The Tulsa star. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1913-1921, 1915-02-27
Count de Beaufort Describes
Trip Along the Battle Line
in West Flanders.
HIGH PRAISE FOR BELGlANS
Courteous and Hospitable and viii DC
Anything for the Enslish-com-
fort In the Trenehes-Germans
Reply In Kind to Belgian
Fire
BY COUNT NJ. DE BEAUFORT.

Belgium.-A Belgian officer return
ing with his men from week in the |
trenches along the User was asked Dy
one OF his colleagues, whom he met
On the road from Nieuport to Furnes
how things were going in front. Oh
he replied all right but it isn't ex
lctly picnic you know" That is ex
actly the answer / felt like giving
today when / returned from a few
lays gypsylng in West Flanders. II
is difficult TO know where to start in
relating my impressions. 1t seems as
II for four days ! have sat in huge
moving picture theater and watched
one film after another being reeled of,
at the same time listening TO an ex.
tremely eloquent lecturer
How and why was able to wander
| rom village TO trench. and from
trench to village. or whatever is left
/ OF them. Is a story which, perhaps
with many Others will be told later
/ after the war They are a courteous,
| open hearted, hospitable lot. these Rel
/ gians. and anybody who seems to be
/ English. either in appearance or ac'
| cent. can have anything they own
All. England" hear from all sides
| why they have certainly stood by us
Les Anglais sons, chic" ('chic" in this
sense OF the word refers TO character
not TO appearancel.
The most interesting place in the
line along the User these days has
been the village OF Stvuyekenskerke.
It lies on the left bank Of the User.
The main road from DiNmude to Per.
vyse runs about half mile 10 tho
west Of II. and the railroad about an
other half mile farther Both lines
are held by the Belgilns On Tuesday
morning some Of our advanced patrols
ventured close to the village, and not
seeing any life there. went in. The
Germans had retired to the other side
n the river Promptly the village was
"retaken" by the Belgians But Of
what use is a practically razed village
anyhow? II would have taken great
number Of extra men to guard it AZ
night AGAINST surprise attacks, so the
officer in charge retired at sunset into
his own lines along the railroad.
Enjoy Temporary Armistice.
On Wednesday morning the Ger
mans were occupying the village again
for the day, but this afternoon the
, pelgians might have had their tea
there hut for the sudden interruption
OF business OF the only patlsserie. The
. English sign. Tea served at all hours,
. was stll intact We took It down. and
and now II Is heading the entrance
to one OF the sleeping trenches mile
back At certain points around this
village the advance lines are not fur.
; ther than 200 feet from each other,
and have seen soldiers on both sides
walk about unconcerned without n
shot being fred on either side. But
- in the distance, one hears from time
, to time the roar OF the guns.
My wandcrings landed me near a
lonely pelgian field gun. one of the
r "75s," in the neighborhood of Per
WISE. knew the officer in charge,
, and was promptly invited to stay, and
? take pot luck, an invitation which,
: needless to say, | accepted. Somehow
one seems to be always hungry. yet
T one eats more and oftener than at
any other time His underground
dwelling had been made quite habit
able. lie insisted that | should take
] the "fauteuil" in the shape Of the only
4 soaphon present while he balanced
himself on onelegged piano stool.
Our meal vas simple enough. but
plentiful Dry biscuits, sardines, ap
pies and cold coffee. Fires of any
sort, either inside or outside are strict
ly forbidden in the lines A smoking
: chimney is asking for shrapnel. Quite
an amusing incident took place here
5 The lieutenant told me during lunch
] con that every time he fred a shot
the Germans answered him In kind II
he sent a shrapnel, they promptly
= sent a shrapnel back when he fired
a shell. a shell whistled back. After
luncheon he illustrated his story, and
indeed the Germans seemed to be In
A joking mood lie fired a shrapnel
, and a shell in turn few minutes
later a shrapnel and a she'll whistled
back over our heads,
asked for the commandant, and
expected to find him also in one OF the
underground dwellings, but was
= directed TO one OF the houses on the
outskirts OF the village, His offices
there" | asked, looking at the remains
OF what had been little villa. Ger
= tainly monsieur. Follow me-" said the
little soldier
Ruins Everywhere.
On all sides we were surrounded by
olackened bricks and burnt wood, fall
en- walls, and broken furniture. Finally
we arrived near cellar door and the
mystery was soon solved The com
mandant met me with all the cere