Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-10-18
CHAPTER XVII.
oettIna Throuoh the Lines.


Getting Through the Lines.
Waiting until 1t wer quite dark, ]
made my way carefully through
field and eventually came to the much
dreaded barrier.
1t was all that / had heard about it.
Every foot Of the border line between
Belgium and Holland is protected in
precisely the same manner. 1t is there
to serve three purposes: first, to pre-
vent the Belgians from escaping into
Holland second to keep enemies, like
myself, from making their way to free
dom; and third, to prevent desertions
on the part of Germans themselves.
One look was enough to convince any
ono that 1t probably accomplished all
three objects about as well as any con-
trivance could, and one look was all
got of it that night, for while 1 lay
on my stomach gazing at the forbid
ding structure heard the measured
stride of a German sentry advancing
towards me and crawled away as
fast as 1 possibly could, determined
to spend the night somewhere In the
fields and make another and more
careful survey the following night.
The view had obtained, however,
was sufficient to convince me that the
pole-vault Idea was out Of the ques-
tion even X had n pole and was q
proficient pole-vaulter. The three
fences covered q span of at least twelve
feet and to clear the last barbed wire
fence it would be necessary to vault
not only at least ten feet high. but at
least fourteen feet wide, with the GER
tain knowledge that to touch the cleo
trically charged fence meant instant
death. There would be no second
chance If you came cropper the first
time.
The silt idea was also impractical.
ble because of the lack of suitable
timber and tools with which to con.
Btruct the stills.
II seemed to me that the best thing
70 do was travel up and down the line
a bit in the hope that some spot might
be discovered where conditions were
more favorable, although l don't know
just what expected along those
lines.
1t was mighty d.sheartening to real
lze that only n few feet away lay Ger
tain liberty and that the only things
preventing me from reaching 1t wer'
three confotnded fences. l thought O.
my machine and wished that som,
kind fairy would set 1t In front of M
tor just one minute.
/ spent the night in a clump O
bushes and kept in hiding most Of tn
next day, only going abroad for al
hour or two In .he middle of the da,
10 intercept some Belgian peasan
and beg for food. The Belgians in thi
section were naturally very muc
Mfraid OF the Germans and 1 fare
BADLY. In nearly every house Germa
soldiers were quartered and 1t wa
out Of the question for me to appl
for food in that direction. The pro1
unity of the border made everyon
eye each other with more OF less su.
picion and l soon came to the conclI
sion that the safest thing l could d
was to live on raw vegetables which
could steal from the fields at night q
I had previously done.
That night 1 made another surve
of the barrier in that vicinity, but
looked just as hopeless as 1t had tn
night before and I concluded that
only wasted my time there.
I spent the night wandering mort
guided by the North Star which ha
served me so faithfully in all my ira
cling. Every mile or two would NAL
my way carefully to the barrier to 81
II conditions were any better, but
seemed to be the same all along. 1 fe
like wild animal In cage, vii
about as much chance of getting ou
The section Of the country In whiC
was now wandering was very heavi
wooded and there was really no vel
great difficulty in keeping myself co
ceaied, which I did all day long, stri
Ing all the time to think of some W,
I'm which / could circumvent tn
cursed barrier.
The idea OF a huge stepladder Q
CURED to me. but searched hour aft
hour In vain for lumber or fallen tire
out Of which could construct one.
I could only obtain something whl
would enable me to reach a poi
about nine feet In the air 1t would
4 comparatively simple matter
jump from that point over the elect
fence.
Then thought that perhaps cou
construcr a simple ladder and lean
against one Of the posts upon viii
the electric wires were strung, climb
The top and then leap over. getti
over the barbed wire fences in {
s-l~ way.