The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-09-05
CHAPTER X.-Continued.


pleces of dry wood l had often read
about. but ! had never put it to test
and for various reasons / concluded
tbot Il would be unsafe for me to
bulld fire even If ! had matches. In
the first place, there was no absolute
need for II. / didn't have anything
10 cook nor utensils to cook II In even
II / had. While the air was getting
10 be rather cool at night, was usu-
ally on the 90 at that time and didn't
notice IL. In the daytime, when
was resting or sleeping, the sun was
usually out.
To have borrowed matches from a
belgian peasant would have been feas-
lbe, but when | was willing TO take
the chance Of approaching anyone, it
was just as easy to ask for food as
matches.
1t the second place, it would have
been extremely dangerous to have
built fire even If / had needed 1t.
You can't build fire In Belgium,
which is the most thlckly populated
country in Europe, without everyone
knowing it, and | was far from anx-
iOus to advertising my whereabouts.
The villages in that part of Bel
GUM through which l was making my
course were so close together that
there was hardly ever an hour passed
without my hearing some clock strike.
Every village has its clock. Many
times | could hear the clocks striking
In two villages at the same time.
But the hour had very little interest
TO me. My program was to travel as
fast rs could from sunset to sunrise
and pay no attention to the hours in
between, and in the daytime | had
only two things to worry about: keep
concealed and get as much sleep as
possible.
The cabbage that l got in Belgium
consisted of the small heads that the
peasants had not cut. All the strength
had concentrated in these little heads
and they would be as bitter as gall. |
would have 20 be pretty hungry to-
day before / could ever eat cabbage
again and the same observation ap-
plies to carrots, turnips and sugar
beets-eSpecially sugar beets.
1t Is rather remarkable thing that
today even smell Of turnips, raw or
cooked, makes me sick, and yet few
short months ago my life depended
upon them.
Night after night as | searched for
food, | was always in hopes that l
might come upon some tomatoes or
Celery-vegetables which really
hSed, but with the exception of once,
when found some celery, l was never
50 fortunate. l ate so much of the
celery the night l came upon it that
was sick for two days thereafter,
out | carried several punches away
With me and used to chew on it as |
walked along.
Of course, l kept my eyes open all
he time for fruit trees, but apparently
Il was too late in the year for fruit, as
all that | ever was able to find were
WO pears, which | got out of tree.
mat was one of my red-letter days,
Out | was never able to repeat 1t.
In the brooks and ponds that
passed | often noticed fish of different
Kinds. That was either in the early
morning just before l turned In for
ule day, or on moonlight nights when
ule water seemed as clear in spots
us IN the daytime. 1t occurred to me
u'atlt would be simple matter to rig
nook and line and catch some fish,
out had no means of cooking them
onu 1t was useless to fish for the sake
Of Il.
one night in Belgium my course
ooE me through n desolate stretch of
Wuhtry which seemed to be absolutely
uhcultivated. l must have covered
we've miles during the night, without
passing single farm or cultivated
aeld' My stock of turnlps which
Had picked the night before was gone
a"u l planned, of course, to get enough
carry me through the following
day.
Inc North Star was shining brightly
'"ut night and there was absolutely
uotnlng to prevent my steering an alb
p,V'uteiy direct course FOR Holland and
noerty but my path seemed to lie
through arid pastures. Far to the
su@ or to the west l could hear
.a'ntly the striking of village bells,
e"u knew that If / changed my
sOurSe would undoubtedly strike
@, ca'uiS and vegetables, but the North
S'ur seemed to plead with me to fol-
Wv II and would not turn aside.
"hen daylight came, the conse-
SSuSuee was l was empty handed and
r"u r. % ind a hiding place for the day.
W'tght ] would approach the first
Lr."Sant | tame to and ask or food,
.u' 'hat day haG mis- yings-a
,~."uch--that i. would set I'M trouble
:. uu' ana decides to e. without
WI" nItogethor fo" tha, day.