The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1918-08-16

Once In while q Belgian Ladies'
Relief society visited the prison and
brought US handkerchiefs, American
soap-which sells at about S1.50
bar In Observation-Disclosures and
other little articles. all OF which were
American made, but whether they
were supplied by the American re-
lief committee or not l don't know.
At any rate, these gifts were mighty
useful and were very much appre-
ciated.
One day I offered button off my
uniform to one of these Belgian ladies'
as souvenir, but a German guard
saw me and l was never allowed tc
go near the visitors afterwards.
The sanitary conditions In this
prison camp were excellent as a gen.
eral proposition. One night, however.
l discovered that l had been cap
tured by Coolies
This was a novel experience to me
and one that l would have been very
willing to have missed, because In
the flying corps our airdromes are
number Of miles back Of the lines and
we have good billets and our acquaint-
| ance with such things as "cooties" and
other unwelcome visitors Is very linn
tied.
| When I discovered my condition,
made holler and reused the guard,
and right then l got another example
OF German efficiency.
This guard seemed to be even more
perturbed about my complaint than
myself, evidently fearing that he would
be blamed for my condition.
The commandant was summoned
and / could see that he was very an
cry. Someone undoubtedly got a Sc
we're reprimand for It,
l was taken out of my cell by Z
guard with rife and conducted about
a quarter of a mile from the prison
to an old factory building which had
been converted into an elaborate fumi-
eating plant. There I was given
pickle bath In some kind of solution.
and while l was absorbing it my
clothes, bed clothes and whatever else
had been In my cell was being put
} through another fumigating process.
While I was waiting for my things
to dry-it took perhaps half an hour
had chance to observe about one
; hundred other victims of "cooties"-
: German soldiers who had become In
Tested In the trenches We were all
nude, of course, but apparently it was
not difficult for them to recognize me
as foreigner even without my uni
, form on, for none of them made any
attempt to talk to me, although they
3 were very busy talking about me. I
e could not understand what they were
saying, but l knew l was the butt Of
: most Of their jokes and they made no
: effort to conceal the fact that l was
i the subject of conversation.
u When / got back to my cell I found
t that 1t had been thoroughly fumigated.
II and from that time on had no further
It trouble with "cooties' or other visi-
t, tors of the same kind.
p AS we were not allowed to write
n anything but prison cards, writing was
lie out Of the question; and as we had nc
1T reading matter to speak of, reading
a was nil. We had nothing to do tG
I'd pass away the time, so consequently
ne cards became our only diversion, fol
we did, fortunately, have some o
en- these.
lis There wasn't very much money as
b. rule in circulation, and think for one
e. In my life l held most of that, not du
e. to any particular ability on my par
st In the game, but l happened to hav
~ several hundred francs in my pocket
Of when shot down. But we held a lot
terry that was watched without quite
ar such intense interest as that. TIT
I'd drawing was always held the day before
ID to learn who was the lucky man. There
n. was as much speculation as to wht
of would win the prize as if 1t had beer
I'd the finest treasure in the world. Tit
Id great prize was one-third of loaf o
m bread. Through some arrangement
x which / never quite figured out, |
lie happened that among the eight or tel
officers who were there with me, Their
We was always onefhird of a loaf O
ut bread over There was just one wa,
on of getting that bread, and that was t.
G. draw lots. Consequently that was wha
of started the lottery. l believe if a maj
ad had ever been inclined to cheat h
ad would have been sorely tempted in thi
1T instance, but the game was played ali
alt solutely square, and if man had bee
as caught cheating the chances are tina
at he would have been Stunned by tn
,st rest of the officers as long as he wa
in prison. l was fortunate enough t
We win the prize twice.