The Amazing Wilmer Dooley Dewitt Fowler download

https://ebookbell.com/product/the-amazing-wilmer-dooley-dewitt-
fowler-8377170

Explore and download more ebooks at ebookbell.com

Here are some recommended products that we believe you will be
interested in. You can click the link to download.

The Amazing Iroquois And The Invention Of The Empire State John C
Winters

https://ebookbell.com/product/the-amazing-iroquois-and-the-invention-
of-the-empire-state-john-c-winters-47573646

The Amazing Woodgas Camping Stove Paul Andrulis

https://ebookbell.com/product/the-amazing-woodgas-camping-stove-paul-
andrulis-47775668

The Amazing True Strory Of How Babies Are Made Fiona Katauskas

https://ebookbell.com/product/the-amazing-true-strory-of-how-babies-
are-made-fiona-katauskas-49190832

The Amazing Way To Reverse Heart Disease Naturally Beyond The

Hypertension Hype Why Drugs Are Not The Answer 2nd Edition Eric R
Braverman Md

https://ebookbell.com/product/the-amazing-way-to-reverse-heart-
disease-naturally-beyond-the-hypertension-hype-why-drugs-are-not-the-
answer-2nd-edition-eric-r-braverman-md-50252358
The Amazing World Of Englishes A Practical Introduction Peter Siemund
Julia Davydova Georg Maier

https://ebookbell.com/product/the-amazing-world-of-englishes-a-
practical-introduction-peter-siemund-julia-davydova-georg-
maier-50987414

The Amazing Story Of Lise Meitner Escaping The Nazis And Becoming The
Worlds Greatest Physicist Andrew Norman

https://ebookbell.com/product/the-amazing-story-of-lise-meitner-
escaping-the-nazis-and-becoming-the-worlds-greatest-physicist-andrew-
norman-51457718

The Amazing History Of Element Names Pierre Avenas Minhthu Dinhaudouin

https://ebookbell.com/product/the-amazing-history-of-element-names-
pierre-avenas-minhthu-dinhaudouin-51811202

The Amazing Bud Powell Black Genius Jazz History And The Challenge Of
Bebop Guthrie P Ramsey

https://ebookbell.com/product/the-amazing-bud-powell-black-genius-
jazz-history-and-the-challenge-of-bebop-guthrie-p-ramsey-51821012

The Amazing Adventures Of Bob Brown A Reallife Zelig Who Wrote His Way
Through The 20th Century Craig Saper

