The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-02-15
BY BRAND WHlrLocK.

boy-a lad Of s in a strange world.
expected to start out on such a journey
alone
But the Spaniards ana the Dutchmen
arrived at last, n on the 22d of
March Gregory began to Install them
the first changes in the north of
France, where there were seven Of our
men, and these were to be sent at
once by the Germans to Baden Baden
to be q~uarantined for a fortnight; we
had induced the Germans 10 shorten
the period of cleansing to that length
OF time, Mr.. Prentiss Gray had volun-
teered to remain as director for a while
TO instruct the new men In their du-
ties after Mr.. Gregory's departure, II
Mr.. Gregory ever got away, which we
sometimes doubted.
The Word Comes.
The news that crept in between the
shining wires at the frontier was to tho
effect that all America was In the vast
excitement OF the honeymoon Of war,
50 long ago experienced and forgotten
by us. The delegates were waiting in
Brussels, confined to the limits of the
city on parole, and there is little doubt
that all the time when the promised
guarantees Of immunity were from day
to day delayed, the Germans intended
to hold them as hostages. ! had Ii from
an excellent source, and the Germans
explained their reluctance to give the
assurances concerning them by alleging
a rear that the Americans might mis-
treat Germans in America. II Was with
such possibilities suspended over them
that they waited and waited.
II came at last on Sunday, the 25th
OF March, a telegram from the president
himself, resolving all hesltations, put
ting an end TO the delay, At tea time
NillllnhQF CANA In HE fana lnp1 anl
dark. Gregory happened to be with me.
The marquis had a telegram from his
colleague at The Hague. 1t was this;
The United States representative begs
that your excellehcy transmit to the
American minister at that capital the
Following cablegram dated at Washing
ton, March 70, and coming from the
secretary Of state:
At the request OF the president |
t~7n"nN't instructions to you to leave
Belgium Immediately, accompanied by
=, .-.so"hci Ut your legation, by the
American consular n~ffieefs and by the
members Of the commission for relief In
Belgium. Thu department begs you to
telegraph the probable date of your
departure from Belgium, as well as the
route which you will follow, and your
plans.'"
1t was q distinct relief, and Gregory
snrang up at once to send the Dutch
INV opolilSi uNiNboNSS lAtu hlSil nv
the provinces.
We dined at Gregory's that night.
Lancken, Keith, Brohn, Won %Schlubach,
the R%uddocks, Mr.. and Mrs. Gray, my
wife and i, and we sat after dinner in
Gregory's comfortable drawing room be-
fore the fire Of Goals In the crate, talk
ing OF everything but the war. MIR.
Gregory's German guests were all in
good humor, laughing, talking as though
they found the drawing room comfort
able, Neither Gregory nor / mentioned
the telegram or made the startling COM
munlcation we could have made, though
we exchanged glahces now n then
that recognised the eternal ironic cons
trast between the human drama and
the scene In which 1t Is enacted.
Last Preparations.
The next morning I went to see
Lancken. when l told him the news,
there In that little hot room upstairs
at the ministry, he looked grave for a
moment then he said there was moth
ing to be done blu to bow to the In
evitable.
He was pleasant expressed regret at
my departure, said that he, was glad
to say that despite all the difficult and
delicate questions we had treated in
the two and a half years our personal
relations had always been pleasant, and
that he had grown to have a friendship
for me. | thanked him for his eour-
tesy, He asked me for a day or two
In which to make arrangements for the
passports; there would be a sleepihs
could contrlve In view Of the difficulty
in transportation just then because Of
the movement OF troops, But he feared
that II would be Impossible to give us
a special train so that we could all &c
out together, As to the eonsuls and
tina q N n IA xVnuid khnw mara the
following day. we ckatted some time
under the absorbing influence OF the
thought Of war between Our, countries
Good Lord" he exclaimed, friends
since the time Of Frederick the Sec
He feared that the English woult
seize the occasion TO stop the reliei
work, but | told him that only thu
Germans could do that, that II the,
continued to permit the abuses II woult
stop, but that II would all SO on vel
Y they put an end 70 them. He prom,
take drastic measures he thought w
were nearing the end OF the war. be.
cause OF the Russian revolution; thert
would coon be a desperate peace will
Petrogred, he said, and perhaps anoth'
cr nation, thought he did not voach
The news flew at once over the towr
IN that mysterious way It always hat
In Brussels: friends came 10 bid u
farewell, and when | went for a las
look at the corners, Of the old town
one OF the familiar shops where
STOPPED the people were already sor
rowfully aware that at last we wer
going. In the afternoon OF that lon
day, as | was having my tea alone,
received a letter from the eomlte ma
T~ransn,i 4 iSttsr tbAi Z FAaX moi with
! out enaotiens