St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1915-01-13
A Belgian
War Romance
By LOUISE B. CUMMINGS

One quiet evening in the summer OF
1913 a pair of young lovers stood on
a bridge that crossed the river Lys, In
Belgium. They were there for part
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 ON 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
definite time to be reunited l prom
Use you that one year from today, if
not before. you shall receive the pas
sage money to bring you to me-"
"And l, Hans. will work and save
SO that if you do not succeed in gain
ing enough to send for me l may have
enough for the Journey"
When the year had passed a great
change had come over Belgium. The
Germans were pouring into the coun-
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 year
before. 1t was now a ruin, more than
half of it having been destroyed. Here
and there across the fields were flashes.
followed by a distant roar of guns,
while searchlights sent their columns
Of 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 i'll
quiet with her lover, she resolved to
go to him if possible.
There was no way of announcing her
coming beforehand. She had neither
writing materials nor a way to send
a letter. Indeed, it was doubtful if
even she could break through the line
of war to reach the coast. And if she
arrived at a port would she find YES
sci? Nevertheless she turned her face
toward Holland and set off in the dark
ness.
Her adventures are long story by
itself. Fortune favoring. she reached
Rotterdam in safety and there found
that she had the means to buy a 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.
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 be sent back
to Holland.
Her modesty, the consciousness that
she was coming to marry 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 sent back
to land running in blood. where even
The little home in which she had been
born and always lived had been level
I'd, overcame her reticence. and she
old d love story that no pen, however
inspired. could put on paper.
CLANS must be fOundp'
Such were the instructions given to
| messenger. who departed on his er-
and.
There is a committee of BelgianS in
New York whose purpose it is to look
lfter their incoming fellow country
men. The head of the committee was
Ound, and he in turn started a hunt
or Hans.
Ever since the war had broken out |
Hans had been anxious about his Will
He had not dared to send her |
lis savings for fear they would be lost |
indeed, one of the troubles brought on |
~ the war was the inability to send |
unds to Europe. He had written her. |
tut without expectation that she would |
eceive his letters. AS to receiving let |
ers from her. be had no faith in that |
ither.
Hans was at work one afternoon |
when a fellow workman came to him
md told him that the boss wished to
zee him in the office. Hans laid down |
lis tools and reported as directed. He
ound beside the boss a man. who ask
d him:
Are you Hans Wichtel?"
II am"
There is a girl on Ellis island who
anne over from Belgium. She says you
will marry her"
"Mina?'
'SKe says her name is Wilhelmina.'
Marry her. OF course L will marry
er. Where can L find herr
Hans wished to go at once to Ellis
sland, but suddenly remembering that
man in overalls was not in wedding
tidied himself up. then set off
D join his sweetheart.
If the authorities had any doubt