14 HUNS GAIN NEW LINES BY ASSAULTj [Continued From Page I.] pushing on and gradually absorboing all of the Passcheandaele ridge a continuation of the spur to the northeast. No Danger of General Retirement This may be an indication that the British retirement is to the line of the spring of 1917 although such a withdrawal would in clude the abandonment of the entire Passchendaele pass as well as the Messine ridge area, from the greater part of which they have been driven in the present battle. It would leave the town of Ypres however still in British hands. There seems no danger at present of a retirement on any much larger scale than this on the northern end of the I* rajico-Belgian line as the result of the recent German successes. Ihe line as a whole appears likely to hold as long as the railway communica tions supporting it arc intact. Apparently the security of these communications has been provided for by the massing of large forces in the northwesterly sector of the Lys battlcfront. The Germans still are' hammering the BHtish line north of 1 Bailleul while to the north thev arc reported to be close to Mount Kemmel, the towering height which dominated the situation in this sector. The British now seem able to deal with them along the Bailleul-Wytschaetc line, however, and the repulse of re peated attacks with terrific losses to the enemy in the Bailleul sector are reported. British Not Removing Reserves The present attack in Flanders does not seem to have diverted material British reserves from the Somine battlefield as the Ger mans apparently expected and such operations as are occurring to the southward from Arras reveal the British in strength on this, the battlcfront where the German effort inevitably must be exerted. The British last night counterattacked opposite Boyelles and drove out parties of Germans who had entered the British trenches yesterday, completely restoring the line. The Somme battle appears likely to break out furiously again in the near future, judging from the reports that come from both the French and British war offices of the marked increase in the artillery fire south of the Somme. In capturing Wytschaete and the height of Spanbroekmolen to the southwest the Germans drove the British from the high ground at the southern trip of the Messines-Passehendaele in a northerly direction, which extends for 14 miles from Wulverghem. Prom Wulverghem to Wytschaete is two and one-half miles. Ypres lies four miles directly north of Wytschaete and between them are the heights of Klein Zillebeke and Observatory ridge Vhich are equal in height to Wytschaete, sixty meters. Bid Task Before Germans To wipe out the Ypres salient the Germans must gain more of tha long ridge and must cut the railrond from Hazebrouck to Ypres. whicn is one of the main supply lines to the BriUsh lines east and northeast of Ypres. Apparently they are attempting to reach the railroad and are engaging the British heavily at Meteren, west of Bailleul, and four miles east of the railroad and six miles east-northeast of Hazebrouck. Directly west from Wytschaete and nor'h from Bailleul is the height of Mount Kemmel, 156 meters, which is the highest point in this area. But before the enemy can cut the railroad and gain additional heights! the British may retire or an allied counterattack may be hurled against the German lines. Other Ilun Attacks Fail On other parti* of the front from Wytschaete to Givenchy the British have repulsed German efforts, especially round Merville, the center of the line. German attacks have broken out south of Arras. The British re pulsed an attack there near Boyelles. South around Albert and across the Somme the German artillery fire has increased. The enemy bombardment continues violent in the Mont didier sector. On the American sector around St. Mlhlel the weather has heen unfavorable for three days but the Germans have not repeated their attacks of last week. Near the Apremoi. forest, east of St. Mihiel, American patrols have crossed No Man's Land and reached the German barbed wire without molestation. East of the American sector near the Bois Le Pretre, the Prench have repulsed German