Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-11-24
STORY OF A LITTLE FRENCH WAR
ORPHAN.

| A fertile valley lay In the northern
part OF Francc-a peaceful valley un-
| molested by wars grim horrors. Three
years later and that valley had he IN
| transformed into u battle field. fur
rowed by deep trenches and It's peace
disturbed by booming guns. From a
nag stan, near tho trenches, proudly
| waved the Tricolor OF France. to-
Iethcr with the Union Jack. The
peaceful Frenchmen of the past year
were now lighting against fearful odds
| anu against Il terrible cncmy-ruthlcsS
and barbarous.
In the little town behind the trenches.
the women and children waited breath
itssiy. suppose. OH. suppose. their
| ieiiow country. America. failed them
| III their time of need!
Up on gently sioping hin. on the
cent home. of a once wealthy French
man, Henri Martigne. He, himself.
n9W fought In the trenches. side by side
| son, seventeen years old.
his wife and little daughter, Yvette.
lived up on the hill Madame Martigne
town at the hospital and little Yvettc
stayed with her. Those brave soldiers.
at I'll, the hospital. the wreckage OF
day; for the sunny, face, of the little
girl She brought them flowers.
gathered from the wonderful nower
/
news. picked up here and there from
the lips OF the people. down in the
One day it WAS rumored that those
soldiers in the trenches had nearly
been defeated. Little Yvette, holding
fast to her mothers hand. trudged
| along to the hospital wondering deep
| ~. What did 1t all mean? Her little
seven year-old mind could not grasp
it . Al; 49,. 49,, :.
| asked, timidly.
"It means. my dear that II our SOL
diers are defeated. those horrible Ger
| mans will capture this town burn it
and then-if America does not come to
our aid, our beautiful France will be
laid in ruin and we shall be defeated"
Madame Martignes proud head dropped
and tears swelled in her sad old eyes
with anxious faces. the wounded
sfii h9a an asked ,hs eagerly are they
"Oui, Oui. Monsieur Yvette answer
ed: with low courtesy.
,,a nu LA aias she could not say that at
longer holding them back.
Madame Martignc went up to her old
home and calmly took the portraits OF
fTette watched her. amazed. for she
next burnt the pictures and great
couldn't stand the humiliation of
| having the Germans burn them" she
explained to Yvette.
That night Madame Martignc and
| Fvette. fed from the town. taking one
last longing look at their burning
home-theirs no more.
AT the end Of the week. Yvette found
h.rself-alone. homeless-in the great
city, OF Paris. Madam, MartiEne had
o'9G from fatigue and hunger.
on the steps Of French convent,
| She fell asleep and lay for long
| tlme-)ust how long she did not know.
that she heard afar down the streets
an. twas the blare OF bugle. play
Ing. yes; playing the beautiful Star
She glanced down the street. Around
me corner came some soldiers-khaki-
| clad soldiers-Amercan soldiers!
america had come in!
ivette followed the soldiers as they
| marched on TO the tomb Of Lafayette.
not far way.
She stood in awcd silence as the gen
eral OF the army marched forward in
front OF the tomb. Pershing lifted
ms m, hand. saluted and said. Lafayette
| 1vet,e clu,ched the hand OF the
nearest soldier. the bug!er. and looking
up into his face said, Monsieur sam.
beautiful Star:Spanglcd Banner"
Quick as fash, he complied with
her request and Yvette listened-and
tlinde OF those wonderful American
Snid!ers as they Stood at attention.
| listening to their so beautiful" nation
n anthem.
r: after that the buEler and the little
french girl became fast friends.
one day fvette sat on his knee. talk
ing 10 him or her father. brother and
mother and OF the time when her home
had been burned.
wo nf,Iet xe;, Nh the soldier said. how
America"
Could I do that? Oh" she breathed
LII ~ had ever been the height OF her
Der mother had talked OF so much. the
home OF this wanderfvl man.
me DAYS that followed were the
She was going TO America. The hugler's
mother had adopted her. and she was
10 eoM,awav from all this dreadful war
sister. ''
One day. during the year of 1925
20 eiris stood on the crest of an cx-
r rsnch town. from which Yve{te had
I'd so fearfully. so many years be-
one Of these girls was Yvette. with
american girl. the sister OF Yvette's
was Ts sasns the on y Which 5Det ia yysse
cent home stood. I'll never forsnt if
n thee ed1 thought atn was so small. Down
and across to the valley on the ntber
SIDE peaceful and quiet-''was where
me hospital was and over there. where
~. iousnt In the trenches"
II an seems SO impossibe-so un-
real the American girl replied, waste
ana desolation-herew
nose days seem real enough IN
me. Yvette answered, sadly. "nnd al
Ways will-realer than these-almost
m mats what we. who were children
~. rance-aurinE the great war-pay
ne memory of those horrors will STAY
In my mind forever" 90
inc american girl placed her arm,
aTound fyette and looked down into
ncr race. Yvette went on And il was
snmr , great country. Marjory, that
- n,s go france from being desolated and
your" ever 'nahh
Her voice died away. For long
wife .ney stood bathed In the warm
SUNSHINE, looking across the roofs Of
me me houses houses. toward the green valley In
gentle wind waited to them the
fragrance of flowers: a dove Gew ovnr
,ne,r ntaas: Tor peace had come to
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