https://ebookbell.com/product/the-amazing-adventures-of-bob-brown-a-
reallife-zelig-who-wrote-his-way-through-the-20th-century-craig-
saper-51827668
Discovering Diverse Content Through
Random Scribd Documents
crawling—even our tongues, were curling back into our mouths; but we set
our teeth and crawled on, in spite of the cramp.
“We must succeed, we must beat the Boches! Gad! how sick they’ll be if
we get over! But shall we? Thank God, the people at home don’t know we
are hunted beasts, and they can’t see the danger we are in; but you see it all,
you old moon up there—you can see the dangers in front—you who see all
the doings of the night, what does fate hold in store?—you with the
tantalising smile, so cold and aloof! I’d swear at you, if I wasn’t afraid of
you. Please don’t stare so.”
Presently the moon sank behind a big cloud, and my friend and I were
able to rise to our feet and walk slowly forward. The relief of being able
once more to stretch our legs was intense. This did not last very long,
however, as we suddenly caught the sound of a man’s footsteps pacing
evenly upon some hard and ringing substance. Instantly we were on our
knees in the heather. Where on earth could the man be? There was no road
of any sort, as far as we had been able to see before the moon had sunk
behind the clouds. On every side of us was an unbroken expanse of heather,
yet the sound of somebody walking was unmistakable, and grew more
distinct as we crawled nearer. We were absolutely puzzled, when, looking to
our right, I saw another beacon light, perhaps one hundred yards away.
Somebody was smoking, and the smoker was moving. At first he seemed to
be coming towards us; but as our position could not be bettered by
advancing or retreating, we decided to stay where we were, cowering down
amongst the heather.
After a little while we decided that the light was moving away from us,
to suddenly disappear altogether. Cautiously we crawled forward again, the
sound of pacing growing so distinct that it seemed as if it could not be more
than a few feet away. Suddenly, without any warning, the two of us found
ourselves looking down into a sunken road, about forty feet deep and
perhaps one hundred and twenty feet across, into which we must descend,
down a steep sandy bank, to the hard surface of the road beneath. The sound
of some one pacing puzzled us no longer; for there, not ten yards away, was
a small hut, right in the middle of the sunken road, on the other side of
which somebody was pacing up and down. We could not see the man, but
we could distinguish when he was walking towards us, when he stopped,
and when he was walking in the opposite direction.
 Again we were disturbed by the sound of something moving roughly
through the heather behind us. We were now threatened on both sides, so
that immediate action was necessary. To slide down into the road, we
waited till the sentry was apparently walking away from us, and then let
ourselves head-first down the sandy slope. I dug my nails and toes into the
sand, but the descent was too steep. Swish! and I found myself lying by the
side of the road, waiting for my partner to follow suit. Swish! and he too lay
beside me. For a moment we listened to hear if the sentry was on his return
beat—we could not be sure. In that moment of waiting the moon came out
again clear and bright, and the steps of the sentry were coming nearer and
nearer. He could not fail to see us; our dark bodies against the glistening
white of the road must stand out in relief. We lay still, hardly breathing. In a
moment he would see us—perhaps he had done so already; he was taking
aim, and we waited for the bullet. Oh the suspense of the moment! Slowly
—it seemed ages—he advanced, and then we heard him swing round, and
he was walking away again. Immediately we wormed our way on our
stomachs across the road, and attempted to climb the other side in silence;
but it was steep and sandy, similar to the side we had just come down, and
for every two feet we went up we came down one.
Once more the sentry was on his return journey, which forced us to be
silent again; but this time it was not so easy, as we were on the slope. In
vain we dug our hands and feet into the sand; we slipped down slowly but
surely, inch by inch. He could not fail to hear the slipping sand, or so we
thought; but he didn’t, and on his again walking away from us we
scrambled up, regardless of the noise we made. Still he seemed to hear
nothing, but we gained the top in safety.
As soon as we got our breath, and had time to survey our new position,
we found, to our surprise, that we were lying beside a new railway track
under construction. Directly up against us was a large heap of flint-stones,
evidently for use on the track. To pass over this, without dislodging a single
flint, would be impossible. However, get over it we must, and we finally
managed to cross without making very much disturbance; but it was no joke
for me, without any boots on. Once over the other side, we hurried across
the track. In front of us was a large shed, evidently used for stores and tools,
as there were several wheelbarrows about. Fearing there might be a night
watchman
of some sort, we started to skirt round it to the right, and had not cleared the
track more than a few feet when we practically ran into the arms of a sentry.
Whether he saw us first or we him I do not know. He wasn’t more than
forty yards away, only a small hedge separating us from him.
We were fairly caught. Immediately I grabbed my friend’s arm, and
walked him straight up to the tool-shed, knocking at the door. The sentry
was walking rapidly towards us. At the moment I knocked he called “Halt!”
at which the two of us doubled round the shed on the other side, putting it
between him and us. Twice we heard him frantically yell “Halt!” but we had
seen a tall hedge to our left, running in the direction we were making for. To
this we sprinted, and kept on running under its shadow, till we dropped for
want of breath. Every moment we expected to hear the whiz of a bullet, but
evidently we had shaken him off.
It was now pitch-dark, the moon having disappeared for good, for which
we were very thankful. But before we had recovered our breath sufficiently
to press on again, the silence of the night was rudely broken by the sound of
six shots, fired in quick succession. This firing must have been half a mile
to our right, but in the stillness of the early morning it sounded very much
nearer. Alas! in our own extremity of the moment, we had forgotten the
other pair of escapers. Fortunately we never connected these shots with our
late comrades, or the knowledge would certainly have caused us great
anxiety for their safety.
Very soon we felt sufficiently recovered to go on, also we were anxious
to get farther away from the sentry who had so nearly taken us, fearing that
he might be putting dogs on our track, although we calculated that we must
now be out of danger, even if we were not actually over the frontier, since
we had passed two lines of guards in the broom, and now this last line
which we had just got through. The Germans could not possibly have more
than three lines, as they were too badly in need of men at the front, or so we
thought, to be able to waste them guarding the frontier.
