The Lamar register., 1918-07-10

thirsty before the night was over.
For the next six days still figured
that l was in Germany, and was Iiv-
ing on nothing but cnbbnge. sugar
beets and an occasional carrot, always
in the raw state just as got them
out Of the fields. The water | drank
was often very rank. one night | lay
In IL cabbage patch for an hour tapping
the dew from the leaves with my
tongue,
During this period l realized that /
must avoid meeting anyone at all haz-
ards. | was In the 'enemy's country and
my uniform would have been II dead
give-away. Anyone who captured me
or who gave Information from which
my capture resulted might have been
sure of handsome reward. | knew
that 1t was necessary for me to make
progress as fast as possible, but the
main consideration was to keep out of
sight. even If 1t took me IA year to get
to Holland which was my objective.
From my map l estimated that 1 was
about thirty-fve miles from Strassburg
when l made my leap from the train.
and If l could travel in straight line
l had perhaps one hundred and fifty
miles to travel. As it was. however,
| was compelled TO make many detours,
and | figured that two hundred and
fifty miles was nearer the extent of the
Journey ahead of me.
In several parts of this country had
to travel through forests of young pine
nh f.I.
were very close together and looked
almost as II they had been set out.
They proved to be serious obstacle
to me because. l could not see the stars
through them and l was relying upon
the heaven to guide me to freedom. i
am not much of an astronomer, but /
know the Pole Star when l see IL. But
for IL | wouldn't be here todayi
l believed 1t ralned every night ard
day while l was making my way
through Germany and Luxembourg.
My invariable program at this stage
Of my journey was TO trayel steadily
all night until about six In the morn
ing. when | would commence looking
around for place wherein to hide
during the day. Low bushes or woods
back from the road. as far as possible
from the Travelled pathway. usually
served me for this purpose. Having
found such a spot would drop down
and try to sleep. My oyercoat was
my only covering. and that was usu-
ally soaked through. either from the
rain or from swimming.
The only sleep I got during those
days was from exhaustion. and II usu-
ally came to me towards dusk when
1t was time for me to start again.
1t was mighty fortunate thing for
me that | was not u smoker. Somehow
| have never used tobacco In any form.
I was now fully repaid for whatever
pleasure had fOregone In the past us
IA result of my habits in that partlc-
ular. because my suferings would GER
tainly have been intensified now II, in
addition to lack of food and rest,
had had to endure u craving for to-
bacco.
About the sixth night I was so
drowsy and exhausted when the time
came for me to be on the move. that
I was very much tempted to sleep
through the night. l knew, however.
that that would be bad precedent to
establish and l wouldn't give in.
l plugged wearlly along and about
- O'Clock. after had covered perhaps
four miles, I sat down to rest for a
moment on a shock of brush which
was sheltered from the drizzle some
what by other shocks which were
stacked there. II was daylight when
1 awoke. and I found myself right in
n German backyard. You can imagine
that / lost no time in getting out Of
that neighborhood and / made up my
mind right there and then that would
never give away to that "tired feeling"
again.
In the daytime, in my hiding place,
wherever II happened to be, l had
plenty of opportunity to study my map
and before very long I knew 1t almost
by heart. Unfortunately, however. It
did not show all the rivers and canals
which / encountered, and sometimes II
fooled me completely.
1t must have been about the ninth
night that | crossed Into Luxembourg
but though this principality is officially
neutral IL offered me no safer haven
than Belgium would. The Huns have
violated the neutrality of both, and dis