Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-04-23
"OutWiHing the Hun"
Rv Lieutenant Pat O'Rrien
Copyright, 1918, by Pat Alva o'Brien.)

ing Corps uniform, two shirts, no
underwear, leather leggingS, heavy
shoes, good pair of wool socks and
German cap. l had a wallet con-
tanning several hundred francs III
paper money and various other
papers. l also had jackknife which
| had stolen one day from the prop
erty room at Courtrai, where all the
personal effects taken from prisoners
were kept. For day or two l car
ried the knapsack, but as had
nothing to carry in it 1 discarded it.
travelled rapidly, considering my
difficulties, and swan couple or
canals that night, covering in all
perhaps ten miles before daylight.
Then L located in some low bushes,
lying there all day in my wet clothes
and finishing my sausage for food.
That was the last of my rations.
That night 1 made perhaps the
same distance, but became very hun
CRY and thirsty before the night was
over.
Lives on Raw Vegetables
For the next six days / figured
that I was in Germany, and 1 was
living on nothing but cabbage, sugar
beets and an occasional carrot, al
ways in raw state, just as got them
was often very rank, as 1 had to get
it from canals and pools! One night
l lay in cabbage patch for an hour
tapping the dew from the leaves with
my tongue!
During this period I realized that
l must avoid meeting anyone at all
hazards. 1 was in the enemy's coun-
try and my uniform would have been
a dead give-away. Anyone who cap
tured me or who gave information
from which my capture resulted
might have been sure of a hand
some reward.
l knew that it was necessary for
me to make progress as fast as pos
sible, but the main consideration was
to keep out of sight, even if it took
me a year to get to Holland, which
was my objective.
From my map I estimated that ]
was about thirty-five miles from
Strassburg when 1 made my leap
from the train. and If l could travel
in a straight line 1 had perhaps one
hundred and fifty miles to travel.
AS it was, however, I was compelled
to make my detours, and I figured
that two hundred and fifty miles
was nearer the extent of the journey
ahead of me.
In several parts of the country I
had to travel through forests of
young pine trees about twelve feet
high. They were very close together
and looked almost as if they had
been set out. They proved to be a
serious obstacle to me because /
could not see the stars through them
and / was relying upon the heavens
to guide me to freedom. l am not
much of an astronomer, but 1 know
the Pole Star when I see it, But
for it I wouldn't be here today!
/ believe it rained every night and
day while l was making my way
through Germany to Luxembourg.
My invariable program at this
stage of my journey was to travel
| steadily all night until about in
| the morning, when I would COM
| mence to look around for a place
wherein to hide during the day. Low
| bushes or woods back from the road
! as far as possible from the travelled
pathway, usually served me for this
purpose. Having found such a spot
l would drop down ana try to sleep
My overcoat was my onl ycovering
and that was usually soaked through
either from the rain or from swim
ming.
The only sleep got during those
| days was from exhaustion, and 1
usually came to me toward dusl
when it was time for me to star
| again.
1t was a mighty fortunate thinl
! for me that / was not a smoker
Somehow 1 have never used tobacc,
in any form. I was now fully re
paid for whatever pleasure I haC
foregone in the past as result o
my habits in that particular, he
cause my sufferings would certain
ly have been intensified now if. il
addition to lack of food and rest,
had had to endure a craving for to
| bacco.
ITO BE COntlnued)