The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-27
AS an Englishwoman
Sees Antwerp


ANTWERP, BELGIUM. September rs.
! An EnSlishwoman. Miss Louise Mack
we'll known writer of fiction. ma.
! written the following vivid descr,p
! ton Of this ancient seaport in war
/ time. Antwerp again has won tn.
{ spotlight in this war. The town ha,
become the haven OF thousands of rcfu.
gees. l1clEians, British and Americana
The capital OF Belgium was trans-
. ferred here from Brussels. and Ger
man Zcppelins brought the city into
( prominence by bombarding 1t from the
skies at night. Miss Mack writes:
slowly, painfully through the blaz.
/ ing summer day, our long. brown train
/ goes creeping toward AnverA Anycrs.
/ INC name has grown into an emblem ar
hope in these sad days, when the Bel.
! Si"ns arc fleeing for their lives from
: their little homes among the Nat green
/ pastures. fleeing towards their own
fortified city. that we English know
as Antwerp. or else directing their
desperate. maddcncd flights TO the in
eiah!e peace end security of the IA,
1 OIL ana mysterious 'angeietcrre
see them at every station crondir~
! IN In they crowd. herding like dumb
| driven cattle. and ALWAYS the non,
white faced women with their wide, in.
hocent eyes have babies in their arm.
( and children Juggling at their skir,.
-
forms lined ten deep. and by tho wild.
ness with which they fight FOR thci,
Way into the already crowded car,
! ringes. one knows the pent-up terror
IN these poor. simple hearts The
must get IN, they must. Whatever han.
pens. the: must get inside that train
Ana soon every conipa rtment is packed
ana on VIC go through the sitting
nlihhihS August days inwards towards
.\nvcrs y"
Al
now eager every one &: to find nlace
Ior MIN. Not one or us but wouja
si"ui! give our scat or our standing
room UP TO 'soidat,' and when GU,
"'u ,,, soldiers from Maiines appear
az INC doors. we perform miracles ia
, mat long, brown train. We suucczc
ourselves TO nothing
soldier ~ talking. How we lis.
ton Never did divine or statesman re,
such a hearing rs that blue worn.nl,,
wounded man. white with dust cloceoI
Win mud. his yellow beard weeks old
on ms young face. with his poor fee,
IN their broken. ravagcd boots. and his
req ana blue cap black cncd with smok.
NO aarue"ed with earth where he has
S'cmpt among the bects and potatoes
AZ Maiincs. ne is telling us I'm :,
liint voice at intervals often saw
: '"c Ming He was there He was fight
ing. saw him several times. was
quite near him. lie had a bravery
I y. a
eNPiodinS Just bare yard from whor.
ne was Over and over again saw
ms race always calm. resoIute hone
an Is We'll with him. he ends forlorniy.
gu. IN battle one knows nothing.
All is we'll, cry a dozen eager voio.
inc kinG is back at Antwerp nov
ne is safe In his palace with the Queen
and the little princes.
iiour after hour goes by. Two hours
Wait at Client and VIC rush in a vol
'ure round the beautiful old city. find
inG everything quite calm her. and
rot a sign OF the German. anvuh.r,
we entered tho cathedral II is satur
ua| morning. but crowds OF pcople are
'here telling their rosaries. Then q
priest begins sermon. and 7 hear
Moros that am destined to hear again
'n'er on at Antwerp. Words that have
already begun to form the noble KEY
hotc 10 the btlgians' characters. Re
member this. my children, saws the m,
tie priest. Seul lc silence est grand IL
este est faiblcsse. fOnly silence is
great; the rest is wcakness)
Antwerp at last. and the first We SOC
OF IL ~ bewlderinE MACS OF taxi.
c"ps arraEcd in tho middle of vide
green fields at the citys outskirts for
an 'aNis and motor cars have been
,orllnandecrc by the government ri
NV "'rp. Near the taxis is :, field OF
hElnS machines. biplancs, moroplanes.
'ir::hips, q magnificent array OF air.
cr"''' win the sunlight glitterirc over
mem IKE silver Tho Zeppelin caught
thch unaware tho other n!yht. They
VII never be caught like that again
IN nc hcih there goes on ceaseless
oct,N'tE--they arc always ready nov
""" always getting still more ready.
N".wcrp station is the second
arrest in the world. and in these days
~ las need 10 he big The crowds Tim.
Pour cut OF tho trains here are an.
PainhS All the world seems IN lie
coming TO Antwerp. Soldiers arc ovcrv.
we armed to the Gilt. ana stern and
'"'hiacanlc. II is terrible affair to
80 ,n." antwerp. You wait and wait
IN" wait. and at last you get to q ..oi
dicr You show your nass,ori ,rd I've
.c'uS ~ "lowly-oh--so SLOWLY while
Two soldiers stand on each side or Won.
'hc'r bayoncts horribly near. What are
YOU coming To Antwerp for? Where are
IT," o'"S Whore do YOU come from"
nMt'h'l' Your presence And explain
."u must or never Will YOU get into
awaits you.
out Of the station nj last SAFE
through II all. furnished. worn-out. but
nhpp! at having arrived at ones goal.
'''o me restaurant crowd of pricsts
oo'nc hnrrying. their long black robes
,"pp,"S ncaNiiy, and soon they arc
pcsg,nE FOR my Daily Mail that
ponsht at Ostcnd. They hang over tho
nictures OF the British troops arriving
:" Osteno' and presently. looking up.
u'ssUFer curious sight. One by
o"c' al mat rcstaurant--waitcrs Gus
.oners' managers and all--have crcpi
towards tho priests table and arc
crhh'ng their heads to catch n glimpse
VI "hat means more TO them thau
CONTINUED on Irifth pes \ -