The citizen., 1918-09-19


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 forbiddlng
heavy carts TO pass. When we got
of the road I breathed againl
After a 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
10 the hotel. Here we read a few
Paris newspapers. that were several
weeks old. until about eight. when we
had dinner, and a fine dinner II was,
too.
After we had eaten all we could, and
wished for more room In the hold, we
went out into the garden and yarned
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 I
had heard before. and we and the bed
Of a stern-wheeler.
There were seven more explosions,
and then they stopped. though we
could hear the rattle OF machine gun
at some distance away. Bartel said II
must be the forts. and after some argu-
the Germans must have tried an ad-
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.
steps on the roof. and then a woman
In a window across the street. asking
a gendarme whether IL was safe TO go
back 10 bed. Then l got up and took
a look into the street. There were lot
OF people standing around talking. but
It was not interesting enough TO keep
a tired man up. so into the hay.
II seemed about the middle of the
night when Bartel called me. but he
said IL was time TO get out and get TO
work. We found he had made poor
guess. for when we were half dressed
he looked at his watch and II was only
a quarter past seven, but we decided
to stay up. since we were that far
along. and then go down and cruise for
a breakfast.
When we got downstairs and found
some Of the hotel people It took them
a long time TO get II through our heads
that there had been some real excite
ment during the night. The explosions
were those OF bombs dropped by a
Zeppelin, which had sailed over the
city.
The first bomb had fallen less than
two hundred yards from where we
slept. No wonder the bed rocked II
had struck narrow three-story house
around the corner from the hotel, and
had blown II TO bits. Ten people had
been killed outright. and a number
died later. The bomb tore a fine hole
and hurled pieces of itself several hun
dred yards. The street itself was
filled with rocks, and number of
houses were down. and others wreck
ed. When we got out into the street
and talked with some army men we
found that even they were surprised
by the force of the explosion.
We learned that the Zepp had sailed
not more than five hundred feet above
the town. Its motor had been stopped
Just before the first bomb was let 90.
and II had slid along perfectly silent
and with all lights out. The purr that
we had thought was machine guns.
after the eighth explosion. was the
starting Of the motor. as the Zepp got
out OF range of the guns that were be-
ing set for the attack.
The last bomb had struck In a large
square. II tore a hole In the coble-
stone pavement about thirty feet
square and five feet deep. Every win
dow on the square was smashed. The
fronts Of the houses were riddled with
various sized holes. All the crockery
and china and mirrors In the house
were In fragments.
Not much more than an hour before
the zepp came. we hid been sitting In
a room at the house OF the local mill
tary commandant, right under a big
glass-dome skylight. This house was
now very pretty ruin. and II was just
as well that we left when We did. You
could not even find splinter Of the
big round table. The next time sit
under q glass skylight In Dixmude, !
want lad with a live eye for Zeppe-
Inns on guard outside.
Something about the branch head
quarters ruins made us think Of break.
fast. which we had forgotten. so back
TO the hotel. Then We started back TO
our lines. We were ordered 20 Keep
to the main road all the way back. OF