efforts. Bulgarians Defeated in Macedonia In Macedonia, northeast of Saloniki the Bulgarians have been driven from about ten villages along a front of 15 miles from the left bank of the Struma northwest from Lake Tahinos. Greek and British troops participated in the operation. Prisoners were taken and severe losses inflicted on the enemy. The government man-power bill with the Irish conscription clause included passed the British House of Commons on third reading by a majority of 198 votes. An Irish home rule bill will be introduced soon by the government and Premier Lloyd George and his colleagues will insist on Its passage or leave office. Nationalist opposition continues unbroken. 8010 Pasha, condemned to death for aiding German propaganda in France and whose activities extended to the United States was executed early to-day at Vincennes. ' OBERLIN 1| Richard Schriver sustained a bruised right foot when a flask fell j on it at the iron foundry of the Beth- ; lehem Steel Company. Paul Shakespeare was seriously in-! .lured at the local plant of the Beth-! lehem Steel Company when he was! caught between the girder of the I building and the crane. The Eighty-eighth Embroidery! <*lub held the semimonthly meeting at the home of Mrs. L. L. Hackman, | Monday evening. Mrs. Ida Rodiheimer and daughter j of Lebanon, spent Saturday and Sun-1 clay with Mrs. Emma Dengler. Mr. and Mrs. John Balsbaugli, ofi Ebenezer, were in town yesterday. ' Alfretta Hoffman, of Coatesville, FM — SHINOIA AMERICA'S HOME SHOE POLISH M WL Tshe tfey does .✓'No soiling of hands, or broken nails turn and the cover is off. You then tSTg) have a wax and oil polish that is easily applied* shined with a few strokes of cloth or brush. It's easy to shine your Mfr . OWn THE B BHiNOt4 WAY Prove it v; Ask Any Store Black, Tan, White, Red, Brown "IH]LOFROFF CONVCN/CNCC pBBBBHBBBVHPH Steelton I 111 kl Nest [ J. J m v j H Charter Mcm ix-THiiip. Members I already en- I rolled. r , —p No Initiation and No Medical Examina ble*) 66 ti°n for Charter Members-Age 16 to 59 pa y s s te |7 to oS a N yveck Charter Closes April 30th benefits, $250.00 Death It Will Pay You to Get Full Information About II insurance plan) ' for This Splendid Organization dues of only per week. t ' Call or Write V*""""""""""""*"""*"/ Temporary Organization Headquarters 50 N. Front Street, Steelton, Pa. . Open Evenings 1 WEDNESDAY EVENING, is spending several days with Miss I ! Anna Gerhart. ; Mr. and Mrs. Roy Osman spent | Saturday and Sunday at Millersburg. I Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Andrews and I Mr. and Mrs. Bruco Miles, of j Strutliers, Ohio, are spending several | weeks with Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah > Rice. Private Orwin Carpenter, of Camni | Meade, is spending several days with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Rob erts. Miss Alma Gray returned to her | home in North Carolina after spend | ing several months with Mr. and Mt-s. ! Norman Gardner. j Mrs. Nelson Hopple, of | Canada, is spending several weeks"! I with her parehts, Mr. and Mrs. H. H. I I Atticks. I Miss Jestina AVise has returned j , from Coatesville. STEELTON NEWS ITEMS SOLICITORS TO MEET TONIGHT Local Workers Will Be As signed to Their Work and Given Instructions Liberty Loan solicitors at a meet ing to be held in Frey's Hall this evening at 8 o'clock will be given their assignments of prospective sub scribers and to-morrow will find many of the workers canvassing the town, although the campaign does not open officially until Saturday. The campaign will get into full swing after the big mass meeting in the High School auditorium on Fri day evening. The mass meeting on Friday evening will be one of the most important held in the borough for a long time. The committee is making efforts to have several prom inent out-of-town speakers of distinc tion talk on the Liberty Loan drive. .Slrcrt Parade Prior to the meeting, which is called for 8 o'clock, the committee, headed by the Steelton Band, will pa rade the downtown streets. The route of the procession will be an nounced in a few days. W. H. Nell, chairman of the committee, said to day. Members