The Washington herald., 1916-06-12

such a process. Others were cleaning
the stables, arranging fodder, and every
thing was being done in the quietest,
most businesslike fashion.
This is an army remount depot" said
the pretty girl by the gate. stand back
to let the others in"
Down the long road came a string of
maidens. eacn astride one horse and lead
ing another, whirl of dust behind them.
They were dressed exactly as groom
dresses, very practically and with an eye
to the strict necessities OF the case. 1T
would be absurd to wear skirts at this
sort of job, wouldn't it?" cried the last
rider, as she deftly steered her two steeds
In at the gate, then leapei lightly from
the saddle.
Fifteen of these girl grooms hailed from
the little village nearby. They were do
ing splendid work, and, curiously enough,
they had not lost one whit of charm by
their discarding of feminine attire. I
have seldom seen prettler women. There
was character in their faces, too, and en-
thusiasm. One could see that they en-
joyed their work immensely
Farther along the country road there
was a big brown field. slender girl
was ploughing a straight furrow behind
her team. And beyond that there was
farm. and In its courtyard another girl
was cleaning out pigstye.
linen DdCh Dy a route
toward the little village, and at the end
of winding lane saw a big sign over a
shed. Blacksmith" said the sign. By
the open door stood a tall girl of about
twenty years of age, with leather cap
on her curly head, big leather cuffs on
her wrists. and her pretty figure en-
veloped in a huge leather apron.
She had shod five horses that day, she
said. at half crown a shoe. and she was
ar
homes in the little village back there"
she declared, pointing toward the place
I had come from. Perhaps you saw our
cottage. with the five cards in the win
dow? My father and four brothers are at
the war. So I'm just carrying on in
their absence. and keeping the business
going. I'm trying to take the place of
the whole five, and the works pretty
hard-but I'm glad to be able to do
something"
A team of horses paused in front Of the
open door. They were led by the plow
girl, who had been blowing her straight
furrow in the neighboring field. Two
shoes wanted" she said laCOnically, and
drove the team into the shed.
The pretty girl blacksmith followed her
She lifted a pair of bellows and started
the fire, then dropped a piece Of iron
in it till it glowed red hot. Next, she
deNterOusly tweaked the iron out with
pair Of clippers, and hammered 1t into
shape. 1t was now dropped into a pail
Of water to cool.
The horses stood by patiently. Quickly
the deft little blacksmith removed the
old shoes, trimmed the horses hoofs
then nailed the new shoes into place. 1t
was all done most expeditiously, and
with no fuss Nor could a man have ac-
compltshed the task more thoroughly.
I was amazed al the capabIlity of the
girl.
When evening fell on the little village.
the old men were still chatting on the
green. But no longer was that little
green an Eveless Eden. For the village
maidens had returned homeward. Ieav-
ing their war occupations behind them
and their daily task complete. They had
left their munition factories, their plow-
shares, their army remount depot, their
horses. their forges, and, like the pro-
verbal blacksmith, felt that a nights
repose had indeed been satisfactorily
earned
1t was that very night that the little
village was raided by Zeppelins Under
very blue sky lay the matched cot
tages. their inmates fast asleep. But at
the very first "Crash-h-." Of a falling
bomb 1t seemed as though every soul
were up and out at the doors Mothers
with babies in their arms, little children
IN their ntghtgowns, girls in very scanty
costumes. old women in dressing Jackets,
old men in a strange medley Of odd
garments, filled the road. 1t was like
an absurd fancy-dress carnival, lit by the
lurid CLEANS of searChlights which swept
the sky for miles around
And no one was in the least afraid
Rather did the inhabitants look upon the
raid as some gigantic spectacle that had
been purposely arranged for their en-
tertainment and edifcation. When one
particularly inquieitlve searchlight fas-
tened its piercing beams on a dark, |
ominous. cigar-shaped object a few thou
sand feet IN the air and right above their
heads, the children jumped and clapped
their hands exCitedly. I have seen chill !
dren act in much the same way when
taken to a Christmas pantomime. and
some wonderful performance was enacted |
on the stage for their benefit.
Then terrible sound Of firing broke !
out. The antl-aircraft guns in the neigh
borhood roared like wild beasts of the |,
jungle let loose, and hurled balls of fire |
into the blue heavens. ShrapneI was in the !
air. Pieces of it pattered on the roofs
with sound like rain But the children !
danced on, and clapped their hands with |
slee and even the older folk were not |
afraid. It's better than a benefit per-
tormance at the theater"' said one old |
lady cheerfully, who. like Joseph, was .
clad in the proverbial garment Of nanv
cOlors and capped in a white frilly ar |
rangement that made her round, smooth
face look like a cheese.
I wouldn't have missed this FOR |
worlds" cried one Of the valiant she
grooms Of the army depot. There hasn't |
been such an entertainment ever beforem
A deafening crash of artillery drowned
the rest Of her words. The Zeppelin was