The Beaver Herald (Beaver, Okla.), Vol. 33, No. 39, Ed. 1, Thursday, February 26, 1920 Page: 5 of 10
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BELGIUM SKETCHES
Your Home and
Theirs
By Katharine Eogtetton Robert.
tcopribi.im wi.0 N.w.pwt
rve never been lo your home and. of
course. I know th re are no others Just
like It. Similar? Yes. but there's n
difference you know. Consequently
rm not coins to say anything more
about your home; I'm going to talk of
their homes and you may draw the
comparison for yourself if you want to.
There are three kinds of homes In
Belgtutu. Uie one In the comparatively
nndestroyed dty that Uie Gennnn
tried to keep for himself; Uie home In
the ahetled and fired village and the
home In No Man's Land. Oh. yes
there are homes there. But wait we
cannot be omnipresent; we must visit
one place at a time.
This city looks pretty well doesn't
It? A building once stood In placo of
those signboards but. unless you look
at Uie planter hanging to the adjacent
houses you would never know. Things
have been cleaned up quite thoroughly
since that happened at Uie beginning
of Uie war. Except to a fow people.
those boards talk only of the things
they advertise. There's the house to
which we are going that one where
Uie painter Is working on the door.
Queer. Isn't It. how all of the houses
look alike here? narrow of white
plaster with a sharp pointed roof.
This door Is like all the other doors
too. it has the same sort of dents
made by butts of German guns de-
manding entrance; the same kind of
misfitting wooden letter slot to replace
Uie copper one the Germans took; Uie
same pattern of ugly Iron door handle
substituting for the old one of bronze.
That Is why the painter Is hired even
if necessities must be sacrificed to
paint over that letter slot so that It
won't speak so eloquently to cover
those shrieking scars to hide the mis-
ry of the people behind the locked
doors of their homes. So far you have
seen only one side of Uie door the
outside. But the people are expecting
os and we go into the drawing room.
Yon must not notice that the doors
have no knobs. They were brass and
are now sojourning In Germany. Did
you ever get a warmer welcome? I
doubt It. As we sip our coffee there
Is so much laughter and Joking that
you scarcely notice Uie faded places on
the wall where the now-despoiled fam-
ily portraits and other valuable pic-
Work of the Men Who
tures hung. But though she laughs
Madame van Bree has not forgotten
that her mattresses her linen and her
copper kitchen utensils nre keeping
company with doorknobs In Germany.
We quit the city and. as we walk np
the afreet of a flre-eaten village we
wonder at the number of people hurry-
ing about. Where do they live? For
the most part only crumbling shells of
bouse lino the roadway. But. swing-
ing from the yawning doors of theso
wrecks are signs which startle us.
"Coiffeur.' "Cafe" and others.
Through n bole In a front wall we
step Into a roofless building. After
walking between heaps of debris we
reach a little two-roomed home made
from bricks that fell when the front
of the house crashed In. There again
we see the sign "Cafe." Within a tall
woman In a white cap and bine apron
bustles about the neat bare room pre-
paring coffee and pouring beer for the
customers. Over In Uie corner an old
woman sits making lace. Her faded
eyes are weary of seeing a world of
chaoa and they cling to tho lace for
solace. Him can weave what pictures
the wants Into the lace.
As we wander through the village
we find that almost everybody Is living
In a house that Is at least half de-
stroyed. But the people we meet
chuckle and say. "You should have
seen us six months ago. Tills Is really
palatial now and we are fat compared
to what we were then. Have you seen
our dance platform?"
"Dances I" you gasp. "Do you have
them here?"
We arc shown the woodpn floor In
the cleared basement of a nhattered
factory. "Wo must dance arid make
perry. It Is not gced to be nlwcya sad.
-y "p-ji3 fitfdHBKHK9R7?9iflHmfllflHa -A &mb4ZiKm
Ono ennnot work so well to recover."
explains a youngster who was la army.
Hut how can so many people Itve In
uch small homes? They can because
they must. The more fortunate ones
must mnko room for those who have
not been left C7en the bricks of their
walla.
