The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1918-09-25
BY MAMMALIAN FOSTER.

-,f An experience not often shared by
women In this war was that of Miss
Mary o. Clark of Boston, Mass, now
a Y. M. G. A. canteen worker ir
France. For no less than four hours
Miss Clark was in the midst of a
fierce bombardment by the BOche
guns, part of the time lying with q
detachment of American soldiers In
an open trench. In the same attack
later two Red Triangle workers, DR..
John Brownlee Voorhees, of Hartford
Conn.,, and r. w. Ballew of Lexing.
/ ton, ILL.,, were hit by shell splinters
land severely injured.
The village where Miss Clark's can.
teen Is situated is in an advanced pO.
sition close to the front line trenches
Until the day in question, Sunday
the Huns had not paid much attention
to this particular part of France be.
hind the lines. However, in this par.
!. ticular part of the war zone, the Toul
sector, there is no telling where his
mornings hate will break forth. II
this case, apparently, he was only bid
ing his time to wipe this particular vii
lage off the map.
The day dawned brilliant with sun
shine. Shortly after 8 a. m. Miss
Clark was getting ready for break
fast when the first shell sailed IL
tover the roof tops, and landed in o.
{dump-heap not more than so yards OF
so from her open window. The first
crash did not startle the Y. M. G. A
worker. She looked out just i'm time
to see the dump-heap fly skyward de
scending presently in showers OF
/brick, dirt. farmyard and other debris
A second shell followed Immediately
upon which pandemonium broke loose
in the hamlet. The detachment OF
American troops billeted there came
pouring out of doorways and windows
: ali intent on seeing what was going
on /; and with them came few scatter
ing French peasants, the remnant OF
the villages former population.
Time to Move.
AS the shells by this time were fall
ing thickly among the roofs and al
leys near by, Miss Clark decided Ill
was time to seek some less exposed
position. Accordingly she locked hel
trunk, and picking up what small valu
ables she had with her, she made heI
way into the street.
A French peasant was just passing
Miss Clark recalled that the woman
was wasting no time, but as she saw
Miss Clark she paused long enough
TO inquire: "Are you afraid, Miss?'
Miss Clark hasn't decided yet whether
she was at that exact instant; how
ever, she shook her head, when the
French woman. bidding her to follow
made off down the village street.
Halfway to the end of the street thu
Y. M. G. A. worker encountered the
colonel In command of the billetet
troops. He and the regimental chap
lain were looking out of their quar-
tiers, watching the bursting shells |
However, as there was lull now
they invited Miss Clark to join then
at breakfast.
The party was hardly seated wher
again uproar broke loose. At the
same time regimental messengers
brought the news that already there
were several casualties in the town |
Things began to happen then, one
after another. A shell pitching over
the roof tops laid waste a nearby
house, and was followed Immediately
by another still nearer. "You'l have
TO move out of here" the colonel tolC
Miss Clark. Down the street, just
beyond the town limits, was a refuge
trench laid out for just this emer
gency and the colonel directed Miss
Clark toward II. Once she was head |
ed In the right way, the colonel anc
the chaplain went off TO see what waf
taking place elsewhere.
Takes Chance With Soldiers.
IT was evidently much. Miss Clark
when she reached the trench, found
II already occupied. section OF