Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-11-30
needed and which was induced by the

Our trends returned III the evening
with more %eatables, but with no In
formation which would enable us to
rejoin our corps. They told us that
they had learned the Germans were
rapidly driving the allies toward Paris
and it was expected that the city
would fall into the hands Of the enc
my. Indeed, the capital had already
been removed to Bordeaux.
This did not look like our making
our way toward our comrades, who
we're doubtless retreating faster than
we could travel. We concluded that
we might as well remain where we
were till we could get some definite
information, for there would be no
advantage in making for a point that
was always changing. That night we
slept in a barn we espied near our
bivouac, finding a comfortable bed on
the hay. Not caring to ~rely-further on
our friends the girls for provisions,
we went In the morning to the house
of the farmer who owned the barn and
secured a breakfast such as might have
been expected from such a source.
We induced the farmer to take us
in and remained with him for sleep
and 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 u
posts, where we were so much needed,
but what could we do? Evidently our
way to Paris was blocked, and If we
tried to get there we would likely fall
into the enemy's hands.
We were perfectly safe where we
were, but dissatisfied at remaining
there. Jim proposed that we make an
attempt to get through the German
lines, but l believed that we would
soon heal either that the Germans had
taken Paris or had settled down be-
fore 1t for a siege. In either case we
would know what to do. Meanwhile
to pass the time we took long walks
about the country.
One day we came to the brow of a
hill looking down on a very attractive
landscape.
"That would make a fine subject for
a picture" l said to Jim.
Auu buefe are Lie dItlSJS udh1uS II,
replied Jim.
Lowering my eyes to a point directly
beneath where we were standing, /
saw two women, one before an easel,
the other with a sketching board be-
fore her. | proposed to go down and
see what they were doing, and we did
SO. Hearing us approach they turned
%hosr hoo6c ond n.y. yn0nnnf1od nr1r
peasant girl b~enefactors. We saw them
look at each other and laugh.
81 was not aware" l said, still speak
ing In French, ''that peasants were
artists"
you have caught us in the act"
said one of the girls, "and we may as
well confess. We are not indigenous
to France any more than you are, nor
are we peasants. We are Americans
studying art. We spent the winter In
Paris, and when summer opened we
came to this region, which is famous
among artists, o'get practical out of
door experience In u profession. To
avoid being stared at or questioned we
donned this dress and find it a service
able outing costume. But were we not
lucky in getting out of Paris before
the war storm broker"
81 think replied Jim, that your i'm
position was kept up as long Is 1t
would be possible, to maintain it. My
friend and | have suspected you were
not what you purported to be. The
luncheon you brought us was a dead
giveaway. You should have brought
us coarse bread and some cold pork on
a tin DISH"
"You should have done no such
thing" | protested. ''That luncheon
was delicious. l shall always remem
Der 1t, especially when am hungry"
This is rather the beginning of a
story than the story itself. Jim and 1
remained where we were till news came
of the battle of the Marine and the saw
Ing of Paris. Then we babe our artist
friends goodby and made our way back
to the capital, from which point we
were enabled to join our corps and
| found ourselves again engaged in res
cuing the wounded.
Jim and | were both engaged in the
/ fighting that followed the battle of
the Marine, the effort to take Calais
and subsequently the gigantic attempt
of the central allies to capture Yer
dun. So active were we that we had
no time to think of the girls who had
brought US that delicious supper. New
~ertheless, when temporarily off duty
and together, we would speak of them
and the way they had concealed from
US their identity. We wondered what
they were doing, but had little doubt
they were still studying art-tLat is,
If they had not returned to America.
A year passed, when n day while
I was driving my ambulance l was
wounded by a piece of %shrapnel. Twas
carried to the rear. Jim found me and
took me to a hospital farther from the
firing line. In a nurse passing my cot
- - H. z