The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1915-11-18

had a heavy brown mustache that
hung well over his mouth and turned
up toward his eyes in great. sweep
ing curves. A grayish stubble OF
beard ornamented his cheeks, and
when he took his cap OFF | saw that
he was beginning to get bald. He
looked not so much like an old man
as like one Who had recently been
through a severe sickness. There
were deep lines in his cheeks and
myriad little wrinkles around his eyes,
while the skin hung loose and fiabby
on his neck and his complexion was
of a grayish pallor.
After the affectionate greetings
were over my porter turned to me and
said: This is my cousin Auguste,
monsieur He is Just home from Ger.
many"
Then you are a soldier?" | asked.
as shook hands with him.
Not yet" he replied. THE govern
ment has given me fifteen days leave
before ] join my regiment"
"Auguste has done his service" said
Madeleine. They were all very proud
of their cousin and stood close around
him in a little circle.
But yes" said Auguste. Il did my
three years before | went to Germany,
and have been home every year
since for my two weeks training. |
was just coming home last year when
the war broke out. and they made me
prisoner"
oh" I said. so you have been in
one OF the internment camps"
Auguste Is a Prisoner.
1T is so. monsieur" he replied.
Three days before war was declared
they took me and all the other French
men and made US prisoners in a
camp"
Before war was declared?"
But yes, monsieur, three days be-
fore war was declared"
Where was that?"
1T was in Saxony. monsieur. |
would not want TO say too closely. MY
wife and children are still there, and
1t would be bad for them. But It was
not far from Dresden"
Were your wife and children also
made prisoners?"
MY wife is German and my chill.
dren were born in Germany"
And how long have you lived In
Germany"
Fifteen years"
But you have come home every
year,"
To do my training"
And now you have escaped and
come back to France"
ITO fight for France" he said.
| marveled at that small man with
the little bald spot. the stubbly gay
beard. the sickbed pallor and the bag.
gy trousers that we're too long for
him.
How old are your" I asked.
"Forty-two years since last month.
monsieur" he replied.
And what is your business?"
Il am tailor"
could no longer be astonished
Were there many prisoners in your
camp" | asked.
AT first there were not very many"
he said. But soon they began TO
bring in soldiers, French, Russian and
English. and then there were very
many of US. They did not treat us
very well except when the American
ambassador came to inspect the camp.
We were well treated and well fed
then. but after he had gone we lived
on bread and water for a week to
make up for the expense while he was
there"
Did you have to work."
only the French. The English and
Russians did not have to work, but
they built a factory for making as.
phyxiating gas shells and the French
prisoners had to work In that fac.
tory"
Did you work In it?"
Il wrecked il three times" he re-
piled. 1T made 10000 shells a week.
The first time damaged the furnace.
and 1t took them four days to repair
IT, Then | spoiled the acid tanks and
they ran for more than four weeks.
making shells that were worthless be.
fore they found it out. The third
time ! wrecked the furnace again nd
II took three days to repair il. But
then they began to suspect me. mon.
sieur They watched me too closely.
could be OF no more use there, and
well drew a plan of the factory and
escaped. 1t is for that plan that the
government has given me fifteen days'
leave before join my regiment"
.sMnn II