of the band are re quested to meet at the band hall on Friday at 7.30 o'clock. A committee of 250 solicitors has been selected to canvass this district, which includes Oberlin, Enhaut, Bressler, Highspire, Swatara township and Steelton. The committee this evening will be given instructions for canvassing by the major com mittee, of which H. W. Stubbs is chairman. I,arise Committee The committee of fifty members to canvass Steelton and nearby dis tricts, announced to-day, is as fol lows: C. F. Beshore, Utley S. Abercrom bie, C. A Alden, M. R. Alloman, Da vid P. Baker, Cliarles 'H. Beidel, John Bethel, George S. Boiton, J. H. Bond, S. A. Brehm, Claude. E. Brinser. Har vey S. Bogar. George B.vrod, Charles G. Detweiler, James P. Detweiler, Harry I* Dress, Charles S. Davis, Ralph Eckels, R. H. Fairlamb, Charles P. Feidt, Ross M. Frey, John L. Grove, William F. Housman, F. E. Howells, S. H. Hadley, Charles W. McCoy (Bov Scouts), C. M. Eong, John A. McCurdy, E E. McGinnes, B. F. McNear, Jr., Ira F. Myers, W. F. Maginnis, IT, S. Messinger, AY llliam J. Middleton, G. Nissley Mumina, Mark Mumma, Harry C. Deik, Wil liam H. Nell. R- M. Rutherford, Bar tram Shellev, Frank A. Stees, Walter Keister, Hiram Billett. N. D. Bishop, O. C. Bishop, T. Park Brehm. Andrew Bressler, the Rev. Mr. Brunner, John P. Croll, W. O. Dailey, Raymond Deimler, A. W. Ellenberger, John Erb, E E. Hockman. T.- N. Heicker. 1,. T. Herman, the Rev. Mr. Herr, A. C. Hocker, W. H. Horner, E. G. Irvin. Peter Keefer. the Rev. H. S. Keiffer. Reiley Kramer, William Kuhn, Louis Eehrman, Reuben Eerch. Grant Miler, Frank Morclli, R. F. Nisslev, E. O. Paul, the Rev. E. E Pee, E. F. Rupp, John Schroll. D. W. Sha'ffner, Robert Shultz, Faber Sten gie, Eester Thompson, the Rev. Mr. Wert and Joffrph Wilson. A committee of 200 steel company employes will wage the campaign in the steel plant. oi.n RESIDENT DIES John H. Bingaman, for many years a well known resident, died yester day afternoon at 2.30 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Howard Hoke, 14.19 Berryhill street. Harrls burg. Prior to going to Harrisburg to live about a year ago, he resided at 3f14 South Second street. Mr. Binga man was for many years a member of the Baldwin Hose Company. A special meeting of the company will bo held this evening to take action on his death. CADETS ON HIKE As part of a program of open air activities, the St, James' Catholic Church Cadets took a hike of eight Miles on Monday evening. A meet ing of the cadets will be held to morrow evening at U. 30 o'clock. MRS. MARY M. I)ACM Mrs. Mary M. Daum, aged GO, wife of Henry Daum, died yesterday after noon at her home, 605 North Second street. No funeral arrangements have been made. Austria Torn by Scenes of Violence and Pathos By Associated rress Washington, April 17.—The eco nomic situation of Austria is more critical tha.n at any time since the war began, according to an official dispatch to-day from France. The Vienna Keuwe Free Press, says the dispatch, announced that lamentable scenes alternate each day with tumultuous ones in the different markets of Vienna, where meat is unprocurable. The Viennese are not able to buy even the ration of 200 grammes a week, officially allowed them. The burgomaster of Vienna declared to the municipal council that the sani tary service estimated at Go per cent, the food deficit of the capital. At Prague the situation is still worse. This week the bread supply is 274,000 kilos short. HARRISBURG TELEGR3EPH BOY OUTLAWS ENTER STORE Officials Believe New Band of Mischievous Boys Arc Working in Borough Steelton police are searching for a band of boy outlaws who last night entered the hardware store of Claude Brinscr, North Front street, and made a fafe get-away with a large amount of goods. Chief Grove said this morning that he did .not believe three boys of the band of boy outlaws broken up some time ago who are out on bail are implicated in this robbery. The band, which had been puzzling Ihe police several weeks, was broken up with the arrest of its eight memi bers. Five of the boys are now in jail pending hearings while . three are out on bail. What leads police officials to think