The Democrat (Beaver, Okla.), Vol. 10, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 19, 1919 Page: 4 of 6
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IE"AMERICAN ORCHESTR.
ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR MUSICAL ORGANIZATIONS ON
CHAUTAUQUA.
f
on* wortd wwr .
nnaMomiBK maimer that lie kaa had
an experience that not one oat of
10,000 he* had Erne t was the only
Comanche county boy who wuh made
ti prixoner by the German*, excepting
Fay Ham. whom we ntlll flalin, al-
lhough he hain't lived here for «
few yearn Kay wuh alao a prlaoner
ut Itanlutt.
Chronic Constipation
I'erhapa you have never thought of
It, but thia dirorder ia due to a lack of
moiature in the reMidual matter of the .
food. If you will drink an abundance |
of waUr, eat raw fruita and take Iota
of outdoor eqeviae, you may be able
eventually to overcome it entirely. In
the meantime UBe the moat mild and
gentle laxatives. Strong and harah
cathartica take too much water out of
the ayatem and make a bad matter
worse. Chamberlain's Tableta are eaay
and pleaaant to take, and moat agree
able in effect. Give them a trial.
Why pay agents $">.00 to #7.00 for
picture frames when you can get them
ut the Way land Studio for from *a..V)
to $4.00, with free glaBs? tf-19 tf
Plenty of Supplier Plenty °< ExP*™""* helP
to do your
SHOE REPAIRING
and auto top WORK
Kennedy Shoe & Top Works
... H,*,r w-st of lat National Bank
"We have buve,. lor Good Wheel Und in
Beaver, Texas and Cimarron
Counties
Will be glad to hear Irorn owners ol land lor sale
with description and prices ol same.
WILLCOX INVESTMENT CO^
Woodward,
l
tz «'• .#<*' '
The American Orchestra has been tha outatandint
auucBss among nmaical companies for several years.
We cannot offer you a symphony orchestra. hut the in
itnunentatlon of the Amerkan Orchestra will admit the
rendition of such masterpieces a* Massanet'r "Neapo-
lltlan Htenes," Friedman's Russian Rhapsody," Saint
Harm's symphonic poem, "Spinning Wheel." and also
will play to entertain and be "up to the minute" with
up-todate popular music. Program of orchestral num-
bers, songa. vocal and instrumental aoloa, duetB and
trtoa.
The American Orchestra was assembled from the
foremost chain mqua companies and conservatories of
the United Stitea. Harold Buck, violin soloist and
director, was a pupil of the foremost teachers in Amei
i< a and abroad Me has directed the most successful
orchestras on the chautauqua today. Miss Oertrudf
Erickaon ta the most exceptional cornetiat in our coun-
try today Miss Jantette Shearer an artiat clarinetist
Miss Frances Mlorleyy. flutiat. six yeara in chautauqua
and Lyceum work, other artiata familiar to the chau-
tauqua audienefs. Lust day of chautauqua.
Three Months a
German Prisoner
Experience of Krncrt Wood, a Co-
manche ('utility Hoy Told In the
Cold water Western Htar
Ernest C. Wood, who arrived home
from France on May 1!!'. is not hup
whether Friday, the 13th. is unlucky*
or not. Last September his company
was in '/amines, a small French v 11
lage (or what was left of It) when
KrneHt and two other soldiers, one a
sergeant, were sent out on patrol
duty. They had been on duty most
of the night and when dawn came
they found themselves closer to the
"Jerrys" than they suspected. The
sergeant sent Finest and the other
soldier across a field when. Just as
dawn was breaking, the two wer<
suddenly surprised by some German
soldiers and told to throw away their
guns. They surrendered, but held on
to their guns, which made the (5er
mans mad. This was the morning
of Friday. September 13, ISMS. Tin-
Americans were questioned very
closely and threatened if they didn't'
tell the truth. Ernest says he expect
ed to be killed on being captured, but
for some reason he escaped that fate
When Ernest was asked how many
tanks they had, he said he didn't see
any. His pal, who was questioned
separately, said he saw 130 tank:-.
