Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1918-07-11
Copyright oBHen)


-Sure, and we have every nation that's
worth mentioning, including the darn
/ Germans with US whites" OF course
this was not translated to the Ger
mans, nor was it even spoken In their
hearing, or we probably would not
have had quite so cosmopolitan a bunch
{ Each man in the prison was ready TO
uphold his native country in any argu-
! ment that could possibly be started,
; and it goes without saying that / never
took back seat in any Of them with
/ my praise for America, with the Cana
| dian and Chinaman Ginning in On my
I side. But they were friendly argu-
ments; We were all In the same boat
! and that was no place for quarreling.
Every other morning, the weather
allowing, We were taken TO a large
swimming pool and were allowed 10
have bath. There were two pools.
one for the German officers and one
for the men. Although We were Off
GERS, We had TO use the pool occupied
by the men While we were in swim
ming a German guard with a rife
across his knees sat at each corner of
the pool and watched US closely as
we dressed and undressed. English
interpreters accompanied US on all Of
these trips, so at no time could we
talk without their knowing what was
going On.
Whenever We were taken out Of the
prison for any purpose they always
paraded US through the most crowded
evidently 10 give the popu-
lace an idea that they were getting
lots Of prisoners. The German sol
diers We passed on these occasions
made no effort 10 hide their smiles 1
and sneers.
The Belgian people were apparent I
ly very curious 10 see Us, and they 4
used TO turn out in large numbers 1
whenever the word was passed that
we were out At times the German
guards would strike the women and
children who crowded too close TO Us.
One day smiled and spoke TO q
pretty girl, and when she replied,
German made a run for her. Luckily
she stepped into the house before he
reached her, or I am afraid my salu-
tation would have resulted seriously
for her and 1 would have been power
less 10 have assisted her.
Whenever We passed g Belgian
home or other building which had
been wrecked by bombs by our airmen
our guards made US stop a moment
or two while they passed sneering
among themselves.
One Of the most interesting souve-
Mrs / have Of my Imprisonment at
Courtrd is a photograph Of group
The picture was made by one of the
guards, who sold copies OF it to those
Of Us who were able TO pay his
price-one mark apiece.
As we faced the camera 1 suppose
We all tried TO look our happiest, but
the majority Of Us, 1 am afraid, were!
too sick at heart 10 raise q smile,
even for this occasion. One OF our
Hun guards is shown in the picturel
seated at the table. I am standing
directly behind him, attired in my fly ;
ing tunic, which they allowed me TO ]
wear all the time was in prison, as
S the usual custom with prisoners Of ]
var. Three Of the British officers ;
shown in the picture, in the fore {
ground, are clad in shorts" j
Through all my subsequent adven-
.ures I was able 10 retain a print Of I
his interesting picture, and although
when 1 gaze ar it now if only serves c
o increase my qualification at my ulti-
nate escape, il fills me with regret TO =
hink that my fellow prisoners were /
lot so fortunate. All Of them by this =
ime are undoubtedly eating their 7
learts up in the prison camps Of in-i S
erior Germany. Poor fellows!
Despite the Ecanty fare and the re- I
We were under in this prison, 4
re did manage on one occasion TO ar il
ange a regular banquet The plan L
ing which was necessary helped TO u
ass the time. e
At this time there were eight OF US. g
Ye decided that the principal thing VI
Ie needed TO make the affair g sue
eSS was potatoes, and conceived g L
Ian TO get them. Every other after 5
Don they took US for q walk in the "
ountry, and it occurred TO me that +
would be q comparatively simple I,
latter for US to pretend TO be tired Il
nd sit down when we came TO the a
rst potato patch. h
1t worked out nicely. When we
anne TO the first potato patch that Ii
,ternoOn, we told our guards that we d
anted to rest a bit and We were Al
lowed TO sit down. In the course a
the next five minutes each of US
anaged TO set potato or two. Be
s Irish, got six
When we got back 10 the prison. I
anaged TO steal g handkerchief full
sugar, which, with some apples that
E were allowed TO purchase, We cas- n,
: converted into sort OF jam IN
We now had potatoes and jam, but of
} bread. 1t happened that the Hun tr