the robbery was committed by boys were footprints of several boys in the mud near the building. Police believe with these 'clues the guilty parties can be apprehended in the next few days. The boys entered the store byway of tlits garage and did not break their way in. Police officials are of the opinion that they concealed themselves in the garage until after the store was closed and then com mitted the robbery. The boys car ried away four high-priced revolvers, several flashlights, several shotguns and about sl2 in money. Small Child Wanders Far From Its Home j Liittle two-year-old Walter Zuna. I whose home is at 766 Mohn street,] wandered away from his mother's apron string and walked seventeen ! squares from home before he was I found by Patrolman Bowermaster. Little Walter, according to the mother, was near her about 9 o'clock while she was working in a garden near her home. When she called to him a few minutes later he was no where to be found. The police were notified and a search was at once started by Patrolman Bowermaster. Shortly before noon the child was found in the vicinity of Front and I Lincoln streets. Steel Company Committee Meets at Engineer's Club The coal committee of the Beth lehem Steel Company met in the Engineers Club, Harrisburg, this afternoon. The session was ' sched uled for 12 o'clock. This evening members of the committee will be taken on an inspection tour through the coal washery at the local steel plant. G. R. Delamater is the local plant representative of the body. Other members are W. L. Cummings, geologist of the Bethlehem Steel Company; D. P. Leeps, coal geolo gist; T. R. Johns, superintendent of the Penn Mary mines, and Edward Barnhart, of the Maryland plant. Three Steelton Boys Land in France This Week With three Steelton boys arriving in France this week the borough I honor roll of men in service in for eign countries is near the twenty ! mark. The men who arrived this week were: Raymond Suydam, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. H. Suydam; Har old Mumma, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. X. Mumma, both members of the 23d Engineers, and Earl Bush, of Swatara street. # ENROIJ, 200 MEMBERS IV OWE DRIVE IX BOROUGH Since the opening of temporary organization headquarters of the Steelton Nest 1626 Order of Owls at 50 North Front street, many new members have been enrolled. Na tional Organizer R. F. Webster, of Harrisburg. is in attendance every evening. Already about 200 men have joined the local nest, but the goal has been set at 500 and the way new members are enrolling.daily it is safe to predict that the 500 mark will be passed. The order's stand against "booze" is winning many friends for the local nest.. A big class of candi dates will be taken in to-morrow evening at the regular meeting of the nest at Red Men's hail, 14 4 North Front street. f MIDDLETOWN j : v ' Mrs. Huss, 60, Injured When Thrown From Team Mrs. John Huss, aged about 60, was seriously hurt while driving in a team to lier home in Londonderry township, yesterday afternoon. She was going up the hill, near the Schale brick plant, on the Itoyalton side. The horse she was driving became frightened at a threshing machine and ran to the side of the road into a ditch, throwing Mrs. lluss out on her head, and she must have struck a stone. When Dr. H. H. Rhodes was summoned, he rendered first aid. and took her to lier home, where it re quired fifteen stitches to close the contusion in her head. The new piece of state road that runs from the Matheßon property to the new overhead bridge of the Penn sylvania Railroad Company lias been opened to the public. H. V. B. Gaiver, who had charge of the commissaries, at Royalton, Landisvllle and Dillervllle, for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, has resigned his position and has been succeeded by Ross Seltzer, who had been employed in the supervisor's of fice of the company. Mr. Uarver has accepted a position at the aviation grounds. The James O. Hatz oratorical con test held in the high schoolroom last evening was largely attended. The Hrst prize of $lO was won by Tru man 10. Rod-fong. subject: "The Flag on the Firing Line," Theodore Roose velt. The second prize of $5.00 was won by Mi.