Evening journal., 1918-03-02

snow.
A high wind, sharp and raw; ankle
deep slush There were vehicles I'm the
street. taxis and cabs: they only did
one thing; went by al top speed, cast
ing wide curving watery windows on
each side Of them; not one would stop
IN response to the most frantic Of sig
mails, the most commanding or the
most beseechlng OF voices; and the
wet raw wind whstled round and
round The very thought Of getting
from there to anywhere. on foot, was
enough TO CONCEAL the marrow in ones
bones
out OF the dimness came a shufflng
something which seemed 10 have no
particular form or shape but we knew
it TO be a person because it was cough
ing violently lt stopped for a moment
as 10 came opposite, and surveyed us
inquringly, then shumled toward us.
Tn iaXi?" inquired the voice which
tad coughed.
womanl A sawed-on woman. not
over lve feet high bundled In a mans
rough coat, a little basket Of wilhered
yolets on her arm
There was eagerness In her voice,
D
! burned UP at us were big and feyefsh,
and full Of suffering.
/ II we had been merely basking in
the snow, and passlonateiy fond Of
shivering on this, our favorite baskng
place, even then wo would have been
| lmpelled 10 order a taxi in response TO
that powerful appeal; so our string Of
"oui's" was most enthusiastic.
3D. - . Il.
her basket and 10 givc one twist % the
knot Of hair on the back Of her head
lit presented the illusion of whirling,
there were so many centrifugal ends
radiating from it-and away sh0 went.
Il was diflcut 10 keep track Of her.
she was like a dragon-fly over a stream
"a hummins bird in a garden-a
! Jump -skeeter" on a pond.
Five streets cornered there, and she
was on AN nve Of them at once, she
moved so rapidly that she seemed 10
be suspended about two feet above the
round her short legs sticking out
fore and aft, on almost a perfectly
STRAIGHT line
Finally She disappeared around the
corner, splashins down the middle Of
tho street, in mad pursuit OF her thir-
tieth or fortieth possibility.
In about two minutes more she came
back, riding on the step OF that taxi
and her face was fairly luminous will
its smile Of exultant triumphant
nolus wife, this woman, with nv'
little children 10 raise, and one Of then
, the middle one. Desiree, always need
ing medicine; and everything 80 hish
: and the government allowance 10
noilu families so small; and 50 man
d noilus' wives 10 divide what work the
: have the skill and the time to do; an
!. vlolets so Improbable IN the ba
2 weather. OF which there is 80 much !
the winter; but llstenl
II II please the good God to le
Jacques return to his home-Oh, q
p course not to the sumptuous thre
e ~ooms. with gas which he had so we
supported by his earnings as 2 carper
= ier-but home he viii End. In the on
e bare room, everything Of real Valu
10 which he left behind, happy childre
? and a cheerful wife
g Marie and Thereee are more forum
ale than jacques wife. for the purde
u NJ nroviding for their families is not s
y dinlcult. They secured their husband
+ 'obsi
y The nrst time we met them W
d thought they were men, from thel
l. cans and their coats and their thic
It boots. and the fact that they weI
pushing heavy street-cleaner cart
"a lhroush the slush.
y Tbev were lauehlns and Joking wit
T. each other, their broad faces red VII
N she tang of outdoor exercise and
J. was not until they stopped TO let u
" pass on the crossing. and ansWere
our friendly thanks with their smll'
le those wonderful smiles Of the wome
1T Of Franoe-that we knew them f'
l. women.
la Pnf Marie and Therese are thorough
N lv feminine In their homes, wmch al
he neat as a pin, just as they were peiol
~ the war when these women hed uotl
te inc to do but keep them so.
D. Each home has a mantel, vnich
W me place OF honor. for the gild'
I'd shrine hangs above 90, and each maj
tel is given over TO the portraits
a. hrave soldiers. whom each bra
or woman has relinduished to France; u
De husband the brothers, the cousins.
Is. What depths Of grief there may
A in Marie and Therese one can on
nd guess from an occasional tragic inno
iion. an occasional misery in the eye
as hut Marie processes to be very hapT
for God has siver her the sirens
To do her husbands rough work a
so TO be able to care for her "
&c strong, healthy boys
TO Nearly every woman in france 2
"a the thought IN mind that ell those m
15is who are gone must be replaced
as- Therese is somewhat Wistful AZ q
ers noint for Therese has only girls; /
Hu she brightens when it Is suggested
be her that. France needs a continuatl
IT. Of her couraeeous women as well as
her gallant men.
And that is the sorrow Of the Won
- IN the bank. She had been married
@ wears. she had a comfortable hoI
lGt she was very happy.
~ The war broke out.
SOB Her husband was one OF the first
Fall in defense Of her and the OF
n 10 women OF his country; and she has
children she is glad OF one thi
6ee however.
Oh She has proved to have partlcu
talent for the po7ition she occup
position which ordinarily only an
53.ss55 % ereetic young man could nll; and {
- -eleases another soldier for Fran
80 She smiles beautifully, this woman
,-.o the bank.
SO9l we had some oflcial business
transact with another capable won
az az in one Of the government hureauX.
she was a particularly pleas
los wcman. who put herself out treme
az ousiv TO make everything convent
az ~, ns M time or trouble was