The German officer then grew very
angry and said, "Here ia where some
body gets his head blown oft if lie
doesn't tell the truth." The captured
men were marched through the Ger-
man lines between the ranks ol' thou-
sands of fine appearing German
troops. Ernest says that when h<
saw all of these men he figured that
the war would last for 20 years. At-
they passed through "the ranks the
Germans said "Merkann, Merkann."
Theae men were not like those who
were in the front lines then—old men
and bovs but were reserve troops
held back for the hardest fighting
Ernest and his pal were marched
until the middle of the afternoon,
when they were questioned and then
were hauled until after midnight in
an automobile. They expected to be
shot any moment during the first
two days. For ten days the boys
marched through the French towns
ou their way to Germany, anjl each
day they and the other American
prisoners who were added to their
number were brought before a per-
sonnel officer who questioned them.
A mounted guard accompanied the
unfortunate Americans and when
they lagged the guard prodded them
with a long sworcl or lance. For the
first two nights Ernest got no sleep
being kept awake by the personnel
officers, and the following eight
nights he rested what little he could
on the bare floor of vacant build-
11 The women and girls in the French
villages saw that the boys were
nearly famished and tried to give
them food, but the Germans took the
food awav from the boys and kept
the French back. But Ernest put one
over on the "Heinies." A French
Kirl threw him a lump of sugar and
he put it into his mouth before they
could take it away from him. That
lump of sugar and a small can ol
German "slum" <a mixture of barley
and meat) slipped to him by a Ger-
man private, was the only lood
Ernest had for 10 days, or until he
arrived at Rasatt. Germany. There
he, with 32 other Americans who had
been picked up along the way to
Germany, were placed in a large
prison camp covering dozens of acres
The camp was surrounded by a high
barbed wire fence outside of which
was a high stone wall. Most of the
prisoners were French aud Russian
men. It seemed to be the purpose ot
the Huns to weaken the morale ot
their prisoners by starving them
When Ernest was captured he w;<;
even heavier than when he left
Cold water to enter the service, and
when he reached Bastatt he was a
mere wrack of bones and too weak
to walk. He was cared for by other
American soldiers as best they could
for five days, when he could again
walk. If it had not been for Un-
American Red Cross he would likely
not have survived. At Rastatl that
organization sent each American
prisoner a box of rations each week
also necessary clothes, etc.
The issued food lor the prisoners
was soup twice a day and one-fifth
of a loaf of bread every 2 4 hours
The soup was made of cabbage leaves
and sometimes the stalk was ground
town would stick their tongues out
at t.he Comanche county prisoner ol
war and make remarks about him,
but if his employer was along she
would always stand up for him. The
German people with whom Ernest
w/.is thrown in contact feel that they
have won the war because the fight-
icig stopped before the Americans en
t< red Germany. As a rule they have
n o regrets for what Germany has
ana SOIIM'IIIIM'K ill*1 no MM wimi uciumuj """
up. potato peelings and other refuse (lone an(j while they treat the dough-
vegetables. and the bread, which was h OVH W0n, their spirit remains the
baked in loaves about four Inches [Vrtme
through and a fool long, was made Ernest was taken out of Germany
out of sawdust and potatoes, and I nd bftck to France by the Swiss gov-
weighed nine pounds to the loaf. eminent on December !t and he says
The Americans were placed togelli- n,at ibis was one of the happiest
er in a barrack and were given two
blankets each for cover. There was
' {
absolutely no medicine In the whole
camp and the sanitary ami hygienic
conditions were beyond description.
The American boys volunteered to
have physical drill and to comply with j
the orders of an officer who was a
prisoner, but the Russians, who are
as a rule ignorant, were filthy and as
a result the prisoners, especially the
Russians, died like flies. Every morn-
ing. Ernest said, in the barracks next
to Ms. from five to eight dead bodies
of Russians and Italians were laid
outside the door to wait till the wag-
on came along to take them away.
For nearly a month he lived in this
environment.
