Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-11-23
monsieur he responded deHghted1y.

Il am very tired" Charlie explained
though he scarcely needed to diIate
upon that obvious fact. Il desire a
chamber with-a bed, Immediately"
.'Oui. monsieur have very good
room, on the mezzanine fioor-excel-
lent for monsieur! Ten francs
a dayr
'Ten?' said Charlie. Cheap enough
Go to it,r'
And while little Jeanne went to pre-
pare the room for him, he threw him
self into chair and cast paper par
cel-his sole baggag e-upOn the table
in front Of him. Beyond a few fresh
collars its contents were negligible.
Il want to go to my room now"
Charlie informed his host. I'm dead
to the world" Unconsciously he had
lapsed into his own yernacular And
then he realized that a Belgian inn
keeper in a country town could by no
manner or means comprehend him.
"Oh, how the devil do you say I want
to go to my room in French?" he
groaned.
But I speak English, sir" the inn
keeper interposed. He had a decided
accent. it was true. But to Charlie
Browns ears the words were as CRATE
full as the sound of a ripping brook
upon a hot summers day.
You do? Why didn't you say SOP"
he demanded
Pardon me, sirr' the polite inn
keeper begged him. But so many
Americans like to exhibit their knowl-
edge of French that 1 have found it
wisest never to speak English to an
American until I am asked
''Say-how did you know I was an
Americana" Charlie asked him with
sudden suspicion. He would have liked
to know just what it was about his ap-
pearance that seemed to stamp him as
a Yankee, no matter where he went.
ooh! I could tell at once. .
The voice, the manner. Oh! |
cannot explain. 1t is a some
thing" Christophe CROPPED, IAN air
one can never mistake it."
Mr. Brown grinned at him.
Fright there with that French gait,
aren't you?' he said.
Henri Christophe smiled.
''Ah, m'sieu, l understand" he ex-
claimed, nodding his head sagely. But
you do me an injustice. 1 do not fiat
ter. I speak the truth"
All at once the American remem-
bered that he was a newspaper man.
well, then, have you seen anything
of a war around here?" he asked.
''No sir!''
Neither have Ir' Charlie volun-
teered. And I've been looking for it
for a week.
"Oh, there will be no war here"
ChristOphe assured him. "It is always
IKE this-just our peaceful little VII.
lage! We harvest our crops; we brew
some beer; we make a little wine
good wine. Monsieur shall sample II
and see," he added parenthetically
eve go to church on Sunday, we live
and die in the quiet sunshine.
There will be no war here"
Charlie Brown did not like to break
rudely in upon the good mans placid
dream. But at the same time he saw
no reason for assembling. If trouble
were coming-as he believed-he con-
sidered it as we'll that the innkeeper
should be prepared for it as well as
might be.
But they say the Germans are COM
ing through Belgium" he ventured.
Henri Christophe picked up the
checkerboard that the two peasants
had used to amuse themselves, and
placed it upon the counter.
"Ah, no, m'sieu! And even should
they, our people are good people. They
will not touch u.s." he said as optimis-
tically as he could.
''WeIl-I hope not" Charlie agreed.
But at least I'd like to see some of
the beggars. It's ID irritating to
look for a war and not be able to
find it." He rose stiffiy from his chair
and strOlled to the. cigar counter. Got
anything to smoker he asked, leaning
over the glass case. The innkeeper
fumbled inside the showcase and laid
his wares out for his guests inspec-
ton