Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-01-28
NUMBER 4.

| Of us in that car could jump at given
signal and seize those four Hun guards
by surprise, we'd have q splendid
| chance Of besting them and Jumping
On the train when 1t first slowed down,
but when I passed the idea on to my
comrades they turned 1t down. Even
II the plan worked out as gl0riously
as I had pictured, they pointed out,
the fact that so many 81 US. had es-
capped would almost inevitably result
In our recapture. The Huns would
have secured Belgium till they had
got US and then we would all be shot.
Perhaps they were right.
Nevertheless, was determined that,
no matter what the others decided to
do, was going to make one bid for
freedom, come what might.
AS we passed ti-'nsh village after
village in BdgiTr and realized that
we were getting nearer and nearer to
that dreaded reprisal camp, con-
cluded that my one and only chance Of
getting free before we reached 1t was
through the window! I would have
to 60 through that window while the
train was going full speed, because II
I waited until it had slowed up or
stopped entirely, it would be simple
matter for the guards to overtake or
shoot me.
I opened the window. The guard
who sat opposite me-so close that
his feet touched mine and the stock
of his gun which he held between his
knees occasionally struck my foot
made no objection, imagining no doubt
that I found the car too warm or that
the smoke, with which the compart-
ment was filed, annoyed me.
AS I opened the window, the noise
the train was making as it thundered
along grew louder. 1t seemed to say:
"You're a fool If you do; you're fool
If you don't-you're fool If you do
you're fool If you don't"-and / said
to myself "the noes have It," and
closed down the window again.
As soon as the window was closed,
the noise Of the train naturally sub
sided and its speed seemed to dimin-
ish, and my plan appealed to me
stronger than ever.
I knew the guard in front Of me
didn't understand a word Of English,
and so, in quiet tone of voice, con-
fided to the English officer who sat
next me what ] had planned to do.
"For Gods sake, Pat, chuck Ill" he
urged. Don't be lunatic! This rail-
road Is double-tracked and rock-bal-
lasted and the other track Is on your
side. You stand every chance In the
world Of knocking your brains out
against the rails. or hitting bridge or
whistling post, and If you escape
those you will probably be hit by an
other train on the other track. You
haven't one chance in thousand to
make it"
There was q good deal Of logic in
what he said, but figured that once
was in that reprisal camp I might
never have even one chance in a thou
sand to escape, and the idea OF re-
naming a prisoner of war indefinitely
went against my grain. / resolved to
take my chance now at the risk OF
breaking my neck.
The car was full Of smoke. ! looked
across at the guard. He was rather an
old man, going home on leave, and he
seemed to be dreaming Of what was In
store for him rather than paying any
particular attention to me. Once In q
while had smiled at him, and figured
that he hadn't the slightest idea OF
what was going through my mind all
the time we had been travelling.
began to cough as though my throat
was badly irritated by the smoke and
then opened the window again. This
time the guard looked up and showed
his disapproval, but did not say any
thing.
It was then o'clock in the morn.
Ing and would soon be light. I knew
had to do 1t right then, or never, as
there would be no chance to escape In
the daytime.
had on trench coat that had
used as q flying coat and wore my
knapsack, which l had constructed
out of gas bag brought into Courtrai
by British prisoner. In this had
two pieces of bread, a piece Of sau-
sage and pair Of flying mittens. All
Of them had to 90 with me through the
window.
The train was now going at rate Of
between thirty and thirty-five miles an
hour, and again 1t seemed to admonish
me as 1t ratified along over the ties.
you're fool If You do-yOu're fool
If you don't. You're fool II you don't
you're a fool If you do. You're q fool
II you don't"
waited no longer. Standing upon
the bench as If to put the bag on the
rack and taking hold Of the rack with
my left hand and strap that hung
from the top Of the car with my right,
pulled myself up, showed my feet and
legs out Of the window and let 60.
There was q prayer on my lips as
went a"t ''.' 80. h"NHt he.
tween my shoulders, but It was all
over In an instant.
I landed on my left side and face.
burying my face in the rock ballast.
cutting 1t open and closing my left
eye, skinning my hands and shins and
straining my ankle. For few mo-
ments I was completely knocked out,
and II they shot at me through the
window. In the first moments after my
escape, had no way Of knowing.
OF course. If they could have stopped
the train right then. they could easily
have recaptured me. but at the speed 1t
was going and in the confusion which
must have followed my escape, they
probably didn't stop within half Of Q
mile from the spot where ! lay.
came to within few minutes and
when examined myself and found no
bones broken, I didn't stop to WORRY
about my cuts and bruises, but jumped
up with the idea Of putting as great q
distance between me and that track as
possible before daylight came. Still be-