Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-15

lantern held shoulder high. 1 tremble
all oyer-thought I saw "a vision. I tel
YOU fpnk. she was beautiful Ono o
the KIND you would like to take 1
| your arms. but won't for fear o
crushing No use for me TO try to dc
scribe her. Yank. It's out OF my line
ou' she captured me. heart and sou
ihere stood like great. big boot
shaking and suffering. At last
managed to blurt out ytammerin
| Thank YOU. miss
| She showed us the way TO the sta
pies and stood In the door holding tn
lantern so we could SEQ to unsaddlc
was luihoiins around with the buckle.
but for the life OF me couldn't ret tbo
saddle or. Ono of the men. with
| WINK and broad grin. caric over an
helped me. That grin cot my Soat
SO. OH the sly. I kicked sim on IN
! shih. he let out an explosive Damn
After that damn the silence was main
| Iui' ihe poor fellow felt like a foo
was sorry for him. even though
couid nave Killed him for his thought
lesshess. But our embarrassment va
"ofl-l'eo' because silvery lauSl
came from behind the lantern. a lang,
that was not loud. but 1t echoed an,
re-echoed among the rafters overhead
| can hear it right now, Yank.
After the horses had been unsaddIe,
anu ied; the men looked appealingly
me. l knew what they wanted0.he,
were dog tired, and dying ia bit IN,
nay. Just az was about to ask per
mission for them TO turn In. the anpc
butted in with:
Poor. tired soldiers. s,ecnv nm,
hungry Come right into tho bous.
Jean has some supper and wina r.o,,,
for YOU
Meal Like Dream.
we stammered our thanks and fol.
lowed her into the house like a strinr
OIL sheep. Yank. to me that meal was
~ dream. She filtered around the
tapie. ming 4 glass here and there
laughing with US, and making us fee!
u. nome. The war was forgotten. By
TINS lime was madly in love with her
ana she knew ii. because when she
leaned over my shoulder to replenish
my glass with red wine. her hair would
brush my cheek, and once she rested
her hand on my shoulder and gave It
Just the slightest squeeze. was in
heaven.
III was getting late, and the wine
was beginning to tell on the men. They
were falling asleep in their chairs.
had hard job waking four of them z,
go on guard They got their rifles
and were standing around me for in
structions, when our hostess came
over to me. and. resting her hand on
my arm. with again the slightest M
squeezes and pleading eyes. interceaed
for them.
sergeant she said, let the poor
poys sleep. They are so tired There
IS no danger The Germans are miles
away know this to be true. Do this
Tor me. And again that squeeze.
H. like fool. listened to her, and
gave an unwilling assent. The men
looked their gratitude. Jean, the man.
servant, led them out to the barn
where an abundance OF hay had been
spread for their beds. ! was fo,,owirr
when whisper in my ear made INV
head swim:
Don't go yet. my sergeant. stav
with me-
u stayed. worse luck.
We SAT- On a settee. talking, and her
arm stole around iny waist. WASN'T
SLOW either. and is you know. Yank 7
nave pretty good reach. Once she
spoke TO me In lrent h. but I shook nv
head in bewiiderment. In a few min
u'es INC servant returned. and Adrienne
she tolc me ner name-called him n
her and said
Wine for English Soldiers,
jean, go dow IN the wine ce,,,r
ana get some of tina, old port and rive
IL to the soldiers Of England. poor hovs
" VII warm them She added some.
thing in French l could not under.
stand. Then sine added:
Leave a bottle here for the car
seant and me-
Il protested against more wina ror
the boys. Her pleading oyerruIed NV
COCA judgment. and consented. Tho
seEVaht left 10 DO hei mission, and
proposed. Her answer was a kiss :
was the happiest man in France
presently Jean returned, and si1ent
y placing Il bottle and two glasses
ON The table. withdrew. we wera
alone. She took the bottle, and, nour-
ing out glass of wine, touched ~ "a
her lips and hand ri IL to me. with tht,
toast: ''''
Drink. NY sergeant. Drink 10 orr
betrothal. Drink 10 the honor a.,
France. D:iEk to tho honor of Enr-
land Drink TO the confusion OF on,
enemies oaf
I drank with my fool heart mound
ing against my ribs. Then blacknos.
When awoke. 1 was lying on the
leitee my head bursting with main
me gray dawn was hitterins throuph
me rur'ained windows. and there. in
ne middle OF the room, with nv Al
-ienhe In his arms stood a captain NJ
!h'anS was prisoner. 7 saw il all
n lash. She had betrayed me. Now
knew wh: she had wanted no ru.,d
'oSted. That wine we pledged our
roth III was drusged. What an ass 7
lad been.
Il closed my eyes and pretended -
'e asleep. They were talking in Ger
nan. Pretty soon the captain cams
'Ver ana roughly shook me. only
'runted With an exclamation of die.
'ust. lie called out, in German. Tyo
troopers came in. and. lifting me b,, |,
"e shoulders ana feet, carried me out |