Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-10-01

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and German patrols were in the neigh
borhood. No one knew exactly where
they would break out next.
| So we started out from the third
line trenches, but very shortly one of
our outposts stopped us. Bartel car
ried the dispatches and drove the car
too, so 1t was up to me to explain
things to the sentries. They were
convinced after bit of arguing. Just
as we were leaving message came
over the phone from our commander,
telling them to hold us when we came.
1t was lucky they stopped us, for 9TH
erwise we would have been out Of
reach by the time his message came.
The commander told me, over the tele-
phone, that if French flag flew over
the town the coast would be clear if
Belgian, that our forces were either
in control or were about to take over
che place but that GerEsan patrols
were near. After this we started
again.
When we had passed the last post
we kept a sharp lookout for the flag
on the pole of the old fish market, for
by this we would get our bearings
and perhaps, If it should be German
flag, a timely warning. But after we
were down the road bit and had got
clear we saw a Belgian flag whipping
around in a good, strong breeze But
while that showed that our troops or
the British were about to take over
the place it also indicated that the
Germans were somewhere near by.
Which was not so cheerful.
AS we went through the suburbs
along the canal which runs on the
edge Of the town we found that all
the houses were battered up. We
tried to hail several heads that stuck
themselves out of the spaces between
buildings and stuck themselves back
just as quickly, but we could not get
an answer. Finally we got hold of
man who came out from a little
cafe.
He told US that the Germans had
been through the town and had shot
it up considerably, killing and wound
ing few inhabitants, but that shortly
afterward a small force of Belgian
cavalry had arrived and driven the
Boches out. The Germans were ex-
pected either to return or begin bonn
bardment at any moment and all the
inhabitants who sported cellars were
hiding in them. The rest were trying
to get out of town with their belong
fngs best they could.
On reaching our objective we made
straight for the Hotel de Vile, where
we were admitted and after short
wait taken to the burgomaster. We
questioned him as to news, for we had
been instructed to pick up any infor-
nation he might have as 10 conditions.
But we did not get much, for he could
not get about because of the Germans,
who had made it policy to terrorize
the people of the town.
We had just got into the car and
were about to start when the burgo-
master himself came running out. He
ordered us to leave the car there and
said he would direct us where to &c.
He insisted that we go on foot, but l
could not understand when he tried
to explain why.
We soon saw the probable reason
for the burgomaster's refusal to ride
in the car All around for about
mile the roads were heavily mined and
small red flags on iron slaves were
stuck between the cobblestones, as
warnings not to put In much time
around those places. Also. there were
notices stuck up all around warning
people of the mines and forbidding
heavy carts to pass. When we got
Off the road breathed again!
After great deal of questioning we
finally reached our destination and
made our report to the local command
ant. We told him all we could and in
turn received various Information
from him. We were then taken over
to the hotel. Here we read a few
Paris newspapers, that were several
weeks old, until about eight, when we
had dinner. and fine dinner Ii was,
too.
After we had eaten all we could, and
wished for more room In the hold, we
4
a while with some gendarmes, and
then went TO bed. We had big room
on the third floor front We had Just
turned in. and were all set for a good
nights rest, when there was an explo-
sion Of a different kind from any /
had heard before. and we and the bed
rocked about, like canoe in the wake
of stern-wheeler.
There were seven more explosions.
and then they stopped, though we
could hear the rattle of q machine gun
at some distance away. Bartel said it
must be the forts. and after some argu-
ment / agreed with him. BE said that
the Germans must have tried an adj
vance under cover of bombardment,
and that as soon as the forts got into
action the Germans breezed. We were
not worried much, so we did not get
out of bed.
A few minutes later we heard foot
steps on the roof. and then a woman
in a window across the street, asking
a gendarme whether it was safe TO go
back TO bed. Then ! got up and took
look into the street. There were a lot
of people standing around talking, but
it was not interesting enough TO keep
tired man up. so back into the hay.
1t seemed about the middle of the
night when Bartel called me. but he
said it was time to get out and get to
work. We found he had made a poor
guess. for when we were half dressed