Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1916-02-18
IT-T-T-FT-T-F-I-I-T-I' ~I''FI''T-I-I'f-f'II''I
!: A Hero of
! Many Hearts
: lie Was Finally Tied Down
|. to One.
By SADIE OLC0TT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

MISUNDERSTANDING
Jules GignOuX Of Paris was II mem
Der Of that nobility which before the
great revolution lorded 1t over France,
but which since that boulevcrsement,
under republic, simply Is n shadow
of It's former self, Jules was Il count
by inheritance; but, having been
shom Of everything except the title,
he dropped that also and was known
simply as Jules GlgnouY, the best fel.
low in Partisan social life,
He possessed an evening suit that
was all he needed to maintain his 30.
stion, though he must have had some
income, for he was nothing Of n
sponge 1t would he impossible 10 tell
whether he was more popular with the
men or with the women. He had
many affairs with the latter, but had
infinite tact In getting out OF them all
without reproach,
When the pan-European war broke
out Jules was one of the first to join
the colors. He had only the military
training that Is required of every
Frenchman and took his place In the
ranks with many of his aristocratic
associates
And here It Is to be remarked that
whatever fault Is to be found with an
0ristocracy war seems to bring out its
most rcdeeming feature. During our
own war on both sides what Is called
the best blood in the land sprang to
arms, In the pan European war the
British aristOcrat went to the front In
greater proportion than any other
class. In France all classes responded,
for the very existence of the nation
was in danger In Germany, where
every man is made soldier, all re-
Sponded.
War may have been natural to Jules
GignouX, for his title was obtained by
an ancestor in the time of Charlie
magnc. At any rate, he stepped forth
with alacrity. But Jules did not step
forth till he had hidden adieu to the
several young ladies who were In pos
session Of his heart at that particular
time. There were Mile Nathalie De-
sire, Mile Louise Cherbuticr and Mile.
Delphine de Ia Tour These were the
principal ones, though there were
others.
Send me some memento Of battle"
said Mile. Desire. If you are deco
rated" said Mile. Cherbutier, II claim
the honor Of being the first woman to
wear your decoration" SHOULD you
be wounded" said Mile, de la Tour,
give me the bullet that made the
wound. | will wear it suspended over
my heart"
Jules promised as asked in all these
cases except in the matter Of the dec
Grafton, for he modestly declared that
he had no expectation of decoration.
Then, after vowlng eternal constancy
to each and every one Of these young
ladies, he tore himself away and was
soon on train with his regiment hur-
rying toward the Belgian line.
1t happened that Jules GignouX was
enabled to keep every one Of the prom
Uses he had made. A fragment Of
shell struck the metal clasp of his belt
and fell at his feet. Picking up the
fragment, he put it In his pocket to
send to Mile. Desire He received
bullet in his side. 1t was cut out by a
surgeon. Jules asked for 1t and kept
1t for Mile de la Tour. Finally, when
an attack was made on the enemy's
trenches, Jules was the first man to
gain them. When half a dozen men
stood in line to receive crosses at the
hands of General Joffre, Jules Was
one of them.
"Well, now" said Jules to himself,
"what lucky dog | am | never
dreamed that | would have a decora-
ton for my dearest Louise. The god
of war has showered favors upon me"
If Jules had been in the Turkish in
stead of the French army his rejoic-
ing would have been In order, for he
might have married all three of the
recipients of his favors. Being
Frenchman, it would have been better
for him If he had obtained token
for only one Of them. Though Jules
was brave man in face of an enc
my, morally he was something Of Il
coward He saw no reason why he
should not give each and every one
of the three girls the memento she
coveted, not saying anything about
the favor granted the others. The
girls were members of the upper So
cia world of Paris and were liable to
meet one another Suppose they did
meet? Suppose they compared notes?
Had not Jules eXtricaGed himself from
worse complications than this?
Jules did not get back to Paris for
some time after he had gathered in
ak these treasures for his three best
girls. He was wounded second
time, being very nearly killed, and
after being discharged from the hos
pita he was given a long leave for
1t was not considered by the surgeons
that he woyd be fit for service again
b. many months, If at all, He return