°s Fannie L. HofTon, sub ject: '"America a Beacon Light of Peace." The judges were Professor It. M. McNeal, Professor C. S. Davis, Dr. C. B. Fager, Jr. After the de cision of the judges, Mr. Hatz pre sented the winners with their prizes. He was a former Middletown boy, be ing a member of class 1899. At a meeting of the school board held last evening, it was decided to discontinue its study of German. The pupils who objected to studying Ger man will take up the study of French ami Knglish history. The Liberty Loan clock, which was made by the Middletown car plant was erected in front of the Klks room, corner Union und Kmaus streets. A meeting of various committees was held in the council chamber last evening to make final arrangements for the parade on Thursday evening. Mrs. Benjamin Mellman. of Phila delphia. is spending gome time in town as the guest of her mother, Mrs. Abram Kluwunuky, Ann street. Letters F rom the Front SERGEANT STACK POLE OF THRILLING EX FRANCE UNDER Sergeant Albert H. Stackpole, serving with the United States Field Artillery in France, has recently had some interesting experiences at the front. Writing to the home folks in Harrisburg before' the pres ent big drive, he tells of his work near the firing line. The following are extracts from the letters: "My old regiment is here now and we are having some fine little reunion parties. * * * A few weeks ago we were toid that we (a few of us at brigade headquarters) were to be sent forward to have a little instruction in one of the French sectors. Well, here we are. I'm writing this on the mess table, which is in an abri and directly con nected with the room where we do our studying. We were due to make a visit to a forward observation post situated between the French first and second lines this afternoon, -but it's such rotten rainy weather and so dog-gone much mud that the trip has been postponed until to-mor row. yesterday and the Cay before we made visits to other observatories and it was surely great stuff. The one we visited yesterdav was just about a mile behind the Boche lines, overlooking much country from the Dives, Pomeroy&Stewart The First Real Showing of Furniture For Summer Willow Chairs, $3.95 Willow Ro Settees, The most fascinating - group of Summer Furniture that has been shown since the early Spring days ol" a year ago is now ready on the Furniture floor. Many of the most attractive pieces arc of willow or old i vory, but a close rival among these richly designed chairs and rockers arc the pieces developed of brown fibre and cedar. I Altogether it is a showing well worth seeing. Willow chairs $3.05 Porch rockers with reccl seat and slat Torch chairs, stained forest green with Willow rockers $4.95 back $1.50 cane seat, $4.95 Willow settees $10.50 _ , , , Rockers to match $5.25 Willow chairs with magazine pockets, Porch rockers, with wide arms; reed scat Lawn rockers in cedar ~.53.05 $7.50 and slat back, $2.95 Cedar lawn chairs and rockers in natural Old ivory settees, with cretonne cushions. Porch rockers with reed seat and hack- finish,' $3.25 $11.95 ore n rocKers wun reeu seat ana Dack, Lawn chairs, in green, .... $3.9.> Brown fibre chairs, with tapestry seat and made of white maple frames ,in natural color Rockers to match, $1.50 back $10.95 or painted, $3.50 Lawn settees in green $5.50 Chippendale and Jacobean Furniture I Pieces and Suites for the Bed Room Nine-piece Jacobean dining room suite, with 60-inch buffet, 48- American walnut vanity dressers $55.00 inch extension tabic, china closet and leather slip seat chairs. Special $175.00 Old ivory vanity dressers • $69.00 Ten-piece Queen Anne dining room suite of mahogany; 60-inch Four-piece bedroom suites of birdseyc maple, mahogany and buffet, 48-nch extension table; leather slip seat chairs. Special. . . ~ , . . _ . . ..... .... ' $195 00 * American walnut; all dust-proof construction. Special, .. SIIO.OO Ten-piece mahogany dining room suite; Chippendale design; with Pieces sold separately, at, each, $29.00 66-inch buffet; 54-inch extension table; china closet and leather Four-piece walnut