El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-12-14

In War Time
LEAVES FROM AN
OVERSEAS NOTEBOOK
H.
mn n ern1rru

.
| AUGUST so. 1918. is bright, clear.
Z n cloudless, crisp like young October
in FL Paso. Heavy explosions or
4 miles west Of us. We learn that the
Germans have blown up one Of our big
ammunition depots by direct shelling.
The Germans hit the mark at the
fourth shot, and the explosions con-
tnued for sometime. Our balloons ride
I high and it gives one a cheerful feel
/ ing TO see them there.
81 August l9lS-Great artillery duel
[ from 4 70 . a. m, following night Of
; extraordinary air activity. Thousands
Of rounds fired by artillery and at
times as rapid as machine guns. Quiet
day after big ruction before dawn.
Some activity to the left Of rs.
September l9lS-Sundav. very
quiet along the lines all day. hardly q
shot fired until Z p. 10. Cloudy and
cool; quiet last night. In morning
went TO mass in the little old church
Miniature organ paved by big young
soldier in French uniform, who also
sang. Congregational singing, plain
chants with accompaniment and folk
songs for the liturgical hymns. About
60 women in church Of whom all but
two wore mourning, many Of them
fun wells
Nesper service, no organ but little
children sing. Folk songs adapted for
Ave Maris Stella and other hymns OF
the church. Under the altar there Is an
ancient coi0red image of the Christ
reclining in the tomb a smoky candle
at each end makes 1t visible in the
aim church. AT conclusion Of the serv-
i've a roguish little freckle faced red
headed boy laughing to show his teeth
blows out all the candles on the altar
and then rolls on the floor and blows
out the candles in front Of Christ En-
tOmbed, an odd little human episode
to meet with pathetic contrast mo-
ment later when going outside I see the
widows, mothers, and children stand
ing silently OF whispering prayers over
the graves Of their soldiers OF cover
ing them with field flowers and woven
grass wreaths.
September l9lS-Last night and
today brilliant and cloud'ess, cold in
morning with dense fog and heavy
dew. Generally quiet. some air activity.
Receive Heralds from El paso dated
July I to u, my first news Of big fire
in Herald building Just two months
ago.
Spend entire dav I'm mot5rt vcie side
car traversing division sector. Great
variety Of scenery, woods open and
dense. trees of an kinds. flowers
abundant. hills and plains. little
streams and rivers, fine roads.
No more beautiful forest anywhere
than the PuYenelle Wood. which IS
traversed in every direction 10y roads
and is full Of troops, guns, military
material and preparations iu astouish-
ing variety and amount. Woods so
thick there Is a sort of STACEY half
light as-if under roof. even in broad
day, and after dusk the dark closes
in go as TO make It necessary to feel
ones day.
1 have great respect for the forests
Of France; none Of them that I have
seen are extensive, and the individual
trees are not large like those Of west
ern America. but these woods are in
c-ediblF dense and exceedingly beau
tifuL The effect Of The Tree arched
avenues is not - be forgotten
The Germans bHow every inch Of
Puvenelle Wood and while they are
probably in igu0Taues OF the en0rmitv
Of the preparatory work that has been
going on there, they love TO drop shells
in the wood and along the roads by
way OF whimsical surprise and their
airmen fly low and eomstimes harass
traffic with machine guns. 4 road Jam
Is soon spotted by their observers and a I
flight OF shells soon follows.
The valley Of the Moselle river and
the deserted city Of Pont-a-Mousson
make a beautiful and fascinating pic
tuTa Pont-a-1ioussCu mas a ricI his
tory in French political and ecclesias- I
teal annals. 1t IS q small place but
Il has lett its name end its marx on /
things notable in this part Of the world /
1t is 1000 years old and its ZOO year old |
Gothic church still stands though badly I
damaged.
The old church at D1euiouard is Of /
beautiful stone arch work Of Roman /
esQue architecture. Tradition has it that I
Jeanne dare visited this church. and T.
that her squire John Of Metz was really /
John Of Dieulouard. In the crypt Of /
the church is Jeanne's little chapel with /
curious very ancient images Of Jeanne I
and her squire On her banner is in !
scribed '.Dieu le wart' which may be I.
translated from old French dialect as Z
either Good awaits thee" OF "God I
watCheth thee" It is an old inscrip- /
ton used in the coat of arms of an ]
cieut bishops Of Lorraine. and it Is q
safe TO say the town gets its name .
from this phrase. The inscription on /
Jeanne's banner as generally given by I
historians and in pictures is -Dieu le I
Neut' OF God wills 1t, but some old /
prints have It "Dieu le wart.' In any .
event it is easy to see how the motto .
might have been changed in the speech /
OF peasants. Here they show Won the I
stone where Jeanne is said TO have f.
knelt TO pray.
The roof Of the church is Of thick .
stone slabs. so Is the floor of the nave, /
but two German air bombs. each as Z
big as a man and carrying a war head .
and enormous charge of explosives, ]
went through both the roof and the Z
floor and one stopped in the crypt, the 4
other drove six feet into the ground, .
but neither exploded The bombs are .
now on brackets on the pillars Of the .
nave and the priests call it a miracle. +
There are no civilians here. This town .
is under frequent shell fire and .
bombing night and day.
The clever achievements Of the .
French in camouflaEe excite continual /
wonder. Dead leaves and laced branches .
are perfectly simulated. Near Dieu /
.ouard is a big 'rail head" or supply de- /
pot with considerable trackage but the I
whole switch ward is rooted over with I
an elaborate fabric of laced wire and /
leafv branches SO that the constant /
movement is not subject to air obser-
walton. It Is the most extensive and I