The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-09-21
CHILD BRAvED
NO MANS LAND
TO RESCUE man
Oemented By Shell Fire, She
Is French Mascot.

AC wkC1SCOts
(Ry Naxariene Daan Kannibelle.)
"A little child who was found wan
dering in the war zone at the front is
now the mascot Of the First Foreign
Legion in France.
She Is only about nine years of age.
Her memory Is lost through shell
concussion. while she has also been
rendered almost speechless.
s.. On one occasion she crossed mo
Mans Land and her fearless action
saved a soldiers life.
In fact, on several occasions her in
stinct, or second sight" was the
means of saving the lives of the sol
oilers who now love and idolize her.
1.-THE Little Duchess" ash she is
now called, was found wandering
ai1mlessly about in territory which had
previously been occupied by the Huns.
Shells fell around her. but she paid
nosattention.
She could tell nothing Of her pre-
vious history. She had apparently
dwe1t somewhere within hearing dis
lance of the laundering guns, which
had rendered her deaf and dumb.
As day succeeded day she became
more and more of mystery to the
soldiers. They wanted to restore her
to her people, but no one knew who
she was or where she had come from.
That she knew the neighborhood
was evidenced by the fact that one
day when all were almost mad with
thirst she led the soldiers to spring
of good water cunningly covered with
plated twigs and moss.
On another occasion she found a
cellar containing over 100 bottles of
fine old wine. M !"
Many theories were put forward as
to. which class the mystery girl be-
lonsed to, but her highly-p polished
manner, coupled with the grace with
which she did everything, settled for
itself that "The Little Duchess" be-
longed to the well-to-do.
The soldiers next took her to a
ruined house, where a piano stood in
the small drawing room.
WITH q. friendly smile and natural
gesturee.ope of thee; oldiers motioned
the little girl to the instrument.
play us something" one of them
said.
Perplexed and troubled. the kiddie
sat upon the piano stool, while the
hnlktng Legfonaries held their breath.
What task they had laid upon the
chfldi In the excitement of the mo-
nent, and in their keen desire for the
sweet strains Of music, they had for
gotten the purgatory through which
the child had passed.
She had been frightened by the in
vaders. She had seen how cruelty
blood had been split; experienced the
pangs of hunger. the dreariness Of a
4 lonely life. and the awful explosions
Of the shells, which had caused her
deficiencies in her hearing and speech.
Tine task seemed impossible and
cruel, and one of the soldiers, bluff
and tenderhearted fellow, started to
rescue her.
Just, at that moment the little elias
4 tic-like fingers slipped along the ivory
key board Soon the small room was
filled with the sweet notes of music,
and as she stopped the tears were in
the eyes OF the strong men who had
often faced death.
The music brought back to them
memories OF childhood days.
They now commenced to try and
restore the memory of the child, and
in 10 days she had mastered the al
phabek, while in the course of three
weeks she was able to read and write.
Her speech also. showed signs of be-
ing restored.
It, was In the sphere Of war, how
ever, that the marvellous instinct OF
the child was demonstrated.
One OF the soldiers declined to wear
o steel helmet as a. protection from
shells. 1t gave him headaches, he
declared. But one day, to the sur
prise OF all his comrades, the child
brought him the heavy headpiece and
Indicated that he should put it on.
To meet the wishes OF his darling
child he sat with it on his head be-
meath, the shade of tree for half an
hour; then he was ordered out on a
scouting expedition across mo Mans
Landl'
No longer could he bear the heavy
protection upon his head. and, ac-
cording to custom, he slyly> left it be-
hind as he went out on his dangerous
task.
The Leg1maries had gone some dis
lance over mo Mans Land" when
something tugged at the tunic Of the
cloth-capped soldier.
The demon in combat, the man who
feared not the ruthless foe, was ter
ror-struck at seeing the child within
such a danger zone.
Someone suggested that he should
fool the child
Fool. the child" he replied. mo, !
cannot fool the child that cares fol
me, who runs across such dreaded
ground at the risk of her own life
to nakesme wear my helmet"
Turning to the child. he said, "Give
me the. thing I'll. wear IT and have {
headaches0 Move ego back as fast a.
you cam az -.as
Up tia this period this brave sol
der had claimed to have a lucky star
as he had, never been hit during tn,
campaign
~ One hour from the appearance O
THE child with his helmet a shell
tstruck theg steel cap and knocked i
4 into holes. For 10 minutes the lie
| gionaire was unconscious The bull
let's would have entered his brain hat
he beena wearing his cloth cap.
When the soldier recovered con
sciousness and got over the shock
he exclaimed, "She is a mascot, tina
Little Duchess the idol of the Legion
She saved my life" And when he go
1 back to his quarters he petted he
y prodigiously.
Another example of the chiid's re
markable instinct or second sight
was shown on two occasions when he
admirers were granted a few days