The Irish standard., 1915-09-11
TELLS WAR TRAGEDY
Wounded French Officer De,
y scribes Thrilling Escape.
slips Out Of German Prison and
Makes Way Back to Own Lines
Peasant Baby Shot In His Arms
i: by German sentineIs.


Peasant Baby Shot In His Arms
H.. by German sentineIs.
International News Service.)
Paris.-A lieutenant in the French
Foreign legion has just told the fol
lowing story here:
1T was on the night of August %,
after the retreat from Lmeville. To
wards five received a ball In the
forehead-see the scar on the right on
the frontal bone. fell stunned by
the blow. One Of my men picked me
up. ana ! could hear him confusedly
saying: Our lieutenant is dead MY
comrades took me behind a wall and
left me there.
Towards seven came to myself In
. fever, and believing l was in the
thick of the battle. l shouted For
ward but those to whom l gave the
order were German ambulance men
They took me on . stretcher to Lune
Vile and shut me in the barracks Of
the chasseurs. which had been trans
formed into . hospital.
1.-THE window bars were old and the
fever gave me the strength of ten.
dug at the cement with q knife, and
tore out bar. Slipping through, I
fell from the first story into an empty
passage leading to the Rue Jollivet. I
was bleeding at the knees, but what
matter? crawled a few yards and
saw the uhlans defiling past in the
main street. Close by was a house
where I had seen a light appear and
then go out. After knocking gently
and getting no answer, l broke down
the door with my shoulder and went
in, revolver In hand. A whole family
was hiding under the staircase. and in
q whisper I said l was French and
they had nothing to fear.
"A trembling woman's fingers were
held out to guide me. Give me Q
cloak, hat and pair of trousers
said. In second CT two these were
forthcoming. Which is the first road
I come to?' The road to Bayou A
mans toneless voice added: 'Lieuten-
ant, you are going-let us go with
you!' I lit my pocket-lamp to look at
my companions-a lower middle-class
family, the man PALE with chattering
teeth, the woman ALSO pale. but reso-
lutte, and two children, one of seven
and the other . baby of nino months.
All right I said, we will go-all five
of us!'
disguised as civilian, with bowed
shoulders like an old man, l led the
way, carrying the baby. We ran and
crept along the banks of the Moselle
where the bridges ere occupied by
the troops. We had to go on noiseless.
ly, for l had heard the cultural cries
Of the sentinels on outpost duty. The
baby began to wall. The outpost heard
US and 'Wer dap rang out $50 yards
away. We did notreply and a shove,
Of bullets swept us, whistling on all
sides. Run, and run fast!' I cried, and
took the baby again.
He was crying just now, but wat
quiet again. Another shower of bull
let's. My left arm felt heavy and my
little finger especially hurt me hor
horribly. At last we fell into dense
scrub. God be thanked! we were
saved! But the underground wal
thick. Tho man had q knife with hin
and had still mine. So we went at II
cutting path through. Tho woman
motherly even i'll her terror, offered tc
take the baby to tighten me. No, no!
said, he does not weigh much and
he is asleep
I'VE cut so hard into the wood
heard afterwards that it was the for
est Of Parroy-that we came to 9
clearing and path. But how heavy
the baby was grand, fine boy, said
the mother, and did not doubt her IL
the least. We walked hard, goine
westward. Suddenly French voices
challenged, Halt. who goes there? "A
French officer answered, and ad
vanced to explain who we were and
whence we came.
But you are wounded, lieutenant!
says the sergeant. Hush! Say moth
Ing for the sake Of the Others l re-
piled. for by the glare Of the lantern
had seen blood also on the baby's bon
net. Two men to takc these good
people to the rear ordered with 6
sigh Of satisfaction, and as for me
take me to the first aid station
II held out the child to it's mother
saying: BE CAREFUL no shaking; he
is sleeping, do not wake him. went
OF at q Jog tlot, without turning
round for fear of betraying emotion.
had the little finger taken off-see-
and two bullets through the shoulder
high up.
But that was nothing to compare
with what was suffering. For can
tell you now, gentlemen, had known
ever since the first shot that waa
carrying dead baby"
BEES sTINGs KILL A COW