Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1918-09-06


Thought 7 would walk q little way to
find. II possible, q better place TO get
to the river from the bank. had not
walked more than a few hundred
yards when ! saw q boat. II was the
first time had seen boat In all my
experiences.
Il was firmly chained, but as the
stakes were sunk In the soft bank IL
was not much Of a job to pull them
out. / got In, drank TO my hearts
content, showed over to the other side.
got out, drove q stake into the ground
and moored the boat. II would have
been n simple matter 10 have drifted
down the river, but the river was not
shown on the map and I had no idea
where It might lead me. Very reluc-
tantly. therefore, had TO abandon
the boat and proceed on foot.
made several miles that night and
before daylight found q safe place In
which to hide for the day. From my
hiding place I could see through the
bushes heavy thick wood only q
short distance away. i decided that
would start earlier than usual. hurry
over to the wood and perhaps, In that
way. ! could cover two or three miles
In the daytime and gain just 10 much
time. Travelling through the wood
would be comparatively safe. There
was q railroad going through the
wood, but / did not figure that that
would make 1t any the less safe.
About three o'clock that afternoon,
therefore, emerged from my hiding
place and hurried into the wood.
After proceeding for half q mile or
so / came to the railroad. / took o
sharp look In both directions and see
ing no signs Of trains or soldiers, ]
walked boldly over the tracks and
continued on my way.
/ soon came upon q clearing and
knew that someone must be living in
the vicinity. As turned. group Of
trees ! saw small house and In the
distance an old man working In a
garden. decided to enter the house
and ask for food, figuring the woman
would probably be old and would be
no match for me even II she proved
hostile. The old woman who came
to the door In response to my knock
was older than ! expected. II she
wasn't close to q hundred. I miss my
guess very much.
She could not speak English and !
could not speak Flemish, Of course,
but nevertheless made her under
stand that wanted something to eat.
| She came out Of the door and hol-
loed for her husband In a shrill voice
that would have done credit to a girl
Of eighteen. The old man came In
from the garden and between the two
OF them they managed to get the idea
that was hungry and they gave me
piece Of bread--a very small piece
which was quite treat.
The house they lived In consisted Of
Just two rooms--the kitchen and a
bedroom. The kitchen was perhaps
fourteen feet square. eight feet Of
one side being taken up by an enor.
nous fireplace. What was In the bed
room I had no way Of telling, as ]
did not dare to be too inquisitive.
/ made the old couple understand
that would like to stay in their house
all night, but the old man shook his
head. bade them good-by and dis
appeared into the woods. leaving them
to speculate as to the strange for
eigner they had entertained.
From the great density Of the popu-
lation in this section through which
was now passing realized that ]
must be In the outskirts Of the big
city which the Belgian had mentioned
and where / was to procure pass
| port.
Village after village intercepted me,
and although tried to skirt them
wherever possible realized that ]
would never make much progress II
continued that course. To gain q
mile I would sometimes have to make
a detour Of two or three. I decided
that ! would try my luck In going