davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22
CHAPTER ix-contlnued.

run up the bank Of the canal quite
distance and then swan to the op-
posite side. as | reasoned they would
not be looking for me there. found
a sheltered ciump OF bushes that were
In swamp near the canal and In the
driest part that could find crawled
In and made myself as comfortable
as possible. The sun come up soon
ana Kept me warm. and I planned to
camp right there, food or no food,
until the Hun got tired OF searching
for me. think | heard them once
or twice that day. and my heart nearly
stopped on each occasion, but eyi-
IDENTIFY they decided to look In some
other direction and l was not further
moiested.
At the same time l figured that II
was absolutely necessary for me to
change my course. even at the e1-
pense Of going somewhat out OF my
way. l decided to go due west and
kept In that direction for four days.
As | was In a very weak condition.
! did not cover more than five miles a
night kept away from the roads
and did all my journeying through
fields. beet patches. woods. swamps--
anywhere provided | was not likely
to be seen and captured. Food was
an important consideration to me. but
1t was secondary to concealment.
At last | brought up at the Meuse
river at place between Namur and
Huy, and II was here that | came near.
est OF all to giving up the struggle.
The Meuse ut this point Is about
half a mile wide-as wide as the Hud-
son River at West Point. Had l been
In normal condition | wouldn't have
hesitated moment to swim across.
San Diego bay. California. Is mile
and half Wide, and had often swnm
across and back. and the San Joaquin,
which ls also mile and half wide,
had never proven an obstacle to me.
In the wretched shape In which l
then was. however, the Meuse looked
like the Atlantic ocean to me. l
looked for a boat, but could find none.
tried to get n piece Of wood upon
which | hoped to ferry across. but
was equally unsuccessful.
Get across | must. and l decided
there was nothing to do but to SWIM
II was then about o'clock In the
morning. waded in and was soon
10 beyond my depth and had to swim.
After about nn hour of 1t was very
much exhausted. and / doubted
whether | could make the opposite
bank. although It was not more than
--.rty or forty feet away. | choked
The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22

brought back with me to England and
II Is stIfl In my possession.
When escaped from the train I still
had the Bavarian cap Of bright red In
my pocket and wore 1t for many
nights. but ! took great care that no
one saw 1t. 1t also had proven very
useful when swimming rivers. for l
carried my map and few other be
longings in II and ! had fully made
up my mind to bring 1t home as a
souvenir. But the farther l went
the heavier my extra clothing became.
so l was compelled to discard even
the cap. knew that II would be a
tell.tale mark II l simply threw It
away. so one night after swimming a
river. l dug hole In the soft mud on
the bank and buried II. too. with con-
slderably less ceremony than my fly
ing mlttens had received perhaps: so
that was the end Of my Bavarian hat.
My experience at the Belgan's
house whetted my appetite for more
food and l figured that what had been
done once could be done again
The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22
DRIVEN TO DESPERATION BY HUNGER, o'BRIEN GOES
BOLDLY TO A BELGIAN HOUSE AND ASKS FOR FOOD.

synopsa-Pat OBren resident Of Monence seeing
service the American Flying border 1915
joins the British Royal Flying Canada
Ing period Is sent to France lie active
service on the 'front.' He German
myers from which he Finally fight with four
German flyers 0Brlen and escaping
death by miracle awakes find himself prisoner German
hospital with bullet hole In his dnys In the
hospital he prison camp at Courra After short soy
mere ne Is placed upon train bound for Germany
ne decides 10 nke desperate chance for liberty leaps through
The open window of the while travelling 35 miles
an hour His wounds reopened by the almost literally
eaws through Germany and Luxembourg travelling night and
sleeping by day living garbage vegetables stolen from
gardens. - ~
The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22

that II could have stolen one o.
those dogs II would have been yer,
good companion for me and might, Il
the occasion arose. help me out In
fight. But had no way of feeding II
and the animal would probably have
starved to death. ! could live on veg
etables. which could always depend
upon finding In tine fields. but a dol
couldn't. and so gave up the Idea.
The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22

