The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-10-23

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had a heavy brown mustache that
hung we'll over his mouth and turned
up toward his eyes in great, sweep
ing curves. A grayish stubbles of
beard ornamented his cheeks, and
when he took his cap off l saw that
he was beginning to get bald. He
looked not so much like an old man
as like n 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?" l asked,
as l shook hands with him.
Not yet" he replied. THE govern
ment has given me fifteen days leave
before l 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. II did my
three years before l went to Germany,
and 1 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 o have been in
n ofthe 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 wal was declared"
Where was that?"
1T was in Saxony, monsieur.
would not want to say toe closely. My
wife and children are still there, ant
it would be bad for them. But 1t 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 vol have come home every
year?"
ITO do my training"
And now you have escaped ant
come back to France"
ITO fight for France" he said.
marveled at that small man witt
the little bald spot, the stubbly ga,
beard, the sickbed pallor and the bag
gy trousers that were too long TO
him.
How old are your" l asked.
"Forty-two years since last month
monsieur" he replied.
And what is your business?"
Il am a tailor"
l could no longer be ~astonished
Were there many prisoners in you
camp?" l asked.
AT first there were not very many,
he said. But soon they began t
bring in soldiers, French, Russian an,
English, and then there were yer
many of US. They did not treat u
very well except when the America,
ambassador came to inspect the cam
MO xpnra uyall fraafNI o-I -u.1t =
then, but after he had gone we live
on bread and water for a week t
make up for the expense while he wa
there"
did you have to work."
only the French. The English an
Russians did not have to work, bu
they built a factory for making al
phyxiating gas shells and the Frenc
prisoners had to work in that ia,
tory"
Did you work in it?"
Il wrecked it three times" he r,
piled. 1T made 10000 shells a weel
The first time damaged the furnac,
and 1t took them four days to repai
1t. Then ! spoiled the acid tanks an
they ran for more than four week
making shells that were worthless b,
fore they found 1t out. The thir
time ] wrecked the furnace again IT
it took three days to repair il. Bl
then they began to suspect me, moi
sieur. They watched me too closet,
l could be of no more use there, an
well, drew a plan of the factory an