davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12

We received our guests without enthu-
siasm-that would perhaps have been too
much to expect-but submissively. We
were as quiet and discreet as it was pos
sible to be. 1t so happened that the SOL
diers who took possession of us were not
particularly offensive lot of men. They
were brutal and overbearing, of course
were they not Germans in a conquered
and helpless town?-but they did not
massacre us. They invented no pretext
for anything of the sort. They requisi-
toned our food and drink and tobacco
and everything else they happened to re-
quire. but they spared our women and
children and they did not burn our
houses over our heads, and there were no
fusillades. Hostages they took, of course
was l not one of them?-but we were
only required to report ourselves every
day and otherwise we were permitted to
go about our affairs-such as were left
to us-untroubled.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
wings by Muirhead Bone
my good monsieur, if only one can en-

my good monsieur, if only one can en-
dure
II need not worry you with any ac-
count of what happened at Saint Hilaire
until the Germans came. I daresay you
can imagine it for yourself. At Saint
Hilaire it was the same as at other
places, at all other places in Belgium
and Northeastern France. Some of us
fled; some of us remained. Some of us
hoped and boasted; others of US des-
paired and wept. Some of us became
foolish; others kept their wits. We read
what the newspapers gave us, and we
drew our conclusions according to our
ability and our temperament or our
knowledge. Only one thing was clear:
the Germans were coming on. Only one
thing was disputabe: whether thew
would be stopped. Well, they came at
last and there we were, face to face
with the fact of their presence, to make
of it what we could.
Their fame had naturally preceded
them. We had had time to learn some
thing Of what we were in for and to take
our measures accordingly. On one thing
we were agreed. They were to be given
no excuse for outrage. Let them manu-
facture excuse if they pleased; upon
them alone the responsibility for evil
work should rest. think we fully un-
derstood the folly and madness of resist
ance. The man who in such circum-
stances, whatever his provocation-I say
whatever his provocation-gives an ex-
cuse to the invader to start a general
massacre OF his neighbors is bad citi-
zen. No mans private honor, dignity,
property or what you will is to be vindi-
Gated at the expense of a whole town.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
MONSIEUR SEGOTIN'S STORY

sion Of ones town. Happiness demands
at least a certain measure of freedom
from apprehension; and apprehension
oppressed every one Of US from the mo-
ment of their arrival. 1t was like living
over a mine which at any moment might
be touched off and send US all to eternity
together. It was worse. For mine is
a merciful business compared with the
punishment which the German soldiers
can deal out to town which has offended
them or which, for their own purposes,
they have decided shall be presumed to
have offended them. | have said that
they did not treat us with any open vio-
lence. Indeed, many of them used tow
ard US certain barbarous geniality.
really believe that these men imagined
that we ought to be very glad that the
German Eagle had spread it's protecting
wings over Belgium. They announced
their victories to us with more than an
evident expectation that we would share
their pleasure and they seemed amazed
when we did not break out into hearty
cheering. But that is Germany. She is
so wholly convinced Of her mission to set
the rest of the world to rights that she
cannot conceive how it should happen
that every one else is not of the same
opinion.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
\ Blizzard of Posters
n And Notices

"The proclamation, my friend, is a
leading feature of German occupation.
If the town in which these people find
themselves goes astray in any particu-
lar, it is surely not for lack of instruc-
ton. From the moment of the soldiers
entry into Saint Hilaire it showed post
ers and notices, green, orange, red, blue
and white. The walls OF Saint Hilaire
were the only gay things in the place.
Perhaps you would like to know what
sort of regime it was which was thus
instituted. Yes? Very good. Now
listen, and remember always that in
Saint Hilaire we had at first much less
of which to complain than in many q
hundred other towns. My story is dull
one, know, void of spectacular incidents
and snaring of thrills and sensations;
but, believe me, all the horrors are not
spectacular, and simple iron heel
ground steadily into ones neck for weeks
and months and years can have as de-,
plorable an effect in the end upon the
physique as quick shot through the
heart or the rather slower business of
being crpcified and roasted alive. Yes,
monsieur, it is possible to die of too
many orange and pink proclamations;
yes, and to go mad first I have seen it
with these eyes.
"They began, then, like good Germans.
by making arrangements for their own
comfort. They distributed amongst us
large quantity of forms which they had
brought with them-for. mark you, these
people think of everything-and which
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12


