The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-03-16

had displayed In battle caused q pro
found sensation In the creme de IN
creme Of Partisan society to which
he belonged. Those women who were
devoting themselves to the wounded
In the hospitals when they needed
rest drove In the Bots de Boulogne,
and there they would see the hand
some Jules, his arm suspended in
white silk handkerchief and his
crutches protruding throgh the cab
window.
One OF the FIRST acts Of Jules after
his return TO Paris was to call at
Mile. Desires residence with the bit
Of shrapnel that would have killed
him had II not been stopped by his
belt clasp. She had Just come In
4 from the hospital and was resting
after great fatigue, but her hero lover
being announced she lost no time In
going down TO receive him.
Dearest Nathalie" he said, II have
brought you n memento Of the battle
field, "a requested by you. In
bayonet charge shell fragment struck
me and would have killed me had 1t
not been stopped by the metal clasp
of my belt have brought It to you
as the most worthy Of all the girls
know to possess such a memento OF
the war"
Mile. Desire took the bit Of iron
given her, looked upon II reverently,
then turned her liquid eyes up to the
hero, with mute thankfulness at the
honor done her.
"Oh, Jules" she exclaimed, "suppos-
ing 1t had struck you an inch higherr'
'In that case should not be here to
assure you Of my constancy."
There was a bit OF ecstatic cooling,
and Jules left to carry to Mile. de Ia
Tour the bullet that had been extract
ed from his body. She was not at
home, but he was told that he would
find her in the rooms of a society for
the making and distribution Of COM
forts Of the soldiers. He went there
and found her packing socks.
"Delphine," he said, heaven has
spared me to bring you the bullet that
nearly cost me my life"
"Oh, Jules" she replied, holding 1t
up reverently, "thank heaven that 1t
did not kill your
There were too many persons about
to admit Of any demonstrations, and
after brief talk Jules went to find
Mile. Cherbutier. He had carried his
cross In his pocket. fearing that either
Mile. Desire or De la Tour might
ask to be permitted to wear It. But
4 IA n ovA boA
proudly to the residence Of Mile. Cher
butler. He found her at home and
said to her:
Louise, when you asked to be per
mitted to be the first woman to wear
a decoration that I might achieve |
never dreamed that should win one.
| can only attribute my having done
so to your lovely image being in my
minds eye when l started for the
enemy's trenches"
"Oh, Jules" exclaimed the happy
girl, you are as modest as you are
brave and truthful
Jules should have WINGED at this.
Doubtless he would have done so had
his heart been capable Of containing
only one girl But since it was sufti-
GENTLY capacious to contain three he
felt no conjunction whatever. And
he was fortunate when he was with
one Of the three to forget entirely the
others. He fastened his decoration to
Louise's breast, and, since they were
alone, her head fell on his shoulder.
How long may wear lit" she
asked.
Forever" replied the gallant Jules.
A few days later there was a war
service in one Of the hospitals, at
which Jules was invited to be present
as one who had distinguished himself
and won a decoration. 1t occurred to
him that 1t would be expected that he
would wear his cross. and he sent to
Louise Cherbutier for 1t. But she could
not be found In time for the ceremony.
and Jules went to the hospital with
out 1t. Mile Desire was a regular at
tendant at the hospital, and Mile. de
Ia Tour made II a point to be present.
as, indeed, did all those women In
Paris who were interested In war
work.
Jules received a great ovation. Be
ing asked why he did not wear his
cross, he said that he had inadvertent-
ly left II at home. The surgeon In
charge of the hospital offered Jules
? excuse for him. whereupOn Mile. De
: sire arose and said:
e 81 have a shell fragment that would
e have killed our hero had 1t not been
1 stopped by his belt clasp"