The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1922-02-01

French, and only 10 per cent OF the
people can speak both. The Flemish
influence never crossed the Meuse riv-
er toward the east, and the Walloon
influence reached but short distance
toward the west from that beautiful
valley. The line of demarcation De-
tween the tw, peoples is rather sharp
ly marked.
There is physical difference be-
tween the Walloons Of eastern Bel
GUM and the Flemings Of western
Belgium, just as there is difference
of tongue and stock. The Walloons
are of stouter build and greater stat
ure, and are dark where the Flemtngs
are fair, thus bespeaking the COM
mingling Of Spanish blood. On the
other hand the Flemings are the more
Industrious of the two peoples, and
their women are said to be able to pre-
pare the best meals out Of the fewest
things Of almost any race in the world.
Living was cheap in pre-war Bel
GUM. The people had thoroughly
mastered the art Of intensive farming,
and the land, before the great war
descended upon the country with it,
heel of iron, blossomed with the milk
and honey Of plenty. Being contig-
uous to the North sea fishing grounds,
1t has always possessed liberal sup.
ply Of fish, which is staple article
of diet with the people.
If living was cheap in Belgium 1t
was no cheaper than conditions called
for, because wages certainly were low.
Many lace-wOrkers, making the ex.
quisite laces that bear the Belgium
mark, worked from the rising to the
setting Of the sun for Ave dollars q
week. 1t is said that the average wage
Of all the breadwinners Of the country
appropriated only $165 year.
The children work after they are
twelve, and all hands In working.
mans family must keep busy In order
that no mouth shall 60 hungry. Even
ut this it requires, even in normal
times, the utmost frugality to make the
buckle Of income meet the tongue Of
outgo. So must the Belgian house
wife be an excellent manager. The
Belgian wageearning classes eat but
little animal food, and most Of that
Is fish.
All Are Early at Work.
The day begins early for everybody
IN Belgium, and particularly with the
wage-earners. More than half Of Bel.
glum's population lives outside the
towns, and they are up at their work
before the gray dawn Is dispersed by
the rising sun, and on clear mornings
the lights of hundreds Of cottages
may be seen vying with the stars as
they twinkle forth their message Of
households bestirring.
In the towns and cities the people
are downtown almost as early as their
neighbors across the English Chan.
mel are at breakfast. They get their
midday meal around noon, and they
60 home for 1t, since remarkably low
tramway fares make this possible. So
It Is that, instead Of a mug Of milk
and sandwich at some quick lunch.
many Belgian burgher shuts up shon
at II. goes home to his largest neal
OF the day. eats It leisurely, and re
turns downtown by 2 o'clock.
The Belgian government has alwnvs
felt keen interest in the welfare of
the wage-earner and the man of small
affairs, and has made 1t possible for
them to buy homes on easy terms
The national savings bank Is empow.
cred to make loans to householders
FOR buying or building homes, and "a
insure their lives. so that in the event
OF death the family will not lose its
equity IN the place, and can use tho
insurance to wipe off the debt.
Taxes were made exceedingly lon
on small property owned by those
who tenant 1t.
Inc entire western portion of the
country resembles one vast market
garden. There are no fences mork,no
the boundaries Of the many sro,,
tracts. but rather little trenches that
separate one farmers place from the
others. Tens of thousands Of acres
| OF the toughest kind Of land have
Deer converted into splendid trucl,po
gardens by western Belgians. In 1890
there was wild stretch of land VOC,
OF the Scheldt river called the pnvs
lie "aes, uncultivated and unInhoh,.
TED. To-day 1t is one Of the most fertile
sections Of this remarkable conn,r,'
supporting 500 people to the sous :,
mile. with truck farming a. Its pr,,,
cipal Industry. ''