CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE 



Through IN the late spring of 1915, through the urgency of 

 my friend Slayden, I was invited to make a tour of 

 the cities of Texas in the interest of world peace, 

 under the auspices of the Association for Inter- 

 national Conciliation. Otis H. Castle, a Stanford 

 law student, a loyal, wholesome young fellow, now 

 went with me as secretary. Later also he accom- 

 panied me on a second tour of the same sort from 

 Portland to Cleveland. On these and other trips I 

 For took a large number of Belgian meal cards of various 

 rciS** communes sent me by Mrs. Hoover to sell to people 

 in my audiences at a dollar each; I thus secured 

 about $3000 for the "C. R. B." And in October I 

 was asked to write a poem to be placed on sale for 

 the 'Belgian Fair'" given at Palo Alto under Mrs. 

 Vernon Kellogg's efficient management. Being called 

 elsewhere, however, before the verses (which follow) 

 were finished, I requested Dr. Raymond M. Alden 

 of the Stanford department of English to round 

 them out. 



BELGIUM 



Land of long days of happiness, 



Of pale gray skies and windmills tall, - 

 Wide is the world, and thou art small. 



But yet we love thee none the less. 



Land of sweet bells and faith serene, 

 Of solemn sunset calls to prayer 

 Brooding above the darkened air- 



(But sweet bells jangle at M alines}. 



: 662 3 



