Evening star., 1935-03-10

OF the Order OF Leopold. Al thrty-nve
she has just received one of the highest
honors which France has to bestow on
a sculptor, Officer of the French Aca-
DENY.
At four, at one of the great family
dinners, a glittering celebration of the
birthday of the King. Suzanne's color
full career began. Her father. Baron
Silvercruys, of Limbourg. then Justice
of the Supreme Court of Belgium, who
believed in training his children early to
ease in manners and matters of public
address. had requested the older chill
dren to prepare speeches. Robert. nine,
stumbled unhappily through few
sentences. Madeleine. fourteen, muir
INJURED wan greeting When they had
finished, Baron Silveruuys saw that
the baby, in her high chair. was crying.
But why, my child. do you weep on
this happy occasion?" he asked. II too.
papa, have Speech" sobbed young
Suzanne. and you do not ask me to
give it."
A year later the older children were
presenting play for another important
family reunion Suzanne had fingered
at rehearsals, hoping, in vain. for at
least a walk-on bit On the night of the
event. Madeleine, a victim of stage
fright, forgot her lines for moment.
Suzanne, sitting in front. disdaining
anything so unspectacular as a prompt,
hurled herself onto the stage, assumed
her sisters role. and. in the gusto of
dramatic creation. her brothers. as
we'll. Finishing the play single handed,
she brought down the house, and tasted
for the first time the heady vintage of
first night success.
Eager to do everything the Others
did. Suzanne played the piano when she
was so little that her father had wooden
blocks lashed to the pedals so that she
could reach them. At six she was good
violinist. She sat like a mouse in
corner for hours listening while diplo-
mats. ministers. cabinet members, city
officials, discussed matters of state with
her father.
In July 1914, when Suzanne was
fifteen, she and her mother and father
we're at their estate near Maeseyck.
Across the fields raced the dark news
from Serajevo. On August 4th came
Germanys ultimatum. Albert's answer.
Suzanne was walking with her father
toward the town in the afternoon. when
they heard rumble. steady. low,
menacing. Thunder" wondered Su-
zanne the sky was clear. Her father
took her hand. my child" he said
quietly, 1T is War"
The SilverCruys got back to Brussels {
last train. The wounded were already
brought in. A dying boy. his head ban,
in bloody rags, was lifted from the tn
the moment that a band at the other G
the station began to play La Braban,
the national hymn. He stiffened tri
salute. In that moment Suzanne grew ,
that gesture was Commemorated for h,
soul of Belgium at war.
After that the hurricane broke. Su
washed dishes, peeled potatoes. scrubt
the kitchens of the hospital. organize
store rooms; graduated into the ward
ceived her brassard. the youngest pers
the army to have it. Brussels pulled do,
blinds and crept through the days.
continued at the hospital La Libre Be
was printed in secret cellars. THE L,
Times was smuggled in. wrapped arour
bellies of ambulance dogs, and read in h
conClave behind the city's barred door
Half starved, in constant peril. Suzanr
part OF these heroic activities. Finally. h
N danger. she was slipped one night ov
border into Holland. She made her W
Fngland, to her sister, who was already
From the sturdy shelter of England
anne went on to America. New Yor
'hanted her. 1t was not easy to settle do