The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1918-02-06

A Metro" train pulled into the Aim
station on the Champs Elysees line. /
was nearly six o'clock and every sea
was taken and the aisles we're crowd
ed. The crowd, as in the New Yorl
subway during rush hours, packed
Itself tightly around the side doors O.
the cars.
A SLENDER fair-haired, well-dresse(
;girl-not more than twenty years old
managed to burst through the knot o.
officers, fashionably gowned womer
and civilians who were jammed at the
center side door of the first-class car
Behind her trailed a man wearing the
uniform of French soldier.
She held his sleeve clutched tightly
in her hand, and he followed her with
fumbling steps.
No sooner had they entered than
the train started, and the girl, still
pulling the soldier after, edged away
from the door and to the nearest seats
there are cross seats like in railway
cars In the Paris underground system.
Two young women-clad in furs and
silks, their blackened eyes, scarlet lips
and crimsoned cheeks proclaiming
them of the demi-monde, were occupy
Ing the nearest seat.
''Will you please give your place to
a mutile Of the WARP" said the fair
haired girl, the soldier always at her
heels.
Instantly, as the crowded train
stared with curious eyes, both women
arose. The girl pushed her companion
forward from out of the crowd and he
sat down. She sat beside him.
When the soldier sat down one
could understand why the girl led him,
and why he stumbled uncertainty. He
was sightless and the blue powder
marks still staining his cheeks and
forehead showed what had blinded
him.
And as he sat there one could see
why the fair-haired girl had led him
by the sleeve. He had no hands! Both
arms had been amputated just below
the elbow.
Sorrows of Their Own.
The crowd stared as crowds will
stare-some curiously, some feelingly,
some dispassionately, for they had I'M
dergone their own sorrows in this war,
Others critically as they wondered who
the beautiful, fair-haired girl might be
and what was the name of the soldier
hero.
Nearly all had thought, when the
girl entered the car with her compan-
Ion, that she was an American, one Of
those engaged in war relief work and
attached to hospital or home for the
blind taking out a sightless man. Such
sights are common in Paris; American
girls and women take blinded and Grip
pied soldiers walking in the Bots de
Bologne, in the Champs Elysees, in the
Tuileries gardens. And they take
them to the outdoor terraces Of the
cafes along the grande boulevards and
to tneaters, too.
But the perfect French uttered by
the fair-haired girl when she request
ed the seat for her companion indicat- |
ed clearly enough she was no Ameri-
can. She was French, born and bred. !
The soldier, young, rugged, black
haired figure, clad in the familiar no.
regiments, wore the Croix de Guerre,
with two palms and a star, the Ne
1aille Militafre and the Cross Of the
Legion of Honor, pinned to his tunic.
France has no other medals.
He sat half facing her and the girl
sat half facing toward him. He nudged
ler with the stump Of the arm nearer
her and she took it under her own
arm. The soldier was plainly greatly
and he leaned toward her,
something.
Soldier and Bride
Apparently in answer to his request,
he removed the horizon-blue KEPT,
With the gold numerals, "1O7," indicat-
ng the number of his regiment, on the
ront, and smoothed his shock of raven
lack hair When his hat was removed
ne could see a great V-shaped scar in
he front Of his scalp, where trepan- :
ing had been resorted to for frac- Z.
ured skull.
The girl kept the KEPT in her lap
nd the tired soldier leaned his head
n her shoulder. His eyeless face was
les ITO her milky white throat. Then
he turned her head toward him and
Used him lightly on the cheek.
Not even the most brazenly curious
AIRED stare for while after that, but
he kiss had shown plainly enough that
ne couple were married. Then it came Il
ack to most of the passengers in the g
ar who the soldier was and who his b
ride was. 1t was only fortnight ago tt
lat the daily newspapers told Of t.
eautiful girl proposing to and marry "
lg a soldier who was sightless, arm e.
.ss and had undergone trepanning h
peration for a fractured SKULL ii
The girl and the soldier had both #
cen born and brought up in the same
tile town in Normandy. They had h
:arcely known one another except In D,