Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1918-09-13
SYNOPSIS.

CHAPTER introductory. Pat o'Brien
tells OF his purpose In writing the story
or his adventures.
CHAPTER II-Tells of his enlistment in
the Royal Flying corps, his training in
Canada and his transfer 10 France for ac-
tive duty.
CHAPTER III-Describes fights In which
he brought down two German airplanes
and his iinal night In which he was
brought down wounded within the Ger
man lines and was made n prisoner OF
war.
CHAPTER lV-Discovers that German
hospital stan barbarously neglected the
fatally wounded and devoted their ener-
gies TO- restoring those who might be
returned 10 the firing lines. Witnesses
death In fight Of his best chum. Lieut..
Paul Rainey.
CHAPTER Vile is taken TO the Of
ficers prison camp at Courtrai. There lie
began planning his escape. BY great sac
rifce he manages to save and hide away
two daily rations Of bread.
Whenever We were taken out Of the
prison for any purpose they always
paraded us through the most crowded
streets-evidently to give the popu-
lace an idea that they were getting
lots of prisoners. The German SOL
diers we passed on these occasions
made no effort to hide their smiles
and sneers.
The Belgian people were apparent
ly very curious to see us, and they
used to turn out In large numbers
whenever the word was passed that
We were out. At times the German
guards would strike the women and
children who crowded too close to US.
One day l smiled and spoke to a
pretty girl, and when she replied, a
German made q run for her. Luckily
she stepped into the house before he
reached her, or I am afraid my salu-
tatIon would have resulted seriously
for her and would have been power
less to have assisted her.
Whenever we passed a Belgian
home or other building which had
been wrecked by bombs by our airmen
our guards made US stop a moment
or two while they passed sneering
remarks among themselves.
One of the most interesting souve-
Mrs / have Of my Imprisonment at
Courtral is a photograph Of u group
of us taken in the prison courtyard.
The picture was made by one Of the
guards, who sold copies of 1t to those
Of us who were able to pay his
price-One mark apiece.
As we faced the camera ! suppose
we all tried to look our happiest, but
the majority of us, ] am afraid, were
too sick ut heart to raise SMILE
even for this occasion. One Of our
Hun guards is shown In the picture
seated at the table. am standing
directly behind him, attired In my fly
ing tunic, which they allowed me to
wear all the time l was In prison, as
Is the usual custom with prisoners OF
war. Three of the British officers
shown in the picture, In the fore
ground, are clad in "shorts."
Through all my subsequent adven
lures l was able to retain print OF
this interesting picture, and although
when l gaze ut 1t now 1t only serves
to increase my qualification at my ultl
mate escape, 1t fills me with regret &c
think that my fellow prisoners were
not so fortunate. All Of them by this
time are undoubtedly eating theil
hearts up in the prison camps Of In
terror Germany. Poor fellowsl
Despite the scanty fare and the re
strictions we were under in this prison
we did manage on one occasion to ar
range a regular banquet The plan
ming which was necessary helped tC
pass the time.
At this time there were eight Of US
We decided that the principal Trims
we needed to make the AFFAIR a sue
cess was potatoes, and l conceived
plan to get them. Every other after
noon they took us for a walk In thu
country, and 1t occurred to me tina
II would be a comparatively simple
matter for us to pretend to be tire'
and sit down when We came to I'M
first potato patch.
II worked out nicely. When W.
came to the first potato patch tina
afternoon, we told our guards that W.
wanted to rest a bit and We wer'
allowed to sit down. In the cours'
of the next five minutes each Of u
managed to get a potato or two. BE
ing Irish, l got six.
When we got back to the prison,
managed to steal a handkerchief ful
of sugar, which, with some apples tina
Wa were allowed to purchase, We cas-
ily converted into sort OF Jam.
We now had potatoes and jam, bu
no bread. It happened that the HUI
who had charge Of the potatoes wal
n great musician. II was not Verl
diaicult to prevail upon him to pla!
ma some music, and while he went on
IN get his either went into the breat
nantry and stole q loaf Of bread
Most of rs had saved some butte
from the day before, and We used .
70 fry our potatoes BY bribing on
az the guards, be bought some eggs 10
M They cost % cents apiece, but vi
vers determined to make this hanque
success, no matter what Il cost
M cooking Vas done b. he nnaol