The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-11-12
The Evening Story
Nan Visits Europe.
(By Dorothy Douelas.)

Wueu wan went on 0SI uIBI vAoAs ~
Europe she hAd not tho slightest hint
that she would arrive in. q land
thrown into the horrors OF war. She
had taken her trip across the ocean
on a long: delayed holiday and had ex-
pected to ma only JOY. and merri-
ment, for an had q. way OF meeting
went. -
But in Belgium she had fed from
the advance Of the common enemy
into Paris and from the gay city she
had enjoyed q scant three weeks when
with hundreds OF other Americans she
had scrambled onto safer English
soil. Nan drew a sigh OF relief when
she was comfortably ensconced in q
boarding house in Norland square,
even II she knew not where or when
the next move would come. For the
time being at least there seemed lit
tie danger save q possibility OF air
craft lowering over the city ana tna1
was as nothing compared to the hor-
rors OF the continent London was a
smelled the smoke Of battle and heard
the boom Of distant fire. She had
seen pitiful little families Of Belgian
refugees fleeing along the roads from
devastated homes, leaving behind
them all beauty ana all hope and go
ing they knew not where.
But London was waiting with open
arms to receive all OF the weary refu-
gees from the courageous little coun-
try, and Nan found herself again face
to face with the realities or war.
There were no less than q dozen OF
these Belgians sheltered in hospitable
homes in Norland Square.
belonging to the square that Nan be-
came acquainted with little Jean
Leman, a Belgian child who had been
brought over from the devastated city
of Louvain. The child was scarcely
old enough to understand the real
situation and was playing more or
less contentedly with a much dilapt-
dated doll which she had managed to
cling to during the flight from Bel
gium. Nan addressed the child IN
English, end. getting no response s-ve
a wondering stare from pair OF
brown eyes, tried French. A radiant
smile swept over the child's face ana
she began chatteEing in pure French
that made Nan blush for her own
Nan discovered pauch5 in the broken
conversation that followed. Jeans
mother was . Frcreh LADY. VINO was
sleeping beneath a flower garden In
Belgium. Her father was a soldler
and Jean had hung her little gold cross
about his neck when he had kissed ner
xoodby before going to battle with his
Regiment. Nan learned that the SOL
dier-father was Major Albert 1eman,
but that was as TAR as Jeans knoWl-
edge carried her.
From that moment on Jean and Nan
became fast friends. The child had q
most wonderful faith in the return OF
her father from the great war. and
Nan told her story after story about
heroes Of the battlefield, all of which
seemed to be centered around Major
Leman in the chitt's fancy. 1t is true
that Mans French was mono too per-
feet, but it improved day by day. and
in turn she taught little Jean many
English words and phrases. Altogether
the friendship was a most happy one.
There were dark hours Of the night
when Nan wept over the possible
chance Of the soldier daddy not re-
turning from the war. and she won
dered what would become OF Jean. But
she did not dwell long on SO painful
an outcome. and never did her fears
make themselves known to the child
Instead. they romped and played
and went on long bus rides through
the city and out into the country lanes.
Nan felt that she could not forsake
London in it's hour OF trial. even
though she herself was doing little by
way Of help. The troops marching by
to the front gripped her heart in fierce
emotion and she could not drag her
self away from the city nor from the
child that might D. orphaned by the
enemy's shot When the wounded SOL
diers began to arrive in t-atnlOads,
Nan could no more nave ie1t the CITY
off her own right hand. She simply
had to remain. Something held her,
she knew not what.
Surely there must be something for
me to do in this crisis" she told her
self over and over again. She had sent
financial aid to various funds. gar
ments to hospitals. fudge to the battle
ships and yet Nan felt that she had
not done her all. There is still some
thing more as my portion-I know 1t.
she added.
It was during the sixth week Of the
war, that Nan discovered little Jean
Leman's photograph on the front page
of tie sketch" Major Leman was
anxiously seeking news Of his little
girl and had asked the papers to assist
to have her breakfast but went quickly
into the boarding house next door in
search Of Jean.
Nan explained as swiftly as possible
in her improved French that Daddy
Soldier was in London and that he was
looking for his little girl. She told the
child as gently as she knew how that
her father had been wounded in the
battle and that he was in the hos
pital being taken care Of by wonderful
nurses.
I'VE will go down this morning when
you have eaten your nice breakfast"
Nan told her and after finding out what
Major Leman's favorite flower was she
went OF to ascertain the location of the
King Edward VII hospital and the
quickest way of getting there. Nan
tried desperately to retain control Of
her nerves. She was very sympathetic
and it was going to be trial to see
all the wounded ofhcers and come face
to face with the tragic phase Of the
war It would take all her courage to
take little Jean into her fathers pres
ence.
Jean chatted necessarily on the Jour-
ney down: she was SO excited that Nan
felt her own calm engulf her as If for
the purpose OF steadying the child.