As soon as he was strong enough
Ernest was sent out to work on a
farm for an old woman. From then
on. conditions were much better. The
families for whom the prisoners
worked were responsible for them.
During the daytime the boys worked
in the fields or factories, and at
night they slept In a large building
under guard.
Ernest's work for the old German
woman was mostly in the fields. He
dug potatoes and sugar beet:; and
hilled theiu in. pulled turnips and
gathered the tobacco crop. This last
Job he was doing when the armistice
was signed. He also made sojne
"coffee" like that used in Germany
barley burnt till it was black. In the
little village where Ernest worked
the people were glad that the war
was over and the bells rang and
everyone went around shaking hands.
One morning the woman for whom
Ernest worked told him to hitch up
the old eow'and market the tobacco.
I-Ie went ahead and fastened the cow
to the wagon on one side of the
tongue as was the custom, and when
he had the wagon loaded be climbed (
up on the wagon and started for the
1 village The owner of the bovine
after much gesticulation and demon-
stration, explained how to guide the
cow, as no lines were used. As he
drove Old Brindle through the
streets of the little village Ernest
laughted until his sides ached think- I
lug how funny it would seem to the
folks at home to see him (hen. '1 he
people came to their doors to see
the mirthful prisoner and wondered
what was the matter with him.
wnen he reached "home" the woman
asked him what had happened to
hint as the people had told her of
his actions. He told her that in
America they never did anything like
that, but had motor trucks and horses
for such work, and she was very
much surprised, and then : he lahghed
to think of the difference in the two
countries.
Food was not very plentiful, ac-
cording to Ernest. Each morning a
man woud go around and announce
what vegetables must be eaten that
dav and the government took one-
hail the milk of the cow and gave it
to the poorer folk.
The Germans took what they chose
from the prisoners their clothes, j
their valuables or their equipment.
When he Oil into the hands of the
Germans. Ernest's uniform was cov-
with vellow clay, he having been
under fire for some time, which made
necessary the ducking in shell holes, j
etc . so none of his clothes were tak
en and as he had only three francs)
in his pocket they let him keep it.
For his work on the farm Ernest ,
was paid three marks a week, which |
in our money amounts to aboui 27
cents. Some of the women of the
rides he ever had. Ernest is back at
his old job again, clerking In Alder-
(Iice's store, and is gaining back the
«!0 pounds or more of flesh that he
Colorado Coal Production
Far Behind Output of 1919
Coal production in Colorado has (allen nearly 100,000 tons behind the
1918 production (or the first tour month ol 1919, according to the mon y p
of James Dlrymple, state coal mine inspector. Production from an. , o
1919, amounted to only 3,363,180 tons, as compared with 4,305, ^
same period a year ago. The state's coal mines were operated on y .
ota possible 120 and the number ol miners employed has decreased from more
than 14,000 to 12,656.
Better give your storage order in today and avoid a pos-
sible shortage and higher prices.
J. W. WEBB
At the Alva Elevator
A laugh at friend Husband's jokes is
worth two at the comic supplement.
Nothing tickles a man more than to feel
that he is witty and entertaining. And a
ready laugh is such an easy way to give
pleasure, and grease the wheels.
And speaking of giving pleasure and
greasing the wheels, you realize how much
the food helps in that direction, don't you?
IMPERIAL FLOUR smooths the well
known road to a man's heart. It does
make such good cake and bread and pies.
When you go to the grocers, remem-
ber Imperial.
Order
IMPERIAL
BY NAME
BEAVER FLOUR & FEED CO.
DISTRIBUTORS
IMPERIAL FLOUR can be obtained at all times at the fol-
lowing up-to-date stores:
D. A. CATES. Beaver
Beaver, Okla.
GRACE & CATES, LaK^mp
E. H. ELMORE, Balko
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The Democrat (Beaver, Okla.), Vol. 10, No. 3, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 19, 1919, newspaper, June 19, 1919; Beaver, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc236096/m1/4/?q=music: accessed June 12, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.