tives except a sister who lived, married,
in England, and two sprightly, middle
aged nieces, daughters of brother, who
helped him in his shop and to whom his
possessions were to descend on his death.
"The little ones," as NJ Segotin al
ways called them, had an easy enough
time of it and spent more of their hours
on the digue or in the sea than behind
the counter. They were at liberty to do
precisely what they pleased, with one
exception. There were to be no dealings
with the Germans. In the shop, you
understand, and strictly in the way of
business, it might be allowed; but once
outside, chose people" were not sup
posed to exist for the Mesdemoiselles
Segotin.
"You do not like the Germans?" said
to him shortly after we had become
acquainted; he had been explaining the
rule of conduct which had been laid down
for his nieces.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
Thus Kept Them Away
L From the Huns

at was also a satisfaction. Those
cigars, those cigarettes, that pipe to-
bacco, the Germans would never smoke.
l might have sent all that stuff to our
own army, you say, you who have seen
that sort of thing organized in England
so easily and so well. But in England
time was given to you to organize. You
have the sea between you and the rest of
the world. But I ask you to consider
what was the condition of affairs at this
moment in Belgium. In the hour of
moblllzation country has other things
to think about than organizing the
benevolence of it's civilians. Besides. I.
too, had not time. wished to be in Saint
Hilalre at once, and could not risk that
my choice tobacco should be enjoyed by
those people. And so my fire was lit. 1t
was brilliant spectacle, monsieur. The
children Of Blankenberghe enjoyed it
vastly Their parents, however, disap-
proved. What sinful waste they said.
is here! This should all have been given
to the poor; and they looked on with
longing eyes as fed my flames with
hundreds and fifties of Upmanns and
Laranagas. But not one box did thew
secure for themselves. My young as
slstant and / were very vigilant. This
done, l made up little bag of things
and set out for Saint Hilaire. It was not
easy to get there, for the railways were
overbusy carrying soldiers and material
OF war eastward; but arrived in time.
as one always does-as one always does, 1,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
The First of Two
Instalrnents

each householder was required to fiji mn
and return to the Mayor. This form ws.
a declaration first as to the number Of
men, women and children in the house-
hold, and then as to the quantity Of nro-
visions and other commodities and ami
mails in the possession of the declarant
such as groceries of every kind. bottled
wine, champagne, common brands
liqueur and cognac, cigars, tobacco.
motor cars and their engines, bicycles
candles, matches, petrol, horses (both
cart and riding) in working order
horses injured by work, horses injured
by projectiles, harness, oxen, cows. pigs.
sheep, calves, fowls, chickens, eggs
though as far as the last were concerned
they made no distinction as to their aye
or as to their being broken or not Nor
did they ask for ducks or turkeys or
geese. Strange omissions, but no doubt
they had their own reasons for making
them, since they always have their rea-
sons. They also left out lambs and
sucking pigs, with ducklings, goslinps
and chicken turkeys. 1t is a mystery
why these things were not scheduled
Perhaps it was bit of preparation in
case it should become necessary to make
an example of US. Somebody could have
been found to have withheld a duck or
gosling, and then they would have had
an excuse for few fusilades. Bat thew
made up for their forgetfulness (if il
was forgetfulness) by taking everything
that they had not mentioned by name.
just as if it had been put on the form,
"Then, lest any householder should
have been left out, they posted up brill
liant green notices which told us that
these forms had been distributed, and
that they could be obtained at the Marie,
and must be obtained by any one who
had not received one of them. AS if any
living creature in that paralyzed little
town could be unaware that the whole
of its food supply was being taken
from it!
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
Drunk With the Wine
- Of Success

