the Louvain gate.

The Burgomaster and four Sheriffs went in a motor car to meet the
officers. They were conducted to the German military authorities at the
head of the column. The meeting took place outside the barracks of the
carabineers.

The Burgomaster claimed for the citizens their rights under the laws of
war regulating an unfortified capital. When roughly asked if he was
prepared to surrender the city, with the threat that otherwise it would
be bombarded, the Burgomaster said he would do so. He also decided to
remove his scarf of office.

The discussion was brief. When the Burgomaster handed over his scarf it
was handed back to him and he was thus intrusted for the time being with
the civil control of the citizens. The Germans gave him plainly to
understand that he would be held responsible for any overt act on the
part of the populace against the Germans.

From noon until 2 o'clock the crowds waited expectantly. Shortly after 2
o'clock the booming of cannon and later the sound of military music
conveyed to the people of Brussels the intimation that the triumphant
march of the enemy on the ancient city had begun.

On they came, preceded by a scouting party of Uhlans, horse, foot, and
artillery and sappers, with a siege train complete.

A special feature of the procession was 100 motor cars on which
quick-firers were mounted. Every regiment and battery was headed by a
band, horse or foot.

Now came the drums and fifes, now the blare of brass and soldiers
singing "Die Wacht am Rhein" and "Deutschland Ueber Alles."

Along the Chaussee de Louvain, past St. Josse and the Botanical Gardens,
to the great open space in front of the Gare du Nord, the usual lounging
place of the tired twaddlers of the city, swept the legions of the man
who broke the peace of Europe.

Among the cavalry were the famous Brunswick Death's Head Hussars and
their companions on many bloody fields, the Zeiten Hussars. But where
was the glorious garb of the German troops, the cherry-colored uniforms
of the horsemen and the blue of the infantry? All is greenish,
earth-color gray. All the hel- [Transcriber: Text missing in original.]
are painted gray. The gun carriages are gray. Even the pontoon bridges
are gray.

To the quick-step beat of the drums the Kaiser's men march to the great
Square Charles Rogier. Then at the whistling sound of the word of
command--for the sonorous orders of the German officers seemed to have
gone the way of t