Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-02-11


that looked as though 1t might furnish
me with what I wanted. 1t was
moonlight night and If I could get In
the barn I would have fair chance Of
finding yaway around by the moon
light which would enter the windows.
The barn adjoined the main part Of
the house, but ! groped around very
carefully and soon I touched some
thing hanging on q peg. I diSnt
know what it was, but confiscated
it and carried 1t out into the fields.
There in the moonlight examined
my booty and found that 1t was an old
coat. It was too short for an over
coat and too long for an ordinary
coat, but nevertheless ! made use of
1t. 1t had probably been. an overcoat
for the Belgian who had worn 1t.
Some days later I got scarf from
a Belgian peasant and with this equip
ment I was able to conceal my uni
form entirely.
Later on, however, I decided that 1t
was too dangerous to keep the uniform
on anyway and when night came !
dug hole and buried 1t.
never realized until I had to part
with it just how much I thought Of
that uniform. 1t had been with me
through hard trials and l felt as If
were abandoning friend when !
parted with it. was tempted to keep
the wings off the tunic, but thought
that would be dangerous concession
to sentiment in the event that was
ever captured. It was the only dis
tinction I had left, as / had given
the Royal Flying Corps badges and
the stars Of my rank to the German
flying officers as souvenirs, but l felt
that 1t was safer to discard 1t. AS
1t finally turued out, through all my
subsequent experiences, my escape
would never have been jeOpardized
had kept my uniform but, Of course,
I had no idea what was in store for
me.
There was one thing which surprised
me very much as journeyed through
Belgium and that was the scarcity of
dogs. Apparently most Of them had
been taken by the Germans and what
are left are beasts of burden who are
too tired at night to bark or bother
intruders. This was mighty good
thing for me, for / would certainly
have stirred them up In passing
through back-yards as / sometimes
did when I was making short cut.
One night as came out Of a yard
it was so pitch dark that I could not
see ten feet ahead Of me and / was
right in the back Of little village,
although I did not know 1t. crawled
along fearing might come to a cross
roads at which there would In all
probability be q German sentry.
My precaution served me in good
stead for had come out in the main
street Of the village and within twenty
feet of me, sitting on some bricks
where they were building little store,
I could see the dim outline Of Ger
man spiked helmet!
I could not cross the street and the
only thing to do was to back track.
1t meant making long detour and
losing two hours Of precious times
effort, but there was no help for 1t,
so I plodded wearily back, cursing
the Huns at every step.
The next night while crossing some
fields I came to road. 1t was one OF
the main roads Of Belgium and was
paved with cObble stones. On these
roads you can hear wagon or horse
about mile or two away. listened
intently before moved ahead and
hearing nothing concluded that the
way was clear.
AS emerged from the field and got
my first glimpse of the road, I got the
shock of my life! In either direction.