Slowly and painfully—for we were very nearly at the end of our tether—
we made our way eastward through a thinly planted wood, on the other side
of which we traversed a large area of plough. We felt so certain that we
were over and safe that we actually began to discuss the fact, without
troubling to lower our voices very much. Suddenly a man called “Halt!”
Looking to our left, we saw a figure bearing down on us. He could not have
been more than twelve yards away, or we should not have seen him in the
darkness. “Come on!” and we were running over plough for dear life.
“Halt!” On we raced. Then his first shot rang out. What a wicked crack it
made, as the bullet struck the ground somewhere by my feet! I was doing
better time than I had ever done on the wing in my footer days, and then the
second bullet came just under my nose. I could feel the rush of air on my
mouth. His third shot passed a foot or two above my head.
Where was my companion? A fourth shot and a heavy fall some distance
behind me. “My God! they’ve got him!” Should I stop? No! it is each for
himself now—that was understood. Then another shot rang through the
night, somewhere a long way behind. The sentry was finishing my friend.
Horrible! Still on I flew, to suddenly fall head over heels into a ditch. I was
too done up to go any farther, and lay gasping for breath; but the spirit of
self-preservation is a hard one to break, and before long I was calculating
what I must do next. The light of dawn would soon be upon me. I must get
to a better hiding-place for the coming day.
What’s that moving towards me? Is it my fancy? No. By gad! it’s a man,
and he’s moving so slowly it must be the sentry; he is looking for me. He
will walk almost on top of me. All right, my friend; if you miss me by a
foot, I’ll strangle you from behind. The figure came on, was beside me; in a
flash I was on his back and had laid him out. A familiar groan. Good
heavens! it was my companion. I almost cried over him, but his temper had
gone with the blow I had given him, and it was some time before he would
have anything to do with me.
“I followed you as best I could,” he gasped, “and I thought I had lost
you, and I haven’t the faintest idea where I am. That brute turned on to me
after he had given you the first three. The first one hit me just under the heel
and laid me flat, but I got up and rushed in the direction I thought you had
taken. Then he fired again, but it was miles behind me.”
When my friend had sufficiently recovered his breath we started off
again, and after a few hundred yards entered a region of decayed woods.
Here we experienced great difficulty in advancing, owing to our exhausted
condition, caused by the lack of food and the extreme cold. Continually we
tripped over the stumps of trees in our path, to go sprawling full length over
the other side, only to pick ourselves up in a dazed determination to press
forward as long as any strength remained in us. Time after time we crashed
to the ground in our blind progress, until finally the two of us fell over at
the same spot, where we eventually decided to rest till the coming of dawn,
which was just about to break.
Whilst we were resting it was gradually borne in upon us that we were
not alone in the wood, as we could hear something rustling up to us through
the undergrowth. As yet it was some distance away. Instinctively we got to
our feet and stumbled on again, a little refreshed by our short rest. Once or
twice we stopped in order to find out if we were being pursued, and
discovered that every time we halted the person behind did the same.
Evidently he must be trying to get our position by the noise we were
making as we passed through the undergrowth, the fact of which he seemed
to have taken full advantage, for it appeared to us that he was very much
nearer than when we had first heard him.
Somehow we managed to move forward at a faster pace than we had
done hitherto, and in doing so we passed through a small clearing, in which
we noticed some bundles of cut faggots, and the idea struck me that they
might possibly help us to evade our pursuer. Hurriedly seizing one or two of
these faggots, we plunged into the undergrowth on the far side of the
clearing; then stopped to get the direction of the man behind, who in his
turn stood still, as soon as he discovered we were not moving. I then swung
one of the heaviest faggots to our left, right over the top of the bushes.
Immediately it landed the man started off in the direction of the noise it had
made as it fell through. In the meantime we remained silently crouching in
the bushes. Eventually we heard the man, or whatever it was, pass us to the
left in the direction where I had thrown the faggot, and we heard no more of
him.
It was broad daylight before we moved on again, and found that we had
been resting within a few yards of the edge of the wood. In front of us there
was an expanse of plough, but quite different to what we had previously
seen. Here the fields were neatly trimmed; hedges divided one field from
another; also the furrows were more regular, and not so far apart. My
companion and I discussed the fact, and decided that it did not look at all
like the work of the Boche, which led us to believe that we were really over
at last. So we were, and had been for a couple of miles past, though of
course we had no means of knowing it. We heard afterwards that the man in
the wood to whom we had given the slip was a Dutch sentry. Oh! if we had
only known it, we should most certainly have hugged him round the neck,
and probably asked him for something to eat: not that we were in the least
hungry; we had long ago passed that.
At the end of one of these ploughed fields we were brought to a halt by a
broad ditch about thirty feet across, on the other side of which was a
railway line. How on earth were we to get over this? Personally I sat down
in despair, wondering in a dazed sort of way who put the beastly ditch there.
My friend scouted to right and left for a bridge, but found nothing. On
returning to me, he noticed that I was sitting on a long pole.
“Buck up, old man! that’s the very thing we want,” he said. “We can
pole-jump it.” And so we did.
On the far side of the railway track we reached a small village, situated
on a big main road. Crossing the road, we saw a line of trees running north
and south as far as eye could see—beyond the trees a long white line, of
what appeared to be mist. As we approached we discovered it to be a river.
When we reached its margin, it was found to be about three hundred yards
across.
“It’s the Meuse!” I shrieked, “and we’re over, man. We have been over
three miles, and didn’t know it. Do you understand, you blockhead? We’re
over! we’re free! we’ve escaped!”
 Then I for one sat down and cried like a child. Very soon my companion
decided that we must swim to the other side.
“Swim over that, in our condition! You must be mad! I tell you the
Meuse does not run into Germany anywhere within a hundred miles of
where we are.”
“Well,” he replied, “it will be safer the other side,” and he started to take
his coat off.
“Don’t be a blithering idiot; you couldn’t swim that even if you were fit
and strong. However, go ahead, old thing! I’ll watch you drown. I’m
perfectly content to lie here for ever and ever.”
 CHAPTER XVI

