ENTRENCHED HERMIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15930, 29 May 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

ENTRENCHED HERMIT.

..-,- — ~^~. —: .'&m ; . OFFICER'S LONG VIGIL. • ;. > Tub Belgian Socialist Minister M. Van. : ." dervelde has tolc'j the curious story of an : officer, formerly 'a.monk who was pre-" 5 'I sented to" him when he paid a recent visit : to the trenches n Flanders. -,*_? Fifteen' soldiers, he says, keep watch at :> *-i - a- certain ; point' because the German.-' ''' trenches', are only 200 yards away. The-' , others play cards in .a cellar, while a new. recruit sleeps face downwards on a clank." . ' "'-;' The officer is up above in a sort ol dovecot, which serves him as an observation post. • .•. ..■.-:' -,w' J . " When we went up," says Mr. Vander- - vclde, "he did us the honours of his cell,- -"-;;<<• five yards long, and four wide. For furniture lie has a mattress, a broken chair,%J|S and a rickety table. There is no other j ■". light but a dim lantern, invis ble from, outside." i^ll! , Here the hermit, has lived for more tiuivil§§| a month. The men are relieved everv 24'|J|i§ hours, but he refuses to be relieved." As ' an artillery observer he does not budge- - .- ; . from his post, and has no other relations with the outside world, except by the tele?%f||| phone wire which connects him with head- " jU quarters. Food is taken to him on quiet- " '•- nights, but that is often impossible owing ; ' to the heavy shell fire. For three days he Miff was without drinking water, except what "-''*;<■ lie could collect from the rain oozing / - through the roof/ A few nights ago a shell': came into his cell and burst, hut by an-'. .".." extraordinary fluke' only scratched hisiittlo -> .. finger. Asked whether the condition of his .-'• ' 'J. life was not intolerable, the hermit £oldicL;-''t|| smiled. "I have never been so happy," ;/;;■/, he said. "Tims passes quickly while I - keep my little house in order and watch ■,/-.••'„'." over my men and signal i.iv observations. -5> I feel that I am serving my country." ' \'i*v< Then, as though to complete his thought, ..{'■*.£ he pointed to the wall, on whi;-h were til® scratched the words : " Vive lc l!oi '." 'i i'*>g — *t:vM