Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1901-01-03
The Little Lacemaker.

N0 Ollie. NOEMI NERDlER, q
M iacsm ,s Of ~, vas"c s,",;s was wa;
her molcsty and simplicity commanded
the respect Of all.
Left an orphan at thirteen years of
age she lived with her brother. three
years her senior. who. having suddenly
become the head of the house labOred
for his little sister and himself at cabi-
net making.
The two lived happily together; but
the years passed and the time Of mill
tary service came. Louis was obliged
TO 20. The separation was terrible tO
those two children. who loved each 9th
or so much.
Left alone in the little lodgings, thus
suddenly become too large for her, Noe
mi with bleeding heart applied herself
to her work and wrought marvels from
the fax fields
Each Saturday she carried back her
work and when she returned home di-
vded her earnings In two parts. Must
she not send small subsidy to her SOL
der who was thinking of her there in
his PARKWAY garrlsony
On his side Louis behaved In his regi-
ment as he did in Valenciennes: that Is
to say, like an honest man. and so, mt
the end of the second year of his alb
sence he was able to announce one
beautiful morning that he had been
promoted to be sergeant.
Y0u can imagine how happy NOemi
was! How her heart thr0bbed with joy!
oh, how proud she was Of her dear
brother! But her happiness was short.
In a few weeks came II letter. The war
cloud had burst all at once; armed
France rushed to the frontier Of the
East.
The dreadful war began.
From the letters of her beloved Louis
she learned the successive defeats Of
the French army. WOerth, KOzenville,
Saint-Private. GravelOtte. Sedan. Then
silence follOwcd-nO more letters, no
more news, nothing.
NOemi, who meyer read the papers,
fastened now to the Office of the Guet-
teur de Valenciennes and of the Echo
dc Ia Frontierc. seeking there some lit
tie ray Of hope. She listened to the
talk on the street, she mingled with
the groups of people commenting on
the news, she gave ear to the painful
accounts of the war and she learned,
with sinking heart. that her brothers
regiment had met with severe losses.
Meanwhile the wounded soldiers were
Bent, through IIirsan and Avesnes. to
the towns and cities on the northern
frontier. Every day fresh conveys ar
rived in Valenciennes.
All the hospitals were full. and still
they came. Then private ambulances
were organized everywhere. churches
and factories opened their doors to the
unfortunate wounded soldiers.
One morning the report was circu-
lated that convoy of wounded from
her brothers. regiment had arrived dur
Ing the night.
10 the poor girl glimmer Of hope
returned.
She ran from one to the other asking
of the nurses. bending over every cot;
but the hope Of the morning vanished.
All at once she remembered that the
day before they had opened in Saint
Saulve hospital intended especially
for the officers. Was there any posi-
bility hat an unknown sergeant might
have been brought there! Surely not.
Yet, notwithstanding. she found
strength to go thither.
An army surgeon came toward her.
what do you wish. mademOiselleY
"Oh. monsieur! Pardon! I am look
ing for my brother. Sergeant Louis Yer
der"
"You mean Lieutenant Louis Yer
tierY And pointing with his finger
down the long row OF mattresses on thu
floor. there he IL In the sixth bed"
To the poor girl IL seemed ns II tho
earth vanished from beneath her feet
She choked back IN exclamation OF joy
tottercd forward II few steps ana will
mn outburst OF infinite happiness kncl
before the bed Of Lieutenant Nerdier
who. with his head wrapped In linen
was lying IN II heavy stupof.
"I.ouis! Louis. II Is J." she cx
claimed. trembling. with clnsped hands
ready to fall.
At this appeal the wounded man re
covered his consciousness, opened hi
eyes and perceived his sister, but II"
being able 10 raise his head he stretch
cd forth both his hands, which Ah
seized In hers and covered with tears
In the meantime tho surgeon NJ
preached. and. half unwillingly, led he
away.
"You must not cause him any emo
ton, or we cannot guarantee anything
sapristi! Your brothers wound Ii dd
ing well; he will recover. that IL Gel
tain. II you do not undo our work."