Evening star., 1917-09-30

daily were forbidden. Outside of our
doors were notices-if we did this. we
would be f1ned so many marks; If we
did something else. We would be shot
In one short week we were under a
reign of terror. When we used the
street cars, for instance, II any Ger
man soldiers got on, we Belgians,
women as we'll as men, had to stand on
the platform and let them go in before
US and take the seats. Yet the first
German governor, Won der GoltZ. was
considered too humane and was remov-
ed. Won Bissing took his place. He al
lowed the officers and soldiers to do the
most dreadful things.
There was a great deal of bribing
went on during that time. Here is an
instance happening to people we knew
well: Among our friends were a sena-
tor and his wife. One day this lady
came to us in distress. Her father had
been taken prisoner by the Germans
because in his home he had retained a
toy gun which had belonged to his son.
who had died In boyhood. He regarded
the childish weapon as harmless
souvenir. and never thought of deliver
ing it up when the Belgians were call
ed upon to relinquish all weapons.
HE had German cook in his house.
They had employed her for several
years. and. believing her faithful they
retained her even after the opening of
hostilities. She. however, was not true
to her employers, and told the authori-
ties of this toy gun, and the old gen
tleman was taken prisoner. My hus-
band joined the senator, and together
they sought all possible influence. and
were brought before the officer in
power over the case. For a thousand
marks we will release him. Sthe officer
said. They had not that much money
available. How much can you pay? de-
manded the German officer. They found
between them 500 marks. The man took
my friends father free. The Germans
made money OF everything; they called
Gelgium their gold mine. 1t was rich
before the war. Now it Is indeed poor.
The most painful Of many painful
sights / saw in Belgium during the
first eight months of its occupation by
the Germans was that of a little boy
who had been driven insane by shock.
He was forced to witness the shooting
of both his father and grandfather
1T was the suffering OF the poor. and
especially of the old people and the
children. which went to the heart. They
came into Brussels by the hundreds.
They had been hard-working. well-to-
do laborers. many of them. Now they
were destitute. Their homes and all
they had gathered together during their
thrifty lifetime had been burned. de-
stroyed or taken away. All they had
was what they could carry away in a
bundle in their hands-homeless. hun
cry. cold, utterly wretched."
Nine. Horta spoke of Dinant. one of
the most beautiful and peaceful little
cities in the world. The war itself
swept over 1t without harming 1t. but
a short while after that the conquerors
burned 1t and devastated it. SO that
not one stone now remains upon an
other. These pitiful ruins Nine. Horta
visited with a friend who had owned
houses there. but who now could hardly
fnd the lot on which the houses stood.
1t was to procure help for the chill
dren that Prof. Horta and his wife first
went to London. Norway. Sweden and
Denmark. Prof. Horta spoke in Lon
don in behalf of suffering Belgium, and