The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1918-06-06
French Patriotism Deties Hun
Frightfulness.
Refugee Olives Thrilling Account e.
Children In. osvastatsd reWn ela6-. {;
lne the "Marselllaise" Despite
y Orders Feebiddine q.

means al OF W0Om are French, who
think that the Marseillaise 10 the very
finest Of ali war songs. Certainly It 10
. .ggeet song OF freedom as well Il Of
France, and 10 associated historicaliI
with the progress Of liberty among the
nations. Youthful America used It be.
fore the Star Spangled Banner had been
composed; newborn free Russia sttll
sings 1t, scarcely less often than its
own new national hymn. 1t binds to-
gether In the memory Of Frenchmen
. hundred thrilling scenes Of their
country's history; and to this rosary
Of patriotism new Jewels are added %
the great war goes forward. It Ia dot
easy to read unmoved the narrative, Of
how, although sternly prescribed. It.
was sung recently In one Of the invad-
ed districts. A refugee told the story
to the American novelist, Mrs. Dorothy
Garfield Fisher: -: II
We have tried our best to keep the
life Of French children what It ought
to be. I remember last year Aunt
Louise taught q group Of children in
our part Of the town to sing the Mar
seillaise. The studio Of my cousin
Jean Is at the back Of the house and
high up; and 80 she thought the chill
dren's voices could not be heard from
the street. The mayor heard Of what
she was doing, and sent word that he
should like to hear them sing. Tho
news spread rapidly. When he ar
rived with the city council, coming in
one by one, as II merely to make a call,
they found the big studio full to over
flowing with their fellow citizens-the
old men and women who are the fel.
low citizens left there. Two or three
hundred Of them were there-the most
representative people Of the town, all
In black, all so silent, so old and so
sad. The children were quite abashed
by such an audience and filed up On
the little platform shyly-our poor,
thin, shabby. white-faced children, SO
or 60 of them.
There was pause. The children
were half afraid TO begin; the rest Of
us were thinking uneasily that we
were running great risk. Suppose
the children's voices should be heard
In the street, after all. Suppose the
German police should enter and find
US assembled thus. It would mean hor.
rors and miseries for every family rep.
resented. The mayor stood near the
children to give them the signal to be.
gtn-and dared not. We were silent
our he0rts heating fast
Then all at once the littlest ones Of
all began In their high, sweet treble
those words that mean France, that
mean liberty. that mean life itself ia
Us:
"Allons, enfants de la patrie," they
sang, fitting their heads back like lit.
tie birds; and all the other children
followed: against us floats the red
flag Of tyranny" We were on our feet
In an instant. It was the first time any
OF us had heard 1t sung since-since
our men marched away. I began to
tremble all over, 80 that could hardly
stand. Everyone stared up at the chill.
dren; everyone's face was dead white
to the lips. The children sang on-sana
the chorus, sang the second stanza.
When they began the stanza, SACRED
love Of our fatherland, sustain our
avenging arms" the mayors old face
grew livid. He whirled about to the
audience. his white hair like a lions
name. and with gesture swept us all
Into the song: Liberty, our adored
liberty. hight for thy defenders!"
There were three hundred voices
shouting 1T out. the tears streaming
down our cheeks. If a regiment Of
German guards had marched into the
room we would not have turned our
heads. Nothing could have stopped M
then. We were only crowd of old
men and defenseless women and chill.
dren, but we were all that was left Of
France in our French town. - Youths
Companion.
You Can't Run From the War.
1.-THE other day heard about a per.
fectly healthy man (not of military
age) who said he was going to Homo.
lulu to get away from the war; He