The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-09-19


umpire, and II afforded me just as
much Interest three years after 1t had
hnppened-perhaps more-than some
current item OF worldwide interest
had at that time.
rummaged the house many times
from cellar to garret In my search for
something to eat, but the harvest OF
three years Of war had made any sue
cess along that line impossible. / was
like the man out In the ocean In boat
and thirsty with water everywhere but
not drop to drink.
was tempted while in the city to
30 to church one Sunday, but my better
judgment told me 1t would be useless
risk. OF course, someone would surely
say something TO me and | didn't
know how many Germans would be
there or what might happen, so gave
up that Idea.
During all the time I was concealed
In this house | saw but one automobile
and that was German stan officers.
ihii Oht Va hhN
frights Of my young life.
had been gazing out Of the keyhole
as usual when ! heard coming down
the street the measured tread OF Ger
man soldiers. II didn't sound like very
many, but there was no doubt In my
mind that German soldiers were
marching down ths street. went up
stairs and peeked through the window
and sure enough squad OF German In.
fantry was coming down the street
accompanied by military motor
truck. I hadn't the slightest Idea that
they were coming after me. but still
the possibilities Of the situation gave
me more or less alarm, and / consld-
cred how I could make my escape II
by chance I was the man they were
after The Idea OF hiding In the wine
cellar appealed to me as the most
practical; there must have been
plenty of places among the wine kegs
and cases where man could conceal
himself. but, as n matter OF fact, l did
not believe that any such contingency
would arise.
The-marchlng soldiers came nearer,
| could hear them ut the next house.
In moment | would see them pass
the keyhole through which l was look
ing.
"Hnltw
At the word OF command shouted by
n junior officer the squad came to at
tention right In front Of the house!
IwaIted no longer. Running down the
stairs flew Into the wine cellar and
although 1t was almost pitch dark
the only light coming from n grating
which led to the backyard-I soon
found n satisfactory hiding place In
the extreme rear of the cellar. | had
had the presence OF mind to leave the
door of the wine cellar aJar, figuring
that II the soldiers found closed door
they would be more apt to search for
n fugitive behind 1t than II the door
were open.
My decision to get away from that
front door had been made and carried
out none too soon, for had only just
located myself between two big wine
cases when | heard the tramp Of SOL
dlers' feet marching up the front stoop,
a crash Mt the front door, few hasty
words of command which did not un-
derstnnd, and then the noise OF sour
rylng feet from room TO room and such
n banging and hammerlng and smash
Ing and crashing that could not make
out what was going on.
II Huyliger had revealed my hiding
place to the Huns, as / was now con-
iident he had, felt that there was lit
tie prospect Of their overlooking me.
They would search the house from top
to bottom and. II necessary, raze II to
the ground before they would give up
the search. To escape from the house
through the backyard through the Iron
grating, which l had no doubt could
force, seemed to be the logical thing
10 do, but the chances were that the
Huns lad thrown Gordon around the
entire block before the squad was sent
TO the house. The Germans do these
things in an efficient manner always.
They take nothing for granted.
My one chance seemed to be to stand
pat In the hope that the officer In
charge might possibly come to the con-
cluslon that he had arrived Mt the
house too late-that the bird had
flown.
My position In that wine cellar was
anything but comfortable one. Rats
and mice were scurrylng across the
floor and the smashing and crashing
going on overhead was anything but
promising. Evidently those soldiers
imagined that ought to be hiding In
the walls. for II sounded as though
they were tearing Off the wainscottlng,
the picture moldlng and. In fact,
everything that they could tear or pull
apart.
Before very long they would finish
their search upstairs and would come
down to the basement. What they
would do when they discovered the
wine had no idea. Perhaps they
would let themselves loose on II and
give me my chance. With bottle of
wine In each hand figured could put
up n good fight In the dark, especially
rs was becoming more and more nc
customed to II and could begin to dis
tIngulsh things here and there, where
as when they entered the pltchy dark
ness Of the cellar, they would be as
blind as bats In the sun.
Perhaps II was twenty minutes be
fore ! heard what sounded like my
dcath.knell to me; the soldiers were
coming down the cellar steps