small bitches. They intercepted me
at every half mile or so, sometimes
more frequently. The canals and the
big rivers could swim. OF course.
got soaked to the skin every time l
did 1t. but l was becoming hardened
to that.
These little bitches. however. were
too narrow to swim and to- tide to
jump. They had perhaps tvlEss. Of
water In them and three feet Of mud,
and It was almost invariably case Of
wading through. Some Of them, no
doubt. could have jumped II had
been In decent shape. but with bad
ankle and In the weakened condition
in which was. II was almost out Of
the question.
One night l came to q ditch about
eight or nine feet wide. thought I
was strong enough to jump It and II
was worth trying as the discomfort
suffered after wading these bitches
was considerable. Taking long run.
l Jumped as hard as / could. but I
missed 1t by four or i've inches and
landed In about two feet Of water and
three OF mud. Getting out Of that
mess was quite job. The water was
too dirty and too scanty to enable me
to wash of the mud with which I was
covered and 1t was toe wet to scrape
off. Just had to wait until 1t dried
and scrape It OF then. ~--.
In many sections of Belgium through
which l had to pass ! encountered
large areas of swamp and marshy
ground and rather than waste the
time involved In looking for better
nderfooting-which l might not have
found anyway used to pole right
through the mud. Apart from the
discomfort of this method Of travel.
Ing and the slow time made, there
was an added danger to me In the fac1
that the squash. squash" noise whlcht
made might easily be overheard by
Bel-ians and Germans and give my
position away. Nobody would cross
a swamp or marsh In that part Of the.
country unless he was trying to get
away from somebody, and l realized
my danger but could not get around 1t.
II was common sight In Belgium
to see a small donkey and common
ordinary milch COW hitched together.
pulling a wagon. When l first OBJ
served the unusual combination.
thought 1t was donkey and OK or
bull, but closer inspection revealed to
me that cows were being used for the
purpose.
From that ] was able to observe
there must be very few horses left in
Belgium except those owned by the
Germans. Cows snd d0nkeys are now
horses and mules. Altogether / spent
nearly eight weeks wandering through
Belgium, and In all that time ! don't
believe l saw more than half a dozen
horses In the possession Of the native
population.
One Of the seareest things IN Ger.
many. apparently, is rubber. fer
noticed that their motor trucks, or lor-
ries. unlike our ewn. had no rubber
tires. Instead heavy iron bands were
employed. could hear them come
rumbling along the stone roads for
miles before they reached the spot
where ! happened to be In hiding.
| When ! saw these military roads In
Belgium for the first time. with their
heavy cobblestones that looked as II
they would last for centuries, l real
lied at enee why 1t was that the Ger.
mans had been able to make such .
rapid advance into Belgium at the
start Of the war;
noticed that the Beigians used
dogs to considerable extent to pull
their carts. and | thought many times
The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22

2d gasped. and my arms and legs
ere completely tagged out. I sank a
little and triet to touch bottom with
my feet. but the water was still be-
yond my depth.
There arc uples when everyone will
pay, and | was no exception. l
prayed for strength to make those
few wicked yards. and then. with all
The will power could summon. struck
ont for dear life. 1t seemed a life
tire before finally felt the welcome
The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22
CHAPTER x.

Experiences In Belgium.
l think that one of the worst things
I had to contend with In my journey
through Belgium vas the number of
The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22

