Germans for an hour or two. The Garde Civique was furious, however, at
the idea of not being able to make a stand. There was a demonstration,
but the cooler heads prevailed, and the men withdrew to their homes.

[Illustration: German supply train entering Brussels]

[Illustration: German infantry entering Brussels]

I was out by seven this morning and looked about for news before coming
to the Legation. I found that the Germans were steadily advancing and
that the vanguard was about seven kilometers out of the city. They
expected to begin the triumphal march about eleven. The Garde Civique
had disappeared from the streets and there were very few police to be
found. The shops were closed, shutters down on all houses, and posters
everywhere with the proclamation of the Burgomaster urging the people to
refrain from hostile acts. It was an abandoned and discouraged-looking
city. On the boulevards there were long lines of high carts bringing in
the peasants from the surrounding country. They are great high-wheeled
affairs, each drawn by a big Belgian draught horse. Each cart was piled
high with such belongings as could be brought away in the rush. On top
of the belongings were piled children and the old women, all of whom had
contrived to save their umbrellas and their gleaming, jet-black bonnets,
piled with finery. Those who could not find places in the carts walked
alongside, some of them carrying other belongings that could not be put
on the carts. It was the most depressing sight so far. Lots of them were
crying; all looked sad and crushed. Every one of them was probably
without enough money for a week's living. Even those who have money in
the banks cannot get it out at this time. They have no place to go to
here and have a bad prospect even if this part of the campaign is
finished quickly and they are soon able to return to their homes. Their
crops are rotting in the ground and many of their homes are already in
ruins. That is the hard side of the war--lots harder than the men who
go out and have at least a fighting chance for their lives.

When I got down to the Legation I found that the telegraph and telephone
communication had been cut off. The train service is abandoned and we
are completely isolated from the outside world. I did not think it would
come so soon and only hope that before we were cut off the news was
allowed to get out that there would be no fighting in the city.

I had a lot of errands to do du