Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1918-12-13
" "Outwittingothe aHuns
ByIPAt0'Brien
CHAPTER XIV.

Observations IN q Belgian city. y
One night ishortiy before 7 Ieftathis
city, our airmen- raided the, place. I
didn't venture out Of the house at the
time, but the next night thought l
would go out anu see what damage
had been done.
When 1t became dark I left the
house accordingly and mixed with the
crowd, which consisted largely Of Ger
mans. I went from one place to an
other to see what our "strafing" had
accomplished. Naturally / avoided
speaking to anyone. II man or
woman appeared about to speak to me,
Just turned my head and looked or
walked away In some other directions
I must have been taken for an un-,
social sort OF Individual good many,
times, and II I had encountered the
same person twice suppose, my con-
duct might have aroused suspicion.
had first.class' observation of the
damage that was really done by our
bombs. One bomb had landed very
near the main railroad station and IL
1t had been only thirty yards nearer
would have completely demolished IT!
AS the station was undoubtedly our
alrman's objective + was very much
impressed with the accuracy of HIS
aim. 1t is by no means an easy thing
to hit building from the air when
you are going at anywhere from fifty
to one hundred miles an hour and are
being shot at from beneath from a
dozen different angles--unless, of
course, you are taking one OF those
desperate chances and flying so low
that you cannot very we'll miss your
mark and the Huns can't very well
miss you either!
walked by the station and mingled
with the crowds which stood in the
entrances. They paid no more at
tention to me than they did to real Bel
glans. and the fact that the lights,
were, all out In, this, city at night made.
IL impossible anyway for anyone to
get as good a look at me as If 1t had
been light.
( During the, ,1time that was in this
city I suppose / wandered from one
end Of 1t to the ether In one place.
where the German, staff had Its head-,
Quurters, a. huge German flag hung
from the window, and / think I'woulds
have given ten years Of my life Ia.
have stolen 1t. \ Even If I could have,
pulled 1t down, however, 1t would have
beeu impossible for me to have con-
cealed 1t and to have carried 1t away
with me rs souvenir therefore would
have been, out of the question. ~
AS I went along the street one night
lady standing on the corner stopped
me and spolso,to me. My first Impulse.
OF course, was to answer her, explains
ing that I'could not understand, but a.
stopped myself In time, pointed to- my
ears and mouth and shook my head.
indicating that i was deaf and dumb,
and she nodded understnndingly and
walkedton. Incidents of that kind were,
not unusual, and Twas always in fear
THAT the time. would come when some
iinquisitive vand suspicious German
would encounter me and not be soa
easily satisfied. IA
There are many things TINT saw III
this city which, for various reasons. II
isH impossible for me to relate until
after the warts over Some Of them.
! think, will'create' more surprise than
the Incidents ! am free to reveal now
It used to~umuse me as went along
itfiss streets Of this town, looking In
the shop windows with German. sol.
'diers at.nly side booking at the same s.
things. to think how close was to
them ari they had no Eay Of knewIniEE
CcntinaeR VnRage, s q aoii