Il suppose they felt that enough had
been done, for the time, to terrorize the
country. They were still in the. full
flood of their victorious advance, and ex-
pected to be done with the war in a
month or two. So long as Saint Hilaire
remained quiet they had nothing to gain
by murder and arson and rape. At any
rate, whatever the cause of it may be,
have no terrible tales of atrocity to COM
municate to you concerning the early
German occupation of Saint Hiaire.
But I would not have you suppose
that we were happy. No; one is not
happy when these people are in possess
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
UGH Miracles Do
~ Not Happen

"You had no confidence in the Belgian
army?" asked.
Il had every confidence in the Belgian
army that it would dc heroic things and
prove itself worthy; but look you, my
dear monsieur, miracles of the kind YOU
suggest do not happen. David's pebble
laid Goliath low, yes. But you cannot
with one lucky shot knock out an army
like the army of those people. l be-
lieved that they would be in Paris within
a week, for l never doubted of the road
they would take. Belgium lay all open;
the French-Belgian frontier lay all open.
1t was not in those people to neglect so
rare chance. And if they could smash
France they could turn on Russia and
smash her, too. and then they would not
give pudding's end for the interven-
ton of England. That was how I read
the future. 1t was, for me, the end of
the world, and the sooner l was done
with the world the better So l went
back to the shop and sold a few cigars
that afternoon and sat down to wait for
that which was to come. But"-and M.
Segotin slipped comfortably from his
glass-"1 was wrong, you see. Three
years have gone by and I am still alive,
and l am once more hopeful. Those peo
pie have done their worst, and the world
mas not yet come to an end. Indeed it
may be that it is only beginning again.
There are signs, monsieur, there are
signs of new birth among the nations.
Perhaps, after all, it is grateful that we
ought to be to those people. They have
Weakened us up. We were drifting. with
closed eyes, pleasantly along toward a
horror besides which even this war would
have been bagatelle. And what we
have all to do is to- seize upon that piece
OF knowledge, yes, and act upon it. For
the danger is still there, unless those
people are definitely shown that the
world will have none of their ideas.
Yet hear talk in London of the i'm
possibility of crushing the sixty millions
of our friends across the North Sea. /
hear talk Of their being disillusioned by
their failure. People tell me that they
will never try again. But, nv good
monsieur, whether it be impossible or not
to crush them, 1t has got to be done.
For they will otherwise assuredly try
again. What! are we to allow them to
believe that they have been able to hold
the entire world by the throat for three
years and at the end to make peace in
which they will have word to say? Do
you think that this is the way to give
them new heart? Next time they
will say to themselves, next time we
must do better That will be all. And
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12

next time, mark me, they will do better
much better. Twenty years, thirty
years, forty, fifty, a hundred, they will
give to it; but when next they strike,
we'll, there will be no miracles going
then; no Marine, for example. They will
walk over us.
"You say we shall know better. We
will know no better. In 1870 the world
had its lesson if it had had eyes to read,
yes, and score of such lessons before
that. And we shall forget. The new
generations will come to believe in the
good will of Germany as we did. Ger
many will see to that. But when her
hour again strikes it will be fnis.
"You see, my FRIEND" M. Segotin con-
tinued after another slow sip, II know
what am saying. In England you have
still no notion of the reality of the dan
ger which the world, and you with it,
have for the moment escaped But in
Belgium we are in better position to
judge. And IL, Aristide Gustave Sego-
tin, three years slave to those people, I
tell you that it is not amusing to live
with their yoke upon the shoulders.
eff you will listen to me for little
half hour'-
"But," said, II will listen to you all
night, my dear M. Segotin. l am here
for that very purpose"
Listen, then," he said. "You shall
have it. AS you know, had not long to
wait; only little over fortnight All
that is old history-the ultimatum to
Belgium, her refusal of it, and the i'm
mediate invasion of her territory. 1t was
time for me to be leaving off my sea
baths and my constitutional exercises on
the digue, and to be getting back to my
own place. But first, do you know what
I did?
"With the help of my young assistant
| carried out the whole of my stock on to
the sands at low water and there made
neat pile of it. Over this pile poured
some gallons of paraffin oil and then I
put match to it. One of the first fires
that the war lit in Belgium, my friend,
but not the last. To my neighbors, who
were waiting confidently for the news of
victory, it was an act of madness; to me
it was symbol.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
NThey Pervade, Monsieur,
L They Pervade''

