life
into a cocked hat this winter. So many of the families will be in
mourning, and so much poverty will come as a result of the war. Life
goes on so normally now, save for the little annoyances of living under
martial law, that it is hard to realise that such great changes are
imminent.

* * * * *

_Brussels, August 16, 1914._--This morning I walked out of my office and
bumped into Frederick Palmer. I had no idea he was so near. Two weeks
ago he was in Vera Cruz, but made a bee-line for Brussels at the first
news of impending war. In the breathing spaces during the morning I got
in a little visiting with him. He stayed to lunch at the Legation and so
did I. In the afternoon I took him to the Foreign Office and the War
Office and the Gendarmerie, and got him outfitted with passes, so that
he can make a try to get towards the front. As a measure of precaution I
added another _laisser-passer_ to my collection, with a beautiful
photograph on it. The collection grows every day.

I went to the Palace to dine with Palmer and Blount. We had hardly got
seated when in walked Richard Harding Davis and Gerald Morgan, and
joined us. I had not expected Davis here so soon, but here he is. He was
immaculate in dinner jacket and white linen, for war does not interfere
with his dressing.

While we were dining, a lot of motors came by filled with British
officers. There was a big crowd in the square, and they went crazy with
enthusiasm, cheering until the windows rattled.

* * * * *

_Brussels, August 18, 1914._--At ten in the morning I started with
Frederick Palmer and Blount in the latter's car, to see whether we could
get a little way out of town and get a glimpse of what was going on. We
were provided with _laisser-passers_ and passports and all sorts of
credentials, but as a strict prohibition against sightseers has been
enforced for some days, we rather doubted whether we should be able to
get farther than the edge of town. Before we got back we had gone more
than a hundred kilometers through the heart of things and saw a great
deal more than anybody should be allowed to see. We got back to town
about eight o'clock, thoroughly tired and with eyes filled with dust and
cinders.

Part way out the avenue we were hailed by a soldier, who asked us for a
lift as far as Tervueren. He climbed into the car beside me and rode
out. T