And now we are reaching No Man's
Land. Truly thu nnm iiwris.. it
As we enter that desolate deep-pitted I
3ie. ciuucred with splintered bay-
onets broken guns nnd grinning skulls
we pass a tiny building made of odds
and ends of shectlron nnd on It Uie
owner who possesses a grim scne of
humor has painted "Tank Cafe Beer.
Wine and Ale Sold Here."
We make our way gingerly among
the shells that lie about for sometime
you know some of them are only
camouflaging as duds and. when dis-
turbed voice their protest In a loud ex-
plosion. The mutilated leafless gray
trees look like ghosts. Often we nnd
beneath them a few crosses and we
All That Was Left.
meet a man nnd woman wto stop to
look at each cross. Will they find the
one they are seeking? The popples
that grow In Uie shell-holes are crlm-
soned with the blcod that ran over I
Flanders dream flowers. Oiled with
the dreams of heroes sleeping where i
they grow. i
But we must hurry. There In tho
distance yoa see a few mounds. They i
are houses newly erected by those who
returned to And their town obliterated.
But what queer things they are! Some
are made of bags tilled with hardened j
dirt. A man smiles as he sees your j
curiosity. "Bags of earth they brought
for tbelr dugouts." he explains "We
Wore Splkd Helmets.
call them 'the little Fatherlands'" and (
his smile grows Into a broad grin.
Other dome-shaped houses are built of
sheets bf corrugated Iron tuken from
the debris. One of these larger than
the others Is a church. Finally we
find people living In the old dugouts.
They live? Well exist. If you prefer
the word but really they live. Their
furniture Is only scraps. From their
plowing they reap a harvest of glaring
skulls and rotUnz tunics. But. In spite
of It all they have their kejmess. their
merrymaking and. out of old car-
tridges the children with hungry eyes
make whistles on which to play tunes.
These are the homes of Belgium;
these are the people of Belgium strug-
gling to lift their homes out of the
ruins. It will be long before the weak
grass that grows In the shell-boles Is
bright sturdy green; It will be long
before Belgium can rest. But the
world Is wrong If It believes that the
black-draped dreoplng. supplicating
figure It calls "Belgium" In Its pageants
Is a true representation. Belgium Is
weary with war weak with starvation
heartsick with sorrow. The old Bel-
glum cannot live. But Belgium does
not beg. Belgium does not supplicate.
Out on the travail on Flanders' fields a
new Belgium was born. It has thrived
In privation stiffened through suffer-
ing. It lives and makes Its home among
the ruins. It laughs and dances where
the world may see It; It sobs alone
when none are near to hear. The war
Is not over for Belgium; the fight ot
peace must be won. On the wreck ot
the shattered past the future must bt
met. Ths Dght will be long the fight
will be hard but victory Is sure for
the spirit of free Belgium lives. It
works It laughs It dances on the ruins.
f 1
i
I
I
THE BEAVER HERALD. BEAVER. OKLAHOMA
Ill.TSSS.S' rT a T imilllllimilllllllim r--wltV Psflt ?fr " Sill rfff1 'SHIS
MfcIMM
diamond
CUT DIAMOND 7
& Jane Bunker
CHAPTER XII. Continued.
13
Which I thought I wns considering;
ut I didn't mean to let him see I
thought so. Without waiting for any
more compliments I finished. "You see.
you'd discovered you couldn't get In
while I was in so If yon wished to gvt
In. yoa had to come while I was out
and I gave you Uie chance. Perfectly
simple."
"A mere decoy such as anybody
might use." Billy tossed at hint.
"I hope you're convinced It was a
mere decoy" said I. pointing to the let-
ter In his hand.
"Ton have convinced me." he re-
plied bitterly. looking at his hand-
cuffs. "Permit me to congratulate you
madame. Ton are te first person man
or woman In Europe or America
who has caught De Ravenol In a trap.
Madame yoa are ciever you are
brave yoa are a so sagacious intel-
lect. And now madame. permit me to
ask yon. what are yoa going to do wis
met
It wasn't so much what he said as
the way he said it that drovp a sud-
den chill through my bones. I'd been
asking myself that for several min
utes ; but as monsieur put It. it was
welt like pulling up a fishing line
when yoa think you've got a bite and
finding- you've got a piece of a forest In
tow. I had to say something however
and this was Uie thing that seemed
called for:
"Give you np to the police."
