Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-07-09
A Belgian
War Romance
BY LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

| q
ing. The young man was to leave for
the coast 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. If an occasional breeze stirred
the leaves Ten the trees they were stir.
red lightly. AS for sound, there was
only 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
d definite time to be reunited | prom
Use you that one year from today. If
not before, you shall receive the pas
sage money to bring you to me-
"And |, Hans. will work and save
so that if ypu do not succeed in gair
ing enough TO send for me may have
enough for the Journey
When the year had passed a great
change had come over Belgium. The
! Germans We're pouring into the coun.
/ try from the east. the French from the
south Wilhelmina had received let
ters 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,
ut evening, Wilhelmina went to the
bridge on which they had stood year
before. 1t was now a ruin. more than
ha.f of it having been destroyed. Here
and there across the fields were flashes,
followed by distant roar of guns.
while searchlights sent their columns
IF light across the sky like the tails of
nearby comets. .
What should she do? Her home had
been that day in the line of fire and
was a ruin Before leaving it she had
snatched UP her savings, and these she
had with her. Standing there in the
Identical spot where she had stood In
quiet with her lover. she resolved to
go to him if possible
F There was no way of announcing her
COuluS ohC hdu hCsIhCl
writing materials nor way to send
+ letter. Indeed. it was doubtful ID
+ even she could break through the line
+ of war to reach the coast. And if she
arrived at port would she find a YES
sci? Nevertheless she turned her face
toward Holland and set off In the dark
ness. a.a.
/" Her adventures are long story by
| itself. Fortune favoring. she reached
Rotterdam in safety and there found
that she bad the means to buy steer
age ticket on an outgoing 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
be provided for in America, and when
she said that she had no money SHE
was told that she would be sent back
to Holland Is .a
Her modesty, the consciousness that
she was coming to marry a man with
out special bidding. had caused hel
to conceal what she expected. Be
sides, suppose Hans had changed
But the prospect of being sent back
to land running in blood, where ever
the little home in which she had beer
born and always lived had been level
ed, overcame her reticence. and sh,
told love story that no pen, however
inspired. could put on paper.
Hans must be found!'
Such were the instructions given t,
q messenger, who departed on his er
rand.
There is a committee of; Belgians Ii
New York whose purpose it is to lool
after their incoming fellow country
men, The head of the committee wa
found. and he in turn started a hun
for Hans.
Ever since the war had broken ou
Hans had been anxious about his Wi
helmina. He had not dared to send he
his savings for fear they would be los
Indeed, one of the troubles brought o
by the war was the inability to SEN
funds to Europe. He had written hel
but without expectation that she woul
receive his letters. AS to receiving lei
tiers from her. he had no faith in tina
either.
Hans was at work one afternoo
when a fellow workman came to hir
and told him that the boss wished
HI L., h. Iat1 dnm
his tools and reported as directed. Fl
found beside the boss man. who ash
ed him:
Are you Hans Wichtel?"
81 am"
There is a girl on Ellis island VIII
: came over from Belgium. She says 20
will marry her"
"Minaw
"She says her name is Wilhelmina.'
Marry her! OF course | will MARI
her Where can find her?'
Hans wished to go Mt once to Ell
island, but suddenly remembering Thu
man in overalls was not in weddin
costume tidied himself up, then set o
to Join his sweetheart
II the authorities had any doul
about Wilhelmina's story 1t was di
PEELED by the fervent embrace Of I'll
lovers. But Uncle Sans emigrant of
Gals take no mans promise Of ma
riage, and there are no breaches {
promise In his large family. A ma
went with the couple to the city ha
In New York, where "A license was pr
cured. Then the pair went to the o
fee of the Belgian committee. whei
the marriage ceremony was performe