DAWN
Sooner or later. ! realized l would
probably approach a Belgian and find
a German instead. but In such n con-
tlngency l was determined to meas
ure my strength against the Huns II
necessary to effect my escape.
As II was, however, most of the Bel
CLANS to whom l applied for food gave
It to me readily enough. and II some
Of them refused me 1t was only be-
cause they feared I might be q spy
or that the Germans would shoot them
II their action were subsequently
found out.
About the fifth day after I had en-
tered Belgium was spending the day
as usual In clump OF bushes when l
discerned In the distance what ap-
peared to be something hanging on
line. All day long ! strained my eyes
trying to decide what II could be and
arguing with myself that 1t might be
something that could add to my In
adequate wordrobe, but the distance
was so great that l could not identify
It. I had q great fear that before
night came It would probably be re-
moved.
As soon as darkness fell. however. I
crawled out Of my hiding place and
worked up to the line and got a pair
OF oyeralls for my industry. The pair
of oyeralls was the first bit Of civil
ian clothes had thus far picked up
with the exception Of a civilian cap
which l had found at the prison and
concealed on my person and which l
still had. The overalls were rather
small and very short. but when l put
them on found that they hung down
far enough to cover my breeches.
1t was perhaps three days later that
l planned to search another house for
further clothes. Entering Belgian
houses at night is anything but safe
proposition. because their families are
large and sometimes as many as seven
or eight sleep In 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 I took a chance Of
searching back yard at night In the
hope Of finding food scraps. but my
success In that direction was SO slight
that I soon decided that 1t wasn't
worth the risk and l continued to
live on raw vegetables that / could
pick with safety In the fields and the
occasional meal that l was able to get
from the Belgian peasants In the day.
time.
Nevertheless l was determined to
get more In the way Of clothing and
when night came picked out house
that looked as though 1t might furnish
me with what / wanted. It was q
moonlight night and II l could get In
the barn ! would have fair chance oi
finding my way around By the moon
light which would enter the windows
The barn adjoined the main part Of
the house. but l CROPPED around very
carefully and soon I touched some
thing hanging on . peg. ] dicnt
know what 1t was but l conhscatet
1t and carried It out into the fields
There In the moonlight l examined
my booty and found that 1t was an Oh
coat. 1t was too short for an cvsf
coat and too long for an ordinax.
coat. but nevertheless l made use q
The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22

In Belgium, after weeks Of
hardshlps and narrow escapes
from recapturs, o'erlsn finally
hnds q man whom he believes
70 be hIs friend. chesred BY
the prospect Of final escape, hs
ealns courage to continue his
hsarthreaklns tramp through
Belgium. Don't miss the next
lnstalimsnt.
The Raymer enterprise., 1918-08-22
fTo BE coNTfNuED1

A new oll.burning apparatus heat
and lights the room at the same tina
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-26
Other Editors Than Ours
WHAT HI, WILL MISS.
louisville COurier-JOurnaI

What Prest Wilson will Paris would fill
volumes Though few have been. or will be acclaimed
under his arm has more access the great pulsing
heart of the city.
II will not be for the president ramble as did
good Sylvestre Bonnard, among the bOokstalls aong
the Seine. picking here a dog-earned volume Of
Rabelais, there copy of Francois Vion II be
for him to fraterrize with the gargoyles on Notre
Dame, or out the housetops dreaming of
centuries they merge into the present 1t will not
be for him to saunter through the Louvre for
hours before MessOnier a NurllO, and he
wander into the night caring naught for his personal
safety trudging with the crowds along the flaming
bOuevards sinking into the utter darkness with
submerged thousands
True. IL is pleasure trip, this chief
executive of the United States but the
mission OF modern history. And yet II he could rub
shoulders with that crowd in the streets, he
know of their aspirations; il could
as did Haroun al Raschid he would learn the great
human side of Frances sacrifice. And none would APP
| precate such opportunity than
Apart and alOof though he is, he likes in
tact with the proetaria he likes this father
OF the faithful"
Some months ago while on vacation he drove
and without being recognized, enjoyed TO the
| utmost the feeling that he among the thou
sands.
Were he able TO walk into OF those cheaper
Paris restaurants that bear the misleading sign Eng
lsh Spoken Here and practice his French the
/ vegetables and ordnaire, would the
sparkle in the Of the people the bon camaradero
OF the city. and walking he could tip his
coal HEAVIER and be directed in the most courteous
way his hotel.
Ny. Wilson will miss all this none will feel the
loss than he For him must be the shouts tho
crowd, the salvOs OF cannon the fanfare OF
1t Is the price that greatness must pay.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-26
SUFFRAGE BONFIRES.

The ways Of women past finding out Particularly
inscrutable the ways of militant suffragists.
Here representatives Of the national women's
party building ceremonial bonfire I'm Lafayette Square
adjoining the white house That fact itself would
be interesting enough. But when the nation learns
What they consigned the flames. holds its
hands In complete bewiderment.
They burned the writings and speeches Of Prest
Wilson including the various has delivered
to congress. Among them included :he addresses
in which the president went OF his way to urge
congress TO give those what they want. thus
reversing himself indeed getting bad with
congress and good many other bodies
The suffragists announce that they going con-
tinue such demonstrations 80 long democracy is
advocated in Europe and neglected in the United
States"
those Jealous women misdirectng their ammunition
rnsappIying their bonfire? whether be said
presidents credit dscredt he to be the
suffragists' best friend in Washington. would be
less incOmpreh nsible If they burn the Con-
gressional Record or the Constitution.
william Hohenzollern refuses talk pub
lcation because anything ne says might be used
against trial. He should
have stopped talking 40 years ago.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-26