Monsieur rose unsteadily to his feet
and holding out his manacled hands to
me and he was really Impressive In
spite of his being: so rumpled and
sloppy he slowly ottered: "Madame
before yoa call In ze police. I have
someolng of great importance to your
self to communicate."
He paused. I nodded.
"ZOSB DIAMONDS WHICH HAVE
BEEN STOLEN BELONG TO ZE EM
PEROR OF GERMANY."
With those words monsieur actually
turned Uie tafc'ts on us! It was at
Once his statement of our mistake nnd
our misfortune. Billy says he "saw-
warships carving AUanUc waves." I
saw an urmy with banners. And be
hind all their Immediate significance.
Mood an Ironclad background that
spelled determination. A minute be-
fore we had been dealing with a man ;
now we were dealing with a rower.
I am free to admit that neither Billy
nor I doubted the truth of the state-
ment opce It was ottered there was
an atmosphere about monsieur and his
manacled hands that carried convic-
tion; and while many details were sUU
unexplained his statement did explain
the diamonds. Which was the main
thing for I'd always said they never
belonged to any but a crowned head.
There are some things In this world
much too large for private parties to
carry the responsibility of. And so
completely was I captured by an ade-
quately explained ownership that I was
almost ready to pull the diamonds
from their hiding place at the bottomJ
of the sideboard drawer and send them
back per monsieur to the Emperor
William with my compliments when
Billy burst out. "Where's your proof?"
In a way that struck me as Irreverent
not to say rude.
Monsieur repressed a sneer and re-
plied that certain proofs would be
forthcoming at the proper moment;
and that meanwhile throwing- himself
upon our mercy and to Illuminate the
mistake we'd made he would tell us
everything and would start with the
legend of the so precious stones.
Once upon a Ume about the four-
teenth century or so there lived In
one of the states comprising Uie now
United Fatherland a Tery powerful
grand duke or kinglet with two grown
sons ; and In another neighboring prov-
ince the size of Greater New Tork
lived another very powerful dukewbo
boasted a beautiful daughter.
Those were the days when war was
cheaper than reace. But since a war
between these two kinglets would In-
evitably lead to the total -extermination
of both parties and leave nothing
to show for their prowess but heaps
of flre-scorched stones and a few half-
witted peasants who had no right to
be alive anyway these wise kinglets
bethought them that by uniting their
forces and Incidentally n son and a
daughter they coutd together conquer
the surrounding territory for as much
as ten square miles.
Now Oscar the prospective bride
groom was busily engaged In a dra-
matic border war with a powerful
duchy Uie size of Nantucket so there
was naught for It but to dispatch Uie
handsome younger brother Fritz to
plight his brother's troth by proxy.
The dates were set and all seemed
moving along Its appointed course.
when post-haate comes a trusty mes-
senger and delivers himself of the
tale he has ridden all day to bring
that Oscar has hn smitten through
i
--mm
Copyright-TS N&b risrrlB Co
the helmet thereby losing a nose an
upper lip aid a chin ; and was now In
Uie throes of dissolution.
Consternation rtigned In the castle.
broken by Uie sobs of the fair Etfreda
Uie shy glanfs of Uie bereaved broth-
er who wnuld become the heir appar-
ent and the wise silence ot Uie otd
kinglet.
It was not long before a decision
was reachrd satisfactory to all per-
sonsexcept Oscar ly'ng In his tent
comforting himself with thoughts of
Uie grief of his beautiful betrothed
whom hi had never set eyes on: for
the two young people. Frits and Et-
freda. Xnowlng that a marriage be-
tween 'b families was greatly to be
desired and warmed with a igh ense
of dut; to the fast-departing Oscar
oiftl It mux be. a natural shrinking on
the part of the lad- from Uie embraces
of a hutband minus an upper llo. a
nose and a chin and plus some sixty
various and sundry other wounds and
scars to boot hastened the ceremony
and were united by the castle priest In
the bonds of hcly matrimony before
Uie sun rose.
