Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-10-21
seemed toeknow just what wa. goins

to happen.
With mingled feelings Of perplexity
and curiosity we set out for the
American consulate. Things had evil
IDENTITY been happening during our
night trip. Everywhere, were posted
notices OF varying size: "Alle miliciens
unit landveermen met spoed oopko-
men," signed Wilhelmina. A sum
mons from the queen to the militia
and reserves to instant mobilization.
Even az we read the notice the streets
near the station were filing with r.
In the most unmilitary Of crumblec
blue uniforms clumping stolidly and
as silently as their clumsy brogues
would allow to the entraining point.
spanness. that swing or snap that
characterizes nearly every nations
soldiery the world over. at least on
its first day of mobilization. Most
were men from the outlying country
districts, their ungraceful figures and
immobile faces moulded by the un-
ending toll necessary to wiring from
an unwilling Soil precarious exist
ence. 1t was easy to see that they
were descendants Of the men who
never fought as long as they could
trade. but when they did ight-ver-
bum sat. We still have to read about
the siege of Leyden. and Van Tromp's
broom. There was less hustle among
the military in Holland than In Ger
many, or everything considered, even
than in England. They were matter
not until we turned the corner toward
the Wijnhaven that we saw the rea-
son for the emptiness Of the. streets
elsewhere, and. the relative insign1f-
cance Of the military preparations.
The, thrifty. burgers-that term bur
gers Is" perfectly good; saw 1t on q
proclamation, the only. word could
read-had started a very pretty little
run on the Nederlandsche bank. Even
at 8 o'clock the line was a block
long. and when we came back q cou-
pie of hours later, it had grown to
huge proportions. So instetent were
the good folk for their geld that a
mounted policeman rode his horse
through the mass into the very door,
wa in order to check them, and with
a couple of assistants on each side
Even then he had to work. Snow
started to photograph the crowd. thus
exciting the keen suspicion of Dutch
boy scout, who was, however, dis
armed by s.x-inch grin.
No Information From Consul.
Even the American consul was un-
able to give us any definite informa-
tiop... But 1T was interesting to find
that he was an old pioneer Of the west
Of 80 years ago. having built the frst
house OF Breckenridge. Man., town
I have passed through a great many
times, and which is probably more or
less known to most who read this.
The vice consul was a keen-looking.
agreeable chap from Fargo. Both
were as courteous and helpful as pos
sible. giving us directions and a line
to the German consulate. where they
advised us to have our passports
vise'd..
Arrived at the German consulate.
"official consultation" was found to
be the order of the hour. so we walked
about bit while awaiting his excel
lency's pleasure. Trains full Of SOL
diers were continuously leaving the
town, and outside cafe seats COM
| manding g. view of the main viaduct
though, that the Dutch for the most
! bart took their excitement. quietly
There was a little cheering for and
i from the troops passing in the trains
but that was about all from the mass
of the people. But more extended
walk brought us the pleasing specta.
+, Gle Of Soldiers having last drunken
.carousal, or wandering about with 8
wench in either arm" Ga coarse de
my own-quoted from Shows front
page article-with woodcut- in the
Rochester, en-. H.) Courier). (see
i original for exciting details). But
finally our passports were" vise'd, and
having received them. together with
the Information that we were at liber'
't:ty.. to 20 ON. into -Germa ny, we took
! DUR departure for Enmerik. -on the
German frontier. at in the after.
noon. In spite Of the permission Of