Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-12-20
The B1bcS Of Belgium
 By WILL IRWIN

mothers like chickens around hens. No child among them laughed or played: they were too weary for that; but no child cried. l was trying to have speech with these refugees. and firdfng them too nerveless to give any account of their adve ntures when an ambulance arrived.
 NO MEX: BABIES DIE.
 A nurse and physician descended. A woman rose from a distant group. and Joined them. She carried in her arms bundle wrapped In rags The slant of her back showed that the bundle contained a child--there is an attitude of me therhood which none can mistake.
 The women in the nearest group followed the pantomime with their fearless, hopeless eyes.
 What Is ity l asked.
 For a time none Of the women an- swered. Then one spoke in a dead tone.
 Her baby is dead" she said. "She nag To milk Tn her.
 All that happened on the fringe of Belgium, to the refugees who had made their way out and were nearing safety. and enough comfort tc keep Soul and body together
 could multiply instances from the observation of others. Tnere was, for example, the group of two hundred refugees who arrived in Holland early In November. They carried with them four dead, newborn babies.
 1t was the same story which one hears everywhere. Tto -nothers were 50 reduced by privation that they had no rilk of their own. As for cows milk it was not to be had for any money,
 MILK FROM GARBAGE.
 Add another picture. brought out by an American from Belgium. He stood one morning by the back door of 8 German cook camp. watching group of Belgian women Erubbing through the trash-heap piled I'D be- htnd the camp All these women car ried babies.
 What are they doing?" .as asked a German sergeant with whom he had struck up acquaintance.
 'tiScraping our condensed milk cans" said the sergeant. Its the only way to get milk for their babies I've seer them run their fingers round car which looked as bright as g new coin, ana hold them into the babies mouths t. suck. My company" ne added has been getting along without milk in its coffee ana giving it to these
 
 the contrary-ano we're mostly fam fly men. But we're an exception; and / Il doesn't so very far"
 A MOTHER CCLLApSES.
 Here Is another recent picture from stricken Brussels, that gay, d0intV. lively city in old times the city whose smiling people called 1t petit Paris. The scene is the once busy. pleasan. boulevard Bischofsheim A woman collapses cn a bench set r.ong the sidewalk after the fashion or the Greater Paris. In her arms Is baby. A child staggers along, cllnging to her apron. The woman's face is blue and yellow: she is on the verge of col lapse. The baby, surely not over five months old, has a pale, lead colored skin It's mouth Is open as though set that way. In eyes are closed.
 Two women of Brussels pass this unhappy group. They hurriedly ex- change some wo-d., turn back to the woman on he bench. Then one stands guard while the other hastens for some milk and bread-such as is to be found in the Brussels of to-day. They force . little milk between the teeth of the mother. They let the baby drink. Unweaned though it was, it drinks .s though it had never drunR otherwise.
 NO FOOD FOR TWO DAYS.
 To tho face of the mother comes a few patches Of color. She slowly se- covers until she Is able to eat bit of bread. Tho baby opens its mouth, drinks more greedny. Tt has not fed since two days" the mother whispers. Tho mother trses to risa from sne bench but she cannot. The elder child drinks the milk that is left Vt looks curiously at the piece of bread as If ts did not know what 1t was. The mother forces 1t t~ ant. A crowd has gathered, murrnuring- This sight Is not new. yet each ttine 1t draws a little crowd. Every one would Nike to give-but no onA can. Who is net poor at this moment7 Many of them have children at home who to-day weigh less than the day shey were born.
 France and England and Germany and Austria are Issuing their lists Of tho deao. which are mounting Up day by day to ghastly million. But these take account only of the strong young mon who have died in the fight Ing. Taey do not take account of mere non-combatants. They do not list tho women who. foolishly or ignor- autiy stick 70 their homes. have died under tho ahell-fre of enemies or friendA Thay do not list the weak and helpless who have dropped out from the pathetic caravans of rafu- vass n nArtah along ina Al rAs NP <h .