The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1918-08-22

mud of bottom and was able to drag
myself up to the bank, but got there
The bank was rather high and l was
shaking so violently that when l took
hold of the grass to pull myself up.
the grass shook out of my hands. /
could not retain my grip. was afraid
l would faint then and there, but l
kept pulling and crawling frantically
up that internal bank and finally
made it.
Then for the first time in my life I
fainted-fainted from utter exhaus-
ton.
1t was now about o'clock in the
morning and / was entirely unpro-
tected from observation. If anyone
had come along / would have been
found lying there dead to the world.
Possibly two hours passed before 1
regained consciousness, and then, no
doubt, only because the rain was
beating in my face.
/ knew that 1 had to get away, as
it was broad daylight. Moreover,
there was tow-path right there and
any minute a boat might come along
and find. me. But it was equally
dangerous for me to attempt to travel
very far. Fortunately l found some
shrubbery near by and l hid there all
day. without food or drink.
That night l made a little head
way, but when day broke l had
dreadful fever and was delirious. l
talked to myself and thereby in
creased my chances of capture. In
my lucid intervals when / realized that
/ had been talking, the thought sent
a chill through me, because in the
silent night even the slightest sound
carries far across the Belgian country.
/ began to fear that another day of
this would about finish me.
have a distinct recollection of a
ridiculous conversation / carried on
with an imaginary Pat O'Brien-a
sort of duplicate of myself. argued
with him as / marched drearily along
and he answered me back in kind,
and when we disagreed, l called upon
Star, to stand by me.
"There you are, you old North Star"
/ cried aloud. you want me to get
to Holland, don't you? But this Pat
O'Brien-ths Pat OBrein who calls
himself a solder-he's got yellow
streak-North Star-and he says it
can't be done! He wants me to quit
to lie down here for the Huns to
find me and take me back to Cour-
trai-after all you've done, North
Star? l don't want to follow him-I
just want to follow you-because you
you are taking me away from the
Huns and this Pat O'Brien-this fell
low who keeps after me all the time
and leans on my neck and wants me
to lie dOwn-this yellow Pat O'Brein
wants me to go back to the Huns rs
After a spell of foolish chatter like
that my senses would come back to
me for a while and / would trudge
! along without a word until the fever
came on me again.
/ knew that had to have food be-
cause was about on my last legs.
was very much tempted to lie down
then and there and call it a beat
Things seemed to be getting worse for
me the farther / went, and all the
time / had before me the spectre OF
that electric barrier between Belgium
and Holland, even if / ever reached
there alive. What was the use OF
further suffering when i would prob
ably be captured in the end anyway
Before giving up, however, decided
upon one bold move. ] would ap
proach one of the houses In the vi
cinity and get food there or die in
the effort.
] picked out a small house because
/ figured there would be less likeli
hood of soldiers being billeted there
Then wrapped a stone in my KHAKI
handkerchief as sort of camoufiageC
weapon, determined to kill the occu
! pant of the house, German or Belgian
If that step was necessary In ordel
! to get food. tried the well I'm tn,
: yard, but it would not work, and ther
| went up to the door and knocked.
II was o'clock In the morning. Al
l old lady came TO TIE window an,
e looked out. She could not imagin,
! what ] was, probably. because wa
< still attired In that old overcoat. Sh
: gave a cry and her husband and
Z boy came to the door.