The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1916-04-20
STORIES TOLD OF
ANCO-PRUSSIANWAR

Inc old man, natfve OF herman f0-
land and at the outbreak Of the war
member of the Fourth Prussian Grena-
der regiment. No. 5. participated in
the siege of Metz.
81 was in 81 battles and skirmishes,
he says, ''and never once was scratch
ed, although saw comrades killed al
most at my side daily"
Jacob Kraniak 10 q foreign-looking
little man, but one would never take
him for q German or q Pole until after
be heard him speak. With his wisps
of white hair, his white mustache and
chin beard, the latter resembling the
goatee of grandee, ones first thought
on seeing the old veteran is of Don
Quixote. But his tales sound more
Sancho Panza-like.
Hood River people know Jacob Kra-
MAX as Jack Frost" He explains
the name by saying that he purchased
shoe business belonging to deceased
man of that name and that he liked II
himself and retained 1t because Of his
favor for it and for business purposes.
Although the old man has been here
about four years it was not known un-
ill the outbreak of the great European
war now wsging that he had ever been
a soldier. And it is probable that to-
day not q half dozen people know his
real name. He works away in his lit
tie cooplike shop, making meagre liv-
ing. He confided in but few, and when
evening came you would find him at a
moving picture theatre, weeping copi.
ously il there were hint of provoca-
tion for tears. But he follows the
newspapers, picking out as much as he
can of the news of the great conflict
which recalls to his mind the battles
waged by armies of which he was a
member when he was but youth. But
Jacob kraniak is not hater of the
French. The kindness of peasant and
his wife in Lorraine shortly before the
capitulation of Metz and the surrender
of Bazaine, he says. caused him to
wonder what the war was all about.
IL had poor teeth," he says in his
gutteral, half German, half English.
'and one day was 30 sick that could
not proceed with my regiment. My
head was 30 swollen that my eyes were
closed. guess looked like a big bull
dog. But the soldiers must 60 on.
There was no hospital then that could
be sent to, so was left. After the
army had moved up closer Frenchman
and his wife came along in one of those
big two-wheeled carts, driving two
horses tandem fashion. They took me
to their cottage. The wife cared for
me as if had been brother. And
when was able to eat, after the fever
had left me, she cooked me some of the
most delicious green's and meat stews
thatI have ever tasted. think they
saved my life, and right then ! lost my
hatred for French men and women" |.
Old Jacob tells of an incident follow
ing his return to his command in which
he made an effort to make amends for
the kindness that had been shown him
by the foe. Because of his good con-
duct he had been promoted to corpor
alship and was one night in charge of a
sentry detail.
1--WE had drawn so close line
around Metz," he says that not cat
nor mouse could have passed our line
without US knowing it. On this night
proposed to my men that we investi.
gate little forest that was some hun
dred yards from our lines. They were
afraid at first but was firm and 30 We
slipped into the little woods. In about
the center of it, where little shack
stood, light streamed from window.
| On approaching we could see that 1t
was Q cellar. Searching we found the
door. and commanding my men to fol-
low and shoot or bayonet anyone with
in who offered fight | broke open the
door. We had accidentally entered a
big underground wine cellar. 1t was
filled with about rs Frenchmen, mostly
soldiers. They we're in panic. and
we could have captured the whole lot.
But l felt sorry for them. l told my
men that they were humans just as we
were and that we would let them 60,
if they would fill up some TASKS OF
wine for US. As we went back to our
lines, each with a bottle of the good
wine, made my fellows all swear to
keep the adventure secret.
But was the one to tell the story.
knew it would not get to our superior
officers and so | whispered the secret
to fellow corporal. Two mornings
later he and his entire sentry detach-
ment were missing. think could
have told where they went but my
mouth was seated"
| When the Grenadiers left their home
community for Berlin, and thence for
the front, Old Jacob says that in big
pockets of his coat uniform each man
carried a package of simple medicines
and first aid articles. Universal
grief existed. he says. for at least one
member of every family was going to
the war. Wives, mothers and sweet
hearts were at the troop train, ready
for departure. They refused In many
instances to release their arms from
the necks of loved ones. Then it was
that the officers worked a clever ruse.
They told the women that they would
take them a part of the way along the
line in cars to be attached to the troop
train. Empty cars were switched to
the rear of the train. and ell of the
women quickly boarded them. But il
was a ruse, the cars were never
coupled to the troop train, which
steamed away leaving the unsuspect-
ing and frantic women at the home
station.
/ JhCQU N hLdBtdh CdtuC W FmCLtGd
1875. Two years later he removed to
Milwaukee, where he now has a wife
and four children. One of the sons, he
says, is an attorney In Milwaukee.
The old man, who is now approaching
70 years Of age. says that he had never
tasted liquor of any kind to excess
until he came to Milwaukee.
Jacob says that his shoe and cobbling
business in Milwaukee was ruined by
q combination of competitors. Domes-
tic troubles followed his business fail.
ure, and he told his family that he was
going to see some Of the world. He
came west to Spokane, according to
his story. and from that city went in
succession to Seattle, Tacoma and
Portland. Without job and being in
need be heard that he could get work
at Pendleton.
The JOB proved to be caretaker for a
portion of range. The task soon grew
1