Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-07-10
THE DAY OF WRATH
A STORY OF 1914
BY Louis Tracy

follow the priests bidding in every respect
save one.
we can't split up" he declared. I'VE
are all named In the laisser passer. You
understand what dun pigs these Germans
are They'll count heads. If one is missing,
or there's one too many, they'll inquire
about 1t for a week"
Sound common sense and no small knowl-
edge OF Teuton character lurlled in the old
mans comment Monster GARNER of course.
had not been told why this queerly assorted
group chung together, nor was he aware of
the exact cause of their flight from Wise
Probably the handbill he mentioned was ex-
phclt IN names and descriptions. At any
rate, he must have the strongest reasons for
supposing that Nerviers no longer provided
a safe retreat.
Jan Maertz was summoned. He made a
good suggestion. The direct road TO An
denne via Liege and Huy was impracticable
beihg crowded with troops and transports
why not use the country lanes from PENN.
ster through Louveigne, Hanolr and Maffe?
1t was a hilly country, and probably clear
of soldiers. lie would buy a dog-teat- and
thus save Madame Joos the fatigue of walk
ing.
Dalroy agreed at once. Even though Irene
still insisted on sharing his effort TO cross
the Herlnah lines, two routes opened from
other TO Durant and the south
Moreover, he counted on the AIies oc-
cupying the Mons s-Charleroi-Namur terrain
ana one nights march from Andenne. with
Maertz as guide, should bring the three Of
tnem through, as the Joos family. in all
IIkehhood' would elect to remain with their
relatives.
In word, the orderliness of VervIers
i'au already relegated the excesses Of Wise
- ~ .VvIlt t.,.a
uIean' The horrors of Louvain, of Malines,
OF the whole Belgian valley Of the Meuse
had yet to come. An officer of the British
army simply could not allow his mind to
conceive the purposeful crlminality of Ger
man methods. Little did he imagine that
on the very day the fugitiyes set out for
Ahdenne' wise was completely sacked and
burned by command Of the German a,I-
thorltles. And why? Not because of any
Iault committed by the unfortunate in
habtants, who had suffered so much at
the outbreak Of hostilites. This second
avalanche was let loose out Of sheer spite
By this time the enemy was commencing
TO estimate the fearful toll which the
Belgian army had taken Of the Uhlans
who provided the famous cavalry screen" "
over and over again the vaunted light
horsemen of Germany were ambuscaded
and cut up or captured. They proved 70
be extraordinarily poor fighters when in
oIllo'l HuIllbtISt nut naturally those who
got away made a fine tale Of the dangers
they had escaped, These constant defeats
stung the pride Of the headquarters staff
and "frightfulness" was prescribed as the
remedy. The fact cannot be disputed The
invaders earliest offenses might be ex-
plained, II not condoned, as the deeds OF
men brutalized by drink, but the whole
sale ravaging OF communities by regiments
and brlgades was the outcome of a de-
liberate policy of reprisal. The Hun argu-
ment was convincng--to the Hun intellect
How dared these puny Belgians fight for
their hearths and homes? II was their
place to grovel at the feet of the con-
queror If any worn-out notions OF honor
and manhood and the sanctity of woman
inspired them to take the field, they must
be taught wisdom by being ground be-
meath the heel of the Prussian jackboot
If the dead mouths Of 5000 murdered
Belgians did not bear testimony against
these disciplined marauders, the mere jour
ney of the little party OF mon and women
who set out from Verviers that Saturday
afternoon would itself dispose OF any at
tempt 70 cloak the high-placed offenders.
They arranged a rendezvous at Pepinster
Dalroy went alone He insisted that this
was advisable. Maertz brought Madame
| Joos and Irene. Joos having been be-
sought TO curb his tongue, conveyed Leon
tine Until Pepinster was reached, they
/ look lne main IOuu Win lls river OF troops
| None gave them heed.
! Not a man addressed an unclvil word
| 70 them The soldiers were CHEEKY and
| well-behaved
They halted that night at Louveigne
which was absolutely unscathed. Next day
| they passed through Hamoir and Maize
and the peasants were gathering the har'
vest
Huy and Andenne, a villaser told them
we're occupied by the Germans, but al
was quiet. They pushed on, turning north
west from Maize, and descended into the
| Meuse valley about Q o'clock IN the eve
| ming II was ominous that the bridg,
| was destroyed and a cluster OF houses
| burning in Settles, a town on the opposite
| or -left bank OF the river But Andenn,
itself, a peaceful and industrious place
seemed 20 be undsturbed While passinl
n farm known as Dermine they fell II
with a priest and few Belgians who wer
carrying a mortally wounded Prussian OF
ncer on a stretcher.
Then, 20 his real chagrin, Dalroy heart
that the Belgian outposts had been drivel
| south and west only that morning. On
day less in Verviers and he and the other
would have been out OF their present dlf
hculties. However, he made the best o
n Surely they could either cross IN
Meuse or reach Namur next day; Will
the fact that some local residents wer
attending TO the injured oficer would sup
ply the fugitves with an excellent safe
conduct into Andenne, just as simlla
incident had been their salvation at AT
tcopyrisht. EdwArd T. cioss)
(coNTINuED TOMORROW