New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-09-06

was so great that | could not identify
it. l had a great fear that before
night came 1t would probably be re
moved.
AS soon as darkness fell, however, ]
crawled out of my hiding place and
worked up to the line and got a pair
of overalls for my industry. The pair
of Overalls was the first bit Of civil
ian clothes l had thus far picked up
with the exception Of a civilian cap
which l had found at the prison and
concealed on my person and which, l
still had. The Overalls were rather
small and very short, but when / put
them on l found that they hung down
far enough to cover my breeches.
1t was perhaps three days later that
planned to search another house for
further clothes. Entering Belgian
houses at night is anything but a safe
proposition, because their families are
large and sometimes as many as seven
or eight sleep In a single room. The
barn Is usually connected with the
house proper, and there was always
the danger Of disturbing some dumb
animal even If the inmates Of the
house were not aroused.
Frequently I took a chance OF
searching a back yard at night in the
hope Of finding food scraps, but my
success In that direction was so slight
that l 500 decided that 1t wasn't
worth the risk and l continued to
live on raw vegetables that l could
pick with safety In the fields and the
occasional meal that l was able to get
from the Belgian peasants in the day
time.
Nevertheless l was determined to
get more in the way Of clothing and
when night came I picked out a house
that looked as though it might furnish
me with what l wanted. 1t was a
moonlight night and If l could get in
the barn l would have a fair chance Of
finding my way around by the moon
light which would enter the windows.
The barn adjOined the main part Of
the house. but l CROPPED around very
carefully and soon l touched some
thing hanging on a peg. l diGnt
know what 1t was. but l confscated
it and carried it out into the fields.
There in the moonlight l examined
my booty and found that it IA an old
coat. 1t was too short for an over
coat and too long for an ordinary
coat, but nevertheless I made use Of
it. 1t had probably been an o%vercoat
for the Belgian who had worn it.
Some days later I got n scarf from
n Belgian peasant and with this equip
ment | was able to conceal my uni
form entirely.
Later on however, l decided that 1t
was too dangerous to keep the uniform
on anyway and when night came l
dug a hole and buried 1t.
l never realized until I had to part
with 1t just how much I thought Of
that uniform. 1t had been with me
through hard trials and l felt as If l
were abandoning a friend when l
parted with it. l was tempted to keep
the wings off the tunic. but thought
that would be a dangerous concession
to sentiment In the event that l vas
ever captured. 1t was the only dis
tinction l had left. as l had given
the Royal Flying Corps badges and
the stars of my rank to the German
flying officers as souvenirs, but ! felt
that it was safer to discard it. AS
it finally turned out, through all my
subsequent experiences, my escape
would never have been je%opardized
had l kept my uniform but, of course.
l had no idea what was In store for
me.
There was one thing which surprised
me very much as | jOurneyed through
Belgium and that was the scarcity Of
dogs. Apparently most of them had
been taken by the Germans and what
are left are beasts Of burden who are
too tired at night to bark or bother
intruders. This was a mighty good
thing for me, for I would certainly
have stirred them up in passing
through b%ack-yards as l sometimes
did when I was making a short cut.
One night as l came out of a yard
it was so pitch dark that l could not
see ten feet ahead of me and l was
right in the back of a little village.