A BELGIAN MOTHER.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 212, 12 October 1914, Page 4

A BELGIAN MOTHER.

A woman with pallid face and terror in her eyes stood in a blackened doorway, looking out on the ruins of her native village. During the last few weeks she had seen many old familiar landmarks swept away. The chimes no longer rang out .from the belfry of the old church. The harvesters no longer came with their loaded wains, singing in glad chorus; the market place no longer resounded with the busy hum of buying and selling while country folk in a never-ending stream of- carts brought cackling poultry, and gr*eat piles of fresh, green vegetables, and baskets of ruddy fruit to the mart — all was silent as the grave. She had seen many things, this woman with terror in her eyes. She had seen her aged father, her brave young brother, shot for daring to defend their sister's honour. She had seen her parish priest slaughtered, and hundreds of her childhood's friends lying dead in the street. It seemed that she could never smile again. . . . She heard sounds of laughter, the laughter of little children, and saw a little procession advancing towards her. The children were gaily dressed. Some wore bewitching Red Riding Hood capes, others were clad in white fleecy garments, trimmed with gay borders —there wjere dresses of every hue, blue, pink, gi;ey, faced with bright trimming —worn by little girls, and soldierly-looking tunics, with belts, for the boys; and as they neared their respective homes the children drew from parcels on their arms miniature underwear, and nighties of pink flnannelette, and waved them, crying: "The kind Australian women, they sent us these."

One tiny toddler broke away and laughed in the face of the woman with terror in her eyes. Then she drew up her tiny skirt and exhibited with glee a pink crochet petticoat. And the sadfaced woman smiled.

"We have sent away tons already," a voice said. The vision of the Belgian mother had vanished, and in her place I saw tables heaped with children's garments, making a glad display, bales being packed with gifts for older folk, ladies engaged in sorting, mending,

packing, consigning solid garments to a box for local .charities —sending others to the laundry, and in every detail displaying organising ability of the first order. If you want to know all about it, go to? the Belgian Consulate in George Street, Sydney, and see for yourselves.—L.B.L., in the Sydney , "Daily Telegraph."