The Lamar register., 1918-08-28

Dtius ana mike uHotner anu ihoie
careful survey the following night.
The view | had obtained, however.
was sufficient to convince me that the
pole-vault idea was out of the ques-
ton even If l had pole and was a
proficient pole-vaulter. The three
fences covered a span of at least twelve
feet and TO clear the last barbed wire
fence it would be necessary to vault
not only at least ten feet high, but at
least fourteen feet wide. with the GER
tain knowledge that to touch the cleo
trically charged fence meant instant
death. There would be no second
chance If you came cropper the first
time.
The stilt idea was also impractical
Bile because of the lack of suitable
timber and tools with which to con-
struct the stills.
1t seemed to me that the best thing
to do was travel up and down the line
bit in the hope that some spot might
be discovered where conditions were
more favorable, although | don't know
Just what expected along those
lines.
II was mighty disheartening to real
ize that only few feet away lay GER
tain liberty and that the only things
preventing me from reaching 1t were
three confounded fences. l thought of
my machine and wished that some
kind fairy would set II in front of me
for just one minute.
spent The night in a clump of
bushes and kept in hiding most Of the
next day. only going abroad for an
hour or two In the middle of the day
% intercept some Belgian peasant
and beg for food. The Belgians In this
section were naturally very much
afraid OF the Germans and 1 Jared
badly. In nearly every house German
soldiers were quartered and 1t was
ou: of the question for me to apply
for food in that direction. The prox-
Unity OF the border made everyone
eye each other with more or less sus-
picion and l soon came TO the conclu-
sion that the safest thing ! could do
was to live on raw vegetables which
could steal from the fields at night as
I had previously done.
That night ] made another survey
Of the barrier In that vicinity. but IL
looked just as hopeless as IL had the
night before and l concluded that
only wasted my time there.
/ spent the night wandering north.
guided by the North Star which had
served me so faithfully in all my trav-
cling. Every mile or two would make
my way carefully to the barrier to see
II conditions were any better. but IL
seemed to be the same all along. felt
like a wild animal in cage. with
about as much chance OF getting out.
The section of the country in which
was now wandering was very heavily
wooded and there was really no very
great difficulty in keeping myself con-
cealed, which did all day long. striv-
Ing all the time TO think of some way
In which could circumyent that
cursed barrier.
The idea of huge stepladder oc-
Cured to me, but searched hour after
hour in vain for lumber or fallen trees
out of which / could construct one. III
/ could only obtain something which
would enable me to reach a point
about nine feet in the air 1t would be
q comparatively simple matter to
Jump from that point over the electric
fence.
Then thought that perhaps / could
construct simple ladder and lean II
against one of the posts upon which
the electric wires were strung, climb to
the top and then leap over. getting
over the barbed wire fences in the
same way.
This seemed TO be the most likely
plan and all night long l sat construct
ing a ladder for this purpose.
1 was fortunate enough to find a
number of fallen pine trees from ten
to twenty feet long. l selected two of
them which seemed sufficiently strong
and broke of all the branches, which
1 used as rungs, tying them to the
poles with grass and strips from my
handkerchief and shirt as best
could.
1t was not very workmanlike
looking ladder WREN | finally got
through with 1t. leaned 1t against
a tree to test 1t and 1t wobbIed consid-
erably. 1t was more like. "A rope lad
der than a wooden one, but l strength
ened 1t here and there and decided