LIBERTY AND BLIGHTY!

And so the two of us lay and wondered at it all, until we heard the bells of
some church far up the river strike the hour of seven.
“Look here, old man, we’re getting stiff again; we must push on to some
place or other.”
Accordingly we walked northwards, hugging the river-bank, and after
about an hour’s tramp we came to the outskirts of V——. Passing through
that part of the town which lies on the east bank, we arrived at the great
bridge. Over this we started to make our way, feeling that we should like to
put the river between ourselves and the enemy. In the middle of the bridge
we were halted and questioned by the Dutch guard. When we declared that
we were two British officers just escaped from Germany, the Dutch N.C.O.
looked rather doubtful. As he did not speak either German or French we had
some difficulty in convincing him. Certainly our appearance was not very
reassuring. My companion did not look so bad, though his clothes were
badly torn, and he was covered with slime from head to heels; but his field-
boots were field-boots, and should have commanded attention. As for
myself, I was a horrible-looking sight; and, to make things worse, my socks
were worn through, disclosing cut and bleeding feet.
After about ten minutes’ wait on the bridge one of the sentries was told
off to take us to the Casern, or barrack-room; so we were conducted back to
the east side of the bridge. Here we were told that the officer in charge was
not up, but he would be immediately informed of our arrival. Within a
minute or two the officer himself came to welcome us, and ushered us into
his bedroom, where he was completing his toilet.
What a splendid welcome that Dutch officer gave us! With his own
hands he took off my socks and washed my feet, smearing the sore cuts
with some stuff which he seemed to have great faith in. Finding that my
friend’s boots were too much for him, he called in a couple of his orderlies,
who managed, after a great deal of pulling, to remove them from his
swollen feet. Then the Dutch officer bustled about, ordering breakfast for
us. What would we like? Eggs and bacon, of course! All the English liked
that.
“Yes, my cook does them beautifully; you shall see.”
Then he made us take off our clothes and wash; clean shirts and vests
were supplied from the officer’s wardrobe; and, finally, he rang up the
military doctor, and informed him that he had a couple of bad cases. All the
time he bustled about helping us here and there, and never seemed tired of
informing us what fine fellows we were, to which of course we both agreed.
When the breakfast arrived, he hovered around us like a hen with her
chicks, but we were hardly able to eat anything. With great difficulty we
managed to swallow an egg, more to please the good fellow than anything
else.
Soon after breakfast the doctor arrived, and we were hustled off to the
hospital in a cab. Here we were treated like princes. Nothing was too good
for us. It was nice to be fussed over and taken care of, after being neglected
so long, and we thoroughly appreciated their kindness. First we had a very
hot bath. Oh the luxury of having a real bath once more! After the bath we
went off to bed and slept the clock round. Another bath, heaps to eat, and
more sleep! The doctor said we must stay until we felt strong enough to
make the journey to Rotterdam. When was the next train, we asked. Oh, in a
few hours. Well, we felt strong enough now for Rotterdam, and as soon as
may be England, and then home.
And so that morning we left V—— and all the kind friends we had
made, and journeyed to Rotterdam, accompanied by another Dutch officer,
travelling in first-class Pullman carriages. On our arrival we were handed
over to the British Consulate. Everybody there was kindness itself;
arrangements were made for us to buy civilian clothes, and before very long
we were completely fitted out.
From Rotterdam we were removed to The Hague (pending a British boat
to take us to England), where the British Ambassador and his wife made us
welcome at the Embassy. Here again nothing was too good for us, and we
shall always remember the great kindness they showed us, which affected
me deeply after our terrible experience.
And then the great day arrived when we actually set our feet in England
once more!
 But what would England be like? How had she stood the strain of nearly
three years’ war, with an expenditure of nearly eight millions a day? That
such a stupendous sum had been gathered from the resources of our Empire,
without the fear of immediate bankruptcy, only filled us with a joyous pride
for the race to which we belonged. But what of the toll of blood and bone?
Was that as frightful as it had been represented to us? Not that we had been
really influenced by The Continental Times, or any other paper which the
German Government propagated amongst the allied prisoners of war, as
part and parcel of their general system of persecution; for the German is a
master of mental as well as physical agony. But these papers, which were
