The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1915-01-15
Belgian
War Romance
By LOUISE 3. CUMMINGS

O"S "'NN
1918 a pair of young lovers stood on
q bridge that crossed the river Lys. Iii
Belgium. They were there for a part
ing. The young man was to leave for
the o. early the next morning and
thence for America. Nothing could be
more peaceful than the scene about
them. A young moon stood in the
west, II an occasional breeze stirred
the leaves on the trees they were stir
red lightly. AS for sound. there was
only a slight gurgle beneath them as
the current passed the abutment OF the
bridge.
Nina" said the young man. ''cheer
up. 1t will not be long before In Amer
lea ! shall have saved enough money
to send for you. That we may have
a definite time to be reunited I prom.
Ise you that n year from today. II
not before. you shall receive the pas
sage money to bring you to me-"
And l, Hans. will work and save
20 that II you do not succeed In gain
ing enough to send for me l may have
enough for the journey"
When the year had passed q great
change had come over Belgium. The
Germans we're pouring into the o
try from the east. the French from the
south. Wilhelmina had received let
tiers from her lover in New York that
money would be sent her for her pas.
sage. but before it was dispatched the
war had stopped the mails.
On the anniversary Of their parting.
at evening. Wilhelmina went to the
bridge on which they had stood. "A year
before. 1t was now a ruin. more than
half of 1t having been destroyed. Here
and there across the fields were flashes
followed by a distant oar Ut guns,
while searchlights sent heir columns
of light across the sky like the tails VI
nearby comets.
What should she do? Her home had
been that day in the line Of tire and
was a ruin. Before leaving 1t she had
snatched up her savings. aud these she
had with her Standing there In the
identical spot where b had stood in
quiet with her lover. she resolved to
go to him II possible.
There Was no way OF announcing her
coming beforehand. She had neither
writing materials nor a way to send
a letter. Indeed. 1t was doubtful II
eve she could break through the line
of war to reach the coast. And II h
arrived ut Il port would she lind n YES
sci? Nevertheless she turned her face
toward Hollan nd and set off in the dark
ness.
Her adventures are a long story 10y
itself. Fortune favoring. she reached
Rotterdam in safety and there found
that she had the means to buy a steer
ticket on an OntgOin. steamer to
New York.
On the arrival of the vessel the emf
grants were landed at Ellis island. and
Wilhelmina among others was brought
before the emigration commissioners
There she. was asked how she would
be provided for in America. and when
she said that she had no money she
was told that she would tie sent back
to Holland.
Her modesty. the consciousness that
she was coming to marry a man with
out a special bidding. had caused her
to conceal what she expected. Be
sides. suppose Hans had changed.
But the prospect of being sen back
to a land running In blood. where ever
the little home in which she had been
born aud always lived had been level
ed. overcame her reticence. and she
told Il love story that 10 pen. however
inspired. could put on paper.
"Hans must be found"
Such were the instructions given to
a messenger. who departed on bis or
rand.
There Is a committee of Belgians In
New York whose purpose it Is to look
after their incoming fellow country,
men. The head Of the committee was
found. and be in urn alta rted a hunt
for Hans.
Ever since the war had broken out
Hans had been anxious about his VIII
helmina. He had not dared to send her
his savings for fear they would be lost
Indeed. n of the troubles brought on
by the war was the inability to send
funds to Europe. He had written her.
but without expectation that she would
receive his letters. Az to receiving let
ters from her. he had no faith In that
either,
Hans was at work one afternoon
when \ fellow workman came to him
and told him that the boss wished to
see him in the office. Hans laid down
his tools and reported rs directed. He
found beside the boss a man. who ask
ed him:
"Are o Hans WichteI%'
Il am"
There Is n girl on Ellis island who
came over from Belgium. She says you
will marry her"
"Alina?"
'She says her name ia Wi'heimina."
MARRY her. OF course | will marry
her. Where can | find her?"
Hans wished to 60 at once t Ellis
iclo nd hv,t S,,dd,plv ,r,np,IorinU tp,.