Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-08-06
YANKEE SOLDIERS CUT HAY
lContinned from page onel

He went to the house, she following
obviously. Taking a pail he sidled up to
the COW with, "whoa, Bossy, steady, !"
and attempted to milk her. The COW
did not understand "whoa, Bossy,
steady" and refused TO be milked.
But the idea dawned upon the old
French woman. "0h, vos voulez du
lait," she said, "Bon." She motioned
him to follow her.
In the little hut, she gave him a chair,
and brought him pitcher of milk which
he drank as he ate his cheese and
bread. She looked on, delighted that he
had accepted something, but amazed
that he would drink milk
" Americans are funny" she declared
T" Milk is for cheese and babies with us
and you drink it and refuse wine. Am
orleans are funny"
He Agrees.
II being French, he said "0ui," aud
missed the point,
Then she brought out some pictures.
"My husband, she said, Gle is
dead "
"My boy, this is, +" she said, showing
another picture, 81 He was killed in the
war at Verdun."
"My daughter and her baby" she
described a third photo, "She is sick
now and cameo work. | must cut the
hay and run the farm. "
Somoway with gestures She made him
understand. 1t touched his honest far
mar boy s heart.
g No you don I have to. III do it.
III bring some boys from G company
tomorrow, and We will do it in n jiffy."
Just Fun For the Boys.
She did not understand, naturally, but
smiled and thanked him as he departed
with "Don't you cut that hay, G COM
pany will do it for you. Wen be over
tomorrow. It's fun for us, just like be
ing back on the farm.
Next day an old French woman cutt-
ing hay aud then resting, cutting more
and resting more, was amazed when
eight husky doughboys came clambering
over the fence led by her friend of the
day before "They re all good farm
hands he declared by way of intro
duction, "and this is my bunkic. He
can talk French. " lie said it with pride
Among them they had enough French
to make her understand they would cut
her entire hay crop if she would borrow
the seythes. After some urging she did |
from astonished and suspicious neigh |
bors.
The doughboys set to work aud the |
swaths they cut showed they were men
Of experience on the farm In little ov
er two hours the entire hay crop was
cut, aud they returned with their scythes
to the house.
II was then that the old Frenchwoman
showed a touch Of genius. Bringing out
a pail Of milk, she gave each dougboy
a big glass Of it.
"Gee, but that's good, 4" expressed
their joy better than more polished
words.
More Work Ahead.
As they departed, the pathfinder to
the bayfield, said, through his bunkie
"If we don I have to 20 to
the trenches, we III come back in a
couple Of days and put it in the barn
for you. But it's slow curing with these
damp nights"
She thanked them all, profusely.
"And say" he added, If we re
lrouad here we II come and pillow for you
.his fall. Summerfallow s what this
land moods. Wen do it for you, that is
4 We &c not licking eGrmans, orclse all
through and back in America,
" And say, that milk surely was good
iosh feel just as though ia had
rip home after smelling that new-mown
hay aud drinking glass Of honest-to.
goodness milk. Goodbye, madam -