WELL" he replied slowly, "they may
try. Of that I have no knowledge. But
the trouble with them is that they will
not stay there. Any country should be
good enough for those people, but they
evidently don't think that their own is.
And they pervade, monsieur, they per-
wade. Everywhere they go; everywhere
they SETTLE England is full Of them.
Both the Americas are full of them
China is full of them. Belgium is full
of them. You cannot take step on
Gods earth without buttipg your head
against one or more Of them. I would
prefer my world to be little less full of
that race. For mark me, my good mon
sieur"-and he laid finger along his
though those who come here to
Blankenberghe in the summer go back
whence they came, one day, one day they
will not go back unless they are driven.
And it will be the same everywhere else
One day-pray God it may not be in my
time-we shall all wake up to find them
in command of the entire situation
everywhere. And then what will remain
for US to do, unless it be to hang our
selves upon the nearest tree, supposing
always they do not save us that trouble
by doing it for US?
Examine them from here, through my
door. Do they not already comport
themselves like conquerors? See how
they strut and with what complacency
they roll their eyes over these fine sands
of ours. There are few beaches like
this in their country. To-day they bring
their children here long journeys in the
train to play on our sands among our
children. But one day, unless we are all
more careful than are we, there will be
none of our children in summer on these
sands. Only theirs Ours will be work
ing as slaves in their great factories And
yours, monsieur? And yours? What
will be the lot Of yours, when Blanken-
berghe is in Germany? Well, let us hope
it may not be in our time"
need hardly say how much the old
gentleman amused me with his blood
curdling suggestions, nor how ready l
was with arguments to prove that he
was utterly mistaken. In those days
nothing was easier than to blow the Ger
man danger away down the wind. But
this is beside the question at present,
when we know what we know; and can
serve no useful purpose by insisting
further upon my own folly.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
There Would Be
L No Remorse

"Yet though, for the moment, they
that if it should suit their book they
would embark upon course of loot and
murder and outrage without the smallest
remorse or hesitation. Bullocks might
feel as we did, were they endowed with
human intelligence, when their farmer
walks among them. Until their market
is ready they may browse in peace, safe
from every injury; but let the buyer give
the word and write his check and the
poleaxe is their portion.
eyes, my dear monsieur, that was Ger
many's attitude to the Belgians from the
first. You have seen Won Emmich's pro-
clamation to the country the proclama-
ton which the German army carried
with it across the Belgian frontier on
August 4. To my very great regret
under the constraint of unavoidable
ecessity-Germany is compelled to in
wade Belgium. 1t is my greatest wish
that conflict between the two nations,
once allies, may be avoided. Remember
the glorious days of Waterloo. A free
passage to attack France is all we de-
sire. give a formal pledge to the Bel
gian population that it will have nothing
to suffer from the horrors Of war. Eft
patti ct patata. But we must have free
passage. 1t is for you to choose
"Well, we chose. 1t is our glory; but
it has been our ruin, though l would not
how D%1 IL
upon the glorious days of Waterloo faded
into the background to be replaced by
the glorious days of Louvain and Liege
and Andenne.
'That is ever the German way: first
the smiling face or, if that fails, the fist
straight between the eyes. After that,
anything you please. No, those people
do not go in for half measures. You
must be their ally or their slave and, if
you are their ally, they must still be the
masters, absolute and unquestioned.
"And so we were apprehensive and
went about with an extreme delicacy.
You have heard of. Andenne? We heard
of it before you did, expect. That bust
ness took place on August 20 and 81.
On the 22d was shown a poster that
had been put up that morning all over
Llege informing the town that Andenne
had been reduced to ashes and that ITO
people had been shot because the popu-
lation, after receiving the Germans
| peacefully, had treacherously attacked
them. This was sort of delicate hint
to Liege to behave itself, you understand.
Yet one would have supposed that the
Germans might have spared themselves
this trouble, seeing that at Liege on that
same night of the goth twenty-nine civil
ians had been murdered and fifty-fve
houses had been burned.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
THE Glutton Has a
l Pocket. Also

