The Arvada enterprise., 1919-01-30

fore had been there long.
There was q great big cupboard
that looked more like small house.
built against the wall Of the hospital
barracks In one corner Of the room,
and not far from the stove. Kate was
the only patient able to be on his feet.
30 thought he would have to be my
chief cook and bottle washer for Q
while; and, besides, there was some
thing about him that made him look
pretty valuable. had not recognised
bis whistling yet. 70 Slim looked to be
the right name for him.
"slim, what's that big. cupboard
forT'
"How'd know1 Nuthin' in It."
"Slim. that would make . nne box
for coal or wood. wouldn't itf'
"Um. Whar de coal an woodr'
"I'm going out and take observa-
lions. Slim. Take the wheel while I'm
gone. and keep your eye peeled for
U-boats." So I sneaked out the door
and began looking around.
II you look at the sketch I have
made. 1t will not take you long to $50
that next to us was . vacated Russian
barracks. And It did not take me
much longer to see 1t. too. Back to
the hospital and Slim.
"Slim. what barracks are next to
usf"
Russian burrucks. only dey amt
dere now. Been sick."
"And you mean to tell me you don't
know where to get woodr'
"0ick men been in dem burrucks."
"Slck men here. aren't therel Let's
%"
That did the trick. The black boy
would watch from the hospital win.
dows until he saw the coast was clear.
then We would slip into the barracks
next door. and he would watch again.
When there was no sentry nsar
enough to hear u. crash! and cot
would come . dividing board from the
hunks. When We had an armful
apiece. and had broken them up to the
right lengths, all we needed was lit
tie more watching, and then back to
the hospital and the big cupboard.
Later ON. our men told me they used
to watch the smoke that poured from
the hospital chimney all the time and
wonder where on earth We got the
wood.
We got the sAme kind Of food In the
hospital that was served In the other
barracks. and I would not have had
any more than used to. except that
sometimes some Of the twenty-six pa
tients could not eat their share, and
then. Of course. 1t was mine. One day.
though. We all had extra ratiOns.
Two Russian doctors came to visit
us each day. and once they were fool
ish enough. or kind enough. to ask II
We had received our ratiOns-we had
received them earlier than usual and
they were finished at the time. OF
course. said NO. 10 they ordered the
Russian In the kitchen to deliver
twenty.eight rntions to US. which was
not quite three lOaves Of bread. We
were that much ahead that day. but It
would not work when I tried the trick
again.
One day German doctor came to
the hospital barracks. He would not
touch anything while he WAS there
not even open the door. All Of the
patients had little cards attached to
their betls-charts Of their condition.
When the German wanted to see these
charts the Russian doctors had to hold
them for him.
WAS having 4 great time at the
hospital. wrecking the barracks next
door each day for wood. along with
Kate. and getting y little more food
sometimes. and was always nice nnd
warm. ! thought myself quite \ pet.
Compared to what l had been up
against. II seemed like renl comfort.
But the more food I got. the more
wanted. And It wns food that brought
me down. after all.
Across from US was q barracks In
which there were English officers, and
somehow II seemed to me thnt they
mus, have had II drug. Every once In
while I saw what looked like vege-
tables nnd bngs Of something that WAS
dead ringer for brown Hour. SO I
told Slim. or Kate. ~ was calling him
by then. aud with him on guard. l
sneskcd out.
After two or three false starts. I got
over our barbed wire aud their barbsd
wire. and In through Q window.
There ] saw carrots! And graham
nourl
took all ] could carry. to divide up
with Kate. and then started eating.
~ M not 10 waste anything. II was
certainly some feast-the only thing
besides mud bread and barley cU1ee
and shadow" soup that had ~ ct
In 0crmsny. T;,cn I started bark to
the hospital. ! got over their bnreed
wire all right. and Kate gave me ~
Ho.ahrnd for our entanxlemrnts. but
just ~ WAS Eoing ovur them . sentry
nRbbei me. Al arst thouEht Kate
had turned traitor. because Ws had
had Q little argument . short time be.
fore.
hut later On I aRuepd that be would