“The first thing we saw was the President’s poster saying not to be alarmed, that the measures of military preparation were required by circumstances (les evenements) and did not mean war.  Then over this bill the maire posted a notice that in case of a real mobilization (une mobilisation serieuse) they would ring the tocsin.  At eleven o’clock the tocsin rang, oh, la la, monsieur, what a fracas!  All the bells in the town, Saint-Martin, Saint-Laurent, the hotel de ville.  Immediately all our troops went away.  We did not want to see them go.  ’We shall be back again,’ they said.  They liked Pont-a-Mousson.  Such good young fellows!  The butcher’s wife has heard that only fifty-five of the six hundred who were here are alive.  They were of the active forces (de l’active).  A great many people followed the soldiers.  So for two weeks we were left all alone, wondering what was to become of us.  And all the time we heard frightful stories about the villages beyond Nancy.  On the nth of August we heard cannon for the first time, and on the 12th and the 14th we were bombarded.  On the 4th of September, at five o’clock in the evening, the bells began to ring again.  Everybody ran out to find the reason.  Les Allemands—­they were not then called Boches—­were coming.  Baoum! went the bridge over the Moselle.  Everybody went into their houses, so that the Germans came down streets absolutely deserted.  I peeked from my window blind.  The Boches came down the road from Norroy, les Uhlans, the infantry—­how big and ugly they all were.  And their officers were so stiff (raide).  They were not like our bons petits soldats Francais.  In the morning I went out to get some bread.

“‘Eh la, good woman’ (bonne femme), said a grand Boche to me.

“‘What do you want?’ said I.

“‘Are there any soldats francais in the town?’ said the Boche.

“‘How should I know?’ I answered.

“‘You do not want to tell, good woman.’

“‘I do not know.’

“‘Are there any francs-tireurs (civilian snipers) in this town?’

“‘Don’t bother me; I’m going for some bread.’

“During the night all the clocks had been changed to German time.  Many of the Boches spoke French.  There were Alsatians and Lorrains who did not like the fracas at all.  Yes, the Boches behaved themselves all right at Pont-a-Mousson—­there were some vulgarities (grossieretes).  One of the soldiers, a big blond, went down the street wearing an ostrich feather hat and a woman’s union suit and chemise.  It was a scandale.  But uncle laughed to kill himself; he was peeping out through the blinds.  Right in front of my door were ten cannon, and all the street was full of artillery.  Well we had four days of this, hearing never a word from the French side.