Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-07

AMONG those who remained in the ter
L ritory adjacent to our lines in Belgium
was the owner and occupant Of a small
thatched roof cottage near the windmill
along the Ploegsteert.Romarian road. This
person was an old lady who lived all alone,
and who explained that at her age, which
was nearer eighty than sixty, she was
very much averse to changing her abode.
Virtually all her other neghbors had long
ago sought the safety of the south and
had written her in glowing terms about
the splendid people who had welcomed
them with open arms. But even so, as long
as there remained a roof above her head
she very much preferred her humble little
home Of stucco. This decision was in some
degree also very possibly due to the fact
that until then, with the exception of
a few cracked panes of glass, her cottage
had remained unmoested by the destroy
ing agents of war; which condition in Its
turn, was very probably due to the fact
that II the Germans were aware of its ex-
istence at all they most assuredly could not
have been in possession of the knowledge
that the modest little dwelling was the
abode Of defenseless old woman.
WHAT her real name was we never
w learned, but to the soldiery who visited
those parts, and from whom she reaped
bountiful harvest of sous, pennies and
francs on account Of butter eggs and gar
den truck, she was invariably known as
THE Old Lady by the Mill" 1t was the
garden, however, which Madame looked to
for her greatest source of revenue, and few
a
whose tables did not at all times bear tes.
timony to this fact. In their season she
provided us with luscious strawberries,
delicious canteloupes and melons, while
such luxuries as crisp and tasty radishes
and celery, together with sparkling heads
Of lettuce gave a wholesome and inviting
tone of quality to an otherwise unvarying
bill Of fare. Day after day, early and late
and rain or shine, she was always to be
seen industriously bent over rows of
greenery, from which she rose to wave
godspeed to column after column OF soldiers
who hourly swung along the adjoining road.
For months the old lady led, right In the
midst Of war, not altogether unhappy,
peaceful and prosperous existence; but one
day came the change.
A DJoINING "The Old Lady by the Mills
"A cottage was a rather pretentious look
ing farmhouse of brick, which had been
vacated by it's rightful tenants few days
| following our visit to this delightful scene;
| but in so far as the movements of the
| original inhabitants Of this vicinity were
| affected by the advent Of the kilt is another
story. Suffice 1t to say that our brigade
staff cast an approving eye over this es-
tablishment and forthwith became tenants.
| and as is the fashion with brigade head
| quarters the erstwhile peaceable and harm
less-iookins brick farmhouse Immediately
became seething hive Of industry, which
overfiowed and made its presence known
to the ever-watchful eyes of German bird
men. Then commenced the game so highly
| fraught with evil for the old lady's garden.
| A CERTAIN boche plane was immedi.
| "A ately detailed to efface brigade head
| quarters from the map. Most nooly did
" w u carry sut tAsruesianA M how