The Washington times., 1922-09-24
PEOPLE OF
b
FACE NEW,
ERA, SAYS
FLAAMBEAU

distance the famous, Freres Cock.
erill have their noted factory for
steam engines and other machines.
the newer engines being capable
Of a railway speed of $50 kilome-
tres an hour, somewhat over q
hundred miles. This shop furnish.
ed to Italy In three months 215
machines complete and supplied
France with late models, and one
year before the war sent $50 to
Russia.
Namur is noted for cutlery and
Bruges for lace, while Alost exports
matches on a large scale. Much
more might be told of the indus
tries OF Belgium, but these few
facts, given by Flambeau's guide,
the Belgian officer. indicate the
most important mercantile inter.
ests. -
A CATHOLIC COUNTRY. >
In Namur Fla mbeau was hap.
PLY lodged at the Hotel st. Au-
balm, a great resort for priests who
come to visit Namur, which has
an interesting cathedral and the
Church Of st. Loup, named for. a
pious bishop who was canonized.
When Holland broke away from
the church, during the period Of
the Spanish inquisition, 1t will be
recalled that Belgium remained
faithful, and It is today, In many
respects. perhaps, the'finest Catho-
lie country known.
It's people are free and independ.
ent, yet as whole devout in their
religion, and their clergy are self.
respecting and sincere. They often
greeted Flambeau with a. cour.
teous bow or kindly word when
they saw that he was a stranger.
The unusual honor was also
granted him of visit at the Con-
vent Of the Sisters of Notre Dame
de Namur, the mother house OF
the order at Trinity College,
Washington. This excellent school
maintains classes for pupils young.
er than those Of college age, and
1t also has a large number of nov
ices, many of whom, so Flambeau
told his conductress, the cultivated
Sister Ignace, who visited Wash
tngton, were quite too young and
pretty to enter the order. but she
stoutly disagreed.
Some rare and priceless antiques
are owned by this convent in the
treasury. of Frere Hugo, which
scholarly visitors from all over
Europe come far to see. "Ma
Mere" the mother superior or the
entire order. who is properly La
Reverende Mere Maria-Juiienne,
also granted Flambeau an inter.
view. which was an exceptional
privilege, as the nuns of this order
are restricted to an almost clois-
tered life.
However, Ma Mere" will soon
come to America, where she will
visit all the fifty or. more sub
houses and speak individually with
each of the nuns, some fifteen hun
dred at present. This convent suf.
fered during the war. for 1t was
shattered by a German bomb and
the good Sister Ignace was injured
and two sisters she saw killed out
right. The broken walls may still
be seen, with tablet to the men,
ory Of the dead.
NUNS WERE CALM.
German soldiers occupied even
the dormitories of the convent.
forcing the sisters and their pupils
and novices out Of the main rooms.
and It was believed to be the Ger
man plan to fire the entire town.
giving the inhabitants no chance
TO escope. >. ,.' -
The great Won Buelow came in
khaki-colored flannel uniforms with
when the good bishop threw him.
self upon his knees before Won
Buelow and begged so hard for ths
lives of his people that they were
spared. And when Won Buelow
approached the convent, where the
faithful nuns had prayed so long
and so fervently. even the harden
ed German commander paused and
exclaimed, What a calmv'
The Meuse river, which one sees
at Namur, continues to Liege, and
here Flambeau paused for
glimpse Of the town. and visited
the Palace Of Justice, a grand
building in Renaissance style, for
nerly a bishops palace, and hav-
ing royal apartments, where the
King and Queen sometimes stay.
The government for the district
sits annually here.N 1t 10 a castle
with a history and Is referred to
in Sir Walter Scott's, Quentin
Durward." The Church of St.
Jacques. with some good stained
glass and old carving, is also Of
interest.
Many young Belgian soldiers in