In the Claws of the German Eagle

ack Wake

before. The houses stood roofless and open to the sky, like so many tombstones over a departed people. The whitewashed outer walls were all shining in the morning sun. In

llet from a lurking sentry. In another a sewing-machine of American make testified to the thrift and progressiveness of one household. In the last house as I left the

foragers or for Belgians looking for revenge. Dead cows and horses and dogs with their sides ripped open by bullets lay along the wayside. The roads were d

to be seen. I was glad even of the presence of a pig which, with her litter, was enjoying the unwonted pleasure of rooting out her morning meal in a rich flower-garden. She did not reciprocate, however, with any such

ng wagons of the artillery and the commissariat. They came slowly and noiselessly trudging on and I was upon them as they crossed the main road before I realized it. The men were covered with dust; so were the horses. The wagons were in their somber paint of gray. There was something ominous and threatening in the

stop, I started bravely across the road. A sol

al

e way to Vi

replied, "but what d

emarked, was out of the question. My inward anatomy, however, did the next best thing. As the bayonet point came pressing forward, my stomach re

on't know what we would have done were you a Belgian. Our

was showered on them from upper stories; they were shot at from houses and hedges; many soldiers had thus been killed; the wells had been poisoned. Such acts of treachery

sort of stuff out of which her dogged and continuing resistance was wrought. That isn't the mettle which for two weeks stopped up the German tide before the Liege forts, giving the allies two weeks to mobi

ide strewn with tree-trunks, their sprawling limbs still green with leaves. It was along this highway that the invaders first entered Belgium.

he soil should delay the military promenade through this little land, officers rushed out and held their pistols at the heads of the offenders, threatening to blow their brains out if they did not speedily clear the way.

housand inhabitants scattered. Through the mass of smoking ruins I pushed, with the paving-stones still hot beneath my feet. Q

debris they were poking over that I was right amongst them without warning. They straightened up with a sudden start and scowled at me. Hollanders and Belgians had faithfully assure

the bland inquiry, "What ar

their mouths and stomachs, "awful

re. From these despoilers of a countryside I was ready for any sort of a manifestation-any, except the one that I received. With one accord they refused to take

and you will need

ocolate. They received this offering with profound gratitude. With much cau

he river. Perhaps five hundred more were engaged in building a steel bridge which seemed to be a hurried but remarkable piece of engineeri

Meuse the German army came pouring down like an enormous tidal wave-a tidal wave with a purpose, viz: to fling itself against the Allies arranged in battle line at Namur, and with the overwhelm

riders mounted on bicycles, their guns strapped on their backs; armored automobiles rumbling slowly on, but taking the occasional spaces which opened in the road with a hollow

windows had been demolished and wreckage was strewn about the door, but the piano within had survived the ravages. Though it was sadly out of t

, Deutschlan

p along those river cliffs came fr

aders as furiously as had the natives on the other side of Vise. They had a

made of sheets and pillow-cases and white petticoats were hung out on poles and broom handles;

gle raised to greet them. The man had nailed it high up in an apple tree, that they might not mistake his attitude of truckling disloyalty to his own country, hoping so to save his home. But let it

nd a pleasant smile. I ventured to ask how she used the water. She had no time to explain, for at that very moment a column of soldiers came slowly plodding down the dusty road. She motioned me away as though she would free herself from whatever stigma

as a peace-offering

break from the ranks, rush to the pails, take the proffered cup, and hastily swallow down the cooling draught. Then returning the cup to the woman, he would rush back again to his place in the ranks. Pe

se thrust his nose deep into the pail and greedily sucked the water up. More buckets were being continually brought out. Some of them must surely have been confiscated from her neighbors who had f

with blood from their veins. A frail little soul with only spiritual weapons, she fought for her hearth against a venging host in arms; facing these rough war- stained men, sh

isoner, I glimpsed the little cottage still standing in its plot by the flowing river. I want t