East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1918-09-20


n cav one Of the oldest ana gaoss hnmor.
aus slehts that ever appeared in Paris.
Marching IN the middle of thronR that
grew larger NJ u proceeaed we're two Ger
man prisoners with hase eoFlap SACKS ON
their backs Along the street they
marched lcokiug neither Co the fteht not
lte the left. paying no attention TO the
crov,l that followed aud Eazcd AZ them In
lastoui,hnent. Rehlnd the two Germans
came p,ilu with the dirt Of the trenches
an ais clothes and smile OF amusement
IN hIs face. In one hand be carried Enn
and IN the other a sutcaae. He' too
looked nelthpr 10 the right nor 70 the lefe
ana k,pt a few paccs 10 the rear of the
rrisoners. ASH the three wrre 10 a world
~ their own. they made thsir way Ssons
l,he street While the people stopped snd
stared at them a. they went ey.
Probably Going Homc.
No nse seosncd 60 know just what TO
ltb,pk af the strange PROGRESSION. Nothans
& ,aa sort had ever been seen before ana
m. novelty Of the fituation left csery one
a5tbopt ap explanation. What were they
ain, in parisq why did the Germans
havAhaes slung over their backs and WAY
ldsd the poiln carry suitcase "a suitcase
lbsipe the last article 90 be associated Via
soidicr)? Aa5 where were they All
goius'
- me Il snrmea az the time thst thu
nailn lnust have borb beaded for home v
show bis uito ana cAildren ~hnt be hNd
brought ihctu from the war. The bars
and suitcasc must hsvs csutHiped captured
helmets, belts, pistols and all tse other
odd tranhics that this particular Frruch
soldier had gotten In battle and which be
was bringing. along with The I've prison'
ers, 10 his family ! think the crowd saN
the hprHor IN the situation and knov ne
poiiu did But wonder II the I've Ger
mans saw the jokey They, too. rnust havs
realrod the funny sids Il their position.
and the serious expression on their faces
as they plodded stolidly along could have
leen nothing more than biz Of succesafal
lcHmoufage.
Except for a few rllmpses Of them -
they went through the country 10 trpcka
eeing brought down from the latest At
tacls OF the front, I saw very liitls Of
Fritzie after viewing the petite parade 10
Paris Later. however. J hnd a last op-
poriunity 10 see bin. this time on the piers
u French port. just as left Frcnce for
home.
There. ON the wnter front. loading bass
and hoses on board SHIPS destined lot the
Uuitsd States. ! ssW dozens of Germans
working ~ stcvedorcs. None OF them ap-
peared 10 be- overexerting himself. and.
Judging by the happy smile each had on
his face be was not averse 10 passing
the time az that particular point In
France. They. like all other prisoners of
war In France. were well tanned and well
nouriEbed. The lunch that two Of them
brought up to the group a. I vatched was
received with a hearty Neledfne and all
work was called or for the time beinE.
A. they ate I Nafched them aud noticed
that they were ell very young and that
they talked % each other more than the
usual run ~ German prisoners. Perhaps
this latter fact was owing To their hnying
been together long enough 10 become Ac-
quainted, or perhaps Il was hecanse the
lanch was particularly sppetiNing. I doat
know which was the real reason.
The French soldier on guard over them
pointed out u good looking young fellOw
and explained 20 me that the guarding JOB
was made easy BY the fact that the y0unE
prisoner spoke rEocllent French and acted
both ~ Interpreter and boss of the gang.
5Ust theh the young German finished bis
meal, got up from The boz on which be
had been sitting and started 10 work again.
As be walkod away from us ! saw two
large white letters printed on the back
of bis coat aud ] recoguized the "P. O."
that l. printed ON tho baeka Of all ths
prisoners and which means @rrisOnnisr
Dc sneFFe" (prisoner q wnfD.
50 the last view u Frifaie thar We had
before We left France was of thaAo men
rs they carried supplies Of oil kinds aud
placed them 10 the boat that was 10 carry
the cargo 20 their enemies. ! wonder what
their thoughts were a. ihsy loaded the ship
that, at the same fiIae, Waa being equipped
with two large guns with which 20 sink
hostile aubmnfinesf I wonder n thsae
frityiea uhw any VI the irony Of fate In
he aituaiioBl