New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-10-04

AOOu tliuA ull tuc uIllh5 Ill lue WOEiC
The item l refer to was "Dubbel Gel
stein de Flesch (Michaux)." A doubl
portion of anything would have bee
mighty welcome to me. but l wOul,
have been content with u single "ger
stem" If l had only had the courag,
to ask for 1t.
To keep myself as composed as pos
sible l devoted n lot Of attention t.
that ~bill-Of-fare, and / think by tn,
time the waiter came around l almOs
knew 1t by heart. One drink that al
most made me laugh aloud was LISTED
as "Lemonades %gazeuses." but I NIGH
as well have introduced myself to the
German officers by my right name ant
rank as attempt to pronounce it.
When the waiter came to me, there
fore. 1 said Book" as casually as
could. and l felt somewhat relieved
that l had gotten through that part OF
the ordeal so easily.
While the waiter was away l had q
chance to examine the bill-Of-fare and
l observed that a glass of beer cost 81
centimes. The smallest change l had
was II two-mark paper bill.
Apparently the German officers were
similarly fixed and when they offered
their bin to the waiter, he handed 1t
back to them with a remark which
tool to mean that he couldn't make
change.
Right there / was in a Quandary. To
offer him my bill after he had just
told the officers he didn't have change
would have seemed strange. and yet l
couldn't explain to him that l was In
the same boat and he would have to
come to me again later. The only
thing to do, therefore. was to offer
him the bill as though l hadn't heard
or noticed what had happened with
the Germans. and l did so. He said
the same thing to me as he had said
to the officers. perhaps a little more
sharply, and gave me back the bill.
Later on. he returned to the table with
a handful of change and we closed the
transaction. l gave him IS centimes
as a tip had never yet been to a
place where 1t was necessary to talk
to do that.
During my first half hour in that
theatre. to say l was on pins and
needles is to express my feelings
mildly. The truth Of the matter Is l
was neve so uneasy in my life. Every
minute seemed like an hour, and a
dozen times l was on the point Of get
ting up and leaving. There were al
together too many soldiers In the place
to suit me. and when the German Of
ficers seated themselves right at my
table l thought that was about oil l
could stand. AS 1t was, however. the
lights went out shortly afterwards and
In the dark l felt considerably easier.
After the first picture. when the
lights went up again. l had regained
my composure considerably and took
Of the opportunity to study
the various types of people In the
place.
From my seat l had a splendid
to see them all. At n table
there was a German medical corps Of
icer with three Red Cross nurses.
That was the only time I had ever
seen a German nurse. for when ! was
IN the hospital l had seen only men
)rderlIes. Nurses didn't work so near
he first line trenches.
The German soldiers at the different
,ables were very quiet and orderly.
They drank book beer and conversed
lmong themselves. but there was no
or rough-housing Of any kind.
AS 1 sat there. within arms reach
Il those German officers and realized
What they would have given to know
What a chance they had to capture an
escaped British officer. l could hardly
lelp smiling to myself. but when l
bought Of the big risk I was taking.
nore or less unnecessarily, I began to
whether I had not acted fool
In undertaking 1t.
Nevertheless. the evening passed Off
and when the show was
yer l mixed with the crowd and dis
ppeared. feeling very proud Of myself
with a good deal more confidence
han I hal enjoyed at the start.
/ had parsed a night which will live
l my life as long as l live. The bill
( fare and program and a throw.
way" bill advertising the name Of
he attraction which was to be pre-
the following week which was
anded to me as l came out. I still
ave and they are among the most
nlued souvenirs of my ad venture.