and mahogany bedroom suites. Special, $150.00 slip seat chairs. Special, $300.00 Four-piece old ivory bedroom suites $150.00 Furniture of Quality for Living Rooms Four-piece mahogany Queen Anne bedroom suites $200.00 cane living room suite including reception chair, fire- Golden oak, American walnut, mahogany and birdseyc maple side chair and davenport; tapestry cushion seat. Special, .. $112.00 dressers $25.00 Three-piece cane living room suite of chair, rocker and daven- Beds ant j chiffoniers to match, each $25.00 sss SKTVK? A rocker; spring cushion seats. Special, $215.00 er, large mens chest, toilet table and bed. Special SIIB.OO Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart. Fourth Floor. Colored and Black Dress Goods New Remnants in a One-Day Sale of Exceptional Values Waists Dainty lace embellished Many of the specials announced for to-morrow's Sale of Colored and black dress goods wa - includi thc newest -emnants are of materials that are now altogether out of the market. In every case the a & value is exceptional and far below present day costs. vestee effects arc newcom . ers in the Blouse Section Choose from serges, poplins, wool taflfeta, batiste, broadcloth and coatings. heralding a season of fasci- Colored Dress Goods Black Dress Goods nating waist styles. 3 yards navy French serge; $7.50 value. Thurs- 3% yards Tricotine; $15.00 value. Thursday only. Voile waists in box plaited day only $5.85 $9.75 style, with embroidered collar, 5 yards navy Santoy; $8.75 value. Thursday only. 3 M yards Poiret twill; $13.00 value. Thursday finished with lace edge. . .$1.95 $7.50 oni>i ; 4 1-8 yards plum French serges; 110.50 value. >% yards costume serge; $6.19 value. Thursday e * " 1 v Thursday only $.90 ° nl >' • s"><lo 8t > le Wlth embroidered collar, 4% yards navy granite cloth; $6.38 value. Thurs- 3% yards Santoy; $4.88 value Thursday only, trimmed with lace medallions day only $4.10 . $3.95 and lace edge $1.95 4 yards navy suiting; SIO.OO value. Thursday only, 4 yards storm serge; $6.00 value. Thursday only, Voile waists with a vestee of 4 7-8 yards brown poplin; $9.50 value. Thursday 7 yards granite cloth; $7.00 value. Thursday only, imitation filet lace, the tucked only $7.45 $4.90 collar is finished with hem -5 3-8 yards costume serge; $5.38 value. Thursday 5% yards wool taffeta; $11.50 value. Thursday only stitched ■ band and filst lace, only $3.59 $8.49 1 95 3U yards Burgundy Santoy; $6.()0 value. Thurs- 3H yards French serge; $7.50 value. Thursday ~ ~ ... day only $4.95 only $6.75 Voile waists with high col -4 5-8 yards Copen poplin; $9.63. Thursday only, 3 yards wool Santoy; $6.00 value. Thursday only, ' ar &nd embroidered front; the SO- 83 $1.50 sleeves are trimmed with a 3V4 yards garnet broadcloth; $10.50 value. Thurs- 4 7-8 yards Broadcloth; $19.50 value. Thursday < day only $0.90 only $14.75 ' " ' \ 3 3-4 yards black and white check; $11.25 value. 5 yards costume serge; $6.25 value. Thursday Batiste waists in yoke front Thursday only $7.50 only $1.95 style; collar and cuffs finished 3% yards black hairline stripe; $3.75 value. Thurs- 3 yards wool crepe; $6.00 value. Thursday only with nicot edge $195 dnyon,y ,3 5 ° ' Lives, Pomeroy & Stewart Dives, Pomeroy & Stewart. Street Floor. Second Floor. top of a hill. Through powerful glasses which the French use we were able to easily see the front lines and farther back we could distin guish German working parties and a Boclie saucisse, or observation bal loon, the big black cross on its side plainly visible and the observer him self almost so. While we were there a big shell came whistling near us end all ducked. It exploded about eighty yards away. I think the objec tive was a communicating trench." "The first few days we were out here the Boches didn't drop any shells at all, but yesterday afternoon they started to shell a battery whose position Is a few hundred yards to the rear. (That battery, by the way, Is firing now, and it sounds as though it were just outside the door.) The first shell they dropped yester day was short of its range and fell about fifty yards to our right. I was in the trench nearby and made back tracks