our only source of regular news, had laid the foundation of a doubt, deep
down within our hearts, that perhaps all was not quite so well with those at
home; for when day followed day, and weeks grew into months, and
months into years, and no appreciable advance had been made by the
Entente, it would take a very hero of optimism, if not a fool, to remain
absolutely free from the canker of doubt. In existing circumstances it was
impossible to calculate how long we must continue to live as exiles, under
these apalling conditions. We dare not look for the speedy return of peace,
for an early peace would mean the cause of the Entente was lost, the
triumph of wrong over right, which must surely be impossible; and so the
prisoners made it their duty to laugh, and say “Oh! three or four years
longer,” when asked surreptitiously by some German soldier or other as to
how long the war would go on.
I wonder if the people at home ever realise that the prisoners in Germany
number amongst their ranks some of the greatest heroes of this war. On the
battlefield the heroes, or at least some of them, are recognised, and
rewarded accordingly; but the exile is never known, though he fights
against far more hopeless odds; for him there is no chance—all is at an end.
Fine deeds are done in the heat of action, when the excitement of the
moment gives the spur to many a noble act; but it takes a braver and more
steadfast spirit to pass smiling and cheerful through the endless stunted and
hopeless days of a prisoner’s life, to cheer up those of our comrades who
have for the moment fallen into the slough of despondency, and to harass
the German guards at every turn in the matter of attempted escape, since if
the prisoners were peaceably quiescent the number of their guards would be
reduced, thus freeing so many more men to go and fight against their
brothers on the front. The more escapes, the more guards necessary to
prevent them, the more electric lights or oil lamps to show up the designs of
the escapers by night, the continual supply of coal and oil necessary to feed
these lights, slowly but very surely help to drain the resources of the
Boches. This can be more easily seen when it is realised that the combined
allied prisoners in Germany run into millions.
There are those who might say that the amount of coal and other things
used for the exterior lighting of camps could not be a serious item. Very
true. But, however small, it all counts, and it is the only way that a prisoner
can help to do his bit. If he tries to escape he is punished, sometimes very
severely; but he accepts it as part of his lot, because he feels that the more
men placed to guard him, the less men there will be to fill active positions. I
have met many people in this country since my return who don’t believe—
or more probably don’t want to believe—that the life of a prisoner is as bad
as some of us make out. All I can say is, I wish they could try it for
themselves. Let them put up with the pestilential insanitary filth and the
nauseating stench of camps without any sort of drainage; the bitter cold of
the long winter without adequate warmth; the daily slaving of cooking
tinned food and washing up greasy plates in freezing water afterwards; the
difficulty of cleansing underlinen without the necessary utensils to wash it
in; the mental torment of being without any authentic information of the
fortunes of war or of the fate of those dear to us, whilst the flag-posts with
which every camp is fitted are periodically gaily beflagged with enormous
military banners flaunting some great German victory which the Boche
sentries seldom lose the opportunity of sarcastically pointing out! Lucky
indeed is the town or village which boasts of a Kriegsgefangenen—
prisoners’ camp! To be inspected on Sundays as curious and despicable
animals behind a wire cage by the German populace, decked out in holiday
attire for the occasion, who mock and gaze through field-glasses at one’s
face or the legs of those wearing kilts, shouting lewd remarks as the animals
march up and down their confined exercise-ground; to have one’s precious
letters from home the subject of offensive remarks from German officers
attached to the camp,—these are only a few of the more outstanding
troubles that a prisoner must bear with a smiling face.
Had the Boche in the beginning started by treating his prisoners with the
respect and honour which is their due according to The Hague Convention,
it would still be the duty of every prisoner to make his escape, if possible;
but then the offensive spirit would have ended, for a holder of the King’s
Commission must carry out the spirit in which that commission is given—
the path of duty, even unto death, in whatever circumstances that path may
lie. But taking into consideration the unscrupulous character of the enemy,
as shown by the treatment of his prisoners, it is the duty of each able-bodied
officer and man to carry out the offensive spirit in every way possible.
Some of the men have been magnificent, and have carried this spirit to the
highest possible heroism.

