The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-26
GERMAN ASWEL[S" ARE ARRESTED IN
 LONDON AS SPIES Intimate Gossip of Effect of
 War on the Business
 People |CONFISCATING HORSES DISTRESSES FARMERS Americans Were Given Time Limit In Which to Register or Subject Themselves to Heavy Fine


 tempt to enter Belgium expired at mid night last night. This morning one sees enormous headlines of War Declared. We see officers rushing round in motor cars, horses being commandeered- The officer in command of the western division has just telephoned me Gas he IS doing all our neighbors) to hold any large hunters I may have for the expedi- tionary forces and farm horses for artil- lery Looking from d sensible standpoint, as much as I dislike parting with my pleasure horses. they must go; We will have no hunting this winter and money will be scarce. To lose my farm horses will be a great drawback. How are we to harvest wheat and oats or do our winters blowing? Luckily Lord Derby is now taking this matter up in Paria- ment. We hope the demand for horses will not delay the corn.
 As I suspected, our little neighbor, Baron von L., has been arrested in London. a spy. Also Baron von T., caught load ing 45 thoroughbred horses, en route to Germany. The horses were confiscated | and this gentleman put in prison. Both | barons have been society "tufts,' as the English slang is, very intimate with some l of the oldest families. The high | Englishman Is slow to become suspicious, but when once suspicion is aroused he becomes bitter
 Two of our best workmen on the farm have been called to the front, one young man at midnight last night. This poor boy leaves mother desperately ill and a young wife only married two months. My heart ached for the girl when he left | her in our charge last night to get her back to her mother as best we could. l saw her safely off this morning weeping as if her heart would break. Food is dear in spite of the newspaper accounts. | Prices for the necessities of life have | gone up 25 to 90 per cent-sugar, flour, beer. 1 All business is at a standstill except that of butchers, bakers and grocers. We try to console ourselves and say, Cheer up, the worst is yet to come" o |
 1 Chester, England. August 10.-Last night during dinner the telephone rang violently. | 1 told that the sergeant wished to speak to me. With apologies for any in l conveniences and many ''thank yous," as is the English custom. he informed me | that I and my family must register our selves American citizens within the next few hours; failing to do so a penalty | of f100 or six months imprisonment would l be due.
 We have several American refugees | staying in the house. They also had to register Determined to take things light ] heartedy, we all-flve in number-piled | into a two-seated motor car and off we l went for our 10-mile ride to secure safety l beneath the British flag.
 The night was beautiful-that cool, crisp atmosphere that one finds in England, | even in midsummer, was refreshing to high roads and country James, mile after | mile, throwing her searchights onto the peaceful countryside. One would never have dreamed that a war so cruel and so uncivilized was raging but across the channel. Suddenly a whistle and a cry of halt broke above the quiet hissing of the engine and out of the night like an omen of evil a uniformed figure rose Our business was asked and after some | discussion over registration we were al lowed to resume our journey.
 Soon we arrived at the little country courthouse crowded with Polish Hebrews who, not wishing to return to their coun- try, were registering. dimly shining lamp was all the light in the room-truly d romantic scene. l felt vaguely reminded of stories of the French revolution. A burly stupid sergeant s-examined the crowd one by one; some spoke very little English and their replies were ludicrou. to an extreme Photographs were re quired, and our finger prints were taken. felt like some awful criminal being iden. tified
 We were again brought to a standstil coming home, but once more were allowed to pass on our way after assuring the officers that we had neither Germans nor ammunition on board.
 nrfc d. long-one hardly knows what to believe nowadays. Reports are contradicted al most immediately after publication. A train in the south was fired on today, but the culprits escaped in an automobile and are being hunted down.
 A large meeting was held in the village this evening and even the poorest inhab itants offered their services to make shirts. socks and piles of bandages fol their country.
 In an evening paper a prophecy wa, quoted that was made several years ago "The downfall of the German empire shal be in the year 1913-1914," etc. We hope that it may be true.
 Chester. England, August 15.-Th, never to be forgotten ten days o waiting are over. We hear of French victories in southern Alsace; glorious vic tories in Liege. Less than fortnight ago France was still at peace. Only or the first Sunday in August the Kaiser presented his ultimatum to Belgium ant invaded Luxemburg Only on Monday h, declared war upon the republic of France tOnly on Tuesday England was dragged into the conflict. Hour by hour the thun
 der of gathering legions sound nearer ant nearer. Curiosity Is passing into anxiety
 The work of preparation by all classe
 and in all phases of life completely doe
 away with social gatherings There is tn
 idle business men, who by the way. ar
 offering their services for such work al special constables, serving at any worl they might be called upon to do. by tn
 authorities.
 The daily papers are reduced to smal
 single sheets, no advertisements, no nor
 fiction, no more criticism of art and liter | ature. The goddess of fashion has fled The streets in most of the towns seen deserted. The shops seem empty. Onl the railway stations are full and thes
 are always like blow holes on the fam
 of volcano
 The most horrible thing in human life
 perhaps, is the deadening of sensibilit
 that comes about when we see crime o
 suffering no longer in retail, but in whole
 sale. and no longer an evil to prevent. bu
 fate to endure. The calm of the pee
 courage of which the press speaks ec
 quently-in part it is numbness and ir
 capacity to feel more, to which can tes
 tify. We are all stunned. Into ever
 minute of the past fortnight has bee