The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-02-03
Mistaken
For a Spy

W 6Cl OuVh " athCitNu ~ Ctus-A W
my quarters IN the capital. though !
displayed an American Tag at my win
dow and visited the embassy to make
sure my passport was all right
BY October the lines of traffic over
the Atlantic had become safe. and hear
dam for New York J concluded to ven
tire upon trip nome. The only dan
ger In my personality lay In the fact
Of my accent We Rostonians use the
broad IA" Ike the English, and on this
account ! was liable to be taken for an
EngIishw woman.
AT the time ! started the allies In
the west were engaged in repulsing the
attacks of the Germans In France and
part Of Belgium which was still &C.
cnpied by the Belgians. Having cross
ed the Mouse fell In with the Ger.
trenches which was being held as a re-
serve. ! was conducted to the head.
quarters OF the general commanding.
and my passport was examined by an
officer Of his staff who spoke English.
but with the usual accent of a German
soon returned.
There is lighting ON the route you
must take. and 1t would not be safe to
proceed just now. The general desires
that you join MIN at dinner. and We
will see that you have a comfortable
place to sleep"
was sorry for the delay. but exer.
cised patience. especially since was
to be well treated. Some British pris.
Oners were brought In during the day.
and | went among them. chatting with
them. noticed that they all supposed
me to be English. several of them ask
ing from what part Of England ! hail.
ed. This troubled me. for there were
German officers and soldiers present.
and l was quite sure that at least one
Of the officers was listening to our con.
versatiOn.
dined with the general and severa,
members of his staff. There was also
another woman present besides my
self, who spoke English fuently. In
deed. not every one would know
whether she was English or German.
though to me she betrayed her nation
atty In certain words that German
can never pronounce. For the wv"
she used ~" For 'g" she used
Ssh" But It seemed to me that she
must have learned English while
young. for these peculiarities Of Ger.
man pronunciation were very slight.
After dinner the men arose and said
that they would smoke outside, giving
US two ladies an opportunity to enjoy
each others society for short time.
They had scarcely left us alone to-
gether when my companions manner
changed completely She drew her
seat very near me and whispered:
II am not German. am English.
German forces which wish to carry
to England. But there are officers be-
tween me and the coast who know me.
and II / proceed ! will be arrested for
spy. II you will carry bit Of paper
through the lines to General French's
JOu Will save Tue lives VI
hundreds. thousands. of our country
men,"
This speech frightened me dreadful
ly. arose and attempted to leave the
woman. convinced that she was really
working upon me for some purpose
which l did not know. She caught me
by the skirt and held me. looking up
at me with an expression which was
intended for terror. but which ] be-
lieved was feigned.
"Do not betray mev she cried in a
smothered voice. 1T will mean death
to met
"Let me 60" retorted. - am not
English. ! am American"
The woman field me. imploring me
not to betray her told her that !
had no interest in her whatever. |
was neither German nor English. but
q native and citizen OF II neutral
country. She played her part admira.
bly,. and for a moment such was the
agony she assumed that 1 almost be-
ieved her. But remembered how
she had betrayed herself IN her speech
and refused to credit her.
pulled myself away from her and
fed Outside the general and the 9th
er officers who had retired from the
dinner table were seated on camp
chairs smoking. They arose as ! ap
peared and turned toward me.
General" ] said. II wish TO proceed
on my journey at once. You have set
this woman upon me to see II am
what ! pretend or spy She Is not
English. which you know as well as l.
She is German. though she speaks
English better than any German ! ever
met. But when she tells me she ia
not a German | know better. ! am
an American bearing an American
passport, and I demand to be allowed
to proceed on my journey to Rotter-
dam. where hope to find passage to
my home in America"
The general broke into a laugh I'm
which the other officers Joined. The
man who had examined my passport
said to me:
"why, II you are an American, do
you use the broad "a like the Englisbr
Because I am Bostonian."
was not only permitted to proceed
at once. but was furnished with trans
portation and an escort / reached
Rotterdam q few days before the sail
ing Of a steamer for America and Sc
cured a passage In her.