New-York tribune., 1917-12-16

they had been travelling across Ger
many. shut in like animals, in cattle
car in which there still fingered an
scrid odor Of the stable. At one OF the
stations where the train stopped big
: Prussian had come in. grumbling, to
attach 10 the roof Of the car sort OF
miners lamp. with an open flame. And
since they were afraid Of him he be-
20 20 laugh-with cruel laugh which
exposed three whole teeth and some
blueish tooth stumps.
[ One OF them, braver or more rcsolute
than the others, went up TO him.
"Mr. Soldier" she asked, "in case one
Of us should die on the train, what
would you do?"
The Prussian reflected moment. He
seemed almost to smile. Then he ex-
tended his hairy paws and went through
the motions of taking hold Of corpse
and tossing it roughly through the open
door. No matter where--into the ditch,
perhaps, which ran alongside the rail-
road track
Bah! l would do like that! Ha!
ha! Just like that"
And he appeared to enjoy hugely
their terror, which expressed itself in
shivery cry. But as the train began
to move again he jumped quickly on the
running board, pushed the sliding door
to and padlocked it with two turns Of
his key.
The train now plunged along amid a
thunder Of turning wheels.
Then, in the shadow, the group OF
little girls dissolved and exposed to
view, on bed of straw, a motionless
and haggard figure, racked with cough
ing.
A voice said:
at may be still far away-the from
tier. If only she doesn't die before we
get to Switzerland. The Prussian has
said so. They would throw her out;
she would remain in Germany. And
her mamma is waiting for her at the
railroad station. Her mamma would not
see her. Oh. She would never see
her"
They were a score Of poor little
children from occupied French terri
tory whom his majesty William IL,
Emperor of Germany and King OF
Prussia, had consented to return TO
their families after two years of war.
1t was the evening of the day before
when they boarded the train. They
did not know one another then, for
they had been collected from all the
corners of the invaded departments Of
France. But no sooner were they
thrown together, locked in their roll
ing prison, than they began to kiss one
smother, like little sisters who had met
after long separation.
The following morning, at dawn, lit
tie Ginettc Pinson had a coughing
spell. A little blood on them had en-
lsrged her lips, as paint enlarges those
of an actress, and she had clenched her
hands on her breast as if to wrest from
it the source Of her suffering.
Poor Ginette! She was nine years
old and she looked scarcely six. so
much had the privations of life in the
occupied district emaciated her. Her
cough, becoming hoarser and shorter
all the time, turned toward evening
into a rattle, and, all at once, just after
the rude Prussian left the car, the last
agony brought a cold perspiration to
the brow Of the dying child, choked her
nostrils, turned her finger nails violet
and forced open her mouth in q last
desperate struggle for breath.
The little ones scarcely dared TO bend
over Ginette, 90 much had the approach
Of death unnerved them. And yet their
children's eyes had seen along the
roads. at the time Of the flight from
Northern France, many grinning faces
Of corpses.
It was now completely dark outside.
The wind, which whistled through the
spaces of the night, made the telegraph
wires sing and tremble. Suddenly Gil
nette collapsed. She raised her arms
stiffly and let them fall again. Then,
her eyes rhrnking back under the half
closed lids, she lay entirely motion
less
II was over.
A voice cried:
"She is dead"
They all shuddered.
"Ah. Ginettel Ginette!"
The train slowed down. The brake.
mad. grinding sound.
Maybe We are there" said one Of
the children, hopefully.
81 believe that we are going to be a
iOHB bAHle III btfHdHyt sara anOLner
And if they come in they will take
Ginette away"
And her mamma! And her NAM
ma" sighed pitiful voice
They sobbed as they thought Of that
poor mamma who wes awaiting down
there in the night, on the platform of a
little Swiss station. the long-hoped- for
return of her daughter.
Who would dare to tell her:
"Ginette is dead. She was left be-
hind in Germany. The Prussians kept
her."
The train stopped. A key, outside,
scraping. sought the keyhole Of the
paddock. The inspecting officer doubt
less, was about to enter. And Ginette ?
Would they let Ginette be carried OF
by these accursed Germans?
"And her mamma! And her NAM
MAJ"
The key second time clicked
against the bolt. Then a hand un-
loosed the paddock.
Quick! Do as say!" ordered in her
shrill voice Marie Clavet. the brave