Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-12
Evening Star S
Daily Story
NAN VISITS EUROPE
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.
envright. 1911. by the Mcclure \

When Nan went on her .irst visit
20 Europe she had not the slightest
hlnt that she would arrive in a land
thrown into the horrors of war. She
had taken her trip across the ocean
ON long delayed holiday and had
expected to find only joy and merri-
nent, for Nan had way of meeting
happiness half way wherever she
went.
But in Belgium she had fled from
the advance of the common enemy
into Paris, and from the gay city she
had enjoyed \ seant three weeks
when with hundreds of other Ameri-
cans she had scrambled onto safer
English soil. Nan drew a sigh of re-
lief when she was comfortably en-
sconced in a boarding house in Nor
land square, even if she knew not
, where or when the next move would
come. For the time being at least
there seemed little danger save pos
sibiiity of aircraft lowering over the
city, and that was as nothing COM
pared to the horrors of the continent.
London was q haven of refuge to
Nan, who had smelled the smoke of
! battle and heard the boom of dis
toni III one lldt SGttl ilILlc
families of Belgian refugees fleeing
along the roads from devastated
homes, leaving behind them all beau-
~ and all hope and going they knew
not where.
But London was waiting with open
arms to receive all of the weary
refugees from the courageous little
country, and Nan found herself again
face to face with the realities of
~
dozen of these Belgians sheltered in
hospitable homes in Norland square.
1t was in the acre of green park
belonging to the square that Nan
became acquainted with little Jean
Leman, q Belgian child who had
been brought over from the devas-
tated city of Louvain. The child was
scarcely old enough to understand
the real situation and was playing
more or less contentedly with much
. dilapidated doll which she had man
aged to cling to during the flight
from Belgium. Nan addressed the
child in English, and, getting no re-
Spouse save wondering stare from
a pair of brown eyes, tried French.
A radiant smile swept over the
ohild's face and she began chattering
in a pure French that made Nan
blush for her own meager learning.
conversation that followed. jeans
mother was French lady, who was
sleeping beneath Eower garden i'll
Belgium. Her father was a soldier
and Jean had hung her little gold
cross about his neck when he had
kissed her goo6-by before going TO
battle with his regiment. Nan
learned that the soldier-father was
Major Albert Leman, but that was
fu he lxunIVladtra carried
her.
From that moment on Jean and
Nan became fast friends. The child
had a 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 centred
around Major Leman in the child's
. fancy. II is true that Mans French
was none too perfect, 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
Slered 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 country lanes.
Nan felt that she could not forsake
london in its hour % trial, even
though she herself was doing little
NV Way of help. The troops march
ing by to the front gripped her heart
in fierce emotion and she could not
drag herself away from the city nor
from the child that might be orphaned
by the eEemy's shot. When the
wounded soldiers began to arrive IN
trainloads Nan could no more have
left the city of London than she could
have cut off her own right hand. Sne
simply had to remain. Something neld
her, she knew not what.
oSurely there must be something FOR
me to do in this crisis, she tod ner-
self over and over again she hau
sent financial aid to various FUNDS,
garments to hospitals, fudge to the
battleships, and yet Nan felt thal
she had not done her all. There
is still something more as my portion
II know it," she added.
1t was during the sixth week OF
the war that Nan discovered little
lean Leman's photograph on the
front page Of the Sketch. Major
of his little girl and had asked the
papers to assist him in the search.
tNan did not wait to have her break
fast but went quickly into the board
ing house next door in search oil
jean
Nan explained as swiftly as posi-
BILE in her improved French that
Daddy Soldier was in London anu
that he was looking for his little
girl. She told the child as gently as
she knew how that her father naa
been wounded in the battle and that
he was in the hospital being taken
care of by wonderful nurses.
Z 1--WE will go down this morning
when YOU have eaten your nice break
fast, Nan told her and after finding
out what Major Leman's faVorlte
flower was she went off to ascertain
the location of the King Edward VII.
Hospital and the quickest way or
getting there. Nan tried desperately
10 retain control OF her nerves. she
!, was very sympathetic and 1t was
going to be a trial to see all inc
wounded officers and come face 10
face with the tragic phase of the war
1t would take all her courage 10 take
little Jean into her fathers presence
lean chatted necessarily on the
tourney down: she was so excited
that Nan felt her own calm engull
her as if for the purpose OF steadyinS
the child. Consequently, when they
arrived at the hospital Aand ap-
proacbed the big Belgian ofncer
whose head was swathed in bandages
and one arm pinned in like fashion
i, to his side, 1t was Nan who displayeu
, a most wonderful calm. Major Leman
broke down neutrality-suspicious.
nj