STRANGE, BUT TRUE!

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 201, 14 May 1918, Page 8

STRANGE, BUT TRUE!

FOUND, A "WHITE" GERMAN HUMANE PRISON CAMP DOCTOR Duo ot' the latest of war's surprises is discovery of a. German in Germany who is fair, kind, and chivalrous to the enemy. Hβ is Dr. Aschor, physician at the prison tamp of SeDiielnger, where ho so endeared himself tu the captives. Jlr. H. C. Mahoney, in "Sixteen Jlonths in Four German i'tisons," prefaces his book H-irli mi affidavit io tho effect that the experiences rein ted are all from his own observation and honestly set down. At tin , moment Germany and Great Britain were about, to clash in amis, Mr. Ma honey wns travelling toward Jlussia, where he. was to engage in scientific tcseiirches that involved the use or special and elaborate photographic apparatus, microscopes, optical' lantern, and other accessories. In the mad scurry of aliens from Genimny as war was declared he was arrested as a spy and'held at various times a prisoner (it Wesel, Senne■lnger, Klingelputz, and Rnhleben. At Scnnelager, the ''black hole of Germany," lie met the kindly physician. Dr. Ascher. Our guardian angel was l)r. Asclier, wlio was responsible for the clean bill of health among the. civilian prisoners. The soldiers were under a military surgeon, but owing to the arbitrary manner in which this official displayed his authority, and with which Dr. Asclier did not agree by any means, it v,;as the civilian doctor who ministered for the most part to Tommy's ills. The result was that his services were in almost universal demand, and the strenuous work and long hours which he expended on our behalf tvere very warmly appreciated. A short, sturdy, (thick-set man, fairir fluent in the English language, and of a cheery disposition, Dr. Asclier was a true and illuminating representative of his profession. His mission being frankly one of mercy, lie emphatically refused to acknowledge- the frontiers of races and tongues, poverty and wealth, education and ignorance. He was sympathetic to an extreme degree. •.Hid never once complained or proll'ered • any excuse when called urgently to exert a special effort on behalf of any man. Mr. Mahoncy was in extremely bad health as the result of his incarceration, and yet, because he had always "been used to an active life, found the tedium of lying , in bod all day unendurable. To trivo him something Io nccupy his mind Dr. Asclier appointed him and a few other Mivfliids to di> light work in cleanin? out the hospitals for tho recruits who were coming to Sennelager in the near future. Officially known as light work, cleaning hospitals was far from answering the description, though tho commandant, not the doctor, was to blame for this.

Enter the Bully. "The. tables, beds, chairs, and other portable fixtures." he writes, "had to )» taken iuto (he open air to receive a thorough scrubbing with water ami soft soap. We were given buckets, and were compelled to walk svme distance lo draw pupplies of water from the pump, to which place- wo nlso hud lo repair to throw away the. dirty liquid, so that wo were assured of an «xiictii>;.' lU.if! upon lwlli journeys." The unnvd tiipwvising us in this work Brii? a despicable young cub. lie was short and sliibby. 1 had one bout wi!h llii«= impcrliVnl: lilHo bounder which J do nnl. think lie will evor fm-Rct. It was the rosult of exnsperalion. and was precipitated rpon the spur of (he moment with subsequent disastrous results. "1 was carrying n .bucket of water back In ll,i> |iiini|i'l!'lhro«-!«»-ay and to secure a fre-sh simply. As T approached the pump, which w<\B near an rdjoining field, end over the fence of which some young irirls were leaning hiking In Iho spntry, T saw that they were having Rom<> fun at "my expense. T resented this innphtcr and WrTriiucnt, more rarticularly as 1 was feeling very seedy. The guard, to parade his (irsuiiiml nuthority before the. girls, drew himself to the. full height, of Fii.s .Wly-foiir inches or therbaboiits, threw out his eiVsl, i.nd r.s I. was about, to empty tbc bucket, roared in stentorian tones:

" "lake that back again!' " 'But I am going to fill the bucket with clean water,' I protested. "'Did you hear wh.it 1 said? 1 told you to lake- it back again!' to which he nddod an aftfirthoiijfht which I did not; understand, but which induced the girls lo burst uul laughing afresh ivith wad glee. "I ignored his instruction and ivna ahoultoturn out dm dirty contents. My temper, somewhat runted by illness and now very hasty, was rising rapidly. Ho moved forward and thundered:

■ "'Cannot you obey orders? Take it back again, I tell you!'