this in allied country is likely to find
confederation the presidents statement Those who
doubt easily determine the matter for themselves
by asking enough women to get dependable
line on popular opinion in their neighborhoods
Those who have managed this war, the allied side.
professed all along that they lighting for the
liberty and safety the plain people" We now
about whether they will make good their
promises.
The plain people have fought and the The
plain people ready TO pay in money they have
already pain and grief But they demand tina:
they shall dealt with honestly. They have fought,
they think. TO make impossible hereafter. They
their representatives. the peace conference
practicable way and thus good their
victory.
VIII the representatives Of the various Yer
sales have enough wisdom enough honesty to give
the people what they and expect2 II not those
statesmen and their governments will have a hard
reckoning when the plain people disap-
POINTED. call them account.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-26
Fitting Monuments for Our Heroes
By Hilda Morris

How shall we remember our
heroes? How commemorate their
brave lives and glorious deaths?
The city of Cleveland already
beautiful proposes to make itself yet
more beautiful in their honor. 1t
will plant a tree for every one Of
its boys who died at the front The
tree that is planted in memory OF
him will bear his name
What more graceful tribute 10 the
men who died that we might be free
from Prussia nism? What object in
nature is more beautiful than a tree =?
Not a flower Its delicacy removes
it as a rival of the tree. The tree
has beauty of form and color. and
that grandeur that inheres in
strength We pity while we admire
what is fragile. the transparent vase.
the frostwork on the pane. the
quickly perishing flower. But there
is reverence in our regard for a
great tree. It lived before we did
and will live after us. It's life is in
definitely long. Planting tree and
naming II after a soldier Is a declar-
alton that we will keep his memory
green"
The tree will inspire the young
who read the inscription. 1t will
offer shade 10 the weary. They will
feel there a sense of beauty II will
give a lesson in strength to all who
see it. I hope that Cleveland will
plant the trees in a double row and
name it Heroes Walk. Travellers
visit Oxford university and wander
reverently along Addison's Walk.
Let Heroes Walk be one Of the OBJ
jects of chief interest in Cleveland
and why not let Cleveland be fol-
lowed by other cities7 1t has been
subject Of concern 10 parents and
teachers how to train their boys and
girls in patriotism. What better way
| than this Heroes Walk?
That il would he better citizen
ship to erect buildings than statues
/ in honor Of our martyred dead Is
another proposition. Better a good
| building than bad statue is the
/ reasoning OF one who proposes
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-26
WHERE is YOUR HIGHER
WAGES GOING?

You may be one or the fortunate
ones making exceptionally large
wages and proDortionately far in
excess Of the increased living cost
Are you saving the money you
are making. or are YOU blowing 1t ?
At the end OF another year Will
You be any better off than you are
today?
Are you changing your mode o.
living so eXtravagantly that you
Will have debts instead Of Liberty
bonds or War Savings stamps a
year from now?
If you are working in any OF
these lines where large WAGES are
the rule just now, it behooves you
TO start that nest egg which YOU
have always figured on getting.
This is a time when the "gool
fellow" spender is not SO popular
as formerly and a fine time for you
TO begin TO save.
II YOU want 10 stamp yourself as
IA person who never had a cent
above actual necessity till now just
rag right out and cut a swath." as
you say, and even the newsboy 5
will spot you for a newly rich"
The real people. American and
patriotic. are saving and mending
and making everything 20 as far as
possible. and are cutting out ex-
Tensive entertainments. WHICH rs
YOUR CLASS?
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-26

Of those men whom you choose at
times 10 be your wifes guests--tell
the truth, would you not?
Yours wife's friends may be es-
Unable women. comDanionable 10
her. but not agreeable 10 you: how
ever, this does not give you the right
TO be rude 10 them nor TO put your
wife in the position OF not daring TO
invite them for fear you may insult
them and her.
Your men friends appeal TO you
and the same IS doubtless true OF
the friends Of your better half.
The true gentleman is always
courteous 10 each and every per
son who enters his home.
You want 10 De a credit to your
fOrbears, don't you2
Copyright, 1879
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-26
THE MEL TING POT
'-Coms Take Pot Luck With Us"
LITTLE DO BBIE'S PA.
BY VILLA IN r. Kirk.

