Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-30
Tells ruth About
Life in Germany
Escaped Prisoner Tells Of Fail
urc Of First attempt 10 Quit
the Huns.
by PRIVATE T. Is. DICKINSON,
Escaped Prisoner OF War From Germany.
tFrom tho International News Bureau,

1T looks all right" 1 said to Ander-
son. This old granny won't do us any
harm" Accordingly we went inside.
and 1 made known our wants. Granny
announced tina. she had practically
nothing TO sell in the way OF food. and
that, at any rate, she could not give us
scrap without tho necessary tickets
AS for rum, she did not have a whole
bottle Of It on the premises. Il have
Il half bottle of the stuff, however" she
added. and as you boys are back on
furlouEh 1 will sell some OF it to YOU"
We had two glasses each while the
old woman chattcd about what she de-
siEnated the dreadful war" She
told US that she had lost two grand
sons in fighting. and her last words to
us as We left were. God grant It will
soon be finished, and that you two
come safely home" Granny was
German. hut in her the passions of her
race had been submerged beneath the
waves OF time and the paralyzing in
nucnre Of sorrow.
SENTRY AT TIE BRIDGE
IS SAFELY PASSED
We walked far and we'll that night,
almost duo north in the direction Of
another town. On the road we passed
through u fairly large village. There
were u number of Germans lettering
about. but we had no trouble with
them.
Another wood provided US with a
hiding place for a brief spell. 1t would
have been dangerous to have attempted
10 enter any farm buildings. Every
family in the region seemed TO possess
. dog. or dogs and we were afraid TO
risk q discovery. There was nothing for
IL but TO sleep in the open. muffied up
in our coats. The conditions were too
severe for peaceful slumber.
At O'Clock on Wednesday morning
VIC came TO = river and within sight of
a bridge. We knew that the bridge
would be guarded night and day, and 1t
was with something more fearsome
than trcDidation that Jimmy and l APP
preached the entrance.
We'll. here's wishing us the best OF
luck l whispered 10 Anderson when
we were within twenty yards Of where
tho sentry stood at the door OF his little
wooden hut The soldier stared at us.
ana we raised our hats. and in as hearty
voice as l could muster / called out
a morning greeting. The sentry in
stantiy replied.
Three miles beyond the bridge we
,sGain sought cover in wood. and re-
manned there until dusk. That night
we entered town and mingled with
the crowds which thronged it's streets
Soldiers were many in number, and
whenever we met an officer we duti-
FULLY raised out hats--a mark of es
teem which is highly appreciated by
/ Hunnish officers. We did not tarry in
/ the town. and at later hour were for
tunate in discovering shed far re-
moved from any buildings.
on Thursday night we failed TO make
/ much Roadway. The weather had
I weakened us terrible. and throughout
/ the sunshine OF Friday we lay among
some bushes in I condition bordering
upon exhaustion. The end came about
/ ! o'clock on Friday afternoon. We
were tramping through n village and
smoking cigars in the approved German
style when some school children
[ caught sight Of us.
/ CAUGHT WITHIN FOUR
MILES OF HOLLAND
/ The youngsters were evidently sur
priscd at seeing two young strangers
I in civilian clothes. They gathered
round and demanded TO know why we
were not in the army. l was just in