Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1919-02-28

Finally the train stopped at town
named Alt-Damm, and there was q
mob of women and children around,
as usual, ready for us with bricks and
spit. They stoned us through the car
windows, and laughed and jeered at
us, but by this time we were so used
to it that we did not mind much. Only,
every now and then some fellow
would get all he could stand, and
either talk back or make a pass at
somebody. Then he would get his
either a bayonet through the arm or
leg, or crash ON the head with q gun
butt.
After an eighteen hour ride, with.
out food or drink, we arrived at Neu-
strelitz. 1t was raining as we pulled
in. AS we went up the grade to the
town we could see lights about a mile
away, and we figured that that was
the camp. The rain stopped and we
Then, after while, we knew our new
guards were coming; long before we
could see them. we could hear the
racket they made. Somehow q Ger.
man cannot do anything shipshaps
and neatly, but always has to have a
lot of noise. and running around, and
general confusion. Four-footed swine
are more orderly in their habits thar
the Huns.
When they came up, we were roust
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road to the camp. When we got near
the German barracks we were halted
and counted again. and made to stand
there for at least an hour after they
had finished counting us, shivering
like leaves. At last they placed us In
barracks, and those who could went
to sleep.
There were about forty barracks in
the Limey group at Neustrelitz and
two large Zeppelin sheds. The bar
racks were just about like those al
Swinemunde-at least, they were nc
better. Along the sides Of the rooms
were long shelves or benches, and
every three feet were boards set In
grooves. The shelves were what we
had to sleep on, and the boards In tho
grooves divided them up so that only
a certain number Of men could use
each bench.
The following morning we neari1
dropped dead when the Huns pulled
In q large wagon full Of clothing. We
thought we never would have any
fhfuu IN xuoor h,,f orr 49,, doroyo<bcc
They issued to each man a pair Of
trousers, thin model, a thin coat
about like the seersucker coats som(
people wear in the summer, an over
coat about as warm as If 1t had beer
made Of cigarette papers, skull car
and pair of shoes, which were
days labor to carry around. Not one
of us received socks, shirts or under
wear.
The toe was cut from the right shoe
of the pair I received, and as my
wounds were In the right thigh and
my leg had stiffened up considerably
and got very sore, got pretty ann
ious, because there was nothing but
slush underfoot, and / was afraid !
might lose my leg. So thought that
If went to the commander and made
kick might get good shoe. hesi
tated about it at first, but finally made
up my mind and went to see him..
! told him that it was slushy outside
and that the water ran through the
hole in my shoe and made it bad fol
my whole leg, which was wounded
He examined the shoe, and looked al
the open toe for some time, and
thought he was going to put up an
argument. but would give In firally.
Then he asked me what wanted. ]
thought that was plain enough to see,
but l said just as easily SIS ] could
that I wanted a snoe without hole
in the toe.
$50 the water runs into 1t, does ST"
he said. "Well, my advice to you is to
get knife, cut hole In the heel and
let the water out" All the other
swine in the room laughed very loud
at this. and guess this Fritz though,
he was a great comedian. But somc
how or other, 1t did not strike me 50
funny that just had to laugh, and
was able, after quite q struggle, to
keep from even snickering. 1t was q
harder struggle than that to keep
from doing something else. thought
Our meals were just about the same
as at Swinemunde-the bread was
just as muddy, the barley coffee Just
as rank. and the soup just as cab.
bageless. The second morning after
we had had our barley coffee. one Of
the sentries came to our barracks,
which was number 7-B. and gave each
Of us an envelope and sheet Of writ.
ing paper. Then he told us to write
to anybody we wanted to. after which
he chalked on the door in big letArs:
MISREPRESENTATION
and told us 1t was the return address.
We were all surprised, and asked each
other where we were, because we had
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