Career
He started his professional career as a teacher in 1870, first in Bevere (Oudenaarde), and afterwards back in Sint-Jans-Molenbeek. In 1883, he became study master, later teacher Dutch at the Koninklijk athenaeum (East:Royal athenaeum) in Brussels. Together they published Arm Vlaanderen (East: Poor Flanders) in 1884, a political novel on the educational struggle between Belgian Catholics and liberals.
As from 1886 he went his own way, and produced his best work, of which is best known.
