The Washington times., 1919-01-12


them morsel Of the rich food stored in my house.
To have shared the Germans decacies with native of
the district would have meant my own execution.
The only sugar and wheat -four to be had in our dis
trct in those days what could be purchased for the
exorbtant asked by German soldiers for their own
rations which less plentiful The soldiers
quite willing to sell their sugar when their price
could be obtained, although it against orders Dur
ing of the quite frequent domiciay searches ordered
by commanders Of the city guards pound of sugar was
found in the cupboard of young widow in whose house
two German soldiers had been billeted. This was an
amount of beyond the supply permitted any
time 1t confscated, and the young widow was
summoned before the commandant She could not testify
falsely and she admitted that she had purchased the
sugar in small amounts each week from her two military
dodgers, and Keeping it against sudden sickness
when sugar might be wanted adjunct of medicine
for some other emergency.
The two soldiers summoned. They boldly de-
MED that they had sold their sugar raons They said
the widow had stolen the sugar from them and they had
hesated because of sympathy for her to report her
mality the young sentenced to six months
imprisonment at hard labor which meant labor in fields
which the Germans had seized for their cultivation
No horses allowed in district except those in
military the Germans used their Jail prisoners to
draw plows-hitched them, like beasts of burden
and women together to the tongues of plows and carts
The conditions under which these prisoners worked were
unspeakable. The women especially suffered They
completely at the mercy of the soldiers who stood
guard them, drove them to their work And al
ways the soldiers chosen for this guard duty of the
lowest type-hat type of soldier who considered unfit
for the responsibilities that 60 with position in the
actual battleline.
When this young woman speak of taken away
the two soldiers beted in her house promptly empted
it of everything of value. selling her belongings to
rades about to get leave to return to their homes to
officers who enjoyed facilities for shipping back to Ger
many articles of plumber When the widow finished her
sentence and crept back broken in body and mind to
what had been her home she found only empty house
those possessions protect which she had remained
EpnOy when the Germans came all were gone. She COM
planned to the commandant ''Do not 60 to prison and
you will not be robbed" he said to her.
But to return to the coming of Prince Eel Despite
these conditions which prevailed among my neighbors
there ample food and in my house. The officers
would be content with only the best Not only General
from village after village along the road Beseer and
prepare mptuousy for the comfort and entertainment
OF the expected visitor.
He arrived Sunday morning. He and his party
came from the north, having followed the upper road
from St Aubert. Their approach had been teephoned
from village to village along the road Won Beseer and
his aides and Baron der Lancken chief OF civil affairs
OF Belgium, who had once been Ees tutor and who had
ing the party at the military headquarters in the city
sector and its hinterand WELL pointed to chateau
the residence of the staff officers whom the Prince to
visit Etel ordered the automobiles turned in at my gate
The only officer of rank who in the house was
Colonel Hopper, afterward notorious the commander
OF the prison camp at .Sodau. Colonel Hopper was i'll
and had remained in his but when he heard the party