Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1917 — Brussels Like Tomb at Night [ARTICLE]

Brussels Like Tomb at Night

Curfew Rings at Eight O’clock and City Becomes Silent and Dark. - .... __i 1 .. ■■■ ■ ■ ■■■ I !■■■■ ’ ' * CHANGED BY THE PRUSSIANS Gayety-Loving Belgians Being Punished Thus for Honoring King Albert—Learning to Stay, at Home Evenings. Berlin. —German newspapers print a letter from Brussels, sent by a German resident of that city, which gives a graphic picture of life there under Prussian domination. “If there is any man with a good memory who can think back sto-1914-before the war and remember htow things were in Brussels at that time I would heg of him tn, resurrect-huhis mind the picture of that glorious time. What a life that was then! From morning until night the air was filled with entrancing music coming from alt sides, and up and down the boulevards paraded gaily pressed men and women, laughing and chatting. Brussels laughed, sang and danced in those jjjjjgfr ~ , 1 ——

Is Different Now. "What a difference now! A few days ago in honor of King Albert some too zealous’ patriots held a religious service and made use of the occasion to distribute manifestos not only in the church, but also in the streets. At the same time they insulted some German soldiers. The result was that the governor of Brussels place<i a fine of a million marks on the city and issued an

order that all cases and concert halls must be closed at eight o’clock In the evening and that the merry Belgians must go to bed at half-past eight. This is a hard blow to citizens who so much enjoy night life. « “After eight o’clock at night Brussels is as silent and as dark as a tdmb. The only sound heard is the heavy tread of the Prussian soldiers ofl patrol duty. A few German restaurants have permission to remain open until midnight, and for the benefit of their patrons, the main street car line can run a car once an hour. “While many look upon this as a joke, it has its tragic side, for thousands who made their living.at night« working in the various places of amusement are now without a position. However, citizens of Brussels are resourceful, and instead of enjoying themselves iii the evening they now do their own singing, drinking and dancing in the afternoon. The theaters all have matihee performances 11 fltiff tlid cates and dance halls do a big business in the afternoon. The closing down of all these resorts after eight o’clock in the evening has no doubt had its good effect in the family circle, for many a good wife now has the pleasure of having her husband home with her in the evening —something that never happened—before. The order also has stimulated reading of good literature and the various libraries have never had so many calls for books.

City Like a Tomb. “But, joking aside, Brussels is like a tomb. Save for the rumble of distant guns on the Somme, a walk through the streets after dark is like walking tn a cemetery. Only a German can be out after eight o’clock, and even he must be feady to give a good account of him-

self. Occasionally the rumble of supply and ammunition wagons going to the front is heard in the streets, and they look like specters as they disappear in the fog of the night. A few nights ago a Zeppelin passed over the city, and her propellers made such a noise that they awoke nearly the whole city. Almost every window in the city was opened and faces were seen peering out into the darkness, but the Zeppelin quickly disappeared. Then the city went to sleep again.”