Republican farmer., 1919-05-23

No sooner had the warming rays of romance broken through the sabls clouds that had for long hung over my head than a grim and terrible tragedy obl;terated the brightness once more.
 My finance whom I had met p,ac- tically in the front-line trenches, and % whom I had become engaged but three days previously, was executed before my eyes-slot after d mock trial because he had protected my honor against a bullying Hun ober- lieutenant.
 No wonder my hair is quite grey, though l am today only twenty-five years of age.
 I had volunteered as Red Cross nurse for work under active service conditions after losing my three brothers as direct consequence of the war.
 After six months in France I found myself at a clearing station not far from the front line trenches.
 Hero I met a young officer who had been wounded, and a very warm feeling sprang up between us. He was the only son of a widow, his father having been killed leading his men at the Dardanelles.
 Our friendship ripened into love, and one night I proPised to be his wife as soon as circumstances per mitted.
 Happy Dreams Dispelled.
 Alas for my dreams of happiness! Two nights later a strong attack was launched by the Germans, and. over- whelmed by weight of numbers our lads were forced to retire. Our claa riTNv a tinr, fu fn ing. and transport could not reach us owing to shell fire.
 Pieces of shrappel pierced the walls and roof of our station. Two doctors were killed and a shell ex- ploding right on the roof, killed four dressers, and wounded me in the left shoulder and side. I felt no pain,. only a numbness, but my sweetheart who had ben working like a galley slave. rushed to help in the binding up of my wounds.
 Very soon the Germans were on us, and an ober-lieutenant, revolver in hand, dashed into the clearing sta ton. He shot both orderlies dead, and Dick. my sweetheart, made to rush at him. The German saw this, and turned his pistol on Dick. I gave a shriek and Dick stopped.
 When the Hun saw me he gave some orders to the soldiers who had followed him and crossed over to where I lay. He sat on bed beside me and asked If I could speak Ger man. I replied in the negative, whereupon, speaking in English he scene way. Two soldiers stood by Dick. or else I am sure the German would have had short shrift. But when the German said he would take a kiss this maddened Dick, and springing over to the Hun, he dealt him a fearful blow in the face before the astonished soldiers could prevent him. The next instant the men at tackled my finance. One stuck his hayonet in Dicks thigh, while the officer brought the butt of his pistol on Dicks head. and he sank uncon- Scious to the floor.
 Then, turning to the soldiers, he told them to bind Dick, and after this was done they lifted him, and put ting him on a stretcher, they carried the pair of us out into the darkness. | After what seemed an eternity We came to what in the gloom looked like a mansion, and were carried down some steps and flung upon the floor of an evil-smelling cellar, where, helpless and unable to move, we were left for some hours.
 Then the sound of tramping down the stairs reached our ears. and soon six brutal looking Prussian soldiers entered. Four lifted the stretcher bed on which I lay and two laid hold of Dick. who tottered in their grasp, and forced him roughly towards the stairs. When we arrived at the top we found ourselves in a spacious room l still beautifully decorated, although most of the furnishings bore the un- mistakabIe marks of war.
 At one end of table sat the brutal | He could scarcely | keep his seat, so drunk was he, and | he leered evilly at me as I was de- | posted on the floor near him. Four l They neer seemed to care, and their |