The sun., 1918-10-07
REFUGEES BACK
IN SOUTH AMB0Y
FIND RUIN ONLY
Homes, Churches and Thea
tres Are Heaps of Debris
After Great Explosion.
NOTHING ESCAPED WRECK
Scared Cat Clings to, Perch in
Tree, Keeping Vigil Over
Scene of DesOlatiOn.
NOTHING ESCAPED WRECK


South Amboy at midnight on Saturday
was town OF Stygian darkness and
heavy silence. broken only by the shuttle
Of feet as soldiers marched by, a CLINT
Of lantern light on bayonet. a muffied
command in crisp military tones.
Wrecked and gaping houses leaned over
roads filled with shattered glass and
woodwork. Eerie shadows lurSed in
corners and the figure of a man in dull
uniform moving silently from a, door
way and back again seemed full Of grim
suggestiveness
II was because of the knowledge that
over the trees to the south had come the
vast flashes of white and yellow light
that filled the heavens. while the blast
Of great wind swept through the vii
lage. tearing AT II with mighty force and
carrying death Ia its path While wait
ing in the silent streets eyes continually
watched the skyline for another of these
binding glares that warned one to drop
10 the ground and pray that no chimney
tops would tumble that way. 1t was
constant atmosphere of apprehension
Of the unknown horror that might come.
To get there was not an easy task.
All day long cars had been taking the
last little pitiful groups of refugees
from the town, and at midnight the big
circle in front of the City Hall of Perth
Amboy where the rescue cars were
drawn up along the curb was dark and
silent. But finally the last call came
and two trucks roared up out OF the
darkness. their drivers received their
orders and then tore away to the south.
toward the darkened and wrecked re-
sion-
In the Path of Demolition.
Past military guards. men drawn up
at the bridges with fixed bayonets and
fixed ideas OF who should not pass the
cars went, and then over almost i'm
possible roads, under railroad culverts
past deserted automobiles and wagons
and up to the corner where the turn
came into the deserted village.
One block and guard stepped out
Of the darkness, showed up his bayonet
and then as silently faded away into
The shadows as the Lieutenant on the
front seat told of his business. The
driver went slowly. A few minutes be-
fore glare had shot up over the trees
and a muffled boom had told of the
hidden danger behind the hill The
headlights sent weak beams down the
street and Showed the buildings on the
side.
Crafty awry and distorted they were
Doorways doomed 'blacker because no
doors were there. windows were open
to the rain that fell during the night.
roofs were lifted slightly and swung
about as II twisted by great hand.
Here n porch hung, Just discerned
through the dtffused light Of the lamps.
decrepitly swung down at one end. On
top of flight Of steps sat a white dog.
vague blot in the darkness 4 moving
picture house, the brilliant colors of
posters just visible. showed like a ruined
Darn, its windows and doors burst asun-
der as IL 1t were something that had
been forgotten long ago.
Ahead a few points OF swinging light
came out of the darkness. and then one
saw they were lanterns carried by SOL
iiers. There was a group of them in
front of the fire house the guard was
just being relieved. There was hardly a
sound from them. and then the car drew
up behind a gray army ambulance, the
engine was shut Off. and the silence came
down again like a curtain. Ahead. over the
hill, was a mutter as II the giant stirred
IN his sleep.
The Trained shock Absorber.
The Lieutenant Jumped out ran down
ne street and vanished In the darkness
in search of his refugees. and as he went
there was n shuttle behind, and out of the
night came soldiers, marching two
abreast: only the sound Of their feet
and the clink of bayonet could be
heard. Lanterns they carried bobbed be-
side them, illuminating their legs, and
then they passed beyond and disappeared
also.
There was a long silence in the car.
and yawned. He wanted a cigarette and
for it told the story of the old signal
man on the railroad. who stuck at his
post all night above the town.
And whenever there was a bang he
topped down in the grass. stuck his I'm
gers in his ears and opened his mouth.
That's the only thing to do. You can
see the light before the sound hits you"
The pavement seemed awfully hard.
and perhaps It would be better to get
cut of the car and stand on II, so there
wouldn't be so far to fall. There was a
vague commotion and upheaval In the
ambulance In front. and suddenly 1t be-
came forced on ones attention that there
we're people IN there. vague brown forms
that moved uneasily under the blankets.
Then a slender pair OF putteed legs
slipped over the tailboard. and up from
the mass OF brown came a head covered
with curly, tousled hair.
Say. won't YOU people turn Off those
headlights? We can't sleep a Bit" the
head said
That's better. Thanks" and the girl
IN the motor corps uniform crawled back
again and pulled the blankets about her.
Three Sleepy Little Heroin-s.
There were a few very feminine gig
giles, and then the three girls, one could
see three heads in the upheaval. Struggled
down again and tried to catch a few
moments more sleep They had been
there most of the night. jumping bit
whcn the explosions came. but driving
their car with nonchalant GOODNESS
and skill that evoked almost extravagant
praise from the men who had worked
with them. Womanhood. the kind that
wears a uniform and does not shrink
from dark or danger. means something
entirely new TO the men IF that part OF
New Jersey now. for 1t took real cour-
rage TO do what they did.
\ few figures materialized out of the
night and came toward the car, tired
men who dragged their feet and seemed
careless. Of where they went or what
happened TO them. They were the last
iour civilians in South Amboy who had
neen routed out by the soldiers to be
sent TO the refugees camp In Perth Am
Roy, The Lieutenant seemed rather dis
gusted. lie had brought two cars and
his was all he had found. They all
piled aboard. the lights went up again
70 disturb for moment the girls In the
ambulance, and then the cars roared
INTO life again and turned about to leave
mis- place of gloom and strange silence.
At the head OF the street were two
IL