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


had come along would have been
found lying there dead to the world.
Possibly two hours passed before l
regnined consciousness, and then, no
doubt, only because the rain was
beating In my face.
l knew that | had to get away. as
1t was broad daylight Moreover,
there was n tow-path night there and
any minute boat night come along
and find me. But II was equally
dangerous for me to attempt to travel
very far. Fortunately | found some
shrubbery near by and hid there all
day, without food or drink.
That night | made little head
way, but when day broke / had a
dreadful fever and was dellrlous. /
talked to myself and thereby In
creased my chances Of capture. In
my lucid intervals when realized that
| had been talking, the thought sent
chill through me, because in the
silent night even the slightest sound
carries far across the Belgian country.
| began to fear that another day Of
this would about finish me.
| have distinct recollection Of n
ridiculous conversation | carried on
with an imaginary Pat O'Brlen-a
sort Of duplicate Of myself. | argued
with him as | marched drearily along
and he answered me back In kind
and when we disagreed, | called Upon
my one constant friend, the North
Star, to stand by me.
"There you are, you old North Star,
| cried aloud. "You want me to get
to Holland, don't you? But this Pat
| O'Brlen-thls Pat O'Breln who calls
himself soldler-he's got q yellow
streak-NOrth Star-nnd he says II
can't be dOnel He wants me to quit
to lie down here for the Huns tC
find me and take me back to COur
tral-aftcr all you've done, Nortl
Star? ! don't want to follow him
just want to follow you-because yot
you are taking me away from Tho
Huns and this Pat O'Bricn-thls fel
low who keeps after me all the tint
and leans on my neck and wants M
to lie down-this yellow Pat OBrelI
wants me to go back to the Huns !"
After II spell of foolish chatter llk'
that my senses would come back 4
me for n while and / would trudg
along without a word until the feve
came on me again.
| knew that | had TO have food be
cause | was about on my last legs.
was very much tempted to lie dow
then and there am call Il beat
Things seemed to be getting worse 70
me the farther | went, and all tn
time ! had before me the spectre o
that electric barrier between Belgium
and Holland. even If ever reache
there alive. What was the use o
further suffering when would prol
ably be captured In the end anyway
Before giving up, however, decide
upOn one bold move. | would al
proach one of the houses In the VI
= clnlty and get food there or die 1
the effort.
] picked out II small house bccnus
+. I figured there would be less lIkcl
, hood of soldiers being bllletcd there
4 Then | wrapped stone In my khal
, handkerchief as sort of cam0ullagc
/, weapon, determined to kill the occl
b. pant Of the house, German or Belgian
| II that step was necessary In ordC
! to get food. tried the well In III
| yard but II would not work, and the
}. | went up to the door and knocked.
a 1t was o'clock In the morning. A
| old lady came to the window an
looked out. She could not lmaglr
d what was. probably. because | WI
l.. still attlred In that old overcoat. 81
@ gave cry and her husband and
n boy came to the door.
/. They could not speak English and
y could not speak Flemish, but polntc
d to my flying coat and then to the sk
G and said "f'legcr' (lllcr), which
= thought would tell them what was
d Whether they understood or WEI
s lntlmidated by the hard.looklng n
a pearnnce. | don't know, but certain
h II would have to be Il brave old mt
p and boy who would start an argumel
with such vlllnnous looking chm
II ncter as stood before them that nigh
/ | had not shaved for month, II
e clothes were wet, torn and dirty, II
Il leggIngs were gonc-they had gott,
k so heavy | had to discard them--n
p hnlr was matted and my cheeks we
Ie flushed with fever. In MY hand
g carried the rock In my handkerchi
g. and | made no effort to conceal |
IL presence or Its mission.
k Anyway, they motIbned me indoor
p. gave me my first hot meal In mo
| than n month True. II consisted on
ID Of warm potatoes. They had be-
I previously cooked, but the old Wont
ly warmed them up In milk In one OF Il
!y tllrtlest kettles l had ever seen.
asked for bread, but she shook h
r head. although | think 1t must In
H. been for luck OF II rather than
cause she begrudged II to me. Y
no II ever man showed hs wus flmlsh'
o. did that night. swallowed mo