You will perhaps wonder at hearing from me after the long years of silence that have passed, but I have never doubted the goodness of your heart, my Julie, nor your love for your poor Leonie, even though our paths in life have led such different ways.And now I must tell you of the sorrows which have broken my heart.Georges was obliged to go into the army at a moment's notice when the war broke out.A few days later the Germans swept through Meer, driving the people before them like chaff before the wind.As our house was on the edge of the village, Iwas the first to see them coming.I hid the children in the vegetable cellar, but before I could get to a hiding-place for myself, they swept over the town, driving every man, woman, and child before them.To turn back then was impossible, and it was only after weeks of hardship and danger that I at last succeeded in struggling through the territory occu pied by Germans to the empty city of Malines, and the deserted village where we had been so happy! On the kitchen door of our home I found a paper pinned.On it was printed, "Dear Mother - We have gone to Malines to find you - Jan and Marie." Since then I have searched every place where there seemed any possibility of my finding my dear children, but no trace of them can I find.Then, through friends in Antwerp, I learned that Georges had been wounded and was in a hospital there and I went at once to find him.He had lost an arm in the fighting before Antwerp and was removed to Holland after the siege began.Here we have remained since, still hoping God would hear our prayers and give us news of our dear children.It would even be a comfort to know surely of their death, and if I could know that they were alive and well, I think I should die of joy.Georges can fight no more; our home is lost; we are beggars until this war is over and our country once more restored to us.I am now at work in a factory, earning what keeps body and soul together.Georges must soon leave the hospital, then, God knows what may befall us.How I wish we had been wise like you, my Julie, and your Paul, and that we had gone, with you to America years ago! I might then have my children with me in comfort.If you get this letter, write to your heart-broken LEONIE.
It was not a letter that went back that very day; it was a cablegram, and it said:
Jan and Marie are safe with me.Am sending money with this to the Bank of Holland, for your passage to America.