The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1919-02-06
CHAPTER xXlII-Continued.

1t certainly was hard, when the next
day came, to give up your whole ration
and go without that day. But / never
saw n man hedge, or even speak of it.
And We did not have any food pirates
among us either: we were not captains
Of industry by any means.
There were times when some OF us
could not eat certain of our rations.
For instance. many and many q time
| was as hungry rs anybody could be.
and | wanted TO eat my bread. but II
seemed as ii l could not get it into
my mouth. Then | would trade II with
someone else for his shadow soup" or
his barley coffee.
We were dying every day in Bran
denburg and after each death the
senior men of that barracks would de-
tail twelve OF their number to go out
for half an hour and dig the grave.
while others made little crosses, on
which they wrote or carved the mans
name. when he was captured, and his
regiment or ship. In the middle of
the cross We're always the letters,
Il. |. P.-Rest in Peace.
One time we We're ordered to report
to the German doctors for serum
treatment of some kind--to receive an
injection. in other words. There was
no choice about 1t this time, us we
We're simply herdcd together to the
hospital barracks. Now, | knew what
these things were like and how brutal
the German doctors were In giving an
injection, so l wanted to be the very
first man and not have to witness the
other men getting theirs.
So | pushed up to the head of the
line with the crew OF II. VI. :. Nomad
who had been captured in the Ju,land
battle. and by the time We got 10 the
hospital was the very first man in line
But the sentry threw me back and
there were several men ahead of me-.
Each of them barred his chest and the
doctors Slashed them across the breast
with very thin knife. So YOU can see
that il was very painful. When Ii
came to my turn they slashed me three
times in the shape Of triangle just to
one side of the breast. And that WAS
all there was 10 tho injection, moth
ing on the knife that l could see.
Now. do not know what the idea
was. Every man of liz WIS dizzy for
the rest al the day and could not do
anything but lay around the barracks.
And hardly any Vf us bled drop.
though the gaShes were deep. l do not
think we had any blood IN us To run,
and that is the truth Of it. 1t was
just another German trick that no one
could explain.
One day war correspondent named
Bennett, from Chicago paper, came
10 the camp and went through all the
barracks. When ne came to our bar
and asked for the news. Instead OF
answering he began to ask all sorts
OF questions. Finally. after l had told
him had been IN the French service.
l ask ed him X he could help me In any
way. He answered that had only my
self to blame and that 1t served me
right II had been in one OF the allied
armies.
did not like his looks much and he
seemed unfriendly. but when ne began
smoking n cigarette 1t almost drove me
crazy and l could not help asking for
one. He refused me and said l should
have stayed In my own country. where
could have had plenty OF cigarettes,
After II while he threw away n ciga-
rette stub and not only l but three or
four others who were pear made dive
for II. A man named Kelley got it
Il crazy man who went around trying
TO eat wood and cloth and anything
he could find.
When my three weeks We're Up and
had not heard from Mr.. Gerard was
just about ready 10 90 down To the
lake aud pick out vacant spot and