The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1922-06-15
J. c. BREUNINGER GOES TO
PALESTINE FROM GERMANY
Where He Had Been Stationed With
The American Troops

Joshua c. Breuninger, of Oakland,
who has been for the past two years
in the Y. NJ. c. A. with the American
troops on the Rhine, is about to take
up work in Palestine. While with
the American Forces in Germany, he
has been stationed with the Fifth
United States Infantry in Andernach.
The region is of immense interest to
the antiquarian. Mr.. Breuninger made
a thorough study Of it and as leader
of the Soldiers Sightseeing Club he
greatly interested the enlisted men
in the relics of ancient days and pic
turesque spots that lay within hiking
distance. With the recall of the Am
erican troops the Andernach work has
come to an end. An associate of Mr..
Breuninger has sent the following ac-
count of the closing of the hut in
which Mr.. Breuninger had worked for
most of his stay in Germany:
"This is like nothing so much as a
commencement week. There are the
same preparations for departure, the
same anticipations of a great event,
the same farewells again and again,
the same photographs snapped singly
and in groups.
I'VE have no words to speak of the
departure of the troops Our hearts
are to full. The men went off in high
spirits, the band playing to the fur
Their edge of the station platform. The
courtesy of the officers, the friendli-
ness and the rousing farewells from
each enlisted man, we shall never for
get. As the train drew away, faces
smiled from every window, and voices
called back: Goodbye, YMCA.' How
| wish that all the YMCA men and
women who have worked here might
have been here, for it was evident
that between US all something real
had been accomplished.
eve have all been busy, and now
this old hut is shining clean from cell
lar to attic. Up under the caves we
came upon some curious shaped
pieces of white plaster. What could
they be? Kaiser Wilhelm said the
boy who was sweeping. Sure enough,
the fragment in his hand had once
been a royal nose! No one seems to
know when or how the bust was re-
duced to bits, but some doughboy
must have had moment of pure joy,
Dusk is falling. Not khaki uni
form is in sight. Not hobnail shoe
echoes in the hall We look across
Merowinger Platz, named for the
kings whose palace stood hard bv.
Off to the left, long ago, stood an
other palace, that of DruSus and af-
forwards Of Tiberius, its granite pill
lars enclosing the terrace toward the
Rhine. Louis XIV made triumphal
entry up that little street, and one
evening the great Napoleon slept I'M
der this very roof. If ghosts walk
there must be some strange visitors
to Merowinger Platz! Perhaps in
years to come phantoms in blue
aprons may hover about, peering in
at the canteen and softly touching the
old walls where they We're once so
happy.
"Sleek little Herr Spira came
promptly at five o'clock. He remained
over an hour checking every piece
of furniture and inspecting each nail
hole for the last time. In the even
ing delegation was to arrive headed
by the Burgomeister, but meanwhile,
as he pronounced everything in or
der, we turned over the keys. In a
sort of daze we heard the front door
close behind us. Heinrich came out to
crank the Ford for the last time. Then
he leaned in impulsively to give us
each a hearty handclasp, and said,
Thank you all for everything We
buckled the curtains and drove away
quickly without looking back"