The Lakeland evening telegram., 1917-08-07

with more eatables, but with no
formation which would enable us
{ rejoin our corps. They told us tn
they had learned the Germans we
rapidly driving the allies toward Par
{ and 1t was expected that the ci,
would fall into the hands Of the en-
my. Indeed. the capital had alread
been removed to Bordeaux.
This did not look like our maxim
our way toward our comrades. wb
were doubtless retreating faster tha
we could travel. We concluded tia
We might as well remain where W
were till we could get some definit
Information, for there would be u,
advantage In making for point tha
was always changing. That night W.
slept i'll a barn We espied near oul
biyouac. finding a comfortable bed on
the nay. Not caring to rely further on
our friends the girls for provisions.
| we went in the morning to the house
or the farmer who owned the barn and
secured breakfast such as might have
been expected from such source.
we induced the farmer to take us
in and remained with him for sleep
ana meals from day to day while news
Kept coming to us that the Germans
were nearing Paris. We felt like
shirkers in being absent from our
posts, where We were so much needed.
Dut what could we do? Evidently our
way to Paris was blocked, and if we
tried to get there we would likely fall
into the enemys hands.
we were perfectly safe where we
were, but dissatisfied at remaining
there. Jim proposed that we make an |
to get through the German !
lines, but | believed TINT we would |
soon hear either that the Germans had |
taken Paris or had settled down be-
fore 1t for siege. In either case we
would know what to do Meanwhile
70 pass the time we took long walks
about the country.
One day we came to the brow of q
ill looking down on very attractivo
andscape
Ihat would make fine subject for
picture" said to Jim.
ana there are the artists making r."
eplied Jim.
Lowering my eyes to a point directlv
'eneath where we We're standing, 1
aW two women, one before an easel
ne other with sketching board he.
ore ner. | proposed to go down and
ee wnat they were doing and we did
0. Hearing us approach they turned
heir heads, and we recognized our
easant girl benefactors We saw them
'ok at each other and laugh.
i was not aware" said, still sneak.
lg IN French, that peasants were
rtists.'
You have caught us in the actn i.
AID one of the girls, "and we NAV no
'ell confess. We are not indigenous
france any more than you are. nor ,,
re we peasants. We are Americans
,uuying art. We spent the winter in
aris' ana when summer opened we !.
ime to this region, which is famous
mohg artists, to get practical out of :
'or experience in our profession. To
'oid Delng stared at or questioned we
'nhed N1s dress and find it a service. q
Die outing costume. But were we not =, ,
cKy In getting out of Paris before l
q war storm broker"
l tnlnk,' replied Jim, that your i'm. !
'sltlon was kept up as long as It
ouiu be possible to maintain it. NV
iend ana l have suspected you were
u What you purported to be. The .
hcheon you brought us was a dead =
'ea"ay You should have brought
coarse bread and some cold norl, on v
tin dish. h
You should have done no such u
ing,' | protested. THAT luncheon
~ deilclous shall always remem-
IT, especially when | am hungry" y
ihis Is rather the beginning of a Il
Dry than the story itself. Jim and y
nained where we were till news came q
the battle of the Marne and the saw
OF Paris. Then we babe our artist
ends goodby and made our way back
the capital, from which point we u
re enabled to join our corps and
Ind ourselves again engaged in res a
Ing the wounded. la
I'M and | We're both engaged in tba a
hting that followed the battle of tt
Marne. the effort to take Calais
q subsequently the gigantic attempt al
the central allies to capture Yer to
n. So active were we that we had re
time to think of the girls who had te
ought us that delicious supper New. m
-neiess. when temporarily off duty al
together, we would speak of them n'
q the way they had concealed from p!
their identity. We wondered what In
~ were doing. but had little doubt m
y We're still studying art-that is 81
they mad not returned to America III
year passed, when one day while th
was driving my ambulance 1 was I'M
unded by piece of shrapnel Twas
'ried 10 the rear. Jim found me and ge
* me to hospital farther from the Al
ne iine' In a nurse passing my cot th
ecognized one of the peasant artists
lad met during the summer before TN
mad not forgotten me and showed 1a'
at concern at seeing me in nv for. be
q condition. de