The Lamar register., 1918-08-21
lieve II IS possible.


reasonable was to build pair of stilti
about twelve or fourteen feet high ant
walk over the barriers one by one. A.
a youngster l had acquired consider
able skin In stilt-walEing and l have
no doubt that with the proper equip
ment IL would have been quite fens-
ible TO have walked out of Belgium
us easily as possible In that way. bui
whether or not | was going to have
chance to construct the necessary
stills remained TO be seen.
There We're a good many bicycles ii
use by the German soldiers in Belgium
and IL had often occurred To me thai
II l could have stolen one. the tires
would have made excellent gloves ano
Insulated coverings Tor my feet In
case ii was necessary for me to ut.
tempt to climb over the electric fence
bodily. But as | had never been able
to steal bicycle this avenue OF es.
cape was closed TO me.
l decided to wait until | arrived al
the barrier and then make up my mind
how to proceed.
To find decent place to sleep thai
fence, thinking IL led into some field
AS | passed under, one of the barbs
caught in my coat and in trying to
pull myself from ii | shook the fence
for several yards.
Instantly there came out of the night
the nerye-racking command: Halt =
Again | feared | was done for. }
crouched close down on the ground iI
the darkness. not knowing whether to
take Ia my legs and trust to the Huns
missing me In the darkness II he fired,
or stay where | was. II was foggy
as well as dark, and although l knew
the sentry was only IA few feet away
from me decided to stand. or rather
lie, pat. think my heart made almost
as much noise as the rattling OF the
wire in the first place. and II was d
tense few moments TO me.
| heard the German say few word.
to himself, but didn't understand them
of course. and then he made soune
ns II To call dog. and ! realized thai
his theory of the noise he had heard
was that dog had made Its way
through the fence.
stir, and then figuring that the German
had probably continued on his beat ]
crept quietly under the wire again
this time being mighty careful to hus
the ground so close that | wouldn't
touch the wire. and made of In u diff.
ferent direction. Evidently the barbed
wire fence had been thrown around an
ammunition depot or something OF the
kind. and 1t was not field at all thai
had tried to get into.
figured that other sentries were
probably In the neighborhood and
proceeded very gingerly.
After | had got about u mile away
from this spot | came to an humbl.
Belgian house aud Knocked ut the
door and applied for food In my usual
way. pointing 10 my mouth to indi
cate l was hungry aud to my ears and
mouth To imply that | was deaf and
dumb. The Belgian woman who lived
Ia the house brought me piece of
bread aud two cold potatoes and as !
sat there enting them she eyed me
very keenly.
haven't the slightest doubt that
she realized | Was fugitive. She lived
50 near the border that IL was more
for that reason. | appreciated more
fully the extent Of the risk she ran. for
no doubt the Germans were constantly
watching the conduct of these Bel
CLANS who lived near the line.
My theory that she realized that
was not Belgian ut all. but prnb
iLy some English fugitive. was con
hrmed moment later. when. us !
made ready 10 ~. she touched me on
the arm and Indicated that | was to
wait II moment. She went To bureau
and brought out two pieces Of fancy
Belgian lace which she Insisted upon
my taking away. although ut that par
ticular moment had us much use for
Belgian lace rs an elephant for a
safety razor. but was touched with
her thoughtfulneSs and pressed her
hand to show my gratitude. She would
not accept the money | offered her.
| carried the lace through my sub
sequent experiences. feeling that II
would be fine souvenir for my
mother, although rs "a matter of fact II
had known that II was going to de-
lay my final escape for even u single
moment, us it did. / am quite sure
she would rather | had not seen II.
ON one piece Of lace was the Flem-
.ssst .-Et 80