The Washington times., 1918-12-22
Bu the Countess de Gaza-Pascal
CHAP ER v.
CODyriGat. 1918 ~ StaS Company
(CoHtiRaed from Last Sunday

HAVE often wondered the people of the world at
large can ever create truthful mental picture Of
the life Of the French citizens IN the cities which
caught in the swirl Of the German invasion and
manned in thralldOm for many months Books viii be
written countless columns viii be printed and histories
viii be devoted to this INVASION but if will be very hard
for those who went through those long years Of virtual
slavery to tell of things as they actually we're
Let me describe as best 1 can the happenings of
single night in Of the early months Of 1917 as they.
were reflected in my chateau outside Of Epinoy
In those days there were unmstakable signs of
tension throughout the executive departments of the
German army in our district Every night for many
weeks there had been discussed by the German officers
at my table two outstanding prospects One was the
expected British offensive in the Arras sector and the
other was the entrance Of America into the war.
The offensive considered certain The high Ger
man officers who sat around my table in the evenings
discussing events and prospects seemed always to have
almost definite information Of every proposed Of
the Allied armies They knew almost to day when the
Canadians and Scots would push out from the Arras line
and begin their hammerng toward Cambria. Listened
to them discuss this forthcoming event with citation
which could not hide from them They bantered
me upon my hopes that such offensive would be
successful
But there was much difference Of opinion as tc the
probable participation Of the United States could
not help feeling though, heard these officers
of them of high position express their rdicule of the
thought that the United States would prove important
factor that down in their hearts they considered the
Cd SlQe OF AllleS a. the
last straw
For they were nervous, these officers. and for
time their state OF mind had had its effect upon the civil
ian life in the occupied country The whole army Of
invasion was like wounded tige, al bay-t scratched
and bit whatever was nearest without provocation.,
Occasionally there had to be a relief-the officers
argued So. one day two covered automobiles stopped
at chateau and of them stepped half dozen young
soldier with them He had met them at
the train in CambraI and had led them my house One
of them said to me when met them in nv reception
hall.
Are we not expected Where are the meni
When stated that had not been told to prepare for
visitors the made exclamation and pushed
by into the house The party proceeded then to make
itself thoroughly at home soon these were women
of evil life and quickly understood they had been sent
for and instructed to to house for rendezvous
One of the officers billeted with appeared in short
time and greeted the Young women hilariously was
ordered to prepare unusually elaborate dnnerand
also notified that General der Waldau the com
mander Of the BavaraD corps that had taken over
the sector making tour Of his front and would not
be present that night.
The women were from the Charlottenburg the Ten