Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1918-10-25

back to port 1t would have been a
strange climax to my adventure If the
disaster had resulted in the sinking
of my boat and l had lost my life
while on my way to England after
having successfully Outwitted the
Huns. But my luck was with me to
the last. and while the accident re-
suited in some delay our boat was not
seriously damaged and made the trip
over in schedule time and without fur
ther accident, another destroyer hav-
ing been assigned to escort us through
the danger zone in place of the one
which had been put out Of commits
sion.
When / arrived in London, the re-
action from the strain / had been
under for nearly three months imme-
dlately became apparent. My nerves
we're In such a state that 1t was abso-
lutely impossible for me to cross the
street without being in deadly fear
of being run over or trampled. l stood
at the curb, like an old woman from
the country on her first visit to the
city. and / would not venture across
until some knowing policeman, recog-
| nizing my condition, came. to my as
sistance and conveyed me across.
Indeed, there was a great number of
English officers at home at all times
getting back their nerves" after
long spell of active service at the
front, so that my condition was any
thing but novel to the London bob
bies.
1t was not many days, however, be-
fore / regained control of myself and
felt in frst-class shape.
Although the British authorities in
Holland had wired my mother from
Holland that 1 was safe and on my
way to England, the first thing did
when we landed was to send her a
cable myself.
The cable read as follows:
'Mrs. M. J. O'Brien, Momence, ILL.,, q.
S. "A.
"Just escaped from Germany. Let
ter follows"
As 1 delivered 1t to the cable dis
patcher could just imagine the ex
ultation with which my mother woult
receive it and the pride she would
feel as she exhibited it among hel
neighbors and friends.
l could hear the volley of 81 TOLD
you SOS" that greeted her good It'd
ings.
'Tt would take more than the kaisel
to keep Pat in Germany" could heal
: one of them saying.
3 "Knew he'd be back for Christmas
anyway" 1 could hear another re
r mark.
II had an idea that Pat and hi
! comrades might spend Christmas il
: Berlin" / could hear another admit
e ting, "but did not think any othe
e part of Germany would appeal to hin
!, very much"
r MRS. O'Brien, did Pat write yo
h how many German prisoners b
S brought back with him?" could hea
n still another credulous friend inquil
j ing.
1t was all very amusing and graf
i flying to me and must confess fel
h quite cocky as I walked into the wa
h department to report.
i For the next five days L was ker
= very busy answering questions put
n me by the military authorities regart
It ing what had observed as to cond
d tions In Germany and behind the line
E. What 1 reported was taken dow
-e by a stenographer and made part {
v the official records, but / did not giN
v them my story In narrative form. III
l. information / was able to give VIZ
sr naturally of interest to variot
branches OF the service, and exper
II in every line of government work toe
n 1t in turns to question me. One NOR
e, ing would be devoted, for instanc
ID to answering questions of a milital
C nature-German methods behind Il
to front line trenches, tactics, morale
ID troops and similar matters. Then Il
Id aviation experts would take a what
at me and discuss with me all III
r. observed of German flying corr
IT. methods and equipment. Then, agai
ed the food experts would interroga
We me as to what 1 had learned Of 70,
b. conditions In Germany, Luxembou
or and Belgium, and as had lived pret
-e, close to the ground for the best pa
n Of seventy-two days l was able to gi
nd them some fairly accurate reports
es to actual agricultural condition
es, many of the things l told them pre-
RS pably having more significance to the
er than they had to me.
in There were many things 1 had {
on served which 1 have not referred to
these pages because their value to
er- might be diminished If the Germa
knew we were aware of them, b
to they were all reported to the autho
re ties and it was very gratifying to
lg- to hear that the experts consider
as some of them of the greatest value
/ One of the most amusing incidel
of my return occurred when 1 called
m, my bankers in London to get my D
wn sonal effects.
in The practice in the Royal Flyi
)ut corps when a pilot is reported N