During the first part of the bombardment, when firing became too hot for him, he had retreated with his family to the corner of the street, where are the cellars of the Roderers, the champagne people.

There are worse places in which to hide in than a champagne cellar.
Mr.Bardel has lived six years in Rheims and estimated the damage done to property by shells at thirty millions of dollars, and said that unless the seat of military operations was removed the champagne crop for this year would be entirely wasted.

It promised to be an especially good year.

The seasons were propitious, being dry when sun was needed and wet when rain was needed, but unless the grapes were gathered by the end of September the crops would be lost.
Of interest to Broadway is the fact that in Rheims, or rather in her cellars, are stored nearly fifty million bottles of champagne belonging to six of the best-known houses.

Should shells reach these bottles, the high price of living in the lobster palaces will be proportionately increased.
Except for Red Cross volunteers seeking among the ruins for wounded, I found that part of the city that had suffered completely deserted.