Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-12-04

25s = = =
This cabbage soup was ! greet Ida.
We called Il shadow SOUP, becau1o the
boys claimed they made It BY hanging
Z cabbage over q barrel OF. water and
letting the shadow fall on the water.
We pretended. too. that IL ron found
any cabbage In 1t, you could take your
oash back Tor q second helping. But
. ! never saw anybody get more than
ono dishful. All it was, was Just
spoiled water.
We tried to 60 to sleep that night,
but there were so many sentries
around us-and those Of us who were
not sick were wounded-that I do not
think . man Of us really slept. After
q while I asked a sentry If could 10
outside tor minute, but for some rea-
son he would not let me. had Diff
ferent ideas about it. 30 stood
around near the door. and when he
turned his back out I went and around
the corner Of the barracks.
But one of the sentries there saw
me and blew his whistle, and . guard
Of eight came up from somewhere and
grabbed me. / tried to explain. but II
was no use, because every time I said
word it meant another swat over
the ear. SO finally I gave it up.
Then they drilled me across the
road to the officers quarters. There
were three officers there, and each Of
them asked me questions about all
kinds OF things, but never once men
toned my running out Of the bar.
racks. Then they gave the sentries
some commands, and four Of the sen
tries took me out and over to the
barbed wire fence. There they tied
me; face to the fence, arms over my
head. and hands and feet dashed to
the wire, and with rope around my
waist. too. thought. then, that my
bunch had come true, and that I
would be crucifled, like Murray and
Brown.
They posted a sentry there In addi-
ton to the regular guards, and every
time he walked past me he would kick
me or spit on me, or do both.
One time he kicked me 30 hard
that a prong Of the barbed wire
gashed me over the left eye-the only
one I can see with-and when tho
blood ran into my eye it blinded me,
! thought both eyes were gone then,
and hoped they would shoot me. t
seemed to me that had got my share
by this time without losing the other
eye, and IL it was gone, ! wanted to
60 too.
! could not put up my hand to feel
where the prong had jabhed me, and
It kept on bleeding and smarting,
had on practically no clothing, you re.
member. The wounds in my thigh had
opened, and it was bitter cold and
windy, So you can picture to your
self how gay and carefree was,
When had been there for an hour
and half they united me from the
wire, and I keeled over on my back,
They kicked me until had to stand
up, but ! fell down again, and all the
kicking in Germany could not have
Drought me to my feet. I was just all
in. So they blew their whistles and
the sentries in the barracks awakened
tive Of the boys. who came and carried
me in.
ALI the time the sentries were yell
Ing. "Gott Gtrafe Englandl" and
"schweinhundw until you would have
thought they were in q battle. What
their idea was do not know.
The boys had little water In a
can. and one of them tore of part Of
the sleeve Of his undershlrt. So they
washed the cash and bandaged 1t.
Believe me, was glad when I could
see again. was SO tired and worn
out that went to sleep at once, and
did not wake up until they were Civ.
Ing US our barley coffee next morn
ing.
Ito be continued).