Shaffer's Last
Flight
(Continued From Yesterday)
Thus life went on for three days
with nothing to do but make turnip
stew and hunt cooties. That hunt
was always on, and they increased
I BO fast that a closed season was un
necessary. Having taken several
baths and washed my underclothes
1 thought friend cootie would re
main away awhile.
But my comrades soon woke me
from this blissfully ignorant state,
as well as the cooties —sure it s
plural! Said they, you will gain
more here than anywhere else and
I did too, so much so, that hunting
cooties came like dessert —after
every meal. No matter how many
one killed at daybreak there was
sure to be some more at nightfall.
I hate to think how many there
would have been had I stopped hunt
ing for several days. Probably they
would have been so thick that like
bees they would have swarmed in
order to hunt a new home. It was
too crowded on my slender frame.
Fortunately, my punishment did
not last long, for the third day we
went on the road again, this time
bound for Germany on foot, a seven
day march at the least. Oh, yes,
they had trains, but we were not
considered valuable enough to travel
in such a luxurious way.
Shoe Supply Exhausted
With such a journey ahead of me,
I made another demand for shoes but
there was nothing doing. They had
none. So they told me anyway. I
could not march far in such shoes,
that was a certainty, so one of my
comrades hunted me up a pair of
old Poilu shoes. They were not
mates, but they were an exact fit,
and although nearly worn out were
preferable to the wooden clogs. That
was the trouble, they fit too snugly,
and after I had marched several
hours my feet made insistent de
mands for more room. There wasn't
any more so I suffered.
It was some walk, and as usual,
all the Frenchmen were loaded
down with baggage like a commuter
on Xmas Eve. For such heavy loads
the Boche had provided a small cart,
but like all kindnesses done by the
Boche it had a string to it for the
men who put their bundles on had
to pull it. That was no small job,
especially going up hill, but they
did it.
We had been given no extra ra
tions so we figured we better carry
something eatable along even if it
was only several turnips.
Russians Did Not Mind
The Russians, big husky fellows
that they were, each carried a bushel
on their backs. They, for one, did
not suffer much from hunger dur
ing the journey. No had
thfe rumor spread we ' W t go
ing to move again, than I i..cw a
certain Frenchman aside and talked
over plans to escape. Sure, he was
willing but since it was a long jour
ney to the Dutch frontier, he ad
vised marching with the Boche for
several days as they were going to
march through Belgium anyway.
We had no doubt about it being easy
to escape, but when we started we
changed our mind.
It looked as if it were going to be
a little difficult, for a guard was as-|
signed to each four men. No, sir,
they were not taking any chances
on losing any of that precious bunch,
for they knew full well that the lack
of proper food and the disgusting
state of the barracks in which we
had been living would make one and
all determined to escape at the first
opportunity.
Arrives in Belgium
Fenced in by guards like this, we
arrived late in the afternoon in Bel
glum, no sooner had we crossed the
frontier between France and Bel
glum than I noticed the difference
between small villages in Belgium
and those in France.
Those in France may be pictur
esque, but they sure are filthy. Real
ly, it's quite the custom for the
horses to dine in one room and the
family in the one alongside. In Bel
gium it was different altogether.
They were pretty, as well as pictur
esque. Such spotlessly clean houses
I have never seen, and built of dif
ferent colored stones they made a
wonderful picture.
Belgians Kind
I had heard many stories about
the wonderful kindness of the Bel
gium people to prisoners, especially
French ones, so I was naturally cur
ious to see it proven. I was getting
hungry as well as footsore, and was
anxious to have this kindness take
eatable shape.
It did, too, when we stopped in the
center of a small village to rest. Out
from all the houses came people,
women, children and old men, each
bearing some gift to the prisoners.
Some had bread, others potatoes,
others carrots and several even came
bearing coffee with milk.
That was too much for those half
starved prisoners, and guards not
withstanding they broke ranks and
ran to meet all these good things,
for it' had been so long since they
ha£ seen coffee with milk and white
bread, that they wanted a taste to
make sure it was not a mirage.
They were not a bit polite about
it, either, for anyone that showed up
with anything eatable immediately, ]
because the center of a howling, I
fighting crowd. It was a survival of!
the fittest and only the strongest got
anything. Many looked longingly
on the good things arriving, but re
fused to enter the combat for them.
