Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1915-09-09


be this soldier was homoepath and
didn't want us TO get gorged on scenery.
| At any rate, we turned back.
The mills of the gods ground slowly,
and from what we-could see, were grind
ing exceeding small. The passengers
passed in slowly. handed along slowly
from soldier TO soldier until they disap-
peared-aIso slowly = in room, and
were no more seen. The whole thing
didn't seem promising. 1t wasn't, as we
found later, when it came Our turn
At last II was our turn, and in we went.
| felt very much like the last ear of corn
going into The shelter, and before ! was
through was convinced that my smile
was Apostle We fell into the hands OF
a genial, smiling Landsturmer, about D
feet 4inches up and down and the same
distance east and west; in private life ne
may have been farmer, storekeeper,
bricklayer. philosopher, poet, painter or
musician (externals count for little or
nothing in Germany but whatever ne
was, his family name was Thorough
going, and he lived up TO his name.
Our suit-cases were the special object
of his solicitude, and what he did to them
was credit TO his upbringing. These
cases represented some three hours OF
hard labor, the expenditure OF much pa
thence and considerable ingenuity. We
were really proud Of them, for they were
packed as tight as dining-car kitchen,
and looked as orderly as order can be.
That was before this devastating angel
took hold. He emptied those cases in
twenty minutes, and though we managed
after half hour to shut The lids down
on the wreckage, and close them, the
cases were never the same again.
About the first thing our tormentor
found was highly discriminating. II was
pasted on the inner side OF the lid, and
was the itinerary OF my faithful companion
on my trips over the United States and
Europe. II was an old case, but ! hon.
ored its hoary age, and had put all its
wanderings in book. 1t did look some
what cabalistic, with entries like N. q
W., B. & O., Southern 4S5, and it was
torn out ruthlessly. tried TO save it,
but my German, which at best hobbled
along on only one leg, at this important
iuncture broke down completely.
The next thing was my maps, four OF
them, Ravenstein maps OF Western Rus
sia, covering the scene Of operations OF
the last four months. They were the
pride OF my heart, for six weeks they had
caused me every kind OF mental and ply
steal anguish known to science. NoWords
can adequately describe the desperation
incident to finding one OF these diabolic
Russian villages which commence with
six consonants, principally KS, RS and
SIS, continue with one apologize vowel
as excess freight and terminate in gen.
eral outburst OF fireworks US and rs
and VS.. Whenever tried to pronounce
one of them sounded like Roman can
die or buzz saw going through knot.
Day by day Won Hindenburg, MacKensen
and ! had pushed along through this
alphabetic morass and barbed wire,
and now in one second they went the
way OF all flesh. made one desperate
effort, but in vain, for right here my Ger
man suffered complete paralysis and
turned up its toes.
My maps disappeared, so did my Ger
man post cards $50 did one modest Ameri-
can one, which stated that nowhere did
the roses bloom so white as in Virginia;
so did several books intended for steamer
reading, modest, retiring little violetS OF
books; so did year old New York Sun
wrapped around some slippers; so did
everything printed, including a German
Bible, which hadn't read, but which |
would have some day, if had ever got
ten around to it and so did rubber life
belt, lent by an American friend, who
had solemnly enjoined me TO come back
with that belt, or not at all. ! am afraid
of that man, but there was nothing TO be
done. was still more afraid OF the Ger
man government, which was nearer. SO
raised no protest, which was just as
we'll. For all speaking purposes, my
German was as useful as Aztec, and as
ineligible. However, we finally got
through this ordeal, and both of us drew
long breath OF relief, thinking in Our
simplenesS that it was finished. Vain
hope A woman came up to the one
member, and led her off into booth, and
soldier herded me along into another
room, and here young soldier took me
in tow. | had nothing to say, but follow
ed meekly. He said nothing in his de-
bate, but | had no trouble seeing his
point. II was on the end of his gun, and
was sharp, and voted at once for the al
firmative. AS have said, | always lose
in these arguments. In German, he told
me TO empty my pockets. | couldn't
speak German, but could still under
stand il. and emptied them. Everything
went on a little table, for inspection later,
and then commenced TO undress. Not
voluntarily, be it understood, but not too
reluctantly. | didn't want 10 hurt his
feelings; incidentally had feelings of my
own which value. took off my rain
coat, and my coat, and my vest, and my
shirt feeling more hopeless all the time),
and then, like the prodigal son, came to
myself. For moment, thought he was
going TO make me skin myself, but he
left me that. My trousers next-but why
particularize When he got through, !
still had my shoes and sox and my hat.
| don't remember why the hat survived