Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1918-07-22
The eombers Were Fishing In Their
Bag and Throwing.


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
ings as best they could.
On reaching our objective we made
straight for the Hotel de vile. where
we were admitted and after short
wnit 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 to conditions.
But we did not get much, for he could
not get about because OF the Germans.
who had made II 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 70.
He insisted that we 20 on foot, but
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 q
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 wrrning
people Of the mines and forbidding
heavy carts to pass. When we got
on the road breathed agalni !
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
to the hotel. Here we read a few
Paris newspapers. that were several
weeks old, until about eight. when we
had dinner. aud fne dinner Il was,
too. khnasA
After we had eaten all we could, and
wished for more room In the hold, we
went out into the garden and yarned
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 q good
nights rest. when there was an explo.
sion Of a different kind from any I
had heard before. and we and the bed
rocked about, like q 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 I agreed with him. He said that
the Germans must have tried an nd.
vance under cover Of a bombardment,
and that as soon as the forts got into
action the Germans breexed. We were
not worried much, 20 we did not get
out Of bed. feai i0rl
A few minutes later we heard foot
steps on the roof. and then woman
In window across the street. asking
gendarme whether It was safe to 90
back to bed. Then 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.
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 poor
guess, for when we were half dressed
he looked at his watch and It was only
quarter past seven, but we decided
to stay up, since We were that far
along, and then go down and cruise for
breakfast.
(To be cortinusd.)