawled,. in a
tone which was totally disinterested.
to say that, since you're on the top
floor, you might as well come down
if YOU like"
We looked at each other thought
fully, and in the minds of both of
US there was again the lively knowl
edge that at any moment a bomb
might come crashing straight down
through our room. 1t was an hides
cribable feeling, that tremendous
imminence of an unseen danger, and
will not say that there was no
such thing as fear in either one of
US. do know, however, that there
was an instant bracing of the spirit
to meet that fear, so that it should
n+ Io
own eyes. nor hamper our actions.
And it did not. | am trying to be
accurate about this, trying to set
down as correctly as possible the
workings of a normal mind under un-
usual conditions.
We'll dress, L suppose" observed
the quiet voice, and the possessor of
it was already lacing her shoes.
81 think So" I replied. was
making sure of passports and letters
of credit and money. in case anything
should happen to the room while we
should be gone.
We dressed completely. went into
the hall and rang for the elevator,
but, by the time it came, we had
another idea:
"Can you take us up on the roof ?"
"Not any more, sir" smiled the ele-
vator man. "It's forbidden by the
police. But I can take you up where
you can get a good view"
So, in place of going down. we
went up, and out of darkened win
dows looked into the sky, where a
dozen powerful searchlights cross
ed and recrossed right over our
heads, against the brilliant moon
light.
There's one of the beggars right
above u.s." remarked the elevator
man, lowering his voice to a half
whisper, almost as if there might be
some danger that the "beggar above
US" could hear. "The searchlights
have been hunting him for half an
hour, but he's high up; two miles or
more"
straight down through the sky.
An incendiary bomb, and it blazed
up where it hit, not over three blocks
away.
As if angered, the big guns on
London bridge, and the huge French
ISIS along the Thames, increased
their booming with redoubled fury.
No chance to get the Boche at
that height, but they could keep him
from coming close enough to make
an accurate drop
What trace of apprehension there
had been in US had disappeared,
though we were closer to the danger
by being out from under the piles
of sandbags which protected the
main roof.
And there seemed to be no fear in
the elevator man.
1t was all unreal, unbelievable!
Out there was the beautiful clear
sky, with the moon shining brightly,
and the stars beginning to pale in
the first faint gray of the dawn. !.
The, searchlights, centering over us
to firs1 the "beggar just above"
seemed like a show of some sort.
1t was monstrously. past compre-
hension thai in this beautiful sky