Hunger, it seemed, had driven most
of the prisoners wild, for such a
surging fighting mob around a small
"mademoiselle" and a basket of
bread you never saw.
March Used Him Up
As for me the march had com
pletely used me up, and my feet
pained me so badly I could hardly
stand up. Rest to me was more im
portant than eating, hungry though
I was, and no sooner was the order!
given to rest than I sank down on j
the ground and stayed there until;
prodded up by a guard to continue
on my painful way.
We finally arrived at the village
where we were to spend the night,
and were halted in the center of the
town while the Boche officials went
around hunting places to install us
for the night. Immediately the peo-j
pie begun giving things to eat to the!
prisoners. The guards forbid it, but'
they continued nevertheless. Actu- 1
ally, I saw one soldier receive a piece
of bread spread with honey.
That was enough to hoist even me
off my sore and weary feet, and en
ter the next combat. For combat it
was. Since the guards would not al
low the Belgians to hand any eats
out they threw the bread over the
guards' heads. -Such a wild scramble
that caused can only be imagined.
Guards Disregarded
Sometimes, however, the prisoners
would actually disobey the guards
and break ranks for a particularly
tempting morsel of bread. There
were a bunch of Italians in partlcu
WEDNESDAY EVENING.
lar who could not be handled at fa.ll.
They simply would not remain quiet
with all those eats wandering
around loose. No sooner would the
guards straighten them out in one
place than they would break out
In another. *
It was really amusing to see how
busy they kept their guards. I re
member once the whole mob went
after a basket of bread, and the way
they did it made even me laugh.
You see, there was an iron fence
some seven feet high along the
road. We were lined along out
side of this. Well, back of this fence
some twenty yards was a largo
building, sort of a warehouse, I
guess.
Out of this house came a Boche
soldier with a large basket of bread
on his arm. What he was going
to do with it I don't know, for he
was coming towards the fence. The
Italians saw him coming, and, not
withstanding the spike-topped fence,
climbed over and literally swamped
that Hun. When the dust cleared
no bread was to be seen, not even
the basket.
As for the Boche, he was so fu
rious that he picked up a rifle and
applied the butt to a belated Ital
ian, who was still hunting a few
crusts among the debris. Butt met
butt with a resounding whack, and
the lalian looked up from his en
grossing occupation with an air of
such surprise and inured innocence
that it was laughable.
However ,the Boche did not get
another strike. The whole com
pany of prisoners had seen the dis
comfiture of this Boche, and it sure
did tickle them.
That night the "camp of discl
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9-piece Jacobean Dining Suite, William and Mary
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Solid Mahogany Suite of very finest quality, 54-
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Genuine Circassian Imported Walnut, a wood now
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Colonial style suite in satin walnut finish (light),
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February Sale Price. £ll /)
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pllne," composed of some 30 men,
slept In a barn on the outskirts of
the town. It was not all bad, for
the barn was filled with hay. and
that made a warm bed Indeed, and
since It began to rain soon after
we were placed there, we were
more than thankful, even no eats
were forthcoming.
The Boche had promised us some
coffee and our ration of bread, but
It never arrived until 9 p. m.| so
most of us worked up a little, tur
nip stew, and, tiring of waiting for
our allowance of bread, went to bed.
Hardly had I fallen asleep, however,
than I was awakened by the owner
of the barn and asked to come
down in the kitchen.
Gladly I pulled on my shoes and
followed, for I had asked him ear
lier in the evening if he could not
find me a pair of shoes, as I could
not march on the morrow with the
ones I had. He had said he would
let me know that night, so I de
scended Into his living room with
high hopes.
The Russian Interpreter was
there, the Boche commander and a
French adjutant who was with the
camp of discipline, and they were
just sitting down to dinner. Gee!
but that meal made my mouth
water—nicely browned notatoes and
white bread and buttet t not much,
you say, but to me, who had been
existing on turnip stew and black
bread for a month—that looked
like a banquet.
Scraps Greedily Katen
The Frenchman was not invited
either, but luckily they did not eat
all the potatoes, and we were given
them with a piece of bread also.
The farmer, his wife and two chil
dren watched us curiously as we
ate, and when we had finished, the
usual conversation began as to how
I had been taken a prisoner and
what I had suffered.
