The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-10-10
BUSINESS OF LIVING
M MAS. EVA LEG NARD

Patty "Details More Crimes That the
Germans Proudly Boast of as Their
.'kultur."
Dear Ones All:
II have been talking with the little
poilu again. He seems to enjoy tell
ing me about his family. He has a
wife and two girls. He was mill
hand in northern France. You re-
member my telling you about the Ger
mans taking all the woolens from the
place. His wife lived in sight of the
mill and saw them loading, loading
the costly woolens on wagons for days
while she was in rags. The only
dresses she and the girls have had
were made from cloth given them by
the American commission.
He told me the households are new
er safe from the Germans. They en-
ter at all times of the night and search
for evidence They search every
draweretake down all the clothes from
the hooks. turn the stockings wrong
side out, look thru the laundry bag
with the most painstaking care. If
they find a scrap of an English or
French newspaper the mother or old
man of the house is carried away to
prison, for to communicate with the
outside world is the greatest of crimes
A copy of the Marseillaise is as dan
gerous to have around as a stick of
dynamite.
He told of a flag of France hidden
All a DdSGilGnI Oh d SCHOOL anu SnpWl
to the children after closing time for
the school. The Germans got wind OF
| it in some way and the building was
| searched and the poor faded little flag
was found. The next day the prin-
cipal Of the building had disappeared.
The flag aud the French national
! hymn they hate most.
Sacred love of our father1and sustain our
avenging arms
They did not propose to have that
learned by the French children, nor
Against us floats the red flag of tyranny
DO they think by so simple a
thing as destroying the words of a
song and burning q faded flag can
stamp out our love of country2' asked
the pale soldier. his eyes burning with
fierce light. If the boches could
have seen that face they would know
| how futile their efforts are to kill
the fire of patriotism that burns in
! these Hkave hearts; burns with an in
tensity that we cannot eve under
stand. believe Doctor Van Dyke
knows them. The beautiful poem you
sent me, The Name of france,
breathes the spirit of which 1 speak
"a name like vow, a name like a
/ give you France
I'VE have never half appreciated the
French people. 1 am glad l have had
a chance to really know them.
But to return to my story. This
letter from the soldiers wife told OF
a woman who had a copper vase
made in Benares 1t was of exquisite
workmanship, the sides were like
copper lace. 1t had been given to
the woman by her grandfather who
was a sea captain. The vase was one
| OF her most cherished possessions. In
| one of the house searchings that
spoke of, in the dead of night, this
vase was uncovered and as the Ger
mans had ordered all vessels of cop
| per to be delivered up it was a grave
| crime-the Withholding of the vase
| The poor woman was hustled to pris-
on, leaving her three children all
| alone to the mercy of the savage
| soldiers. You can guess what that
means Two of them were girls.
How hard it is to have patience
| and wait when we are not in their
power. Imagine what it must be like
I in the beleaguered district. 1 am full
| of the fierce hatred of my poor half
dead patient.
81 have almost forgotten what il
| is like to be in a free country where
there are no sights and sounds of suf-
| fering. Please God we can bring
these times to France.
II did not get my letter off yester-
| day so I will send this with, it.
Goodbye. Your loving.
PATTY"
| ITO be continued.)