The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-09-28
CHAPTER N-Continued.

When my "chummy enemy" first
started his conversation with me, the |
German doctor in charge reprimanded
him for talking to me, but he paid no |
attention to the doctor, showing that |
some real Americanism had soaked |
into his system while he had been In
the u. 8. A. asked him one day what
he thought the German people would
do after the war; If he thought they
would make Germany q republic. and
much to my surprise he said very bit
herly, "H I had my way about 1t,
would make her a republic today and
hang the ID kaiser In the bar
gain" And yet he was considered an
excellent soldier. I concluded, how
ever, that he must have been q Ger
man socialist, though he never told me
80. On one occasion asked him for
his name, but he said that I would
probably never see him again and It
didn't matter what his name was. /
did not know whether he meant that
the Germans would starve me out, or
dust what was on his mind, for at that
time I am sure he did not figure on
dying. The first two or three days
was in the hospital thought surely
he would be up and gone long before
4 was, but blood poisoning set in
about that time, and just few hours
before left for Courtrai he died.
One Of those days, while my wound
was still very troublesome. I was
given an apple; whether 1t was just to
torment me, knowing that I could not
eat II or whether for some other rea-
son. I do not know. But anyway a
German flying officer there had several
in hts pockets and gave me a nice one.
OF course there was no chance OF my
eating IL, SO when the officer had gone
and I discovered this San Francisco
fellow looking at 1t rather longingiy,
4 picked 1t up, intending to toss IL
over to him. But he shook his head
and said. sTf this was San Francisco
I would take 1t, but cannot take 1t
from you here" was never able to
understand Just why he refused the
apple, for he was usually sociable and
a good fellow to talk to, but appar'
entity he could not forget that ! was
his enemy. However, that did not stoT
one OF the orderlies from eating the
apple.
One practice about the hospital i'm
pressed me particularly. That was
ne a German soldier did not stand
much chance Of recovering sufficiently
10 take his place again In the war; the
doctors did not exert themselves 70 set
that he got well. But II q man nat
n fairly good chance of recovering ant
they thought he might be of some fur
ther use, everything that medical ski
could possibly do was done Tor MIN
don't know whether this was dom
under orders or whether the doctor'
lust followed their own inchnauon
In such cases.
NV teeth had been badly Jared VI
from the shot, and hoped that mign
have a chance to have them nKe'
when I reached Courtrai. the prisol
uhere was to be taken. SO asKe'
the doctor If it would be possible 10
me to have this work done there Du
he very CURLY told me that, altnoug
there were several dentists at Coui
trai. they were busy enough liking Tn
teefh of their own men without Dotf
ering about mine. He also aooeo Una
r wouId not have to worry about 10
teeth. that / wouldn't be getting 9
much food that they woulc Do put ou
Iof commission by working overtime.
wanted to tell Rim that from the wa
thtnps looked he would not be weal
ing his out very soon either.
NV condition improved during On
hext two days, and on the fourth da
be my captivity was well enough
write a brief message TO my squa'
ron. reporting that ] was prisoner
war and s.feeling fine," although, as
maffer Of fact, was never 30 q
pressed I'm my life. I realized, hos
aver that II the message reached N
comrades Il would be relayed TO n
mother IN Momence, ILL.,. and i did ~
want to worry her more tnan was =
solutely necessary. It was enough Z
mar 10 know that I was prisoner. 81
ala NOT have to know that i WI
wounded.
had hopes that my message won
Be- carried over the lines and drops
b. one of the German flying omcei
That is a courtesy which = usual
practiced On both sides. ] recall
Nv patientIy we had waited In o
sirdrome for news Of our men who n
analsd to return. and ! could picfu
! ~ squadron Specializing on my "a
/ nat is one Of the saddest thin
esoasetsd with service In the X. =.
Zen Anax csre much wkat happens