Imagine Uie messenger's feelings on
arriving at Uie castle and finding Os-
car. Instead of lying at peace In the
family chapel with solemn candles at
his head and his heels making a fast
recovery by Uie ajd of his devoted
mother In spite of his nose and his
chin and his lip!
Still the news of the unpremeditated
marriage was a tonic all around es-
pecially to the messenger. Oscar cut
off htii head and hung it out of Uie win-
dow to air and then promptly got well
In n way that gave him grim satisfac-
tion and bis mother considerable un-
easiness for her darling; and no soon-
er was Oscar able to sit his horse than
he directed his attention and his army
ng-ilnt her whom be was pleased to
call "faithless" and Uie brother whom
he designated as "an unholy bandit."
Then did Uie fair lady call unto her
her own prlvae scribe and she Indited
a besutlful letter In her own hired
handwriting and in It she told Uie
noble warrior that the mistake was
hers as she saw by his gloriously
scarred face and she took all Uie
blame and offered hprself ami her
blood as a sacrifice In tho appeasing of
his righteous wrath. Then she called
her most faithful maid-? 3-all-work and
said: "Lady-ln-walUng. I deliver this
into thy keeping. Now fetch me my
golden goblet lock the door and ask
no questions."
And with this attended to Elfreds.
stationing the lady-of-all-work In the
proper attitude with Uie goblet In
readiness to catch her heart's blood.
plunged a dagger In her bosom and
died.
The faithful lady-ln-waltlng obedi
ently caught Uie blood as It fell
seven great drops. But oli. miracle
when she looked Into the golden goblet
what did she behold? Seven drops
unmixed as when they fell from the
gaping wound of her beloved mistress
seven glorious blood-red diamonds!
But she was strlctljr honest. The
letter and the diamonds still In the
golden goblet were conveyed to Oscar
at tne appointed Dour ami at sunset
the two brothers united their tears
above the bier of Uie beautiful El
frcda.
Such was the legendary origin of the
most wonderful diamonds In the world
a collection created by miracle; and
thenceforth. In keeping with their
mystic origin they assumed a peculiar
role In the history of nations binding
bargains and sealing treaties of pace.
But now the later legends had en-
dowed the stones with occult powers
which were Imparted to their posses-
sors Uie renewal of youth wealth
untold energy of mind and spirit.
A century after the stones were
taken to Venice and cut and their real
glory was revealed to Uie world; anil
at last they excited the envy of Bis-
marck and came Into the possession of
the emperor grandfather to the pres-
ent William thence to William Uie
present.
To this b-geni Billy and I had lis-
tened with unblinking Interest. Mon-
sieur told It In the sustained manner
of one Immured to secrets of state. It
was he who broke Uie spell of our
silence by asking me for a gloss of
water.
I carried the water to him and
turned away my eyes while he held the
glass with his two hands to his lips.
"That's quite a yarn." observed
Billy blowing out a cloud.
"'Yarn?'" questioned monsieur.
"Story tale narrative." Wily ex-
plained. "Une hlstolre" on which
monsieur brightened and declared';
"Cest une veritable hlstolre."
"True when It happened" translated
Billy. "But what I don't see Is where
yoa come In on the diamond deal."
"I?" said monsieur giving me a look
that asked: "Is there anything I have
not beautifully umlalced?"
vn
"Yea yon I don't seem yet to re
where you belong In this veritable hls-
tolre." returned Billy looking about
for an ash tray but driving at his
point "I don't see what part yoa play
In It at all? Granted that Uie dia-
monds belong to Uie Emperor William
now then what are you doing with
them?
"I?" again ho looked at me. "I am
trying to find zem for ze Emperor Wil-
liam." "All right. But That are you doing
with them In America?" Billy's tone
was severe. "That Is what you have
to answei."
Billy looked Uie man straight In Uie
eyes defiautly. and I thought for Just
Uie fraction of a second that ho
quailed under the boyish honest stare.
"Ys. sir." continued Billy as mon-
sieur did not Immediately reply
"that's quite a gap between the em-
peror's owning them and your having
them. Very possibly I am lacking In
Imagination but to be quite frank. I
can't see Uie connection."
