The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-03-04
THE HUMOROUS SIDE.
Experience of London Family in a
Night Air Raid by the Germans.

The humorous side OF a German air
raid over London should not be altogeth Il
er ignored in the history Of the world
war The following realistic description,
written by resident OF that city who
has passed through the experience more
than once, indicates that the English
people are still very far from being ter
rorized by the kaisers bombing airmen, H
says the Troy Times
Ten minutes to - Boom! boom in
the distance The two sisters sat up
seepiy, scrambled into dressing gowns
and slippers, and, perched on the edge !
OF the bed, awaited events
The guns were distant as yet and min /
gled with them was the shrill squeaI of /
whistles, blown jerkily al if by men pro I
peliing bicycles, warning OF the approach |
OF the raiders In a few minutes the |
sounds died away, the gunfire ceased, and
the sisters thankfully rolled back into
bed
An hour later the guns crashed out
again, this time much nearer. 1t was I'M
douhtedly case Tor retreat to Il lower
floor. Carrying ederdown and a pile OF
magazines the two sisters departed whilst
the father Of the family routed out their
brother and the maid
Mother, however, remained firm There
were two floors above her. she said, and
II we We're going to be killed it might a.
well be IN her bed room as down stairs
So, deaf 10 entreaties, she remained
warmly in bed, with one daughter TO
keep her company. whilst the other "
treated to the library. The bap1age was
growing in intensity the guns Numbered
all around and the shrieks Of the shells
was clearly audible.
The elder sister wandered Disconnected
! ly backward and forward from the win
! dow OF the bedroom It's sickening
thing that the first time I've been able
! to see the sky in an air raid it's too
| light 10 make out anything. | should
hays thought the shrapnel would show
bit even III moonlight. She returned
| shaking with laughter from an excursion
! downstairs They're all sitting in the
! corner by the door, laboriously reading
| through yesterdays papers, she gurgled
| Il gave them some magazines instead
| oh, they do look SO funny and she
! Went off into 4 peal OF laughter at the
recollection. Is the fire all right"
asked mother. There's about one spark
and dad has carefully put a large lump
OF coal over 1t, but Of course it won t
| burn
The guns died away, burst out with re-
newed yigor, softened again, and then
crashed out close by. as it seemed Then
| suddenly a new sound was heard-the
loud sinister whirr Of aeroplanes, appar-
emily right overhead It's all very well
TO risk shrapnel or dud Shells said the
elder sister, "but If it's coming to bombs
! | really think We had better 60 down
stairs
At this mother gave in and arose.
There was 4 flash outside the window
Shrapnel at last. They probably haven't
heard the aeroplanes down stairs 50 We
won't say anything" said mother. They
are certainly Gothas-not bit like the
sound OF ours and just like the Gothas
we heard in the country.
Another flash. several in quick success
sion, more from the back as they passed
the staircase window
You see. we've come at last
Yes, Just when the Germans have
passed overhead
$50 you heard them even down
here "
Rather, ! should think We did
Chairs We're pulled up for the new
corners. well, said the younger sister
you two might at least have put on
boudoir caps' The elder sister hastily
screwed up her hair into some semblance
OF order Then, struck by the humor OF
the situation, one after the other re-
lapsed into helpless laughter.
| 1t was funny sight TIE two maids
: mother and the girls, in dressing gowns
with eiderdowns round their shoulders
sat next the door The elder sister, after
some search, discovered a needle and
cotton, and at work on some sewing
which she had seized upon upstairs The
younger sister was knitting socks Dad
looking. like a high church clergyman
with M oyercoat buttoned up to his
throat" was beginning to read aloud the
latest war story by Sapper' The
brother, in his rBritishwarm' over q
dressing gown, was deep in The Bystand
er.
The story proceeded. punctuated by
bursts of gun fire, and broken at inter
walls by an unprecedented peal of merri
ment from some irrepressible. The guns
grew more distant, passed, fired last
voley, ceased
Better wait till the 'All-clear' goes.
IS Rather mott won't be sounded fol
hours. Bed calls
1t was a quarter of ?
An hour later came the final INTERRUPT
ton to the slumbers OF the household
l'etow in the street a bugle peaied on
two cheerful notes. All clear. Al
clear" it seemed to say. and the souns
was quite harmonious. save when tw'
buglels, pitching OH different keys
clashed dscordantly
That's over, then, murmned tn
al elder sister, sleepily ut WASH such
e bad raid after all, but it's a bore losin
In SO much sleep. Breakfast half an hou
e later, thank goodness" But no one wa