(My good fortune had its beginning in the Town of Senlis, whence it has since sown itself and spread over all the kingdom.)
The Square Henri IV. received the first shells of the bombardment in September, 1914, which killed a fireman on guard at the town-hall.
When the Germans penetrated into Senlis, one of their superior officers went to the town-hall and asked for the "burgomaster."
TOWN HALL
LAST PHOTOGRAPH OF M. ODENT (in the middle)
The mayor, M. Odent, came forward.
For three generations the Odents had been mayors of Senlis. The grandfather of the present mayor distinguished himself during the cholera epidemic in 1832; his father was seized as hostage in 1870 and narrowly escaped being shot.