Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-12-22
of future good behavior. 1t does not

pay to conjecture over here.
It must be forgiven me if revert
too often to the work which we are
permitted to do in this place of un-
precedented opportunity. London is a
wonderful place these days, crowd
ed with soldiers CT all the allied
varieties, but by far the most inter-
esting to us are the little Belgians-
Not very smart in appearance, with a
pathetic droop to their shoulders, and
yet what they have done all the
world knows, but what they are suf-
fering today, many have forgotten.
Our work with them brings us daily
in touch with wonderful stories, and
experiences Of the individual sold
iers, all of which offers tempting ma
terials fer the writing. We have
now fully twenty-five soldiers,
whom we have met in London who
are representing us at the front with
the French and Flemish Gospels,
which they distribute to their COM
rades.
These Belgian soldier friends Of
ours not only are distributing thou
sands of Gospels to their comrades,
but they are Sc delighted with their
success that they are more than
anxious to have us visit the front
to see the work started there. I have
called on the Belgian military at
tache, and an to see our Ambassa-
dor Page tomorrow regarding going
to the front We hope to go to La
Panne in Belgium, which is the war
residence of the Belgian King and
Queen, and is directly back of the
Po1ciou 1ipoc ThQra wQ wOllI III
encounter thousands of soldiers as
they went back and forth to the
trenches. It is however, extremely
difficult to get this permission, and
may take long time. But as it is,
we are touching scores Of these SOL
diers daily here, and are more than
grateful for our opportunity.
Two of our Belgian soldier friends
have been decorated by King AL
bert for valour on the field of bat
with two others, penetrating the Ger
turing and bringing back to their
One other most interesting friend of
ours has just escaped from a year
Of Imprisonment in a German prison
camp, and his story is SO thrilling,
that I want to tell it to you in full
just as he told it to us, in my next
letter
Many intimate pictures we gather
of their King and Queen, as we talk
with these soldiers Last night one
was telling us how Queen Elizabeth
walks through the trenches distri-
buting chocolate and tobacco and CIV
ing the soldiers few CHEEKY words
as she passes along. Many of the
soldiers do not Immediately recog-e
nize her and our friend told us that
often the soldiers would sing out
quite. unconcernedly, Good day,
Madame, how are your And when
she had handed them their chocolate
often as not they would give her Q
friendly pat on the back With their
hearty thanks. ,rlsan when n COM
rade would impart the information by
whispered word or gesture, that It
was the Queen, the UNHAPPY soldier
would come to an agonized and be
lated attention." but by that time
the Queen would have passed too
far to see the salute. And I think
she prefers the friendly "camarad-
erie' of the first action to the
formality of the second.
Last night we gave a little fare
we'll family dinner to four Of our
tboys," whose leave was expir-
ing, and who were starting back to
the trenches with their packages of
Gospels. 1t wasn't an elaborate din
ner by. any means, but we had King
Albert's picture on the table and a
plate of Belgian cakes, and little
place cards with the American flag,
and bow of Belgian tri-colored rib
bon on each, and all sang the Bel
gian national anthem afterward, and
I ended with a verse of the "Star
Spangled Banner" And the soldier
boys fairly laid their hearts at our
feet. EDITH F. NORTON.