It was to me monsieur appealed.
"Ah. madame. what more can I ssy? I
am at your mercy" and ho held out
his manacled hands.
I hardened under Billy's look at me
and replied coolly: "I think you'd bet
ter tell us how yoa came by Uie dla
monds. I can't see the precise connec
tion between the Emperor William and
yourself."
MouMeur appeared to choke back a
number of emoUons and then de-
claimed. "Madame must pardon me.
out zoze are secrets of state I"
Ue did It really magnificently al-
together the great mnn. Uie confidant
of kings and that on top of the rest
convinced me of his sincerity. Be-
fore I could reply BUly pulled my
sleeve and demanded : "Where's an
ash tray? Pm getting this stuff all
over your best rug. Get me a plnte or
something out of the kitchen." and
with his eyes he said: "Leave this
man to me for a minute will you?"
I stepped Into Uie kitchen and heard
Billy say to monsieur In a low voice:
"I see I don't need to point out to you
the position you're ptaclng yourself la
by refusing an explanation as to how
you came to have those diamonds In
your possession. There's only one
tiling left for me to think."
He paused and I thought "Heavens l
Is he going to recuse monsieur?" And
he did.
"YOU STOLE THEM."
I was rooted to Uie Coor. The reply
came like a shot "Monsieur 1" and De
Ravenol leaped to his feet. The two
&?J:
"That's Quite a Yarn" Observed Billy.
men bad given and taken a mortal blow
for monsieur. In his single word had
returned as good as be got and they
now measured each other.
Billy broke the silence and recalled
me with: "Say where's that ash
troyr '
The scarlet that had leaped to mon-
sieur's checks faded as I entered the
room. He stood. He towered. Yet he
spoke with humility.
"It Is net as De Ravenol I explain
how It is I am seeking ze diamonds zat
belong to ze Emperor William It Is as
ze emperor's messenger to ze court of
Mexico. And yet It Is as plain De
Ravenol ze fazer of Claire whom you
know zat I Implore you to keep my
confidence zat I give you now at ze
peril of my life."
He paused and wc both felt con-
strained to assure him we would keep
his confidence and he proceeded.
"I have ondertook zis secret mission
for which ze emperor have select me
from all his friends as he have select
me. I may call myself his friend and
I hffye dedicate myself to It wis all my
zeal.
"Since Napoleon I. Europe has seen
no like der Kaiser Wllhelm be Is war-
rior and conqueror In his heart even
as zey were we have now ze concert
of powers zat prevent to one man to
own ze whole of Europe any more.
"And ze emperor looks ahead for ze
future of bis people and he say : 'How
do zey be fed In hundred years? Ze
fields of all ze fazerland zq science of
all ze fazerlands will not do It But
wis money my people may buy zclr
food as zey will beef and wheat from
ze whole world. Wis Industry manu
factures commerce we nave zo
money. But zat our commerce does us
some Yntuablo good we must make
some alliances for zls puipose. Eug-
Und havft t her sea) on India her
jSirtl
zzz&jm
boot ou Aim and her hasd o& Csa
ada ; bet shi have not tac& LaM
nations she owns not Mexico h
controls not yet ze some-day Pomsml
canal. Zero we have great strategic
point for future development sat Eng-
land have not got hold of. la Mexico
zen ze Emperor Wllltntn sees some
bright future for ze fazerland.
"Now ze madame president ot Mex-
ico b young; she have great beauty
and she rule her venerable husband
wis zat beauty as have women nt all
Urfes. So once she have hear ze le-
gend of ze seven blood-red diamonds.
Above all ozzcr sings In vt world she
desire zoze diamonds and she have
communicate her wish to der kaiser
and he have seen In her wish some
way to his own for ze fazerland.
