Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-06-27

crutches. It son developed, however,
that he was not alone in misery for
there were several others like him. 1t
seemed that the crutch process would
never end, for the doctors said the
number of leg cases" was unusually
high in This first shipment of human
Wreckage home to Russia One of
the leg cases was a boy OF fifteen His
left limb was gone well above the
knee, but with the dexterity Of youth
he had learned to hop along with
only one crutch and had thrown the
other away as so much impeachment.
But soon the "arm- cases and the
HAND cases" were very much in evil
dence and at last came the wholly
helpless. There was one soldier with
right leg and both eyes forever gone.
another with an arm gone and shat
tered foot supported in a rope sling
about his neck. Then came the men
azed by the shock of battle or suf-
fering from acute melancholia. One
of the latter never ceased to cry. There
first exchange. Two, Of these were
medical officers. One was paralyzed
as a result of tyIhus, another was in
the last stages of tuberculosis. Few
of the Russians had ever seen the sea
until they were taken aboard the trans
port and on the voyage across the Bal
tic most of them were violently ill
happy ships company indeed.
Through the courtesy of Prince Carl
the correspondent of The Associated
Press was extended the privileges of
the Red Cross train. It was wonderful
to see the difference one night on neu-
trail soil and an understanding tk1at
last effected in the men. When the
| train stopped at a junction point for
breakfast the poor cripples hobbled to
the station platform, most of them ap-
parently happy and wholly content
with life. Oddly enough the broadest
smile wreathed the face of one of the
men with the fewest legs. Breakfast
was ready and piping hot. 1t was q
bountifuI repast Of meats, fruits, and
vegetables, each man with a glass of
nothing of the haste of extreme hum
ger, however, in the manner the meal
was approached. Everything WAS
calm and orderly. The men without
! legs were helped on to the eating
benches, the others largely managed
for themselves Only about thirty
meals had to be served on board the
! train. One man at the tables tainted
away as the food was brought on and
wilted into q heap on the dining room
floor. Red Cross orderlies carried him
back to his bed on the train.
The train stopped for two hours at
| the breakfast station, was quite thor
i breakfast there was a promenade Of
the wounded up and down the plat
form. A. party of three Americans
who had obtained permission to vis1i
the station, distributed cigars and Cd.
garettes among the men and soon al
/ were smoking as they scrambled along
/ Each man also had flower on his
coat, pinned there by the pink checked
/ Swedish girls who had served tht
breakfast. The tables, too. had beer
decorated with bloom. The wounded
men were we'll clothed in regulation
Il prison uniform furnished by the Ger
mans. The overcoats were well madi
if trifle light for the rigors Of
northern winter. The German shoei
appeared sturdy and strong.
All OF the Russians said they hat
} been well treated in Germany AMI
that the German nurses in particula'
had been very kind to them.
But they probably will tell anothe
story in Russia" said q Swedish doc
tor; mot that they mean to be mali
cious or misrepresent matters, Blu
they are anxious for al the sympath:
} they can get%
Before It was time for HE train q
resume its journey a. group OF prls
! onerS gathered al one end OF the sta.
: ton and began TO sing. Their leade
: was one Of the blind men. Hefhft
/ ed his voice IN the most plaintive sor
or melody and the others Joined in tn
Z chorus. They sang Tor twenty min
} u4ee. perhaps, when the conductor
, hlStl@s sent them shutting aboard an