I was thinking OF making a
speech for the Liberty Loan, sed Pa.
Deer me. sed Ma. 1t seems too
bad wen thay are not running otto
mObeels on Sundays, so thay can
saiv gas, that you must begin
making speeches.
As long as have known you. sed
Pa, cant tell If that is a knock or
a boost.
Go on & maik yure speech for
me, sed Ma, let me hear it & may
be can tell II Il is o. X
I am going 10 start like this, sed
Pa:
Wen. in the course of human
events IL becums necessary 10 slam
"a Kiser on the beezer. we shud hit
to kill
How is that for a noabel begin
ming? sed Pa.
1t sounds noabel. all rite. sed Ma.
the first part OF il. II sounds like
the beginning OF the Declarashun OF
Independents. Ma sed. Bot that end
ing, sed Ma, sounds Ike yure noa-
bel self
/ was QH!te sure you wud have
sumthing crule & cutting to say
sed Pa. Maybe I wont maik this
speech at all
DOant let me deetain you. deer
est, sed Ma. II you can do any
thing for yure flag 90 ahed & do II.
Why dOant you speek sum poetry
like
The boy on The burning deck
stand
Selling Liberry Bonds 20 beat the
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-26

Better enhance our cities with
stately buildings than deface them
with obviously executed statues.
This may hurt the price OF am
bilious sculptors a bit. But it IS
worth considering, especially if the
monument buildings be not only
nobIy and beautifully conceived but
designed for some good use.
A wealthy New York woman loved
her mother-in-law. Yes, it some
times happens. In fact oftener than
we suppose. The mother-in-law
died and the wealthy New York
woman desired TO erect some fitting
memorial TO her. She thought Of a
stained glass window in a church.
That is beautiful. but not
enough" she answered.
A friend advised that she build
marble shaft that should he high
err than any other in the most IA
nous eastern cemeteries.
Mother would not have liked
that" was the answer she was
never ostentatious."
1t happened that the woman was
interested in the social service of
Bellevue hospital. She was keenly
anxious that the nurses In that In
stitution should reach their highest
efficiency. She knew that many OF
them Travelled across the city or
came from other bOroughs OF the
great sprawllng town. or even from
the next state. to their work. She
had seen them arrive pale from the
closeness OF air in the trains and
worn with the fray Of the crowds.
you are tired before you begin the
days work" she said. Then came
/ the inspiration Build a nurses
home across the street and give II
! in your mOther-in-law's name That
is the story Of Osborn hall. from
which the nurses issue daily. fresh
! ~ armored for their battle with dis
ease and poverty and tragedy.
/ A soldiers memorial can be use
| full as we'll as honorable. practical
as we'll as inspirational. 1t is a prob
/ lem for the ingenuity OF every com
munity.
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-26
THE GERMAN DEAb.

The latest German estimates give the number OF
German soldiers kned the as about 600 OOo OF
whom 10000 Prussians
There IS a certain grim satisfaction in finding tina.
Germany has lost more men than any of the nations
she attacked. Russia The are said
TO total a little less than 100000 and the French
100000. These appalling losses to coun-
tries OF such small population France. Britain
France. unfortunately. TO have lost about as
many proporuonately Germany. But the German
Is quite heavy enough sober sadden those
German imperiasts who plunged so ioyfuly into the
great adventure. and persuade the German people
that war a national business does not pay.
This is Of the main items the loss
column OF the German ledger. The other is the
bin FOR damages that the allies Will present Ger
many. That will and must be 80 big as to drive tbs
lesson home
South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-12-26

Prest Wilson is quoted saying interview in
the London Times. TO a question as to what
the greatest purpose OF the peace conference.
n think the plain the
swer as we'll as ! The plain people OF all
nations looking with anxious expecta-
lion toward Versailles and / am sure they are
asking this one question:
VIII there be found enough wisdom and
purpose among the statesmen there assembled
10 create safeguard against future wars?'"
anyone who asks the man ia the street" anywhere