nd wide throughout Ruhleben as a
pattern for all others to copy. One and all of us would willingly have
emulated this attractive model--_if we had possessed the money to spend
upon luxuries!_ Barrack No. 2 is the domicile of the _elite_ and wealthy
of Ruhleben. The prisoners, flush of funds, have been permitted to
gratify every whim and fancy. They have expended large sums of money
upon the purchase of furniture and knick-knacks, the result being
favourably comparable with a smart and fashionable flat, that is if a
flat can be squeezed into a horse-box ten feet square!

The representative was solemnly assured that these barracks were only
typical of the other buildings in the camp. But had the American visitor
walked a few dozen yards upon his own initiative, to enter Barrack 3 or
5, he would have received a convincing demonstration of unprincipled
German lying. There the inmates were compelled, willy-nilly, to lie upon
the floor. At that time beds had not been served to more than one-half
of the prisoners.

During one of these visits the prisoners of Barrack 6 defied authority.
They had petitioned the officials incessantly to improve their quarters
but to no purpose. The cause for the greatest discontent was the
absolute lack of light. The loft was nothing more nor less than a "Black
Hole." On this occasion the tenants had been sent to barracks with the
strict injunction that they were not to come out again until the
ambassadorial inspection had been completed. But the prisoners were not
disposed to permit this deliberate hoodwinking of our protector to
continue indefinitely. The representative had been taken to a typical
[_sic_] barrack to observe the appointments and to satisfy himself
concerning the German efforts which had been made to render the tenants
comfortable. As usual he found no apparent justification for the
complaints which had been made.

He was being escorted to inspect some new latrines which had recently
been completed. To reach the latter point he had to pass Barrack 6, in
which the boys were on the alert to seize the opportunity for which they
had been waiting quietly. When the representative was but a few yards
distant up went the shout in unison, "Come and see our barrack! Come and
see our barrack!"

The guards endeavoured to smother the hail, but for once they were too
slow. The representative heard the cry, stopped, and doubtless impressed
by the vehemence of the invitation, expressed his i