Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-09-29
CHAPTER XII.
Lost--A WarI

Lost--A Wari
A stranger-unmistak American
-pedaled a decrepit bicycle up to the
very threshold of the Lion dor before
he threw leg YEARLY over the rear
wheel and stood there, leaning heavily
upon the handle bars and saddle. 1t
was Charlie Brown, though his best
friend might not have recognized him
without some difficulty. He was both
dirty and disheveled, and hot and tired
as well. Dust lay thick upon his
shoes. And now he gazed mournfully
into the inn, somewhat as a thirst
parched wanderer in a desert might
have looked upon an oasis, with it's
promise of shade and cooling water.
Henri Chrstophe did not see him at
first, for his broad back was toward
the street. But he sprang up quickly
as Mr. Brown called to him in very
bad French
"NIusseer lie proprietorr'
1t was like music in the innkeeper's
ears.
"a customer, and An Americana" he
exclaimed under his breath. "Oui,
monsieur!" he responded delightedly.
81 am very tired" Charlie explained
though he scarcely needed to dilate
upon that obvious fact. 81 desire a
chamber with-a bed, Immediately"
"Oui, monsieur have a very good
room, on the meZzanine 1oor-excel-
lent for monsieur! Ten francs
day"
"Ten?" said Charlie. Cheap enoughl
Go to itw
And while little Jeanne went to pre-
pare the room for him, he threw him
self into a chair and cast a paper par
cel-his sole baggage-upon the table
in front Of him. Beyond a few fresh
collars its contents were negligible.
81 want to go to my room now"
Charlie Informed his host. "I'm dead
to the world" Unconsciously he had
lapsed into his own vernacular. And
then he realized that Belgian inn
keeper in a country town could by no
manner or means comprehend him.
ooh, how the devil do you say 4 want
to go to my room in French?" he
groaned.
"But 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 hot summers day.
"You do? Why didn't you say so?''
he demanded.
Pardon me, sirr" the polite inn
keeper begged him. But so many
Americans like to exhibit their knowl-
edge of French that have found 1t
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
Yankee, no matter where he went
ooh! l could tell at once.
The voice, the manner. Oh! I
cannot explain. 1t Is some
thing" Christophe CROPPED, IAN air
one can never mistake it,"
Mr.. Brown grinned at him.
Fright there with that French 'gaff,
aren't your" he said.
Henri Christophe smiled.
"Ah, m'sieu, understand" he ex.
claimed, nodding his head sagely. "But
you do me an injustice. do not fat
ter. I speak the truth"
All at once the American remem.
bered that he was newspaper man.
"Well, then, have you seen anything
of war around here?" he asked.
mo, STRIP
Neither have Iw Charlie volun.
teered. And I've been looking for II
for a week"
ooh, there will be no war here
Christophe assured him. at is always
like this-just our peaceful little vii
lage! We harvest our crops; we brew
some beer; we make little wine
good wine. Monsieur shall sample II
and see," he added parenthetically
I'VE 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 1t as well that the innkeeper