But to return to our impressions as the train gradually bore us to London

from the port at which we had disembarked from Holland. Everything
seemed to be as of yore. The long rolling fields bounded by broad hedges,
the picturesque farms nestling in hollows, with fat cattle grazing over every
hill-top, the wonderful soothing green of the general landscapes, brought a
heavy sigh of content to be back in it all again. Everything seemed as if we
had just left it. On the platform we saw numbers of men of military age.
Surely things must be going pretty well, or all these men would be in
uniform, they would have been called up long ago; or were they still
playing at conscription in the matter of exemptions? Perhaps all these were
shirkers, who did not know of or did not care for the great need of the
Motherland in her dire distress, who had pitted herself in her unreadiness, in
the cause of honour and right, against the greatest military nation on earth,
organised to the last man, and beyond that again.
Soon we arrived in London, to report ourselves immediately to the War
Office. But London amazed and appalled us. She was so vast. Taxi-cabs,
motor-buses, and pedestrians thronged the streets as never before, or so it
seemed to us. We hesitated to cross the street, the traffic seemed so
dangerous and formidable. We were hustled off the pavement by constant
streams of people going this way and that, none of whose faces seemed to
spell war. One saw practically no people in mourning, whilst in Germany
one sees them everywhere. Men in uniform passed by in thousands.
Tommies looking at the sights and standing in groups at the street corners—
why, there must be enough men in uniform here to form an army! Surely, if
we were in need, these fellows would all be out at the front. Things must be
going very well, and we had heard nothing but a piece of colossal
impertinence. And so we more or less found it to be.
 Every hotel seemed crammed; it was impossible to get in anywhere. The
theatres, too, were running at high pressure; one must book seats weeks
beforehand. In fact, everything looked as if there was no war going on at
all, and yet organisation relative to war was evident at every turn; and we
began to feel a great relief. The Old Country was big enough to give her
utmost to the war and yet carry on her life of business and gaiety at the
same time. This was our proud but foolish idea when we first returned to
London.
In conclusion, I would like to add that there is not a word in the whole of
these experiences which can harm in any way whatsoever the prisoners still
remaining in Germany. In the few descriptions of escapes, attempted
escapes, or other instances contrary to enemy regulations which I have
recorded, and in which others have participated, there is not a single one of
them left in Germany. They are mostly in Holland or Switzerland, and a
good many of them are actually at home here in England. I could have
made my tale vastly more interesting and exciting if the war were at an end.
If I have given the reader an interesting half-hour, and have satisfied his
or her curiosity as to the real conditions under which a prisoner of war
labours in Germany, I shall feel that I have been justified in writing these
experiences.

Printed in Great Britain by Hazell, Watson & Viney, Ld., London and
Aylesbury.
 *** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MY GERMAN
PRISONS ***

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will
be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S.

copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in
these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it
in the United States without permission and without paying
copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of
Use part of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™
concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark,
and may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following
the terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use
of the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything
for copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is
very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as
creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research.
Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given
away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with
eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject
to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.

