Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1899-01-21

0nerp" was the response, In low, muS1
sal whisper, with dash of American
ism in it,
81 am-and you?"
Although there was no verbal repl,
to this, my attention was attracted tn,
next moment by, but anticipate.
1t was an oppressively close evening
in 1870, when Ia self-appointed war cor
respondenD l was deposited at the lit
tie railway station of Mulheim, in tn,
Black Forest. 1t came about in thi
way: l was on long vacation ramblt
in Switzerland when the declaration
of war between France and Germany
startled Europe. had no sooner heart
the war cry than l sent kilograms tc
several London and one or two CONT
mental papers, announcing my willing
ness to represent them at the front
with pen or pencil, or both.
1t was Lord Beaconsfield who said
"The seizure of opportunity is the Sc
cret of success" This, at least, was the
turning point in my somewhat eventful
career, when, re-packing the knapsack
with which l was provided for noun
taineering purposes, l left Lausanne
via Basle-for Mulheim, there to await
the arrival of the next train for Sar-
bruck where the French and German
armies were concentrating. 1t was
while thus waiting that l realized the
focusing of many eyes upon me. A
soldierly sergeant of Baden regiment
and several local luminaries, including
the station master, all glaring at me
with undisguised curiosity.
"Your passport" said the sergeant, in
French almost as execrable as my own
81 have none"
"Soh! No passport, and in war time,
tool Your card, then"
Alas! l had given my last to a fell
low tourist in Switzerland.
"Who in the name of der teufel are
you?" Then, coming closer, he said
impressively: II tell you, my young
friend, you are nothing more nor less
than French spy. Consider yourself
my prisoner"
"A French spy! Why, I'm an En-
glishman," l replied in my innocence.
$50 much the better for French pur-
poses," he promptly replied, as he indi-
Gated the nearest way to the little wait
ing-room, where L was forthwith
searched, revolver with which had
been amusing myself in Switzerland)
giving much color to the accusation,
which was again supported by my hav-
ing a return ticket from Switzerland via
Paris to London, quite outside which l
had Just been arrested in Germany,
Nothing on the face of it could look
blacker At this moment the incoming
train for which had been waiting dis
persed the little crowd surrounding me,
all save that burly sergeant, who fol-
lowed stealthily behind me, and direct
ly l attempted to open the carriage
door. seized me unceremoniously by
the collar, and dragged me back on the
platform. Fritz (for this was the name
the station master addressed him) was
a man of herculean strength, on which
he relied perhaps just little too much
for my blood was now thoroughly up
The moment he relaxed his grip made
for him, and boxing" being with him
an unknown quantity" l sent him
with the first well-directed blow reeling
against the waiting-room door, from
which he had just emerged. But in the
meantime, two things had happened
the train had gone, and Fritz had re-
covered himself His tactics were sim
pie. Wrestling was his speciality and
he had no sooner succeeded in closing
with me than, by dextrous movement,
1 was thrown heavily to the ground,
and secured by four soldiers of the
same regiment who had now come upon
the scene, and by whom / was being
taken off to the common cell al Null
helm, when they were intercepted by
young lieutenant, who, having had nv
case put before him, examined nv
sketch book with as much gravity as if
a ground plan of Ehrenbreitstein were
therein delineated, but who at the
same time decided that / should be
taken to the guardhouse in the Black
Forest, to which place was now sum-
marily marched off, followed by an ex-
cited crowd of tag, rag and bobtail who
would, believe, have lynched me had
not my escort been too strong for them.
L shall not easily forget the rough
handling to which was subjected, the
ignominy with which 1 was treated. or
my subsequent delight on being taken
into a dimly-lit room at this guard |
house, which, by the way, was an inn
provised one, it being in reality forest
hotel, so situated on the frontier as to
have been at once requisitioned by the
military on the declaration of war.
On being ushered into the dreary
apartment to which / have referred.
two guards were placed in special at
tendance on me by my friend the en-
emy," or, rather, the sergeant, to whom
/ now seemed somehow to cling as be.
ing the only one (not knowing word
of Germany with whom l could. how.
ever imperfect my French, discuss the
situation; indeed. l went SO far as to
feel that Fritz might not be proof
against dextrously administ cred two
franc piece, which slipped in his hand