The Detroit times., 1914-12-22

persona regular GfduslaTk utIo
with long sweeping military cape
of pale gray broadcloth swinging i'm
periously about him and just grazing
the sparkling spurs fixed upon his
elegant riding boots.
He spoke most excellent English
and said he was very sorry that the
language OF America wasn't different
from the language OF England as II
would avoid confusion
He handed me back my passport,
my letters and the other documents
had given him to establish my iden-
tity and asked. for something else.
had an inspiration--at least | came
TO know later that IL was an inspira-
ton. Thad in my bag letter OF In
PRODUCTION from Amos PiHchot OF New
York 10 Ambassador Gerard in Ber-
lin. | produced IT. The kommandant
took il and began TO read aloud:
Honorable James w. Gerard,
American Ambassador 10 Ger
many,
Wilhelm Platz, Berlin.
Dear jim
The kommandant dropped the let
ter "Mein Gott.' he said Your
friend calls Herr Gerard dear Jim.
ia. you may CO."
| had been the single object OF sus-
picion in all those many coaches and
the minute | slammed my door, the
train started For an hour We rode
through tho night and then we got on
at Vessel, The clock on the station
| platform said il was 10 minutes past
3 a. IN. The train for Berlin-"der
zug mach Berlin was told would
pass at $3.50 in the morning.
Three hundred people trooped into
the tiny waiting room and began TO
talk-the first talk these people. prac-
| tically, all OF whom were returning
TO 'the fatherland" from England, had
freely had since the war started.
The walters and the ticket agent
were cornered and made 10 tell the
truth about the war.
The German flew so thick and fast
that | would have been left hopelessly
behind but for the slim blonde girl
who had been in the compartment
next to mine She translated rapidly
for me, and then suddenly We discov-
cred that all eyes were on us.
HE speaks English" they all cried.
But the slim blonde girl told them
that was an American--that not only
had been passed at Goch because
OF my excellent credentials but that
the kommandant had asked her 20 see
me through and that, in addition, she
knew me for an American indisput-
ably because of my accent.
II have lived three years in New
Jersey" she said, and | know the
Americans are our friends"
With that she took from her purse
a clipping from the New York Stats
Zeitung, and, mounting a chair, began
TO read in German poem by a Ger
man-American celebrating the broth
erhood of the two nations.
When she had finished three cheers
were given for the Americans. And
for the rest OF the night ] was a hero
instead OF a pariah.
The $50 train that took me from
Vessel to Muelheim-on.P uhr gave me
no glimpse of Germany-for | went to
sleep. A kindly guard pulled my foot
until | was awake and conducted me
across the tracks TO the platform
where I was to wait for the "Schnell-
zug mach Berlin"
An express train TO Berlin, | STAN
mered my amazement to the guard as
| slipped hims mark. His loquacity
developed wonderfully under the ef-
feet OF the % cents. I'VE have four
express trains every day from Cologne
TO Berlini" he said proudly. The war
has had little effect with us Germans.
During the month of mobilization
things were nut about n little but
again"
This was the second surprise | had
had in about six hours OF Germany.
l began 10 look about.
The beautiful new train platforms,