The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-06-18
Causes Kino to Wait.

I left British headquarters the next
morning en- route TO the Belgian front
to pay my respects to the king and
queen. AS Sir Douglas was off to
London my car was attached to his
train and we Travelled together to
Boulogne, where he boarded the chan
mel boat and took a special, consist
ing of my car and one other, and pro-
ceeded on my way.
We were due at Adenkirke, my des-
tination, at a fixed hour, but to my
surprise the train pulled in ten min
utes ahead of time. l was changing
into my best uniform-in fact, was
just putting on the right boOt-when
my aid, Colonel Boyd, stuck his head
in at the door of my compartment and
said breathlessly: General, we have
arrived"
knew it only too well, as the train
had stopped and the royal band out
side was playing "The Star-Spangled
Banner" in the mournful cadence COM
mon to foreign bands. 1t was an en-
barrassing thought that l should be
late. In another minute, when the
orderly and myself were struggling,
this time with the left boot, Boyd
again appeared and said in stage
whisper that was no doubt heard by
the entire escort outside: "Sir, the
king is out there standing at the Sa-
Lutte"
That was too much, the humor of
the situation overcame me and for an
instant all Of US, including the order
ly, who rarely smiled, were convulsed
with laughter. That did not help mat
tiers, of course, and meanwhile the
band outside, which had already
played the national air through three
times, was dolefully beginning on the
fourth, when / hurriedly descended the
steps Of my car opposite his majesty,
buttoning my overcoat with one hand
and saluting with the other.
At my appearance the band started
afresh and, as though they had just
begun, ran through our national an
them rather more vigorously, cheered
up no doubt at last to see me in evil
dence. A few months later had the
courage to relate the incident in all
its details to their majesties and they
both seemed to enjoy it immensely.
King Decorates Pershing.
After inspecting the escort in COM
pany with the king, he and drove
to their residence, where the queen,
in her most gracious manner, received
us at the entrance. We had very
enjoyable luncheon, which Boyd
thought was quite gay, especially
when l became bold enough to air my
dreadful French. After lunch King Al
bert, to my surprise, said he wished to
bestow upon me the Order of the
Grand Gordon of Leopold, and as
hesitated, saying that we were not per-
mitted to receive foreign decorations,
he insisted that should accept 1t
conditionally, which, of course, was
the only thing to do. Boyd was deco
rated also.
In the afternoon the king, with his
chief of staff, took me to his G. 81. Q.
and then to the front-line trenches,
explaining the disposition Of the linn
tied force with which their positions
were held. 1t consisted of only the six
divisions which had stubbornly retired
in 1914 in the face of overwhelming
odds. It was then being recruited by
Belgians escaping from within the
German lines at the risk of their lives.
Amused by U. S. congressman.
While we were driving, King Albert
related with much amusement some
incidents of a recent visit by a party
of our congressman, and inquired
whether it was customary in our coun-
try for them to be on familiar terms
with the President. He said that some
Of them had called him Albert and one
had slapped him on the back, saying
king, you're the right sort of fellow
and everybody in America admires
you" explained to him that our con.
gressmen were more or less privileged
characters at home and that they only
meant to be friendly. AS a matter Of
fact, I think their familiarity did not
offend him at all.
During my brief visit was particu-
larly impressed by the extreme sim.
plicity of the home life of the king
and queen, livin- there, as they were,
in very modest country place within
sound Of the enemy's guns and almost
within range! The queen often went
into the trenches to cheer the troops,
and the fine bearing Of their majesties
through 1t all made them the outstand-
ing heroic figures Of the World war.
Ito be Continued in Next Issue)