So many times had I told the
story that my French was improv
ing and I could spiel it off pretty
fluently; as for my other grievances,
I grew so eloquent o\%r them, un
der the influence of the warm room
and nicely browned potatoes that I
Our Great February
Furniture Sale
is far more popular than ever before. The sales of the first few days have been phenomenal. We believe that the people of Har
risburg are realizing more than ever before that this store can afford to sell and really DOES sell better furniture for less money.
Back of every sale is a money-back guarantee and a furniture SERVICE UNEXCELLED! If you compare quality and price, you
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HXRRISBTTRG tlflaSftr TELEGRAPH
had to be warned several times by
the farmer to be more careful of my
language. (The Boche commander
was sitting there all the time, you
know, taking It all in, and he un
derstood French very well, but, de
spite all warnings I would persist
in saying "Boche" every time I
spoke of a Oerman. Translated,
hat means "hog," you know, and is
quite an insult, but I never did cure
myself of that habit, and I still
have it.
Cliocalate Appreciated.
After we had talked awhile, the
farmer's good wife brought out some
small bowls and gave us some cho
colate. Man! but that was some
surprise, for I did not know the
Germans let alone the Belgians,
had such luxuries, but it sure was
good, for you know what a sweet
tooth I have, and it had been
starved for an awful long while.
And then he brought out the shoes.
Brand new they were, and Boche
at that But their nationality both
ered me not at all. What I wanted
was something to walk in, and I did
not care where it came from. As I
had some money, I offered to pay
for them, as I knew under the Ger
man yoke he was not growing rich
—so, after some parleying, wa
agreed on 30 marks (about $6) and
my home address.
Hopes to Visit America.
He wanted that because he ex
pected to come to America after the
war, and wanted at least one friend
there.* Surely he deserves any help
or kindness that could be shown
him or his family, for giving me
those shoes was the greatest kind
ness man ever did for me. I simply
could not walk gny more in the
others.
When I spoke afterwards of how
I got those shoes to some other Bel
gians thy denounced this farmer in
no uncertain terms for taking money
for them. He should have given me
them, they said. An>way, he helped
in other ways, too, or, rather, his
wife did, for the next day she gave
me a loaf of bread to last me on the
march. And to finish off that flrsti
memorable night in Belgium, the
reIHOOVERHq
r° r Later
I Furniture Company 1
1415-19 North Second Street
Between Calder and Reily Streets
One Solid Carload of These Beau
tiful Suites Just Received
Bought at a large concession in price and offered to you at equal discount. '
The prices are just half to-day's value. This suite is UNEXCELLED for qual
ity. Figured black walnut, full dust proof cases. Sold (f* Y C/l CiCX
singly or "en suite." Groups upward from 1 OC/*C/C/
Over 75 pieces of ivory bedroom furniture is in stock at present. No
such thing as limited selection here. We have the goods and we have the
low price. Suite illustrated (with d*
full size bed) , . C/C/C/
SHERMAN FLAYS
WILSON, CALLS
HIM SUPERMAN
Illinois Senator Says Presi
dent Cannot Resent Lure
of the Limelight
Washington, Feb. s.—Senator Sher
man,'of Illinois, Republican, deliv
ered another address in the Senate
today assailing President Wilson and
his administration. He took the sub
ject "superman-government and self
government," nad asserted that the
President was a superman by virtue
of usurping authority.
Much of the speech was devoted to
an i ttack upon Henry Ford, who,
Senator Sherman said, was "an alleg
ed superman" because he invented an
internal combustion engine.
"he United States," said Senator
Sherman, "Is no longer a republic of
self-governed people. It is the rule
now of the alleged superman at tl.-e
head of a group or class aggregation
seeking their own advantage. Neith
er is it a government of law. It Is a
rule of .some men, selfish, greedy,
ambitious, Impractical and dreaming.
Others build a class despotism found
ed on spoliation. Another group
good lady gave us each a bowl of
sweetened milk.
Honestly I had had enough lux
uries that day to ruin my stomach,
but It somehow stood the shock, and
since that had been the first civilized
food I had had in a long while, you
can believe I slept well that night.
Yes, it was in a haymow, but I had
no kick coming,' for it was very
warm and soft.
(To be continued.)
about revolution and pillage unre
buked in public places."
