The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1916-09-01
RECEIVE EVERY ATTENTION
AND COMING FROM B. C.

aiding. We were informed that this
custom was inaugurated SO that the
soldier would keep his hands out OF
his pockets. Possibly We were being
strung.
In the absence of gayety pathetic
scenes were being enacted that touch
ed the hearts OF the visitors. The even
ing of the day the pilgrims left YER
non the Western Irish regiment was
to entrain for the east and from thence
to France. Here and there about the
streets, on the road leading to the
camp could be seen soldiers walking
with their wives and children. Very
often a khaki clad little lad, nina
ture replace of the soldier father, de-
murely trotted in the group. Sitting at
some retired spot near the camp would
be family group, husband and wife
In earnest conversation, yearning
look of sadness in the face OF the
woman, who must suffer at home
while the bread winner is thousands
of miles away facing all the dangers
OF civilized CD warfare. OF all the
sights indicative of human feeling in
this crisis, the one that made the deep
fleeting glimpse of a young soldier
boy passed upon the highway. The
face was in the range of vision for
only a moment as the swiftly moving
car swept by, yet the impression left
Ia ineffaceable. The lad, hardly much
over 20 years of age, was trudging
along the roadside, his head down,
probably on his way to a home that
held all things dear to him, to say the
last words that might be farewell for
ever. He looked up suddenly as We
passed, and dropped his eyes just as
suddenly again. 1t would have been
handsome face in repose, but the
mouth was drawn, the cheeks seemed
hollow with tinge of pallor, and out
Of those dark eyes was tense stare
that might have been interpreted as
horror, or dispair, or keenest sor-
row. 1t was hardly fear, and yet an
indescribable haunted look, as though
all earthly hope had fled.
Another interesting sight at YER
mountaineering only to the stranger
and sightseer-is the detention camp
in the northern part of town. Here,
under guard are held prisoners some
500 Germans and Austrians, women
and children as we'll as men, where
the family have followed the fortunes
Of the informed head. These prisoners
were once Industrious. and probably
prosperous, citizens of the dominion.
Their sympathy went out to the faith
er land with the commencement of the
war. Had they passively nursed that
sympathy within the sanctuary of
their own homes they would have liv-
ed on in peace with their English born
or English bred neighbors. They had
to be demonstrative, they had to be
vociferous, so as a measure of pre-
caution the Canadian authorities
rounded them up, placed them in the
restricted quarters they are occupy
ing and placed them under guard. The
camp occupies large block, and is
surrounded with several barbed wire
fences with armed soldiers patrolling
the enclosure. The wire fence is
fringed with empty tin cans that
sound an alarm in case any of the
prisoners should take it into their
heads to attempt an escape. Aside
from forceable detention the prisoners
can have little TO complain OF. The
government feeds these wards. has
built small. individual houses for fam
lilies and there is large building that
serves TO house the single men. The
block is cut up into small plots that
are intensely cultivated and the flower
and vegetable gardens are such as 10
be seen wherever the energetic and
thrifty foreigner applies his energies
and ingenuity. The detention camp is
under the charge of company of
home guards, that wear and carry the
regulation army uniform and guns At
regular intervals this company mar
ches to the grounds TO the sound OF a
fife and drum corps and the guards are
relieved. No one is allowed within ten
feet of the pathway beaten out by the
ever moving sentinels, and any in
fringement upon the rule meets with
stern command TO halt" with the
business end OF rifle staring one in
the face.
Times may be good in some sec
tons of Canada, but Vernon cruelty
feels the effect OF this terrible war
with It's frightful toll. 1t has been hard
on IL both in the drain OF men and the
shrinkage OF business. We were told