START: FULL LICENSE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
 PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free

distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or
any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
Project Gutenberg™ License available with this file or online at
www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and

Redistributing Project Gutenberg™
electronic works
1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg™
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree
to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in your
possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
Project Gutenberg™ electronic work and you do not agree to be
bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund
from the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in
paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be

used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people
who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a
few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg™ electronic
works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.
See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with
Project Gutenberg™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this
agreement and help preserve free future access to Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.
1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the
Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the
collection of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. Nearly all the
individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the
United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law
in the United States and you are located in the United States, we do
not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing,
performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the
work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of
course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg™
mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely
sharing Project Gutenberg™ works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg™ name associated
with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this
agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its attached
full Project Gutenberg™ License when you share it without charge
with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also
govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most
countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the
United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the
terms of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying,
performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this
work or any other Project Gutenberg™ work. The Foundation makes
no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in
any country other than the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other

immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must
appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™
work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears,
or with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is
accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed:
 This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you
are not located in the United States, you will have to check the
laws of the country where you are located before using this
eBook.

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is derived

from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a
notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright
holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the
United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must
comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through
1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project
Gutenberg™ trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is posted

with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
will be linked to the Project Gutenberg™ License for all works posted
with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning
of this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project

Gutenberg™ License terms from this work, or any files containing a
part of this work or any other work associated with Project
Gutenberg™.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this

electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1
with active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg™ License.

1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form,
including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you
provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg™ work
in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in
the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg™ website
(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or
expense to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or
a means of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original
“Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must
include the full Project Gutenberg™ License as specified in
paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,

performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg™ works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing

access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works
provided that:

• You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive
from the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the
method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The
fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark,
but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty
payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on
which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your
periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked
as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information
 about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation.”

• You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who

notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt
that s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project
Gutenberg™ License. You must require such a user to return or
destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
Project Gutenberg™ works.

• You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of

any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in
the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90
days of receipt of the work.

• You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™

electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of
the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set
forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend

considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe
and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating
the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may
be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to,
incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a
copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or
damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer
codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for

the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph 1.F.3,
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the
Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party distributing a
Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this agreement, disclaim
all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR
NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR
BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH
1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK
OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL
NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT,
CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF
YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you

discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving
it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by
sending a written explanation to the person you received the work
from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must
return the medium with your written explanation. The person or
entity that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide
a replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work
electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to
give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in
lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may
demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the
problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO
OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied

warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted
by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation,

the trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation,
anyone providing copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in
accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with
the production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg™
electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses,
including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the
following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or
any Project Gutenberg™ work, (b) alteration, modification, or
additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg™ work, and (c) any
Defect you cause.

Section 2. Information about the Mission

of Project Gutenberg™
Project Gutenberg™ is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of
computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.
It exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and
donations from people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the

assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg™’s
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg™ collection will
remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a
secure and permanent future for Project Gutenberg™ and future
generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help,
see Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at
www.gutenberg.org.

Section 3. Information about the Project

Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non-profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service. The Foundation’s EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state’s laws.

The Foundation’s business office is located at 809 North 1500 West,

Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up
to date contact information can be found at the Foundation’s website
and official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact

Section 4. Information about Donations to

the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation
Project Gutenberg™ depends upon and cannot survive without
widespread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can
be freely distributed in machine-readable form accessible by the
widest array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many
small donations ($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to
maintaining tax exempt status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating

charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and
keep up with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in
locations where we have not received written confirmation of
compliance. To SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of
compliance for any particular state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate.

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where

we have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no
prohibition against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in
such states who approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make

any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg web pages for current donation
methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of
other ways including checks, online payments and credit card
donations. To donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate.

Section 5. General Information About

Project Gutenberg™ electronic works
Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project
Gutenberg™ concept of a library of electronic works that could be
freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and
distributed Project Gutenberg™ eBooks with only a loose network of
volunteer support.
Project Gutenberg™ eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in
the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not
necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper
edition.

Most people start at our website which has the main PG search
facility: www.gutenberg.org.

This website includes information about Project Gutenberg™,

including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how
to subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.
back
Welcome to our website – the perfect destination for book lovers and
knowledge seekers. We believe that every book holds a new world,
offering opportunities for learning, discovery, and personal growth.
That’s why we are dedicated to bringing you a diverse collection of
books, ranging from classic literature and specialized publications to
self-development guides and children's books.

More than just a book-buying platform, we strive to be a bridge

connecting you with timeless cultural and intellectual values. With an
elegant, user-friendly interface and a smart search system, you can
quickly find the books that best suit your interests. Additionally,
our special promotions and home delivery services help you save time
and fully enjoy the joy of reading.

Join us on a journey of knowledge exploration, passion nurturing, and

personal growth every day!

ebookbell.com