Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-03-11
CHAPTER XIV.
A Night Of Dissipation.

In the big city, he had told me, among
other things, of a moving picture show
in town which he said might have q
chance to>se while there. ~
1T is free every night in the weel
except Saturdays and Sundays" he
said. "and once. you are inside you
would not be apt to be bothered by
anyone except when they come to take
your order for something to drink
While there Is no admission. patrons
are expected to eat or drink while en-
joying the pictures"
A day or two later, while walking
the streets at night In search for food
I had passed this place and was very
much tempted to 60 In and spend g
few hours, particularly as 1t would
perhaps give me an opportunity to
buy something to eat although ! was
at loss to know how l was going to
ask for what l wanted.
While trying to make up my mind
whether it was safe for me to 60 IN l
walked half block past the place, and
when l turned back again and reached
the entrance with my mind made up
that I would take the chance I ran full
tilt into German officer who was just
coming out.
That settled all my hankerings for
moving pictures that night. "Where
you came from, my FRIEND" I figured,
there must be more like you! I guess
1t is q good night for walking"
The next day. however, in recalling
the incident of the evening before. 1t
seemed to me that I had been rather
foolish. What needed more than
anything else at that time was conf
dence. Before I could get to the from
tier I would have to confront German
soldiers many times, because there
were more of them between this city
and Holland than in any section OF the
country through which I had 80 far
travelled. Safety In these conting-
encies would depend largely upon the
calmness I displayed. 1t wouldn't DO
to get all excited at the mere sight OF
a spiked helmet. The Belgians, had
noticed, while careful to obey the
orders of the Huns, showed no partic-
ular fear Of them, and 1t seemed to
me the sooner I cultivated the same
feeling of Indifference the better l
would be able to carry off the part l
was playing.
For this reason I made up my mind
then and there that, officers or no Of
ficers, would 60 to that show that
night and sit 1t through no matter
what happened. While people may
think that I had decided unwisely be-
cause of the unnecessary risk involved
In the adventure. 1t occurred to me
that perhaps after all that theater was
about one Of the safest places / could
attend because that was about the last
place Germans would expect to find a
fugitive English officer In even II they
were searching for me.
As soon az evening came, therefore.
I started out for the theatre. I fixed
myself up as well as possible. I had
on fairly decent pair Of pants which
Huyliger had given me and / used
clean handkerchief as q collar.
With my hair brushed up and my
beard trimmed as neatly as possible
with pair of rusty scissors which
had found in the house, while my ap-
pearance was not exactly that OF q
Beau Brummel, I don't think looked
much worse than the average Belgian.
In these days the average Belgian Is
very poorly dressed at best.
can't say I had no misgivings as I
made my way to the theatre; GER
tainly I was going there more for dis
cipliSe than pleasure, but I had made
up my mind that was going there to
see 1t through.
The entrance to the theatre or beer
garden, for 1t was as much one as the
other, was on the side Of the building
and was reached by way OF an alley
which ran alongside. Near the door
was ticket.seller's booth. but as this
was one of the free nights there was
no one in the booth.
marched slowly down the alley
Initiating as best could the indiffer-
ent gait Of the Belgians, and when
entered the theater endeavored to act
rs though had been there many times
before. A hasty survey Of the layout
of the place was sufficient to enable
me to select my seat. 1t was early and
there were not more than half dozen
people in the place at that time, so
that I had my choice.
There was q raised platform. per
haps two feet high, all around the
walls of the place. except at the end
where the stage was located. On this
platform tables were arranged and
there were tables on the floor proper
as well.
decided promptly that the safest
place for me was as far back as pos
sible, where I would not be in the line
of vision of others In back Of me. Ac-
cordingly I slouched over to table
on the platform directly opposite the
stage and took the seat against the
wall. The whole place was now In
front Of me. / could see everything
that was going on and everyone who
came in, but no one. except those who
sat at my own table, would notice me
unless they deliberately turned around
to look.
The place began to all up rapidly.
Every second person who came In the
place seemed to me to be q German
soldier, but when they were seated at
the tables and I got q chance later on
to make a rough count / found that
In all there were not more than q hum
dred soldiers In the place and there
must have been several hundred civil.
ians. F
The first people to dt 1t my table
were a Belgian and his wife. The Bel
gian sat next to me and his wife next
to him. I was hoping that other civil.
ians would occupy the remaining two
seats at my table, because I did not
reiish the idea Of having to sit through
the show With German soldiers within
few feet q ma Tt XQQA aoI4llnly