The Keota news., 1915-06-25

the women and the children OF this
land are euItvating the fields almost
up to the points Of contact OF the bat
thing armies. 80 earnest vas the
peasantYy In its endeavor to make
every acre of the soil yield its toll
asAinst the day Of possible need. that
II actually carried its dlling and plant.
INK work into the fields where the
shells stin were falling.
The military authorities finally wers
compelled to call . halt on the cult
rating ambitions Of the French peas
ants. They admired the spirit which
prompted the aged ones and the wom'
en- and the children to dare death IN
order to make 4 full crop possible.
but they did not think that few ex'
ira bushels Of wheat or OF potatoes
would compensate France for further
losses among its peasantry. It was
necessary. therefore. to call . halt on
this dne but dangerous farming en-
deavor. The toilers did not mind the
hell Of shell IRE any more than the
soldiers did. but there are some sac
r16ces which are needless So It 10
that the peasant toll Of today must
manifest itself only mp to the inside
limit Of danger from dropping projec-
tiles Thus 1t il that the plain on
which ! am standing has not yet been
turned by the plow.
Nature has been at work here ever
since It felt the first warming touch OF
springs sun. This battlefield today 10
covered with flowers. daddelions.
daisies. forset.me-nots and violets. The
deep pits dug by the earlier fallen
shells are now sunken gardens. White
and gold. yellow and blue and Grim
son. enter into the color scheme OF the
battlefield. ! never knew before the
knifelike sharpness Of contrast. war
and death are In the valley. and peace
and life are on the commanding hill.
The guns are pounding while over my
head two skylarks are soaring and
singing. The fast growing grass at.
fords the birds shelter for their nests.
and above them always II the SKY
against whose foundations artillery u
vainly used.
oOmU00060 oU y00 00GSlOs
All along the edges Of this plateau
the trenches are deeply cut They are
used for shelter BY the men Of both
armies during the sweeping hre on
this open plain Today they are some
what back Of the rearmost trenches
Of the present fighting line. It 10 cas-
lily learned how savage was the fight
in this place where today one picks
flowers and listens to the larks sing.
lag in defiance Of the noise Of the
cannon. Reminders Of the battle that
has moved on apace are everywhere.
France 10 high-heartedly hopeful to-
day that the line Of this fighting will
continue to recede nofthward and
north-eastward. and that the recession
will become quicker paced day BY day
~ the spring and the summer ad.,
vance. As It Is the fragments Of VII.
lagos within this triangle. and which
are still shaken by the gunfire. feel
seemingly that their future safety 10
as assured as II they were removed
q thousand leagues from the clashing
armies in the valleys Of the Aire and
the Meuse. The few villagers who
have come back have full confidence
in the prowess Of the French soldiers
who are Sulwarking the land.
Near this field Of the lighting there
are several desolated places which
have seen. but Of which I have not
written. 80 like is their condition to
that Of scores Of other villages which
I have visited and whose pathos ap-
pealed, Pretx and Vassincourf arc