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Show j FIGHTING OFF MADNESS IN A GERMAN I I I DiSgUJttd player "I've ben l it lor two tolid Vioon uvl KaT- . Ill M-cn' Dn-EMMA' I out yetl" III -rjJ( piPE-CArvVfc 3 Mr" Friend "TW oohinl " V beo Wymj ff two feil" s N A dark dungeon of antiquity, t p. history records that a certain captive soldier kept himself from madness simply with two pins, which he threw on the J floor and found, again an1 acaln, making: a game of I:, "Sr there in the grim silence. Modern captive soldiers are better circumstanced. circum-stanced. At Ruhleben camp, in Prussia, near Span-dau Span-dau and Berlin, a camp magazine funnier than Punch and more lengthy than a double-priced holiday edition of Judge or Life Is published by the Englishmen Interned by tho Imperial Government of Germany. A copy of this bunch of smiles from the sad- lcst of men, under date of Christmas Just passed, has been sent to Louis Busch of St. Louis by his Interned nephew, William P. Buch, of London, ho. as a British soldier, was captured, with thousands of others, by the Germans more than a year ago. His father, fa-ther, native German, had been In business in London fifty ears v hen the war began, and lie offered his four sons for his adopted country. coun-try. One is a machinist In the British aeroplane aero-plane service, two others aro In the ranks. Ruhleben Camp Magazine makes a joke all tho way through of its enforced "'Rest-Life. ' (Ruhleben Is translated "Rest-Life" very' aptly.) apt-ly.) Tho frontispiece Is a bath cabinet. In which sits tho victim, long-bearded and longhaired long-haired no barber shops handy grinning, tightly bound with ropes, the while ho read over and over a small book, as ho satirically advertises this cabinet as a thing that "kills time and everything el-e." "Why go to tho Auswandererbahnhof ?" the cheerful prisoner asks The Last Christmas. "The Pipe-Carver's Dilemma" Is a cartoon of a Tommy Atkins grown bald-headed In tho barracks. Ho has carved three Christmases on his pipe. ' 1014, 1015, UU6," and there is n room for 'another. The camp poet pipes In verification: "Last Christmas" hear The old men say "We had good cheer, Last Christmas here. "And then next year We'll be away Last Christmas here," The old men say. Then a comic picture, "Patience." Illustrate a disgusted player at solitaire, who says to his camp friend. Tve been at It for two solid hours and haven't got out yet " "That's nothing," the friend replies, "1 ve been trying for two years." Ruhlobcn Camp Magazine Is "published occasionally." occa-sionally." the amusing cover page announces, and Its price Is "subject to fluctuation." Just now It costs &0 pfennigs, or a half mark This Christmas number, tho editor, C. G. Pemhcrton announces, has been dispatched to "different parts of tho world." lis staff consists of eighteen writers and nineteen artists. There was a Ido range of talent to choose from, as Ruhleben has had at ono time as many as 8000 Interned The paper used is superior to that seen In the average aver-age American magazine. The magazine was carefully censored, one may have no doubt, as it went through the Berlin presses of Preuss, printer by appointment to tbe royal court, but tho censor must have had a soul for Jollity Perhaps ho was glad that alt this fun had not been beaten out by tho more horrid things. Contains Long Play. The magazine contains an extended play. The Makeado, or Tho Town of Lhagerpu, which, It says, uas produced with great labour (noto tho English spelling) In a cubby-hole, and appears now for the first (and last) time In print." "Persons over 45 years of age," who have (Treat advantage as military prisoners, are among tho ridiculous dramatis personae of Tho Makea-clo, Makea-clo, along with "Chorus of Stiffs, Roustabouts, Eerlltz Professors, Ruined Rouletto Players, Youths of tho Period, Idle Rich, Ditto Poor, Philosophers, Assorted Lecturers and other Varieties Va-rieties of Camp Life " Tho tlmo Is "Tho Imperfect Present" A footnote adds. "Public performances permitted per-mitted but not recommended. Lyrics may be used (at singer's risk) at penny readings, bun- worries, on wet Sundays and on all occasions whon nothing better offers." "How would you recommend me to occupy my mind here0" asks one of the characters. "What an cxliaordlnary question'" says one "Just Ktop here long enough, and you won't have any," says another. "But what am I to do?" tho Inquirer persists- "You might become a barrack captain " to which the newcomer protests, "Oh, no, It's menial men-ial exercise I want " There Is a fling at tho absolutely temperati life of tho camp In tho parody song of tho young man who sang, "Water, hot water, hot water!" "And his youth, while in flower, fell into decay. And the last words on earth that his friends heard him say Were, 'Water, hot water, hot water. Trus does "Makeado' describe Interned camp life "We have a variety of old English gamen, such as baseball, lacrosse and pelota. The Infirm In-firm play golf; the young and athletic look on at football matches. Midday brings dinner assorted as-sorted delicacies fresh from tho tin, and underdone under-done homemade tart, washed down with lemonade. lem-onade. In the afternoon wo recuperate, when convalasccnco Is fully established go on the field and at fV-ilclr, g c-'A illr"" comes supper, followed by bed at 9." QF ouPl .foRT r ,EP$ ! "It must be an Ideal life." says tho Crank 'H C amp favorites appear in the illustrations. !,, i : i . Pis "Madrigal 1 and a genial face of tho j favored "forty-Avers" men over 45) Is Capl ' . II 1 Charles Browne. Besides tho orchestra th-rn ! i, Sw8Bf ! are theatrical performances, concerning which 3NEBr! one -.f the magazine's correspondents w rit.-s: iPffMPBp--' '' il "We surely have not quite forgotten how peo- SSffWrW il pie dress In England. Yet the gentlemen allow ' ' ' 11' i r i , : i IV I stylo of a suburban green grocer on a ban!; ' 11 holiday." ;. II Hero are a few of the "wheezes" which np- - 'JPj II ' pear In (-.sm-nti rr!o': ;B V -' -jf .1 B on football, the Y. M. C. A. and music: X ''. U "Pedestrian asks If golf is a sport or a dls- IIH 1 'I ease it is a religion." R I I ""Querist would like to know the meaning of Il 'original copy." So should we." i j "George Washington writes: 'I have never P 1 been so happy In my lifo as I am now.' Are ymj B II i quite sure your name Is George Washington?" . ' : , E CAPT "UH CHILES BBOWKE- Bnjf J j J -SUCH STUFF AS DREAMS ARE MADE OF ' fllf r""7iS7alM I 1 ' I 1 ' i I 1 1 f - ' jBBMF WSSfUKm m '1 ,; 'just tH If |
