The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1918-10-31
CHAPTER xvui-centInusd.


1 beckoned to the chauffeur to 10
With me up to the office, as l had no
money with which to pay him. and
when he got to the consulate l
told them that II they would pay the
taxi fare I would tell them who
was and how l happened to be there.
They knew at ono that I was an
escaped prisoner and they readily
paid the chauffeur and invited me to
give some account Of myself.
They treated me most cordially and
we're intensely interested In the brief
account I gave them Of my adven-
lures. Word was sent to the consul
general and he Immediately sent for
me. When I went in he shook hands
vdth me. greeting me very heartily
and Offering me q chair.
He then sat down, screwed a mon
ocle on his eye and viewed me from
top to toe. / could zee that only good
breeding kept him from laughing at
the spectacle I presented. I could see
he wanted to laugh in the worst way.
go ahead and laugh I" I said. "You
can't offend me the way I feel this
blessed dayi I" and he needed no second
Invitation. Incidentally It gave M a
chance to laugh at him. for l was
about as much amused % he val.
After he had laughed himself about
sick he got up and slapped mi on the
back and invited me to tell him my
story.
Lieutenant" he said when I had
concluded, "you can have anything
you want. I think your experience
entities you to It."
swell. consul" I replied. y" would
like a bath, q shave, a haircut and
some civilized clothes about as badly
as a man ever needed them. ! suppose.
but before that I would like to get q
cable of to America to my mother
telling her that I am safe and on my
way to Englandw
The consul gave me the necessary
Information and I had the satisfaction
Of knowing before I left the Office that
the cable, with Its good tdings. was
on its way to America.
Then he sent for one Of the naval
men who had been interned there
since the beginning Of the war and
who was able to speak Dutch and
told him to take good care Of me.
After / had been bathed and shaved
and had q haircut I bought some new
clothes and had something to eat, and
I felt like a new man.
As I walked through the streets Of
Rotterdam breathing the air Of free
dom again and realizing that there
was no longer any danger Of being
captured and taken back to prison
It was a wonderful sensation.
don't believe there will ever be {
country that will appear In my eye!
quite as good as Holland did then.
had to be somewhat careful. however
because Holland was full Of German
spies and I knew they would be keee
to learn all they possibly could abou
my escape and my adventures so tina
the authorities In Belgium could met
out punishment to everyone who wa
In any respect to blame for It. As I wal
In Rotterdam only n day. the!
didn't have very much opportunity Z
learn anything from me.
The naval oficer who accompanie'
me and acted a. interpreter for m
introduced me to many other soldier
and sailors who had escaped from Be
gium when the Germans took An
werp, and as they had arrived In Ho
land In uniform and under arms, Ia
laws Of neutrality compelled their II
ternment and they had been there eve
since.
The life Of q man who 10 inferno
In Q neutral county, I learned. 10 an!
thing but satisfactory. He gets on
month q year to visit his home. II b
lives in England that IL not 30 ba'
but II he happens to live fartht
away. the time he has to spend Wit
his folks Ii very short. a. the month
leave does not take into confederate
the time consumed In travelling to On
from Holland.
The possibility Of escape from He
land IL always there. but the Britii
authorities have an agreement viii
the Dutch government to send ref
gees back Immediately. In this :
speck, therefore. the position Of = ms
who u informed 10 worse than tn
Of Q prisoner who. II he does succee
in making his escape. u naturally :
ceaved with open arms In his nad,
land. Apart from this restraint. hoy
ever, intesnmsnt, with ill its dras
backs. IL q thousand times. yes. q M
lion times. better than being Q prison
Of war IN Germany. GftfF{ tFl
Il seems to me that when the vi
n over and the men who have bet
lmprisoned In Germany return hom
thsy should be given . bigger al
greater reception than the most VI
torious army that ever marched In
= city, for they win have suffer-
and gone through more than the wor
wfl sver b eble to understand.
no doubt you win nnd In the q
RAN u~anou Gamma On0 or two I0lI