"Tj zls end he have arrange treaty
wis Mexico which make Mexico a sis-
ter state of ze great German alliance
he have In mind. To zls end also he
have commissioned me "
The rest of what monsieur said Just
then was lost on me for there had
swooped on me a lightning stroke ot
understanding th whole nefarious
scheme ot Germany and the emperor
lay bare to my Inner eye. Mexico the
Panama canal these were the stra-
tegic points of a world conquest such
as history had never witnessed. Ger-
many in possession ot Mexico with
halt a million troops massed on our
border why she could flippantly tread
on Uie lion's tall any day and go to
war and .say to us: "Help England
and lose Tuns Arizona New Mexico
and California." With half a million
troops In Mexico Germany could
spank us Into almost any thing!
And Mexico with her almost un-
touched resources; with her hot-blooded
troops tiudcr German discipline tor
twenty years for ten for five!
But I could stop Itt For the lever
that was to set the scheme In moUon
was thumb-tacked to the bottom of my
sideboard drawer Uie seven blood-red
diamonds !
Monsieur's voice had reached a stop;
My resolve was taken.
"Never P was tho one Impassioned
word I uttered.
BUtty echoed It "Never t" Bis
thoughts had flown with mine and had
seen the Impending calamity which wo
two out of Uie world could now pre-
vent. Then drawing himself to bis
full height he gave forth our ultima-
tum to the nation at large: "You Just
go back and tell yvur Emperor Wil-
liam that he can noer have Mexico w
the Panama canal."
CHAPTER XIII.
Monsieur Appeals to Me.
The effect of our words on moastv
was the last thing we could have fore-
seen. He had been standing all tala
while. He sank heavily Into bis chair
buried his face lu his hands and
wept I Billy ralsd disgusted eye to
Uie celling. Inviting It focorae down
with a noise and end th unpleastag
spectacle ot a man trying tear oa a
rug. Then catching sty commlseraUni
eye. BUly communicated his Ideas oa
the subject with a little sneer ot his
Up and a little shrug of his shoulder.
The next instant he had seized me by
the arm and pulled cie along the hall
whispering: "While he's oa the weep
we can talk." and he thrust me JashUr
the bedroom door himself rcmslniag
on the sill with an eye to tfcfl dlcUiy
room.
Monsieur continued to weep pos-
sibly be thought we'd left blia out of
consideration for his emotion.
"Say this Is the very deuce of a
hole." BUly began tn a rapid whisper
"Uie very devil of a hole. What w
must do Is to go to Washington to-
morrow " -1
"But. Billy"
"Well tonight then we can catch
the midnight train and be there the
first thlug In the morning."
"I won't At least not now. D
pleaso listen. I won't do anything till
I've seen Mrs. Delarlo "
"What the good of wasting time see-
ing her?" he Interrupted. "Here's a
case where hours count mlnuteo
seconds for all we know. Uowll she
help anyway?"
"That's not the question. She en-
trusted them to me so she's the eat
to take them back to first and then
It she says"
"Oh. you know what she'll say" h
argued. "Women are always that
way don't want any trouble. Now.
you take the bull by the horns go tt
Washington tonight."
"No. I'm responsible ta her."
"How can you bo when she alj
found them where the girl must have
put them? He'll confess that toe
when he gets over his weeps."
"Ob well since you've got 'em I
suppose you'll do as you like for all of
my advice" Billy said glumly stufflaj
his bands In his pockets. "But
you'll take my advice you'll not waste
time over anything It's too serloaa"
fTO BE CONTINUED.)
Furs and Feather.
From the duwn ot human history
furs and feathers have been used is
satisfy our taste and need for cloth-
ing and adornment. Our most primi-
tive ancestors were connoisseurs la
the plumage ot birds and Uie pelts ot
animals and admired them for their
possibilities In furnishing himself and
his family with raiment and adora
ment. and so do we.
Keep Out the Moisture.
A very effective agent for tsolstatv
proofing wood has been found la a
aluminum leaf coatlng-TiU-cvutta
practically Insulates the wood against
any change In atmospheric condltloaa
and Is particularly valuable for u
where uccurato form and balance 4f
be maintained as would &
la an airplane jntxpeu&
-frl
;.ci
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The Beaver Herald (Beaver, Okla.), Vol. 33, No. 39, Ed. 1, Thursday, February 26, 1920, newspaper, February 26, 1920; Beaver, Oklahoma. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc69298/m1/5/: accessed May 4, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.