Declaring that the nation "hovers
on the borderland between peace and
war," and pointing out that Ameri
cans are fighting and enduring hard
ships in many climes, Senator Sher
man continued:
"While they risk their lives an<f
endure hardships in alien lands, our
President spends nine weeks in cere
mony, banquets and visiting with
kings, the powers of the earth In
endless stately palaver. It Is the old
story of magnificence and misery, of
splendor and suffering, of selfishness
and sacrifice. While he coins new
phrases and chases infinite abstrac
tions into the empyrean heights of
impossible human yearnings, the Am
erican nation drifts. We drift in
Russia. We drift in Mexico. We
drift on the brink of war and peace.
We drift In industrial reconstruction.
We drift on domestic policies and in
ternal peace. The only definite goal
is profligate expenditure and huge
taxes. • • • •
"Nothing but the grossest of ego
tism took him to the peace confer
ence where no executive of any other
civilized power sits. He cannot resist
the lure of the limelight. The groups
to which he panders applaud, and the
average man looks on It silent, but
with undisguised disgust.
Film Co. Head Held
For Explosion that
Killed Twelve Persons
..Pittsburgh, Feb. s.—Joseph Ra
doon, president of the Keystone
Film Company is held by a coroner's
jury on a charge of manslaughter
in connection with the explosions
and fire in which twelve persons
lost their lives in the film exchange
building blaze in Penn avenue sev
eral weeks ago. Radoon testified
at the inquest yesterday that he
put lye into hot water to wash a
motion picture film previous to the
fire.
FEBRUARY 5, 1919.
Findings of Cours
Martial Being Review
By Expert Lawyers
By Associated Press
Washington, Feb. s.— George T.
Page, of Peoria, 111., president of the
American Bar Association. an
nounces that he had been informed
in conferences with Secrtary Baker
and Major General Crowder, the
Judge Advocate General, that re
views of all sentences passed under
findings of general courts martial
were being review by lawyers in the
Judge Advocate Genera.'s office.
"I understand," said Mr. Page,
"that it is the purpose of the War
Department to take up as fast as it
can be done in the manner indicated
the examination of all cases for the
purpose of determining whether the
sentences are unjust for uny rea
son."
SHIPBUILDERS COMING IIOME
Washington, Feb. 5.—0. R. Hart
wig, president of the Oregon State
Federation of Labor, asked the Ship
ping Board to assist in transporting
back to their homes approximately
5,000 workmen sent to the Pacific
coast during the war to building
wooden ships, contracts for which
have now been canceled.
I—Ford Delivery Bakery Body, $325.00
I—Ford Delivery Express Body, $350.00
I—Ford Touring Car, $350.00
These cars have been overhauled and in good run
ning condition.
CRISPEN MOTOR CAR CO.
103 Market Street
9-piece American Walnut Suite Queen Anne
style. February Sale 00
9-piece Solid Black Walnut Suite. Nothing finer,
built. Solid mahogany interiors. A rare value.
ptr ySale $295-00
Ivoty suite featuring new bowfoot bed and vanity
dresser. The four pieces as illus- O/ f\ /l/l
trated. February Sale Price . .
4-piece Walnut or Mahogany Suite, with panel
Bed (no posts). February Sale (P f
price, (Single or as a suite) ... *P
BIG SHOE B LIS
CAN BE CUT
"I will always wear shoes with Neelin
Soles," writes Mr. M. Newman of the
I. Newman Mfg. Co. of Minneapolis.
"Thpy are superior soles in every way,
waterproof, more comfortable and more
durable. After many months of wear
they remain in good condition."
Mr. Newman, and millions of others,
have found that the answer to the shoe
bill problem lies in getting soles that
wear a long time—Neelin Soles.
They are scientifically made, very
tough and yet have the other qualities
that soles should have—comfort and
absolute waterproofness. Get Nealin
soled shoes for your whole family.
They are found nearly everywhere and
in all styles. Have worn shoes re
paired with Neolin Soles. They are
made by The Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Company, Akron, Ohio, who also make
Wingfoot Heels—guaranteed to out
wear any other heels.
neoljnSoles
Genuine Imported Cir
casian Walnut Suite. The
last of this beautiful wood
available. February Sale
Price, 3-pieces,
$250
5