Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1918-02-20

As we stood surveying this scene
there was the steady rumble of guns,
with the crack Of quIck-firers and then
the long "whlz' of ever-passing shells.
But there was one "whizr which In
stantly engaged every attention. We
could hear Ii coming, and IL was not
going over, nor under, nor at either
side. Every one instinctively recoiled,
and then
Crash
No More Observation Post.
Five of us went down In a heap,
stunned as with hammer blow. There
was great, enveloping noise, with the
smash and crack of walls, the flying of
fragments. and then the heaye of tons
OF earth. mortar and masonry. plowed
| up by the huge missile.
II had struck that observation post,
| just Is feet away, which we were about
to enter. There was no more observa-
| ton post; 1t was swept clean. But
fortunately the shell had gone straight
| through, battering down massive walls
and digging deep trench into the
earth where 1t had exploded under
ground. throwing up great geysers. But
while the earth and stone few like
hail. the underground explosion had
held the shell fragments. Stunned as
we were, the first impulse was of self
preservation. A hasty glance showed
no one was seriously injured, though
the trickle of blood on the right tenn
pie of one of the party told that fly
Ing stone had found a mark.
'They have this range" said the es-
cort as we struggled to our feet, "and
one shot means that another will fol-
low"
There was hasty scramble from the
battlement, over the tons of debris
thrown up, which now completely
blocked the three-foot path skirting
the wall.
The shell had suddenly brought to a
close our observation of the battle
front with all its tragedy and majestic
beauty. But worst of all, II pat an end
10 all trips to Goritz, for the officer
said no further chances of this kind
could be taken. It was just as we'll,
for now the great offensive Of the
enemy burst Unexpectedly, and with 1t
came the retreat from the Goritx line.
Fortunately or unfortunately. had
seen it at the last moment when the
tide was turning.
Situation Explained.
At the cafe where we went for lunch
the officer from headquarters LAID out
the big military map on the table and
explained the military situation. II
was this: The enemy was bringing
great masses of men TO the north of
the Biansizza plateau His design was
evident. The Italians by their last ad-
vance had swung a ring which was
threatening Trieste. To save Trieste
the enemy must force the Italians back
TO the Isonzo river, as another Italian
offensive would clear the Carso range
and give the Italians the mastery of
Trieste. To the enemy the time had
come when he must act before the Ital-
ians played their final card and held
the jewel of the Adriatfc.
As we pored over the map the IN
ereasing roar of the artillery told that
the enemy was losing no time in his.
part of the military game. The Pro-
prietor of the cafe YVES an Intelligent
old man, and l asked him IL the fire
we heard was the same as usual. He
shook his head and said. mo, it il
very much heavier and 1t seems as
though something was going to hap
PEN" This was the instructive feel
ing of the people on the spot who had
gone through this day after day for
months. They felt the blow coming.
On the corner there were two women
of the working class talking together
under an umbrella, for 1t was raining
hard Their indifference to the she'll
ing seemed strange. and / stopped to
ask them II the oaxdment did not
brighten them and keep them awake. at
night.
They were puzzled for a moment. as
though not comprehending such an IN
quiry, and then they shrugged their
shoulders.
I'VE are used to It." they said 1T
Used to Brighten Us at first, and the
children still cry ae night. But what
can we dor"
these were typical townswomen
who had become hebituated to the dan
ger and destruction all around them
and were now stopping on the street
corner In the rain TO exchange the
latest gossip. One of the women had
the features of an Austrian. and she
smiled as she heard the rumble Of the
| Austrian guns and looked e1 toward
the enemy lines 50 near.
Within three hours when we got
back to headquarters the fun force Of
the blow had been struck and the great
Austro-German offensive against Italy
was In full operation.
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