The sun., 1916-12-17
By WILLIAM T. MARTIN.


runs into the vast section Of
France known as the Midi. Since the
var the world has heard little Of II.
The departure OF the train n a big
event at the station. Most of the peo-
p.e In the throngs that cover the great
loor are either rural folk or from the
larger towns without Paris. Excited
groups Weighted with baggage make
their way toward the big gates where
steps lead to the train below. They
An lost in n closely packed crowd
passing through.
Contrasting oddly with the sombre
colorcd garments OF the mass Of ell
der,y men. women and children and
the colorlcss. drawn faces Of many are
the rough light blue uniforms OF fire.
auent parties OF husky looking SOL
ders who laugh and joke as they push
Along. On many Of them still clings
fresh mud from the trenches.
They are tho "permissionaires," SOL
dicrs back on leave for n few brief
lays after a long period in the
trenches. They are on their way to
their homes in the south. They have
just como down from the front on
other trains, and here ahey make con-
nections.
Their faces beam with smiles. and in
tho eyes Of many Is tho light Of expcc-
tation. They have suffered much for
this. waited long. and they are eager
,hltSrAn ThAs, a..
everything. all seems new. a. they
press forward weighted with the equip
ment they carry along. With them,
either in the bulgins "muscttes" by
their sides or done up separately in
great parcels. each one shaped difYer.
entity. are the things they have worked
1t In the long months for this trip
tokens they have made for those at
home.
There is increased hustle among the
last hurry!ng passengers as tho time
pf departure arrives. Just before the
gates close half a dozen soldiers who
have been tagging behind suddenly
dash along with their loads and good
naturedly jostle each other as they
wedge through the gates.
II is long time since they have
done anything like this. so they all
laugh. II is n pleasing experience.
They Join their fellows who, travelling
on military passes. take the third class
coaches. IL Is a long train and in 1t
arc more than n dozen cars.
Here they are laughing and hurting
banter good naturedly. poking fun at
cne another with the enthusiasm OF
children In tho seeming ncwness OF
everything. For months they had
come to look upon all this as memory.
"Poilus," indeed. and hairy beyond rec
ignition are some OF them. One won
ders how they would look In civilian
clothes
Before the war many OF them were
men Of the professions. Many were
Young men of fashion, the dudes Of
their homo Towns. Now they go about
self.consciously. They are awkward
and embarrassed except among them.
selves.
The train 10 soon speeding along. In
contrast to the merriness OF the SOL
diers other passengers. the elderly men
and tho women In dark colors. sit
quietly and say little. The faces OF
many are cxpressionless or drawn.
Paris disappears. and now the land
scape. as In peace. Is a quiet vista OF
economically planned fields, gardens
and truck patches. In which. with the
ehciency OF the peasants scheme.
even the fences have been discarded
where possible for the sake of the
slight bit OF extra land thus gained.
The years harvest has been a good
one, most OF 1t Is now in, but In the
nelds are still working few persons
-boys and women mostly.
As the train runs on suddenly comes
shadow overhead. A gigantic bird
fhing swoops along hut slightly
Above the train. and while passengers
move over to the windows darts over
to one side and rushes along in the
air with the train.
II Is large aeroplanc. The coun-
try Is quite level and the aeroplane
cndes over wheat fields, almost touch
Ing the ground seemingly and but a
snort distance from the train.
In the car Of the craft are two SOL
dlors. One waves white handker-
chief. From window in one of the
coaches an elderly woman and a man
enthusiastically wave back.
The machine rushes along nearer
the train. dangerously near. several
times barely clearing the wires beside
tho tracks. then suddenly scars up
ward over the train. swerves from
thls side to that. and then away with
enpnl that hn In, fa N
moment seems stationary.
On the train the couple who were
waving handkerchiefs at the window
explain 1t is a way they have OF see
Ing their son. He Is In the aviation
service. patrol duty carries him to
various places. and he can come home
rarely.
Tho express stops at the larger sta
IONS. Each time. among the alight-
Ing passengers. are some of the per
missionaries" who live near by. At
each stop white uniformed girls pass
through the coaches or along the plat
lorlns rafting little cans as they hold
them out asking pieces OF change. 1t
for the wounded in the hospitals
IN the towns.
Afternoon, and the towns grow
smaller and less frequent. Back in
the third class coaches the soldiers
are still talking and laughing. now
playing games, comparing souvenirs
and singing. They speak little OF their
Experiences Of the past months. but
they like to boast Of their divisions.
tho feats Of their regiments. There
are few soldiers now who have been
In the first line trenches for long
periods that are not decorated.
In one coach are two soldiers who
come from neighboring towns in the