"They had stripped our 1arders, but
your German has soul that can con-
Germ itself with more than victuals and
drink. whatever some people may say Of
him. His desires include money. He is
careful to fill his belly, but he thinks
also of his pocket. And so our good
friends proceeded to levy contribution
Of cash upon the town. Nothing very
tremendous, you understand. Saint
Hilaire is not Luneville to be bled to
the tune of 100000 francs, or Brussels
to be required to produce millions Of
your pounds. Thirty thousand francs
was all they took from us to begin with;
but, my faith, they would have been hard
put to it to take more. Their assessment
was nicely calculated. 1t would seem as if
they had known to a centime how much
we would be likely to scrape together,
and indeed it is very probable that they
did. Like all the world, we too had had
our Germans amongst us in the days
before the war, good, fat, jolly fellows
whom many of US were glad to invite
into our homes. Such people have OPP
portunities of making estimates as they
go about in a small community where
every one knows all about every one else.
No doubt they reported their discoveries.
This contribution was not called a con-
tribution, you understand. 1t was levied
by way of security for our good behavior,
and we were told by proclamation that il
would be refunded to the town if the in-
habitants showed themselves reasonable
and committed no hostile act. But the
Germans are apparently still waiting to
assure themselves of Saint Hilaire's rea-
sonableness. And, of course, so long ~
they are there, there is always the pos
sibility that hostile act may be COM
mitted.
Having thus made arrangements by
which we should be prevented from eat
ing ourselves to death, or gambling our.
selves into the workhouse, they set about
providing for the maintenance of order
and tranquility in the town.
They plastered our walls with orange
papers which forbade US to leave our
houses during the daytime except for
absolutely necessary purposes, in order,
for instance, to buy provisions-and
from whom, dear God?-or to water cat
tie. At night we were absolutely for
hidden to leave our houses after O'Clock
in any circumstances whatever The
cafes were to be closed at 5. Any one
who should attempt to leave the town
by night or day upon any pretext what
ever would be shot. We were not to dig
potatoes except with their consent and
under military supervision. Their sem
tinels and patrols were authorized to fire
(at their own discretion, please observe)
on any one who should depart from these
directions.
well, that at any rate put an end TO
any junketing in the streets. The Pax
Germanica had fallen upon the town,
which might have been dead one. De-
cency was observed in our streets, !
promise you, in so far as their Lawful
inhabitants were concerned. 1t was
hardly worth while to take the air with
ones sweetheart if the consequences
were to be bullet from the first sentry
who chose to loose off his rifle by way Of
distracting the monotony Of his exist
ence."
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12

but a very good one.
1t had an admirable
position on the digue,
close to the Casino
and the biggest
hotels, and it did a
thriving trade in
choice cigars among
the rich men who
were always in that
part of the town.
He was a bachelor
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12
By
William Caine

This remarkable picture of Belgium under German vis-
taon comes ro the pep Of William Came and published
makes necessary diasom into couple of instalsemts
Sunday The Reveao acU print the concluding portion
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12

- N THE days before the war 1 used
to go every summer to Blanken-
berghe. So did Monsieur Segotin.
l smoke; he sold cigarettes; and
thus it came about that we got to
know one another.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-05-12

pains dmoHsh housed DDS
mi furntu ds ornamen
edwith of
ma lay made ans OF