After a night spent atthe local transportation headquarters, mettie~ some. little stallions were produced for the ride to the front. Peasants were busy in the fields tending the nearly ripe crops, while in every hamlet women were catering to the needs of passing troops, thriftily making use of a passing opportunity for caring a few cents by selling food, tea and hot water.
The first groups of wounded began to pass us us we neared the front, all "stretcher-cases—all carried by: peasants instead of soldiers. 1 was told this was purely voluntary, and without compulsion of any sort: and, fon returning from the front, f saw
this.
Inekdent "that tended Yo confirm Two soldiers were carrying a wounded comrade in a stretcher. The front bearer, who was a little man, was becoming exhausted, whereupon T saw them stop and deposit their burden and asia a stalwart peasant standing near-by for help.
The required assistance was readily given, and the farmer helped to carry the stretcher for nearly two miles while the soldier walked alongside, resting.
That night found my escort and me near Suihsien, and carly the next morning we rode into the city. Never had seen a Chinese city 30 absolutely deserted.
Suihsien had been within three miles of the front lines for nearly six months. It had often been shelled fand, like most of the cities in North Hupeh, it had been bombed into ruins. The western gate through which we entered had been hit by a shell and showed a gaping hole in the ancient curved roof of the gate-house. From there the hoofs of our horses date tered noisily over the cobbles of empty streets, which were, littered With wreckage og a consequence of repeated air attacks.
Missionaries Remain made for the English Methodist Mission near the north gate where, T was told, two foreigners still remained. 'The front wall of the Mise sion had been destroyed by a bomb and had been replaced by a rough bourd fence made out of the debris of floors and bearing' a painted wooden Union Jack.
"You are the first forelyner we have seen for six months," exclaimed two tall Englishmen, wearing dress, who opened the door in to. my knocking.
asked me to. request the soldier holding my pony to wait out side the city.
"AS you see, one of them explained, "our" Mission has been bombed twice already. We virtually live at the entrances of dug-outs, and the presence of soldiers will surely cause us to be attacked.
patients department and dispensate, belonging. to the hospital, were demolished last November, and we had to close the hospital because all our drugs and instruments were Tost "The servants' quarters have also been ruined, while in an attack on March 6 bombs blew down the walls tne Siangyang hospital for use in this T panded them racine so, proposed camp, while they plied me Eagerly. with" questions. concerning tae side world Had war been stared in Burope? Was i hicely the neat futore? It soy what. would Tapan dor hot were the latest hap-Denings in the China war?
T answered these questions ax best as Teo and as we challed the roar ann shook every Building in the compound The Japanese "offensive in North hupeh lad bon witha heree bomb Brdment of the Chinese positions to ihe northeast of Suibsien, Im which the reverberations of kus of aifer-SINE collbren could be Dininly latin:
"Amidit the almost continuous crash of lighter shell the. thunderous Dlosionsot missiles of Japanese tmt= Tory of four heavy yuns of about Inch libre. made the orth. quiver Beneath our feet, though they were Tanaing some miler away.
The. two. missionary Robinson Ccaunees ended "their narrative. by felling me that they. were living a triest ately on the country, obtain~ Ingle froma out yoasttba beans totus as a substiite for coffee and thhogetier waking the best of things.
'They bade mea cordial farewell, and'? continued ly" journey to the from.
From brigade headquarters 1 was taken'to the front-line. which at that Point was not being attacked, though Tehad boon shelled earlier" bu the day.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.