The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Copyright. 1913, BY Pat Alva O'Brien

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Copyright 1913, BY Pat Alva OBrien
Wnen l was not at the keynote or the
door spent most Of my day on the top
| floor in q room which looked ont on the
street. BY keeping well away from the
window / could see much Of what was
going on without being seen myself.
In my restlessness, 1 used to walk back
and forth in that room and kept 1t up
so constantly that believe must have
worn path in the floor. It was nine
steps from one wall to the other, and
as had little else to amuse me fig
ured out one day after had been
pacing up and down for several hours
just how much distance would have
covered on my way to Holland II my
footsteps had been taken in that direc-
ton instead of just up and down that
old room. I was very much surprised
to find that in three hours crossed
the room no less than 5000 times and
the distance covered was between nine
and ten miles. 1t was not very graft
flying to realize that after walking all
that distance wasn't step nearer my
goal than when I started, but I had to
do something while waiting for Huy-
Tiger to help me, and pacing up and
down was q natural outlet for my
restlessness.
While looking out Of the top floor
window one day, noticed cat on a
window ledge Of the house across the
street. I had a nice piece of broken
mirror which had picked up in the
house and I used it to amuse myself
for an hour at time shining it in the
cats eyes across the street. At first
the animal was annoyed by the reflec-
ton and would move away, only to
come back a few moments later. By
and by, however, 1t seemed to get
used to the glare and wouldn't bulge
no matter how strong the sunlight was.
Playing with the cat in this way got
me into the habit Of watching her
comings and goings and was indi-
rectly the means Of my getting food a
day or two later-at time when I
was so famished that I was ready to
do almost anything to appease my
hunger.
1t was about z o'clock in the even
ing. was expecting Huyliger at 8.
but hadn't the slightest hope that he
would bring me food, as he had told
me that he wouldn't take the risk Of
having food in his possession when
calling on me. was standing at the
window In such way that could
see what was going on in the street
without being observed by those who
passed by, when noticed my friend,
the cat, coming down the steps of the
opposite house with something in his
mouth. Without considering the risks
I ran, I opened the front door. ran
down the steps and across the street,
and pounced on that cat before it could
get away with its supper, for that, as
l had imagined, was what had seen
in it's mouth. It turned out to be a
piece of stewed rabbit, which / confis-
Gated eagerly and took back with me
to the house, ID -----
Perhaps felt little sorry for the
cat, but certainly had no qualms
about eating the animals dinner. I
was much too hungry to dwell upon
niceties, and a piece Of stewed rabbit
was certainly too good for cat to eat
when a man was starving. I ate and
enjoyed it and the incident suggested
to me way In which I might possibly
obtain food again when all other ave-
nues failed.
From my place Of concealment I fire.
gently saw huge carts being pushed
through the streets gathering potato
Feelings, refuse Of cabbage and similar
food remnants, which. In America, are
considered garbage and destroyed. In
Belgium they were using this SCAR
bage" to make their bread out of, and
while the idea may sound revolving to
us, the fact is that the Germans have
brought these things down to such
science that the bread they make this
way is really very good to eat. l know
1t would have been like cake to me
when was IN need Of food; indeed I
would have eaten the garbage" d.
rect, let alone the bread.
Although, as have said, I suffered
greatly from hunger while occupying
this house, there were one or two
things observed through the keyhole
or from the windows which made me
laugh, and some of the incidents that
occurred during my voluntary impris-
onment were really funny.
From the keyhole could see, for in
stance, q shop window on the other
side Of the street, several houses down
the block. All day long German sol
diers would be passing in front of the
house and / noticed that practically
every one of them would stop in front
Of this store window and look in. Oc-
casionally soldier on duty bent would
hurry past, but think nine out Of ten
Of them were sufficiently interested to
spend at least minute. and some of
them three or four minutes gazing at
whatever was being exhibited In that
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