The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1918-09-20

missing me in the darkness if he fired,
or stay where / was. 1t was foggy
as well as dark, and although I knew
the sentry was only few feet away
from me I decided to stand, or rather
lie, pat. I think my heart made almost
as much noise as the rattling OF the
wire in the first place, and it was
tense few moments to me.
heard the German say a few words
to himself, but didn't understand them,
Of course, and then he made a sound
as If to call dog, and 1 realized that
his theory of the noise he had heard
was that a dog had made its way
through the fence.
For perhaps five minutes I didn't
stir, and then figuring that the German
had probably continued on his beat I
crept quietly under the wire again,
this time being mighty careful to hug
the ground so close that I wouldn't
touch the wire, and made off in a diff
ferent direction. Evidently the barbed
wire fence had been thrown around an
ammunition depot or something Of the
kind, and it was not field at all that
I had tried to get into.
I figured that other sentries were
probably in the neighborhood and I
proceeded very gingerly.
After I had got about mile away
from this spot I came to an humble
Belgian house and L knocked at the
door and applied for food in my usual
way, pointing to my mouth to indi-
cate I was hungry and to my ears and
mouth to imply that I was deaf and
dumb. The Belgian woman who lived
in the house brought me piece of
bread and two cold potatoes and as l
sat there eating them she eyed me
very keenly.
I haven't the slightest doubt that
she realized I was fugitive. She lived
so near the border that it was more
for that reason, appreciated more
fully the extent Of the risk she ran, for
no doubt the Germans were constantly
watching the conduct of these Bel
gians who lived near the line.
My theory that she realized that I
aby some English fugitive, was con-
hrmed a moment later, when, as l
made ready to go, she touched me on
the arm and indicated that I was to
wait moment. She went to bureau
and brought out two pieces of fancy
Belgian lace which she insisted upon
my taking away, although at that par
ticular moment had as much use for
Belgian lace as an elephant for a
safety razor, but I was touched with
her thoughtfulness and pressed her
hand to show my gratitude. She would
not accept the money offered her.
I carried the lace through my sub
sequent experiences, feeling that it
would be a fine souvenir for my
mother, although as a matter Of fact If
had known that it was going to de-
lay my final escape for even single
moment, as it did, I am quite sure
she would rather had not seen it.
On one piece of lace was the Flem-
ish word "Charite" and on the other
the word "Esperage." At the time
took these words to mean Charity"
and "Experience" and all l hoped was
that I would get as much Of the one
as was getting Of the other before
finally got through. learned subse-
quently that what the words really
stood for were Charity" and Hope"
and then I was sure that my kind Bel
gian friend had indeed realized my
plight and that her thoughtful SOU
venir was intended to encourage me in
before me.