A captive at Carlsruhe and other German prison camps, with numerous illustrations by the author . hievous one morningto arrange that it commence its erratic riotat an open window immediately the word Achtung ! from the Feldwebel announcedthe arrival of the Commandant on parade. The scheme worked beyond wildest imagin-ings. One blow from the hammer upon the oldcoulter, and we tumbled out—and fell with the second stroke the doorof the Commandants room opened, and heemerged, for aU the world after the fashion ofthe little male figure which used to issue fromthe old-fashioned wea
A captive at Carlsruhe and other German prison camps, with numerous illustrations by the author . hievous one morningto arrange that it commence its erratic riotat an open window immediately the word Achtung ! from the Feldwebel announcedthe arrival of the Commandant on parade. The scheme worked beyond wildest imagin-ings. One blow from the hammer upon the oldcoulter, and we tumbled out—and fell with the second stroke the doorof the Commandants room opened, and heemerged, for aU the world after the fashion ofthe little male figure which used to issue fromthe old-fashioned weather-house when theday promised fine, or foul, I forget was certainly to be foul this morning. ^^ Achtung / ^^ We came to the salute,and simultaneously there came a burst ofmirthful music from the window. The effecton the Commandant was electrical. He RAGGING THE COMMANDANT 165 shook his fist at the open window, and intwo or three seconds had as many convulsedsentries tearing up the stairs to stop theribald strains. Meanwhile, with thumpingof timpani, drum-tap, cat-call, cock-crow,. CARICATURE OF THE CAMP a Rumanian officer. whistle, and motor-horn, the gramophoneground out its litany, until at last it waspulled up with a jerk. The Commandanthad the instrument commandeered andsequestered in the tower, but later, yieldingto the plausibiHties of Lieut, D., he returned 166 A CAPTIVE AT CARLSRUHE it. I think I like theatre better in themorning, was the new interpreters mere sight of our somewhat carelessparade seemed sometimes sufficient to throw fthe Commandant into a frenzy. One morn-ing a Lieutenant was caught smoking by theold man, who swung his arms furiously, andpassed sentence of three days confinementin the tower. To reheve the tedium theprisoner must have taken a flute with him,for towards evening melancholy notes floatedfrom the barred window, the air being TheClose of a Perfect Day ! ii His Excellency Wishes | On a certain day in Augu
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectworldwar19141918
