The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-13
A WIGIN
WARTIME
By DONALD CHAMBERLlN

and made Germany my Stani"n
ground. Before leaving hume | S,'ii
to Washington for passport. I"
/. though at the time there WIS not mt i
, prospect Of using one. | preferred &
be provided The document drS''rIi"'
me as Edward Boyer. aged thirty oi.
FIVE feet eight inches high eyes. II; )
and complexion dark.
In Berlin | contracted typhoid fev''l
and when ! recovered my hLit fell 'Iii
, leaving my skull rs polished Ms II i'''''
Of ivory
On the 18th of July the hnint oi liz
European war exploded ami | WAS "a
mOnished that If wanted Ia ret on
Of the war zone and back home mus
bestir myself | had no, Vel r"ny
cred my strength. but ! ~ns due Il
America on the 18th of August and
resolved to start at once
The first thing needed was wig.
sailed forth to get one. having just
an hour before the train on which J
was to leave would start This gave
me about twenty minutes to pro rurr
. hair head covering found place
where such things were sold, but I'LL
fortunately the only wig they had
that would Dit my head was of IN
auburn hue. There was no other place
to procure one within dozen blocks
! looked at my watch and saw that /
had just ten minutes to get the train
! paid for the auburn wig. capped /,
on my head and started for the sta
ton.
! was on the last passenger train to
leave Berlin. The war was brand new
to me, but not to the Germans who
were prepared for It Two thugs espe
cially | had not considered, for had
not heard Of them-the Germans spy
system and their methods OF detecting
their eneIny's spies.
was brought to my senses by see
Ing German officer come through the
train examining passports. had mine
In hand nag, got 1t out and had i,
ready when the man reached me- He
read the description. looked at me- and
noticing my red wig. his expression
changed at once to one of ferceness
BE said something to us In German
that l did not understand and. calling
some soldiers. turned me over to them
Tor safe keeping. then went bis way
through the train
An American gentleman who under |
stood German announced to me the I'm |
pleasant Information that | had been
arrested as II French spy lie had
heard the officer say that the passport
l Travelled on belonged to one having
q French name and that 1t described
black headed man. while was a red
headed man. Never had there been a
more barefaced attempt to carry infor.
nation out Of Germany for the use of
an enemy.
Here was a pretty pass In my bur
~ to get away had forgotten nv
passport. or. rather. | had thus tar not
oeen required. to show It. and 1t had
not occurred to me that the documen,
would be now required.
When We reached a city, didn't
know what city, was taken from the
train and conducted to the headousr
tiers OF an officer whs. l judged by
the respect paid him was OF high
RANK. He received me with a lowering
prov. read the description in my pass.
port and. looking at my wig, said wis,
Dy his expression | judged to mean
rake him out and shoot him." Fl
Inc soldiers advanced to take me
10 NJ OF desperation | seized nv red
Wig and. throwing II on the f,oor
ramp'ed on 1t and cried out ~ am
lot red headed man: am an Amer.
can citizen"
lhere must have been sometime
ridiculous In the act. for the Officer
'urst into a laugh Then an into, /
'reter was called. who translated nv |
tory As soon as 1t was understood
nat ! was an American and the mass.
'ort belonged to me ! was set at IN {
rty. with an apology. Realizing th.,
ny train had gone on, | asked for
'ermit to travel on a troop train. and
ne was given me.
l could not endure to travel v,,ho,,
~ wig. 80 | retained it During m, s
ourney through Belgium fell in WITH
Frenchman with q red head A,
Don as we passed into France he gave
Ne his passport which he no Ionyar (
eeded- Having had SO much trouble z
'itn my own passport. decided tina,
ossibly ! might have use for the 9th 8
:. 80 I accepted it. ' 5
While working my way south toward 5
ans l was set upon by party Of s
rench spy hunters. Thinking 10 90, :,
q OF them without their noticing ths S
inference In my hair from tha, I.,s :.
OWN In my passport | used rho ona ~
ven me. Unfortunately a keen evas :
How noticed how the hair Of nv vic
II on my neck and crasping the vi,
I'D II up amid shouts from tho OK
3, crying: VIZ
"A spy, spy~
AGAIN was taken before an Officer,
is time Frenchman. who nm -
wing tne report Of my captors or.
req me out to instant execution I'll
ood before him with folded arms and
covered dome and cried in a stem
RAN voice: 'en
-Je suis Americana
suppose II was the sbsuriity this
ne as well as before that sarad
re omcer laughed. consented TO ns,sn
me and, since l spoke French ,oI
n passport. NY
And 20 my life for the ,.cona
= saved BY MOCK heroic.. and
iEnrd Paris wtfhor-t