The Pulaskian., 1918-10-04

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 alefs we passed on these occasions
 made no effort to hide their smiles
 and sneers.
 The Belgian people were apparent.
 ly very curious to see us, and they
 used to turn out in large numbers
 whenever the word was passed that
 We were out. At times the German
 guards would strike the women and
 children who crowded too close to us
 One day 1 smiled and spoke to q
 pretty girl, and when she replied, a
 German made run for her. Luckily she stepped into the house before he reached her, or am afraid my saIu- tation would have resulted seriously for her and I would have been power less to have assisted her.
 Whenever we passed Belgian home or other building which had been wrecked by bombs by our airmen our guards made us stop a moment or two while they passed sneering remarks among themselves.
 One of the most interesting souve- nirs l have of my Imprisonment at Courtrai is a photograph of a group of us taken in the prison courtyard. The picture was made by one of the guards, who sold copies of it to those of us who were able to pay his priee-one mark apiece.
 As we faced the camera I suppose We all tried to look our happiest. sbut the majority of us. I am afraid, were too sick at heart to raise a smile, even for this occasion. One of our Hun guards is shown in the picture seated at the table. I am standing directly behind him, attired in my fly ing tunic, which they allowed me to wear all the time I was in prison, as is tine usual custom with prisoners of war. Three of the British officers shown in the picture, in the fore ground, are clad in "shorts."
 Through all my subsequent adven- lures I was able to retain a print of this interesting picture, and although when I gaze at it now it only serves to increase my qualification at my ulti- mate escape, it fills me with regret to think that my fellow prisoners were not so fortunate. All of them by this time are undoubtedly eating their hearts up in the prison camps of in- terior Germany. Poor fellows!
 Despite the scanty fare and the re- strictions we were under in this prison, we did manage on one occasion to ar range regular banquet. The plan- ming which was necessary helped to pass the time.
 At this time there were eight of us. We decided that the principal thing we needed to make the affair suc- cess was potatoes, and I conceived a plan to get them. Every other after noon they took us for a walk in the country, and it occurred to me that it would be a comparatively simple matter for us to pretend to be tired and sit down when we came to the first potato patch.
 It worked out nicely. When we came to the first potato patch that afternoon, we told our guards that we wanted to rest a bit and we were allowed to sit down. In the course of the next five minutes each of us to get potato or two. Be ing Irish, 1 got six.
 When we got back to the prison, l to steal handkerchief full of sugar, which, with some apples that we were allowed to purchase, we cas- fly converted into a sort of jam.
 We now had potatoes and jam, but no bread. It happened that the Hun who had charge of the potatoes was a great musician. It was not very difficult to prevail upon him to play us some music, and while he went out to get his zither went into the bread pantry and stole loaf of bread.
 Most of ns had saved some butter from the day before, and we used it to fry our potatoes. By bribing one of the guards, he bought some eggs for us. They cost 25 cents apiece, but we were determined to make this banquet ! success, no matter what 1t cost.
 The cooking was done by the prison cook, whom, of course, we had to oribe.
 When the meal was ready to serve It consisted of scrambled eggs, fried potatoes, bread and jam, and pitcher ,f beer which we were allowed to buy.
 That was the 29th of August. Had [ known that 1t was to be the last real meal that I was to eat for many weeks, I might have enjoyed 1t even more than did, but it was certainly very good.
 We had cooked enough for eight, but while we were still eating, ancther joined US. He was an English officer
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