Gilpin observer., 1915-05-20
Barbed Wire flinders Course of
True Love.
Dutch suitor Parted by Frontier Fence
From Sweetheart on Next Farm
Has Lively Experience Get
ting Past Sentries.
BY w. J. L. kIEHL.

Correspondent OF the Chicago NeWsD
The Hague.-The course of true love
runs anything but smoothly on the
Belgian-Dutch frontier, especially
when the sweethearts reside on op-
posite sides of the barbed-wire fence.
Pete is a Netherlander, Mieke is
Belgian; his farm stands securely on
Dutch soil, hers precariously in Lit
tie Germany Gas the Germans call
Belgium. At first the lovers had not
noticed much of the war, which has
left their district almost untouched;
then a strong wire fence was put up
and German detachments of cavalry
continually patrolled the Belgian side,
walls with loaded rifles and fixed bay
onets,
Now it was no longer possible to
hold sweet converse at eventide after
the farm work was done. All that re-
mained was to walk, he on one side
of the wire, she on the other, and cast
loving glances at each other. for the
Germans would allow no talk across
the border.
At last the swain spoke of his sad
plight to an acquaintance who for a
consideration made it his business to
conduct Belgian refugees into Hol-
land. Would Louis Uhat was the ac-
Quaintance's name) take him across
on Saturday night SO that he could
And Louis promised to do SO on the
very next Saturday. when he was due
on the other side to meet fugitives at
Q certain prearranged place to take
them safely into Holland.
That Saturday evening was damp
and misty. Just the right sort of
weather for u.s." Louis enthusiastically
put It. but his companion could not
quite agree with him, as he waded
through marshes to the dixie beyond
which stretched the wire fence. He
was wearing his Sunday best and the
seeping mud did not improve the ap-
pearance of his neither garments. But
Louis assured him this marshy land
was just the safest spot to get across.
AS they approached the dixie Louis
cautioned Pete not to whisper or even
breathe loudly. Cautiously they
crawled up the dixie, reached the top
and raised their heads for hasty
glance around, but at once dropped
them again. For there-though luck
lily with his back toward them-stood
a sentinel.
Down the dixie slid the adventurers
as noiselessly as they had come.
Louis assured him that a few hundred
yards farther along he knew of an
other safe place. This time they were
more fortunate, and, like rabbits, they
burrowed under and through the wire
and stood on Belgian. or perhaps we
should say German, ground.
Now just a few hundred yards OF
marsh and then we get into a good
hard road" Louis exclaimed, and they
deemed their troubles over. Then they
heard the tramp of feet along the
good hard road and distinguished the
form OF German patrol. The men
came straight up to the gate that led
into the marshy meadow where the
frontier runners had hurriedly dropped
to the earth They're only resting
said LOUIS.
And SO 1t as. The Germans clam.
bered on to the gate and sat there
talking for about quarter OF an
hour, that seemed like a century to
the two cramped and bedraggled men,
Now, however, their troubles were
over. They came out into the road
and soon reached the small farm
where Louis was to meet the refugees
Pete felt somewhat better after a
hearty supper and dry clothes had
been provided for him by the farm
ers sympathetic wife and she had
promtseG 10 clean his Sunday attire
and .ave 1t ready for him to wear
next morning.
Sunday dawned fine and sunny
Somewhat stiff from his unwonteG
exercise, the strenuous suitor pro
ceeded to the farm where his Mieke
lived. Mieke. her mother and Pete
were eating the meal when suddenl,