The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-11-21
$6133.60

selves against the spirit of France
and have reeled back. defeated, dis
mayed. Their rage has expressed it.
self in the millions of projectiles
which have buried the town among
the debris Of its fallen grandeur. But
France still holds Rheims.
When | was there the German lines
were about two miles beyond the city
on the north, the east and the west,
and their constant fire had wrougn
havoc on the city and surrounding
country.
Day before yesterday IN a trip to
Epernay and Dormays l visited Rheims
and went directly to the cathedral
and circled with the car it's statue
which stands on it's north and westerly
side. We went by way of Dormays
and Vile en- Tardenoise and from
there we were compelled on account
Of shell fire to make a detour in a
southwesterly direction to st. limoges,
where we struck the main road be
tween Epernay and Rheims and thence
proceeded in a northerly direction to
the ~beleagued city.
Thus the first half of our journey
was up the battle line as it stood on
June 6, 1918, when the Germans
smashed in between Scissors and
Rheims and to Chateau Thierry and
opened the gate down the Marine to
Paris. 1t was one procession of shat
tered villages and battle torn country
sides.
The remaining half Of our journey
from st. limoges directly north to
Rheims along the road to Epernay,
was upon a road camoufaged every
foot of the way and empty and silent
as the wilderness. No smoke hung
over the city, no trains moved, n.
peasant toiled in the quiet fields.
Wholly unconscious of our danger we
had passed beyond the one Of traf-
fc, directly into the city. We followed
the westerly side of the town until we
turned under a bridge into a street
leading directly to the cathedral.
Though we did not then know it this
was the only route to the great build
Dish from fallen buildings. AS we
proceeded a young French soldier
stepped out and smiled cheerfully and
my companion inquired Of him in his
lo.@ Ec1xah 70 thn ctraot u,nnI6 taEn
us to the cathedral. He replied that
it was the only one and when We asked
if it was safe, said that it vas no.,
that the German shell fire the previ-
Gus two days and nights had beer
fearful, but that we might go on y
we chose. We went on, circled the
great edifice, stopping near what had
once beer it's northern entrance. AS
we started to return three heavy shells
exploded near us, probably two blocks
away, and the street we travelled was
Uttered with fresh rubbish and debris
and partly blocked by shell holes. The
way was ianked by two and three
story structures in all stages of dilap.
idation and as we gazed down street
after street we saw only ruin every
where. and felt like a great blanket
the silence of a great, empty, desert
ed town. We saw three men mendine
a piece of camouflage. These and the
soldier were the only guardians oil
Rheims.
On our return we stopped a moment
and talked with the soldier under the
bridge. We gathered a few pieces OF
debris and shell fragments as mem
entos, and then turned the car into
the long, empty lane. with its high
ianked walls of camoufage, and sped
away from there. AS we were leav
ing the city two more shells fell and
then a third, six in all. We came to
a cross road and Paddy the driver