The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1918-10-19
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it. 1t had probably been an overcos
for the Belgian who had worn it.
Some days latter got scarf frol
Belgian peasant and with this equiv
ment I was able to conceal my un
form entirely.
Later on, however, I decided that
was too dangerous to keep the uniforl
on anyway and when night came
dug a hole and buried 1t.
I never realized until I had to pal
with it just no w much thought c
that uniform. TT had been with m
through hard trinls and I felt as If
were abandoning a friend when
parted with it. was tempted to kee
the wings off the tunic, but though
that would be a dangerous concessio
to sentiment in the event that wa
ever captured. 1t was the only dill
tinction I had left, as I had give
the Royal Flying, Corps badges al
the stars Of my rank to the Germs
flying officers as souvenirs, but II
that 1t was safer to discard It.
1t finally turned out, through all
subsequent experiences, my esca
would never have been jeopardiA
had kept my uniform but, Of couf
I had no idea what was In store
me.
There was one thing which surprtI
me very much as I journeyed third
Belgium and that was the scarcitJ
dogs. Apparently most Of them
been taken by the Germans and \
are left are beasts Of burden Wild
too tired at night to bark or b
intruders. This was mighty
thing for me, for I would cer9 Q
have stirred them up In pR ?
through back-yards as I soma s
did when was making short Z
One night as I came out Of o
It was so pitch dark that I cout II
see ten feet ahead of me and p p
right in the back Of a little
although I did not know 1t. "a Il
along fearing ! might come to d b
roads at which there would ~ G.
probability be o German sent ht
My precaution served me ID nc
stead for had I come out In tn 81
street Of the village and wfthuy De
feet Of me, sitting on SONGS no
where they were building it&, Pc
I could see the dim outline or
man spiked helmet! ms
I could not cross the street be no
only thing to do was to baS ne
It meant making a long deHd tir'
losing two hours Of precious pd EN-
effort, but there was no he& rur
so I plodded YEARLY backlog mil
the Huns at every step. Wn
The next night while crosShe WI
fields came to a road. It Vpf BEL
the main roads Of Belgiumas nea
paved with cobble stones. Use tne
roads you can hear wagoNse izee
about mile or two away. ed maj
intently before I moved nd rap
hearing nothing concluded star
way was clear. I
AS I emerged from the a lot oog'
my first glimpse Of the roaS be thei
shock of my lifel In eithe3n,
as far as I could see, thu Jas
lined with German soldix lat
they were doing in that el-
GUM I did not know, but be
mighty sure I didn't spen@ne
trying to find out.
| Again 1t was necessarNge 9.
my course and lose cer< mt =
OF ground, but by this tin be- =.
come fairly well reconcil se =
reverses and they did not ne -
as much as they did at 81 -
At this period of my adj a
day or night passed with fill
began to feel almost I'd.
but such disappointn IRE )
rather rare. ~SJ
One evening as I was Inn ~,
a canal about two hundI lie, IIz2(
I suddenly noticed about ed zSa
yards away O canal boz to SIbSs
the side. 81 sS-Sg
It was at a sort of Say -Ea,
place and I wondered W lal q "a.
boat had stopped for. up S
to see. AS I neared the EN-
were leaving 1t and I am ~
cross over into the f1eldfe q G
distance followed them Id "a
not gone very far befor at Is
they were after. They h.
ting the common but het&Sf
stealing potatoes! ou'
Without the means that 1,
potatoes didn't interest h those Z
thought that the boa b good g,
probably yield me moro the ocr
tato patcn. knowing fight.
would probably take the and tb,
fields, climbed up tho starved
boat leisurely and withq etabIas
uiar plans ~ coheea, upon fl
my head appeared aboY couldn,t
the boat I saw silho
the sky, the dread out Il
man soldier-spiked hi
A chill ran down m ="
dropped to the bank of
skunk away. Evidently o,"
not seen me or. II he ha mus
ably figured that I w 70 d
FORE inp marty but the p
4 L., ex.A,r