The Lamar register., 1918-08-14

chance to see While there.
at is free every night in the week
except Saturdays and Sundays" he
said, "and once you are inside you
would not be apt to be bothered by
anyone except when they come to take
YOUR order for something to drink.
While there is no admission, patrons
are expected to eut or drink while en-
joylng the pictures"
A day or two later, while walking
the streets at night In search for food,
| had passed this place and was very
much tempted to 60 in and spend a
few hours. particularly as 1t would
perhaps give me an opportunity to
buy something to eat. although l was
at loss TO know how | was going TO
ask for what l wanted.
While trying to make up my mind
whether 1t was safe for me 10 go In
walked half block past the place, and
when turned back again and reached
the entrance with my mind made up
that would take the chance l ran full
tilt into n German officer who was Just
Coming out.
That settled all my hankerings for
moving pictures that night. Where
you came from, my friend" | figured,
"there,must be more like youl l guess
1t Is a good night for walking"
The next day. however. in recalling
the Incident of the evening before, 1t
seemed to me that ] had been rather
foolish. What ! needed more than
anything else at that time was conf
dence. Before / could get to the from
tier / would have to confront German
soldiers many times, because there
were more of them between this city
and Holland than in any section of the
country through which l had SO far
Travelled. Safety in these cOntlng-
encies would depend largely upon the
cnlmness | displayed. 1t wouldn't do
to get all excited ut the mere sight of
IA spiked helmet. The Belglans, had
noticed. while careful TO obey the
orders of the Huns. showed no partic-
ular fear of them. and 1t seemed to
me the sooner | cultivated the same
feeling OF Indifference the better l
would be able to carry on the part
was playing.
For this reason l made up my mind
then and there that. officers or no of
ficers, / would go to that show that
night and sit 1t through no matter
what happened. While people may
think that | had decided unwisely be-
cause OF the unnecessary risk Involved
In the adventure. II occurred to me
that perhaps after all that theater was
about one of the safest places l could
attend because that was about the last
place Germans would expect to find a
fugitive English officer ia even II they
were searching for me.
As soon as evening came. therefore,
/ started out for the theatre. l fixed
myself up as well AS possible. 1 had
on II fairly decent pair OF pants which
Huyllger had given me and l used
clean handkerchief us collar.
With my hair brushed up and my
beard trimmed as neatly as possible
with IA pair of rusty scissors which |
had found In the house, while my ap-
pearance was not exactly that OF u
Beau Brummel. don't think looked
much worse than the average Belgian.
In these days the average Belgian Is
very poorly dressed ut best.
can't say had no misgivlngs as l
made my way to the theatre; GER
tainly | was going there more for dis
clpline than pleasure. but | had made
up my mind that ! was going there TO
see 1t through.
The entrance to the theatre or beer
garden, for II was as much one as the
other. was on the side of the building
and was reached by way OF an alley
which ran alongside. Near the door
was IA ticket-sellers booth. but as this
was one of the free nights there was
no one In the booth.
marched slowly down the alley
Initiating Us best ! could the indiffer-
ent gait of the Belgians. and when l
entered the theater endeavored To act
US though had been there many times
before. A hasty survey of the layout
of the place was sufficient to enable
me to select my seat. II was early and
there were not more than half IA dozen
people Ia the place at that time. SO
that ! had my choice.
There was a raised platform. per
haps two feet high, all around tie
walls of the place except at the end
where the stage was located. on this
platform tables were arranged and
there were tables on the floor proper
as well.