The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-07-24
EXILED BELGIANS
IN HAPPY EXISTENCE
Forced to Remain Away From Their
Homes, They Wander in Lonely
Manner About Cities and
Towns in Holland

The Hague, July 24.-The Belgian ex-
lies are the tragic figures of the Euro
pean war. The state Of siege which has
been declared in most of the provinces
near the frontier has driven them to
north Holland and south Holland, the
two provinces along the North sea where
they can move at liberty There in the
small towns, but by preference in The
Hague, they have established themselves
according to their means. Most of them
are well past the fifties, while their
wives may be a few years younger. The
men of middle age have %lther enlisted
in the Belgium army or have been obliged
to return TO their own country to save
whatever could be saved of the wreckage
of their business.
The older people, however, by general
consent remain away from their own
land. For, as they explain, they could
do no good, they would be in the way
and they would not benefit their country
in any fashion. They have got to stay
where they are and wait for the ultimate
end. Almost invariably they belong to
the middle classes, for the rich people
have gone to England or to the south of
France. They have established them
selves in some of the smaller boarding
houses and their great aim in life seems
to be how to get rid of the "a hours
which compose the day. In the morn |
ing they are seen in the parks, dressed |
properly enough and neatly but often
enough the coat is old and shiny, for |
funds from their fatherland cannot easily /
reach them and their small deposits in
the bank have to last perhaps for many
years. Almost invariably husband and
wife walk together and Judging by the
few words heard in passing, the CONVEX
,ation is always and without exception
If the war.
When they reach a comfortable bench
hey sit down and prepare for the morn
ng's labor. That consists in reading
he two Belgian papers printed in Hol-
and, one The Echo Beige, printed in
French, the other DE Vlaamsche Stem,
printed in Flemish. These little sheets
10 not bring much that is very new.
The frontier is carefully sealed against
he transmission of all valuable news. ,
70 make up for important items of in
Importance, these two papers
'rint the rumors which mysteriously
oat through this colony of exles and
which fill the lives Of many of them,
yer optimistic, with the hope Of a
peedy change of the situation. Ninety.
inc times out OF a hundred. these ru- Z
lors have TO be contradicted the next [
ay on the same page. Then the com 4
lunity Of patient wanderers exelaim 4
Better luck tomorrow" and loose not a / 4
article Of their faith in the ultimate I
ictory of their cause" Anyway. the Z
erusal Of their native papers printed
pom foreign soil fills the entire morn 4,
q and when luncheon comes the couples n
rift back to their boardinghouses. \
After luncheon there is another visit :
the parks and perhaps a walk 10 the !,
aarby seaside where upon certain DAYS
Then there i n particular combination
atmospheric phenomenal the booming /.
the guns in far-away Flanders can be =
ard. Then the discussion Of the war. =
; causes and probable effects waxes hot =
the accompaniment Of the deeply.w- =
ating boom boom boom" which tells
IL tale Of further destruction in the y
'lgian lands.
This brings the day up 10 the evening 4,
urs. when the principal Dutch papers y
pear and then these are studied and -
aiscd or condemned, according to the &c
le which they are supposed 20 take ih
i'm endless cups Of ever weaker tea IA ~
stom Of Holland and Flandersi the last IN
livery Of the mail, which takes place ~
10 O'Clock, il awaited in the vague Il
pe for news from home. news which ~
mot come unless i possesses wings ~
n which 10 nv across or the hands De
a mole with which 10 burr0w under be
} strictly guarded harbed wire fences chi
ich separate Belgium from Holland W
IN this routine 81 useless tasks and at
nless promenades tire DAYS Of the Bel. tn
n exiles pass. Mnst Of them sre too AZ
20 become an integral part q the "
eiCn society into which thsy have besn th'
denly cast. When they speak with rea
singers and this they Do VERY readily. ina
y al ten the same story; eve shall rel
i here patiently until the DAY 81 our "a,
.refancs. We are too old - heln our
ufry We Wait and hope. for the
ss If our lard j. right and the aav
Iirt0rv must some" They have. how I'm
3. one rfievHmea. That Is the sun.
J. Fr upoh that DAY Of rest there
tut one ueuspapsr and ths nztiert :
- 81 eha srslafr srrrsslar-au :. 80 tie