for my billet. The next ones, however, were corrected for range, and we stood in the trench and lis tened to the shells whistling nearer and nearer—louder each second — until they would pass over pur heads with the sound of an express train and bum with a huge crash back somewhere near the batteries. It was great stuff after you got used I to it, but very nerve-racking at first. AVhen we w<?re at the observatory APRIL 17, 1918. we could plainly hear the passing of both French and Boche shells over our heads." "To get to this station we had to traverse ground which was the scene of -a great struggle last year, and it certainly bore evidence of the fact. "Huge shell holes, demolished trenches, abris and battery positions were everywhere. I saw some aero plane pictures of the same ground— all pitted with shell holes, every where, and the French here have some vivid tales to tell of the fight ing. From the station also one 1 could see for many miles on all sides, and many balloons of both armies were visible. It was really most interesting. Many planes con stantly circled around above the lines while the anti-aircraft guns barked it them but seemed to disturb them lot at all'." "At night it is quite interesting, also. Several nights ago the lieu tenant took my pal and myself to see a battery position. We were I walking along quietly while the I guns behind us boomed at regular intervals, when suddenly just at our ! feet a battery let go a two-round j salvo. You should have seen us drop! We thought the flash of the pieces were Boche shells bursting near us. It was a bad moment, but then wo saw a slick gun position, I well concealed, and after we had watched a few more rounds on their way we visited the guns themselves. The French gun crews go about it just as though it were a business, singing and laughing between shots as at a picnic. The B. C. told us that their position had evidently not been discovered." "The little excursion which we are just finishing up has been a most interesting one. We were right up against the firing line and shells were flying through the air with most disturbing frequency and ac curacy. I only wish we might have stayed longer. We made a very un- comfortable exit from the place afc few days ago. We had just coma* back from the observation station ofij a battery where a most obliging battery commander, who spoke ex-j cellent English, had staged a bit oQ firing on an observation post of thai Boches expressly for us, —but moro( of him anon; as I said, we worw about to make our adieus to our* losts and I stood with a well-loaded barrack bag in one hand and a small suitcase in the other, when friend Boche decided to send a few higi explosives over on a battery which, was located about 150 or 200 yards to our rear and just about 200 yards to the left, where our camion was awaiting us. Well, all went fine—- the shells were passing over regu larly and with fair enough range,, so we started towards the camion—- I with the barracks bag on ny backi and the other in one hand—when suddenly we had an exhibition oC what we call In the Artillery "dis persion," namely, the prematuro bursting of a shell which land<V. some lifty yards away! It haT rained hard all day and the mud, was thick —I had on my short fleece coat and my outfit of gas masks, etc., was hung around my neck, my sin hat on my head. You should have seen us all toiling through the mud —sliding, slipping, sweating—oh. boy! All else human seemed to have some sort of a cover, but we toiled on, praying that there would be no more premature bursts. It seemed hours before wo reached tlio place where our camion was to havo been, and, 10, it had disappeared. Well, I dropped everything in tho mud and started to look for it, finally finding it at a much greater distance than necessary, and with out a driver! So I hauled back to the others and we made for tho camion, my barrack bag dragging and bumping in the mud by this time —shells still yelling around overhead —and after an intermina ble distance, it seemed, we reached the truck. I hope never to have a. like experience—it was too hot!"
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers