The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-10

IN n40 - - - uou1p9u ~ NJ
bsle eiAsR - - just come b
frun IL hsspGtni ana was RESTING
after srsat fafisue. but hsr hsso lovsl
bslng anasuIcod - iose % dine b
eolne lpWn tosxoc61so ~. E
-psass1e 1ga11aIlAs - saia. = havs
hse0eAe - = ne6nsn1s ef the battle
I'D, - Nquosts1 ~ Jon. In 4
bayoaet eh1seeI . shsiI frasmsnt strucl
~ ~ swould have killed ~ had Il
net - stoppsd By the nseal clasp
q ny IN I have brousht II 10 yes
- the msst worthy Of Ill Tie girls
KNEW ~ posDsss such . msmsnts q
~ wae."
Nlls. Desire took the bit OF Iron
GIVEN her. looked upon 4 rsvsesntly
tAsn turned her liquid eyes up 70 thu
hero. with mute thaukfulnsss at the
honor done her. -.------------
.Oh, Jules" she sxciaimsd. ''suppos
Ing It had struck you IN inch higher
TN that case should not b here "a
assure you Of my constaney."
There was . bit Of scetat3c cooling
and Jules left to carry tn Mile. dc la
Tour the bullet that had been extract
ed from his body. She was not at
home, but he was told that he would
ind her In the rooms OF Q society FOL
the making and distribution Of com
torts Of the soldiers. Hs went there
and found her packing socks.
"DeIphins," he said, 'heaven has
spared me to bring you the ballet thai
nearly cost me my iife"-
..oh. Jules" she replied holding II
up reverently, thank heaven that II
did not kill your'
There were too many persons about
to admit Of any demonstrate lions, and
after brief talk Jules went to fnd
Mile. Cherbutier. He had carried his
cross In his pocket fearing that either
Mile. Desire or De 10 Tour might
ask to Be permitted to wear II. But
now he put 1t on his breast and walked
proudly to tho residence Of Mile. Cher
butler. He found her at home and
said to her:
Louise, when you asked to b per.
mitted to be the flrst woman to wear
= decoration that I might achieve
never dreamed that should win one
l can only attribute my having done
% 10 your lovely image being in my
minds eye when started for the
enemy's trenches"
"Oh, Jules" exclaimed the happy
giri, you are AZ modest ~ you IN
brave and truthful
Jules should have WINGED Ut this
Doubtless he would have done % had
his heart been capable Of containing
only one girl. But since It was sum
cientiy capacious to contain thrse b
felt no compunction 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 itw she
asked.
Forever" replied the gallant jules.
A few days later there was q war
service in ono 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 hts cross. and he sent TO
Louise Cherbutier for It. But she could
not be found In time for the ceremony,
and Jules went to the hospital with
ont 1t. Mile. Desire was a regular at
tendant at the hospital, and Mile. de
la Tour made It a point to be present,
rs, indeed, did all those women In
Paris who were interested In war
work.
Jules received q great ovation. Be
ing asked why he dA not wear his
cross, be said that he had inadvertent-
~ left It at home. The surgeon In
charge Of the hospital offered Jules
excuse for him. whereupon Mile. De-
sire arose and, said:
II have a shell fragment that would
have killed our hero had Il not been
stopped by his belt clasp"
And l." said another voice, have q
bullet that was extracted from his
side"
These announcements were received
differently by different persons. Some
laughed that two such confessions
should be made by different girls.
Some Of the wounded soldiers be
gan to protest that Jules must have
wrongfully claimed that he had been
decorated At that moment Mile.
Cherbutier entered and asked what
was the matter. When told that the
hero OF the occasion was man claim
ing to be decorated and yet without 4
decoration she held up Jules cross.
crying ont:
Here It IL. He permitted me to
wear It for him.
There were shouts expressing messi-
msnt. condemnation, approval and m
sorts OF innuendos ab Jules having e.
vored 10 many girls. Miles. Desire
and Do Ii Tour went away hot with
Indignation. Me. Chefbutier elbowed
her way to jules and nxe6 tie cross
to hin breast without moving what
had gone before.
Jules. who bad facsd poison gas
without hinching. turned white
"A mArriager was shoutsd by one
and taken up BY the rest. Juiss was
too gallant 10 refuse. Bes3des, be was
ready to take advantage of wedding