The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-04-24

the making and distribution Of com
forts Of the soldiers. He went there
and found her packing socks.
''Delphine," he said, heaven has
spared me to bring you the bullet that
nearly cost me my life"
'tOh, Jules" she replied, holding Il
up reverently, thank heaven that II
did not kill you"
There were too many persons about
to admit Of any demonstrations, and
after brief talk Jules went to find
Mile. Cherbutier. He had carried bis
Cross in his pocket, fearing that either
Nile Desire or De La Tour might
ask to be permitted to wear It. But
now he put 1t on his breast and walked
proudly to the residence of Mile. Cher
butler. He found her at home and
said to her:
Louise, when you asked to be per.
mitted to be the first woman to wear
a decoration that 1 might achieve ]
never dreamed that should win one
l can only attribute my having done
SO to your lovely image being In my
minds eye when / started for the
enemy's trenches"
"Oh, Jules" exclaimed the happy
girl, you are as modest as you are
brave and truthful
Jules should have WINGED at this
Doubtless he would have done so had
his heart been capable Of containing
only one girl. But since 1t was suff-
GENTLY eapacious to contain three be
felt no conjunction whatever. And
he was fortunate when he was with
one of the three to forget entirely the
others. He fastened his decoration to
Louise's breast and, since they were
alone, her head fell on his shoulder
How long may 1 wear it?" she
asked.
Forever" replied the gallant Jules.
A few days later there was a war
service in one Of the hospitals, at
which Jules was invited to be present
as one who had distinguished himself
and won decoration. 1t occurred to
him that it would be expected that he
would wear his cross, and he sent to
Louise Cherbutier for it. But she could
not be found In time for the ceremony,
and Jules went to the hospital with
out 1t. Mile. Desire was a regular at
tendant at the hospital, and Mile. de
la Tour made 1t point 10 be present,
as, indeed, did all those women In
Paris who were interested In war
work.
Jules received great ovation. Be-
ing asked why he did not wear his
cross, he said that he had inadvertent-
ly left it at home. The surgeon In
charge of the hospital offered Jules
excuse for him, whereupon Mile. De-
sire arose and said:
81 have a shell fragment that would
have killed our hero had it not been
stopped by his belt clasp"
"And l." said another voice, 'fhave q
bullet that was extracted from his
SIDE"
These announcements were received
differently by different persons. Some
laughed that two such confessions
should be made by different girls
Some of the wounded soldiers be-
gan to protest that Jules must have
wrongfully claimed that he had been
decorated. At that moment Mile.
Cherbutier entered and asked what
was the matter. When told that the
hero of the occasion was a man claim
ing to be decorated and yet without
decoration she held up Jules cross,
crying out:
Here it Isl He permitted me to
wear 1t for himp
There were shouts expressing merri-
ment, condemnation, approval and all
sorts of innuendos at Jules having ia
vored so many girls. Miles. Desire
and De la Tour went away hot with
indignation. Mile. Chorbutier elbowed
her way to Jules and fixed the cross
to his breast without knowing what
had gone before.
Jules, who had faced poison gas
without finching, turned white.
"a marriage" was shouted by one
and taken up by the rest Jules was
too gallant to refuse. Besides, he was
ready to take advantage of wedding
to settle the matter between the three
girls. Louise blushingly consented, a
priest was called, and the hero Of
many hearts was tied down to one.