The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-12-29


"No more work for you, either, Ma
rie Rose" the leading lady said: "Bu
you will come to the theater eacl
day and knit with us awhile, will yol
not? We all are to meet every
morning at eleven"
"For whom should knit, Nam
zelle?" Marie Rose asked quickly.
''For the soldiers. For the wound
ed, the prisoners, the sick, the-why
for all, of course!"
"The prisoners would be Germans
Mamzelle, eh?" she asked, slowly.
eyes, certainly, hope So" the lead,
ing lady smiled a very little. 20
"Then I do not knit, Mamzelle?"
But, Dame Menthe, think, one
must be charitable, one must be kind
to onet enemies, eh, you know. You
will come and knit even for the pris-
oners, the Germans"
"No, Mamzelle, | will not" the old
scrubwoman answered, firmly. "To
my own enemy | will be charitable,
but, Mamzelle, to the ones who come
to devastate our country, to close our
theatres, reap our harvests, shoot our
sons, steal from my little Marie Rose
what | would earn and save for her,
oh, no, Mamzelle! l knit no socks
that might be pulled on the German
feet"
The leading lady regarded the
scrubwoman with interest and GER
tain kind of loyal amusement.
"Since the theatre is closed now,
Dame Menthe, what will you do for
work." she asked.
81 have my two dogs, Mamzelle,
and my little cart, and | can buy milk
and sell it again to some families at
a profit" was the reply
"You can live, them"
81 can live, Mamzelle."
"But without your son, you will be
lonely?"
"No. Mamzelle, l will not be lone
ly," Marie Rose replied.
"How is that? Tell me-" the
Younger woman inquired, quickly.
"Mamzelle. the mother is never
onelv for the son. She may say so,
,uI Sic 10 IoI. IlOIi IHe lilOllelll
when he is born she knows the son
S born expressly to go from her. All
she teaches him. gives him, shows
1im, is for the end that he may leave
Ter. So when he goes she must not !
,e lonely"
"But the daughters 90 also, Mad
'me Menthe, don't they?" the LEADING
adv inquired, with some pertinence.
at is not the same. The heart of |
he daughter remains faithful to the
mother, but the heart of the son is
estowed upon another woman. You
ee, Mamzelle? You comprehend it
5 forever and forever that other wo-
nan who robs the mother of her son,
ut no man can steal away the daugh-
er's heart from the mother. So it
s."
The leading lady sighed. How,
hen, is little Marie Rose?" she asked,
resently, in a kindly tone.
Thank you, Mamzelle, she is we'll"
always in the country?"
Sometimes she comes to see me
or awhile"
"She is growing?"
"Oh, yes, Mamzelle. | don't OBJ
erve it, but it must be So"
"She is as tall now as that child
lere, | suppose?"
"Mamzelle, do not know. l tell
ou just how it is. She is tall
lough to knock on the door. l open,
lie enters"
Then you will not be so lonely af-
+ all, will you, Dame Menthe?"
"No, Mamzelle, | will not be lonely;
ere is always Marie Rose"
"Well, l must go home" The tears
ere in the leading lady's eyes again.
And tonight where will he be! No
ore sitting in the theatre watching
e with his tender eyes, his smile, his
'wer in my hair. l go home to look
my trousseau and to knit
"Mamzelle, be of courage. Mon
eur lie capitaine will return. Good
ght, Mamzelle."
Good night, good soul. My love
Marie Rose, and we will see that
e has some presents when Christ
as comes, if only the knitted jack
and cap"
The scrubwoman walked back to
r home in the Rue de la Moutarde.
Late in August, Antwerp was in
state of siege, but not yet besieged. G
lie port was open, the enemy was
t upon the city, although Brussels
IS occupied by the Kaiser's armies.
Then came the first bomb thrown
wn into the city on the Scheldt.
arie Rose Menthe, the scrubwoman,
Is sitting in her house making lace
the light of candle when she
ard the sound, felt the thrill of the
ock. 1t struck not so far from her
'eet. She held her needle in the
: poised for some minutes until the L
iver was over. Then she went on
tn her work placidly. at is the
IT." she muttered to herself. at is
e hyena of the Hohenzolerns let
'se upon US, but little Marie Rose
safe, thank God"
From that on all through Septem-
r the cannonading was incessant
d the lights of the homes, and
ops, and streets were never light
any more, and the blinds and
utters were closed in, and the cur 4
ms drawn, and they who walked by I
ght trod carefully and in terror.
For the artillery of Germany was
work, the shells were cracking in
\ Eo1l ~