The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-08-29

was so great that could not identify
II. l had n great fear that before
night came It 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 pair
Of 0veralls for my industry. The pair
Of overalls was the first bit Of civil
Ian clothes | had thus far picked up
with the exception Of civilian cap
which had found at the prison and
concealed on my person and which l
still had. The Oyer0lls were rather
small and very short, but when / put
them on found that they hung down
fur enough to cover my breeches.
It 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 n single room. The
barn Is usually connected with the
house proper, and there was always
the danger OF disturbing some dumb
animal even II the inmates OF the
house were not aroused.
Frequently / took chance OF
searching back yard at night in the
hope OF finding food scraps, but my
success In that direction was so slight
that / soon decided that II wasn't
worth the risk and continued to
live on raw vegetables that | could
pick with safety In the fields and the
occasional meal that was able to get
from the Belgian peasants In the day
time.
Nevertheless I was determined to
get more In the way OF clothing and
when night came picked out house
that looked as though It might furnish
me with what | wanted. II was n
moonlight night and II I could get In
the barn would have n fair chance OF
finding my way around by the moon
light which would enter the windows.
The barn adJolned the main part of
the house, but CROPPED around very
carefully and soon touched some
thing hanging on Il peg. dicnt
know what II was, but ! cOnilscnted
1t and carried II out Into the fields.
There In the moonlight | examined
: my booty and found that II was an old
coat. II was too short for an over
coat and too long for an ordinary
coat, but nevertheless | made use of
II. It had probably been an overcoat
for the Belgian who had worn 1t.
Some days later got n scarf from
n Belgian peasant and with this equip
ment | was able to conceal my uni
form entirely.
Later on, however, decided that II
was too dangerous to keep the uniform
+ on anyway and when night came
: dug a hole and buried It.
| never realized until had TO par
: with II Just how much | thought OF
that uniform. II had been with M
\ through hard trials and / felt as II
4 were abandoning friend when
i parted with 1t. was tempted TO keel
y the wings off the tunlc, but though
| that would be dangerous concession
to sentiment I'm the event that | wn'
ever captured. II was the only dis
p tInctlon | had left, as ! had glyer
g the Royal Flying Corps badges an'
u the stars Of my rank to the German
flying officers MS souvenirs, but fel
[ that Ii was safer to discard II. A!
y It finally turned out, through all m!
$ subsequent experiences, my escnp'
K would never have been Jeopardlzet
l had kept my uniform but Of course
d / had no Idea what was In store fo
u me.
Q There was one thing which surprised
y me very much MS | journeyed through
{ Belgium and that was the scarcity o
dogs. Apparently most OF them ha'
g been taken by the Germans and wha
g arc left are beasts OF burden who arr
D. too tired at night to bark or bottle
d lntruders. This was mighty goo'
r thing for me, for | would certalnl.
h have stirred them up In passlnl
y through back.yGrds ms sometime
h did when was making short cut
One night MS | came out Of var,
d It was so pitch dark that could no
see ten feet ahead Of me and ! wa
II right In the back of little village