The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-26

Le Puy, Central France, Nov. 26-- German officers living in g historic chateau on the banks of the romantic Loire, much as they would live in some castle on the RhineI some of them with their wives and babies. with German orderlies, German cooks German menus, German war maps. German orchestras, German games. German drills-Ehese were some of the things making it apparent today that France was living up to the com plets letter and spirit of it's interna- tfona1 oblgation Of looking after Ger man prisoners of war.
 The visit to this German officers canp was made by a correspondent through the courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with two French army officers assigned from the Min istry of War in showing and explain ing all the details of the cares given to German officers.
 neaud is the temporary home Of hum dred or more of these German of ffcers gathered in from the battle of Champagne and from along the fight ing line. and even from the remote German islands of the South Pacific which have been taken by French landing parties The castle dominates
 
 and low monntainss much like the picturesque ranges of the Blue ridge
 Entering the court of the castle was like passing into some vast German ssta. .blishment, with German officers in smart uniforms 8tanding in knots or stepping sharply across the court, and the circle of surrounding win , natured faces of many other Ger man officers At the gate stood a broaJd-shouIdered Saxon officer with an artist easel and canvas before him, on which he was laying of the color of these dominating tints Of the Loire Valley and mountains
 Photographs of all the imprisoned officers occupied the whole side of q wall in the eption-roorn at one enerted the place. Each photograph bore the name and regiment of the officers The names were typicaIly German- Major Schneider, Major von Erdt, Capt Refs. Captain Kas1. They were ffn0 looking big framed men, each in full uniform with cap jaunt- fly pushed back. And at the foot of the photographs were two that stood out from among these lighters
 two faces of young German women, and besides these two two tiny babies
 war babies, born on French soil of German parents
 The full assenb1aEe of German of ncers was seen for the first time as the party enter ed the gardens of the old chateau, for the officers seemed to have a taste which drew them into this beautiful garden, finished in ex- quigite French taste with flo Wers and foliage at every hand, and looking off into vistas of the Loire. There was not a sign of disccntent about them on the contrary they we're the picture of we'll conditioned men, living a life of forms were spic and span; they were we'll turned out and tailored, their coats fitting fault1ess1y and their trol1- sers. tightly over their big 1egss they were well shaved. we'll fed,s well con- ditfoned and though they had recently stepped out of some military club on the Wi1heirnstrasse.
 There was slight air of suspicion about the. Germans as the French of Heers entered with the party. They raised their heads proudly and strutted away in pairs and groups. and soon all were lost in the mass of shrubbery. But while they were in sight no one of them failed to come to attention and give deferentia1 military salute to the French officers escorting the party The latter too,i were most care fa1l not to permit the visitors to tntrude upon the privacy of the German pris- oners by asking them pers6na1 aues- ttons. and treating them as though they were on exhibit. 1t was this that the German officers feared. but the scrupu1ous care of the French officers overcarne any such fears.
 A stone wall five feet high, topped by four strands of barbed wire, a foot apart, circled the outer edge of the castle gardens
 That is only restraint said the of hcer- There are no bar or bolts for the officers are on their parole of hon. zfs- more than a formality.'s
 In the living quarters Of the castle the German officers were seen going through their customary ayocatfons. The rooms were large and light. as may be expected in a castle of this proportions with the windows over looking gardens and valleys The names of the occupants were on each door. On one. for example, were the names; Captain. FreisFesr, Captain knocked, the door was thrown open and the German captains stood like statues at military salute. One of them a big, yellow bearded man; the other with a. u1onocIe in his eye looked the part of a young nob1eman- They were smoking cigarettes and a box of cigars was open pn the table. One of them was interested in a i portrait he was painting. The library shelves showed collections of German classics. In the next room a wounded German officer labored to his feet, and despite his wound threw back his shoulders and came to the military salute His wound 4-as slight and he was now convalesc-= ing with every comfort about him .On his bed was carylessIy thrown roll of fine blue prints and drawings such as those made by army engineers When he saw the visitors looking at these he shook his head and smiled.
 eNo they are not war p1ars's said he, ''I am the burgomaster of Metz, and those are some of the plans for nuu1ct pol improvements which were under my control continue to study them and they interest me greatly.''
 Along the long corridors were many other rooms, each with a group of five or more officers under command r,lstra sr fficar. az chief The arI1s.