"I picked u]) Hid bucket as if to comply, and fl??i)ped back a paco or two. Then lifting it up 1 shouted back: '"I'll sec you damned first!' "With thus* words .1 hurled the contents over him. The water vw filthy. It caught; 'him full in the ftica and smothered him from head to foot, ne was so surprised at this unexpected sequel to his arrogant order thiit ho merely stood still, spluttering and cursing. Then he grabbed his rifle. At the 6amo moment T threw Car bucket ilsolf at him, catching him a nasty blow on tho shouldei. The girls who had been laughing at ire now .chaffed fliD discomfited epntry unmercifully, Foaming with rage and stearins terribly ho lowered his rifle to run njD through with the bayonet. A Mad Race. "It Vas mwlneis to argue iritn a bayonet*in the hands oi' »n infuriated German sentry. I turned and ffeu. Being long of leg, thin, and agile, I. ran with the swiftness of a, hare, while my pursuer being short-legged and tliiciv-set came trundling; after me like a carthorse. I tore toward tho hospital, vaulting over the chaire and tables, and darted in and out, with tho sentry, now beginning to blow hard from his unusual exertion, hot on my traii. In my mad rush 1 upset some of my companions, but they, ins.tantly guessing something unusual afoot as they (.aught sight of my flying coat-tailti and the heavy-fooled soldier charing me, at once entered into the spirit uf tho fun. "Iγ—, our humourist, was ono of. the party, .lumping on a table he commenced to yell frantically:

•• "'Sonnolager Derby! What's the odds! Twenty to one on Mahoney! Go if, Tubby! Christopher, but you'll never stay tho course!' 'The cries were taken up by the other fellows, and excitement grew furious, which only served to oxasperate my pursuer still more, t waa flying for dear life. 1 ltflftw very well, if that sentry got within bayonet reach of me, that my days were ended. Ho was seeing red with a vengcauce. Bound the hospital, iver the tables and chairs, I dnshcd as if boreft. I was looking for the Doctor. I had Ion? since lea rued that in the event of a disagreement with a eentrv it was wise to be first beside the ears of authority and to relate the Incident. The first version, whether from guard or prisoner, wns almost certain to be believed. "Once us I come tearing round tho hospital calling for one of tho medical officers, L and his companions, nowemulating the frenzied language and inannors of racecourse frequenters, and forming field glasses with their hands, were bawling at the tops of their voices:. "'Tottenham Corner! . Hooray! Mahoney wins!' , ■ "At that, moment I ran full till, not into Di , : Ascher as I had hoped, but against a young military doctor. T almost upset him in this spirited desperate obstacle race. "AVhat's the mutter now?' he asked in surprise. "As tliis young doctor had always proved to be a decent fellow I "stopped and rolnled my story. Jfe listened very attentively. " 'You had no business to do that!' he commented. 'You should have obeyed the order and then have reported it to me or 'ome cither officer to be redressed." " 'Well, he just about maddened me to tho limit!' "'No matter! It may be n serious thing for you. You shouldn't have thrown the dirty water over him. Tou'vo insulted the uniform!' "By this time my pursuer had ar-

rived. Ho was puffing heavily and his legs wero bent. Jlc could not have run another hundred yards even if a dozen battle-maddened Kilties had been after him. Catching sight of (he doctor Jir pulled himself to "ulteulion" as well as he could. I had to turn away to laugh. He presented the most ludicrous specimen of a German, soldier that I have ever witnessed. His face was as rod us a beetroot from his exertion, his eyes were wido open, while, his mouth was fully Bgape. He could nn'o utter a word as ho had losl liis breath, while being sodden from head to foot ho was commencing to steam merrily. 'When he had partially recovered his composure he related his version of the story in a meek tone no doubt liopinsr to excite P'^" , [But I noticed that the young medical officer had to bite his moustache to maintain a straight face and I think this practically saved the situation. "'Who gave you permission to give orders to prisoners:'" asked the officer severely. "The sentry's dismay at the- officer rounding upoii him was so complete that lie could cot venture an answer. _ '"Don't let it occur again or I'll report you!' continued the doctor, sternly 'Don't you know your duty is to obey orders and not to give them?' he thundered with an effort. Tho sentry, dismissed so unceremoniously, slunk away miserably and crestfallen. "When the soldier had .gone the oilicer turned upon me and lectured mo severely, though sympathetically, upon the enormity of my offence. While lie was speaking, Dr. Ascher sauntered up. and the incident, was related to him. Turning rome with' a gravity which 1 could tee was assumed, lie remarked: » "Mahoney, if you get up to such tricks again you'll get into serious trouble. You must never forget tho uniform!" "As I turned to resume work 1 noticed the two medical men having a hearty silent laugh over the whole affair, 'the younger man graphically defcribing the blown sentry and race as he 'had seen it." But Dr. Ascher did not let the matter rest, there. He reported the sentry for exceeding his orders, which was a serious offence because it affected the doctor's discipline over prisoners who were under his charge at the hospitals. All the reward and consolation the insolent cub received for his parade of assumed authority before his audience of girls was change- to another duty, coupled willi Keverb reprimand. Through Dr. Aseher's intervention the sentry was deprived of all opportunity to snatch a revenge upon me. Such action, however, were characteristic of Dr. Asclier. It was his love of fair play which ondeared him to every_ Britisher in the camp. Whenever one of us left: Sonuelager I here was no man from whom to part was such a wrench Or. Ascher. We all crew to .like and admire him to such a degree that it seemed to be parting from a very dear and old friend when we shook hands in farewell with him.