The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-10-23

us but l nduCeQ the 10
accompany me about the city to prove
to him that he was asking too much.
l convinced him that we could give no
more than we had"
This was Nine. Macherez's modest
way Of putting it. Before seeing her
I had been told how by infinite tact
she had resisted the demand for tons
OF ~foodstuffs, tobacco and great
quantities Of wines and finally secur-
ed better terms from the Germans.
She had bargained like q veteran,
tenaciously and at great length and
when at last the Germans were driv-
en- back they held her in profound re-
spect.
Il understand your own house has
been destroyed" l stated.
Not mine, but my s~on-inlaw's,"
she corrected. my own house is over
the river. l hear it has not been
molested ave that some small pieces
OF silverware and a clock are missing.
l have not been there in two weeks.
1 sleep in the hospital over there"
She pointed towards q large unorn-
mental building across the quare A
jagged hole large enough to drive q
two horse wagon through had been
torn in one wing near the roof. There
was no Red Cross flag flying over
hospitals which contained hundreds of
both French and German wounded. I
mentioned this to Nine. Macherez.
I'VE don't use the Red Cross nag any
MORE" she replied. 1--WE find II
seems to draw the enemy's Are"
Were your daughter and ~son-in-law
at home when their house was she'll
|ed?" I asked.
mo, I was in a house across the
street from it, helping dress the
wounds of several German prisoners
wh.sn it happened. All the windows in
the temporary hospital were broken,
but we were not hurt"
Nine. Mecherez is a striking figure.
She is rather taller than the average
French woman and her hair is turn
ing gray. Her eyes are like blue
steel, but her face is as soft and sweet
and motherly as a Madonna. But for
ICl SyOS oAa a SlCoc
about the chin, one would be inclined
to wonder where'her absolute mastery
of men comes from. While we were
talking, a man, woman and child came,
walking down the street. She stop.
ped them and asked them who they
were and where they were going. She
had recognized them instantly as
strangers and as scissors was filled
with spies she could afford to take no
chances.
"Hsllo corporal she said to a sol.
der nearby. go with these people
to the city hall and have them de.
tanned until l get there"
Once a milk wagon, a cart on two
wheels, drove past. She halted the
cart and found a wounded man inside.
He had been hit by a fragment of
she'll a little way down the street.
Nine. Macherez ordered the driver to
take the man to the hosrital after she
had asked a question or two to make
sure the man was not dangerously
hurt.
In all I talked with the woman
boss of SCISSORS some fifteen min
utes. They tell me that this was the
longest time she had stood in one
spot since the Smelling of scissors had
begun. At that she was constantly
giving orders and directions, stopping
strangers and otherwise carrying on
her duties Just as though the street
were her office.
'And who's going to VIM" I asked
as she started away.
w are. of course she said, with |
conviction. THE hearts of the wom-
en- of France are in the fight no less
than are the hearts of the men. Then
too, we have the English with US here
in France and the Russians on the
other side of Berlin" !
And what are you getting out Of
all this?" I almost shouted. for a shell
was making its noisy flight overhead
Just what every true French wom-
an is getting she smiled. "a heart
full of satisfaction"