Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-05-26

NNOnlIuueu from Iupe Ones)
she said, "about Americans. They
know the American flag aud they know
Mr., WheetIock (Bran Whitlock). They
have flag and they have his picture.
When the king comes home he will
say, Thanks, very much to Meester
Whectlock, - The odd lady said the
words thanks, very much, - in ouaint
English it is a phrase she has learned
from the English,
If il were not for n nearby hill this
old Belgian lady $ shop would have
been riddlcd with rifle bullets and
blown up by German shells long ago.
The German trenches are not half a
mile from her. Heavy English guns
nearby doomed many times as we talk.
ed and German smells shrickcd over the
sheItcrng hill over u8 and struck near
the village u mile behind,
An English so'dicr covered with mud,
carrying gunnrsack such rs entrench.
mcnls are made Of clattcred into the
store.
" Forty oranges, please, he said in
French, The old lady went to the cup
board and slowly counted out the
oranges, from big pile, dropping them
into the bag which the soldier held
open.
81 just took up a collection in our
trench aud we are going to have an
orange feast this afternoon - said the
soldier, lie threw the sack over hi.
shoulder, gave the old lady so cent,
and clattcrcd out into the warm after
noon sunshine and up the road to where
the trenches begah, Within Is minute,
the soldiers in the trenches would BIT
tearing the old lady y oranges TO pieces
1t S in Belgium where the civil popula
lion won run and where it fights back
| that soldiers find stores running al
/ lull blast 80 near their lines. The ole
lady s store was in a safe place behinl
the hills; but everything in il was ear
red from town by her grandson Of l2
who made several trips daily over tn,
two miles of road that was hit sume
where every day by n German shel
and by spent German rifle bullets.
lie works hard - she said, "bu
am saving the money and am gonl
TO take him to Brussels when the kin,
comes home.
Across the road from madame : littl
cross roads country store is farm
hwsc, ! went over theme for glas
of milk Children crowded around In
Belgian farm woman Ns she talked {
me.
81 take care OF the farm myself.
she said, "'rhc children help me. bu
they are very little, are they not1 The
like better TO take care of Mceste
q Reilly y grave out In the yard. The
3 farm the flowers ON it,"
, " May ] see Mr. O'Rcilly's gravel
, asked
me. Wv
We toopod through the little hous
To the back door and there in the mids
/ OF the black plowed ground was a hup
, mound of yellow wood flowers. I'm th
/ midst of Them stool shining silyr
glass vase aud In the vase were fres
n white Flowers, Tho children ran up |
the grave and the oldest hoy stoope
down aud picked Il dandcloin rlowr
out Of the narrow rim of green pra,
which hordcred the mulnd.
" Private Patrick O'Rcilly, Dubli
4 tuSilliers. Killed in action, " read IN
~ lettering ON the white wooden cross,
, arrested the ape aud took II home.
p, The children loved him, said III
! woman.
"Oh, did they know himf"
x " Know himl Did he not used
live IN thus house, with usl Did 4
:, not bring the children oranges fro
. the town and candy} Was he not a
,, ways playing aud laughing aud makir
Y funny sounds like he thought we,
French words To hear him tai
d through his nose. like he said FrencI
4 men did How the children used
r laugh, And l, too, We were new
afraid OF the shells and bullets In o,