The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-11-13

Concluded from Page One)
we're overwhelmed with kisses and
embraces
More cyclists appeared. followed
ny machine gun companies. Finally
When stronger pontoon had been
constructed. into tho town rode the
first columns OF Belgian cavalry. Pan.
''emoniusr OF JOY greeted them.
Our auto was held up Oh hrok ~
bridge, and my military guide and
] walked four kiioHleters. crossing
The canal by way or shaky legs and
shutters from the doors Of battered
-horses wired together. We arrived
IN tho town Il. noon. The cavalry
stream was still fos ing between banks
Of citizens aimos: exhausted with Joy
a sri.efuI German airnlane circleG
high over the town threatening "a
bomb it. hat Eecloo did rot heed the
threat NV companion and were
stopped everywhere ~ cries OF well
come from tow headed children who
presented us with bouquets. and shop
keepers who invited lis 10 drink rare
liquors hidden during the long years
of suffering
The only flag 7 saw besides the Bel
gan was a home made old Glory The
stripes-were n little crooked and there
touching story of the significant place
America holds in belgian hearta.
Stories told hy the people Of Eecloo
were similar 70 those of the inhabi-
sants OF ostend and Rrages. OF cold
and heortiess tyranny, petty annoy
ances. and downright brutality on the
part OF their taskmasters during the
four bitter years.
My companion drew my attention
>, "a.
The owner 5ubiIantiv displayed a mass
nf brass and copper utensils and ors
namcnts secreted from the Germans
In another window was battered
bust OF King Albert. hardly rccogni-
sable, probs hly cherished In dark
little atti. against The liberation day.
Prayer s. answered
An .1f4csef4t crers@~ stophtd as
Dear gentlemen phrase accept s44Y
prayer book as a gifs 10 commemorate
this day Every night for four years
I have prayed from 1t that this day
would come"
Occupation Of Escloo did not come
abou: without bitter aghting along the
fTs canal. terminating last nicht with
grim battle for the possession OF a
red brick chateau on the west bank
The German line on the east bar X
VAS strongly held by ortposta across
the water. especially in the chateau
Late yesterday a magnificent Belgian
charge took the chateau and forced
the defenders back across the canal
A four hour bamhardment failed 10
drive out the Belgians. though IL pull
verified the chateau
At midnight came a violent Ger.
ran ccuater- attack. II was hand
grenade versus the ne,gian poignard,
A vicious weapon which sill Germans
dread The battle surced back and
forth All through the un-roofed. mel
archoly ruins that v-ere once houses.
The Germans wer. beaten back
To-day the chateau told a grin, story
~ these tlack hours. More than n
Dozen -rayeacks lay there. unwound
81 save for slit In their threats
whore the silen, blades had reached
.heni
A spectral cat rerched high In a
blasted tree. She refused to come down
and yowied frightfully attempting 10
tell what she had seen.
Elsewhere along the Hire OF Lvs
canal there Is evidence at avery hard
NJ the ten-day's terrific fgh.ing. The
village of Somergren, on the canal.
south Or Eeclo. which I approached
on Thursday could not be enter I'd IN
I'll today.
Ebuni Town \ Wreck
When we go, into tho town today,
We found II IN worse wreck than Rou1-
ers and Thorout. blasted during the
last months fighting.
The eB,gians held Il for ten days
Of constant bombardment. There ism I
a house II. Il that has any part Of
the faof left. A honEe In the main
street. with a gaping front. sported
bullet torn Belgian flag. Though the
town was still under bonn bar dment
last night, already refugees began re-
turning These persistent Flcmish
peasants. whose heart !s the strong
eat tie holding them to their wreck "a
homeland. actually follow the lin. OF
the German retreat In the wake of
shells,
The Mayer. M. Glarts, returned last
night and stayed In q cellar, The
house above him was hit three times
BY shells,
MY duty" he said today, medestiy,
demanded my presence when the sol
diers had finished their work."
Just across the canal a rosy Oh eek
ed, t0w-headed woman stood, contem-
plating tho wreck u her house. Eliza
both DeJaeEer is her name, Elizabeth,
.seserves little advertising.
when tho Germans came here
she told us, ian officer took INV house
and drove me out l went back to
the village to live in the house Of some
friends, But every cay | came and
looked at my house from behind the
barn, Just to see whether it was ali
right. At dawn this merningI saw
Germans for the fiiHr time. | told my
brother to swim tina canal and tell the
HAlgians the enemy had gone. He did
-, and the BelgiaRs came over, Hut
nv house has no rOef left and Isn't
III for ! ssw to live in, Was 10 bad Z"
Auta Hvidcnsa ~ Haxoo
Afoa1 N1tnAheta'g EpAkaR house 4
3n8SeFY MN 49, \ Yey1A st4vy, MeaSs
q se9n4 eeaea Il 1reoase4