The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1914-10-07
AN ENGLISHWoAIAN'S
EXPERIENCE IN GERMANY

VI oue InlSTHdIlOnaI news Service.
London, Sept. 3O.-A we'll known
English woman, of Nottingham. had
a highly exciting and interesting
time in Germany when the war was
declared, and she has only now been
enabled to return to London, follow
ing upon a journey from Hamburg
which was fraught at every stage
with difficulty and anxiety. This lady
left Nottingham on July 30, proceed
ing by way of Grisby and Hamburg,
to spend a few weeks with an old
school friend, a lady. resident in a
country place in the heart of Neck
lenburg.
Excitement began practically at
the start of the journey. Germany
was waiting for Russia's reply to the
question addressed to her regarding
mobilization and the whole situation
was one of great tension.
.'On the evening of Friday, July
37st,' said the lady to Guardian
representative, I'VE were held up by
German torpedo boat of Cuxhaven
and were told that We were to anch-
or as no shipping was allowed on
the Elbe without a special pilot.
There we stopped until half past
five the next morning, when a cutter
came off with customs house officers
and men. They looked all thru the
passenger list and called a roll of the
passengers and crew Then we were
told that we must wait until a pilot
came on board. We reached Ham
burg nine hours late, and heard at
once that mobilization was imminent
in Germany. The order came about
six o'clock that night. / went to see
an English friend at Hamburg, but
found that she had returned to Eng
land. Things, however, seemed very
interesting just then, and I decided
to go on to my friends place in
Mecklenburg. Her husband, might
say. is dragon officer in the Ger
man army, and although not Obliged
to go, being over fifty years of age,
he returned to the colors. The eldest
son has also gone to the front.
Eleven of their horses had been TAX
en-, and out of sixteen able-bodied
men on the place only four had been
left behind, and a few days after
wards the youngest son also offered
himself for military service.
TT was just at harvest time, and
just as many farmers in England
employ Irish laborers at that period,
so do Germans get in Russian har-
vesters, and at my friends place
there were 80 Russians, who were
accommodated in a building a little
kdistance from the house. We had a
scare one night, although needless
one, rumor being circulated that
the Russians meant to burn the
premises, and there were practically
no men about. with the exception Of
/ the old farm steward and German
harvester, this was alarming, but
the precaution had been taken. to
disarm the Russians and nothing
happened. By this time, as events
seemed to be marching somewhat
rapidly, and all trains were being
used for military purposes, I thought
about getting passport. So went
gaily into the little town to get one
when Judge of my surprise, the
mayer refused it, saying that Eng
land was declaring war.
This was disconcerting, so ]
wrote to the American consul al
Hamburg, who was most courteous
but said he could issue no passports
except to the person for whom it was
intended. FINALLY / started off tc
Hamburg, which is ordinarily a si2
hours journey, but upon this occas
ion occupied fourteen The trair
carried many German soldiers. II
was eleven O'Clock at night when We
got to Hamburg. j had luggage with
me which in the general turmoil
was rather difficult to manage, but
on three separate occasions I wa:
most kindly helped by Germans, al
though / made no secret of the fac
that was an Englishwoman. Il
does not matter one said, an Eng
lish lady is safe anywhere On Mon
day morning | went to the American
consulate in Hamburg, and was tolC
that according to regulations which
could not possibly be set aside thaf
| should be required to prove my
identity. 1t was suggested to mt
that either my marriage certificate
or my birth certificate would suffice
l explained that l was unmarried
and that as to my birth certificate, il
was not usual to carry such a thing
about on ones travels. It looked