The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-12-12

We Had Our Choice OF Standing UP
and Dying, or Falling Down and Be-
Ing Killed.
ever saw them run, except when the
Foreign Legion was on their heels
at Dixmude.
When they got up to the dogs, they
would first talk to them and then kick
them, anu after that. they would rest
their rifles "" the wire and yell
"Zuruckl" at us. We all enjoyed this
innocent pastime very much, and we
were glad they had the dogs.
There were some things the Huns
did that you just could not explain
For instance, one of the Russians
walked out Of the kuche, as we were
passing. and we heard a bangl and
the Russian keeled over and went
west. Now. we had not done anything
and the other Russians said he had
behaved himself. worked hard and had
never had any trouble. They just
killed him, and that is all there was TO
II. But not one of us could figure
out why.
After we had been at Neustrelit2
for three weeks, they drilled us out of
the camp to a railway station. and
stood US in the snow for four hours
waiting for the train. We were ex-
hausted and began falling, one by
one, and each time one of us fell, the
sentries would yell, "Nicht krankW
and give us the rife butt. We had
our choice of standing up and dying
or falling down and being killed. and
II was a fine choice to have to make.
The cars finally pulled In. and as
usual, the windows were smashed, the
doors open, and the compartments just
packed with snow. When we saw this,
we knew we were going to get worse
treatment. even. than we had been
getting. and many of us wanted to die.
II had not been unusual for some Of
the men to tell the Germans TO shoot
them too. and II seems as though II
was always a man who wanted to live
who did get 1t and went west.
However, all of us nearly got killed
when we reached Wlttenberg. When
the train stopped there, we saw big
wagonload Of sliced bread on the sta
ton platform and we all stared at II.
We stood II as long as we could, and
then we made a rush for It, But when
we got nearer. we saw that there were
/ four sentries guarding II and four
women issuing II out to the German
soldiers. They would not give us any.
of course.
So we stood around and watched the
Huns eat II, while they and the women
laughed at us. and pretended that
they were starving and would groan
and rub their stomachs and say,
"Nichts zu essen" TO each other. and
then grab a big hunk of bread. and
eat II. What we did not say to them
was very little indeed. We were GER
tainly wild II any men ever were.
Then some of us said we were GO
ing to get some of that bread II we
went west for IL. So we started
fight, and while they were attending to
some of us. the others grabbed and hid
all the bread they could. They rousted
us back into the cars and We were
Just starting 10 divide up the bread
when they caught us with II and took
Il away. We were wilder than ever
then. but we could not do anything.
II got colder after we left Witten-
berg. and the snow blew into the cars
through the windows and doors until
We were afraid to sleep for fear OF
freezing. II was the worst night 1
have ever seen. and the coal bunkers
on the Yarr0wdale seemed like a pal
ace compared 10 the compartments.
because We could at least move around
IN the ship. while In the train We could
not move at all. and were packed so
close that we could not even stretch
our legs and arms. Some OF the men
did die. but not In my compartment,
though most OF us were frost-bitten
about the face.
We thought that night would never
end. but day came finally. and though
II seemed to get colder and colder, we
did not mind II so much. Al about
eleven that morning, We arrived at q
place called Minden and saw a prison
camp there-just a stoekade near the
tracks with the boys out In the open.
We waved TO them. and they waved
back aud gave a cheer-oh or two. We
felt sorry for them, because We knew
we were not going 10 that camp. and
from what little We saw. We knew We
could not be going to worse place
than they were In. | shall never for
get Mllden. because 4 Was here thu. l