Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-28
VI
The OrDhan Finds n Home

Doggy and Billy Belgium exchanged won
L dering glances. What could Heloise
mean by saying there were Germans In
America. Then a light hit Billy.
81 know what she means" he exclaimed.
They must have been in the train wrecked
last week at the Dutch settlement. They
thought the kindly Hollanders coming to aid
them were Germans.
Heloise was immensely relieved when Billy
assured her the Germans hadn't invaded
America and couldn't IL they tried. Little
Jean, when he heard this. bravely waved a
cookie and shouted, "vive, rAmerlaue Vive,
la France ="
w walked until 7 could drag Jean no
farther continued Heloise. A dawn we
found ourselves here. We crept through a
window. We climbed the ladder to the at
tic, and | pulled the ladder after US so the
Germans couldn't find us. Then we slept and
slept.
Long. long afterward we awoke to find
the rooms below filled with children. We did
not dare stir for hours and hours.
When the children went home we crept
down. They had left scraps of food from the
lunches. There were nuts under a tree. SO
we Toasted on the scraps and the nuts"
Poor, poor kiddies.' sobbed Peggy, when
Billy Belgium translated the story.
a IltH rare dlltT VI SURVIVING IN
France said Heloise simply. Later we
crept back to the attic. 1t was cold and
dark, and We didn't know when the Germans
would come after us. But we prayed and
we praye and then we slept.
THE next day was the same, and so was
the third. But yesterday the children left
no scraps
II bet you that was after the food con-
servation talks in the schools" suggested
Peggy.
And we couldn't find any more nuts"
added Heloise.
That was after the boys and the Jays
had their cleanup declared Blue Jay.
80 We went to bed hungry. as we had done
in France before" said Heloise. Little Jean
was so brave, lie tried to cheer me by telling
me he had eaten enough for a week. We
woke up hungry, and grew hungrier every
minute. We heard you here and we tried to
keep quiet. for we thought you Germans. But
Jean couldn't help sobbing. When we saw
that awful figure in the tree all covered with
camoufage we thought we were In the hands
of the Huns" Billy Belgium grinned at this
description Of his fun" disguise. Then
everything went dark. When | awoke and
heard you talking my own beloved French,
my heart nearly burst with joy"
'Vive. lAmerique,' cried Jean. now all
smiles.
"Oh. how glad | was to find myself safe in
America-safe even though homeless and
friendless. 7 am sure we shall find here some
kind foster parents" Heloise's eyes glowed
at the thought. So did Peggy's.
II know just the persons who will adopt
you,' she cried. mfr. and Mrs. Pelton, our
wealthy neighbors. were saying just yester-
day that they would like to care for a little
French girl and hoy through the war, and
even afterward. | know you are the very
ones they want"
Peggy had seen a telephone in the school
room. Filled with her grand idea she few to
1t. She rang up Mr.. Pelton and poured out
her story to him. In a minute she was back.
They want you, They say to come right
away she cried. hugging Ileloise and Jean
in her joy.
well. this going-to-school joke has been
more fun than / thought 1t would be-" booted
Judge Owl.
I've learned not to fool with ghost yarns"
laughed Billy.
And we've learned a lot. too shrilled
General Swallow. lone thing Is not to run
away from persons in distress"
Another is to be brave when you're
scared added Peggy. remembering how
Billy had climbed into the window, not
knowing whether he was going to encounter
spooks or kidnappers. wouldn't II have
been awful II we had left Heloise and Jean
there to die
And our big lesson is that after pain and
sorrow our prayers will bring joy and hap
piness and peace murmured Heloise.
And then they all started down the road
70 take her and Jean TO their new home,
In her merit adventures, Pe00p goes
,r;tb the Birds TO the SUNNI southland.
1rbere then hare a part in a pretty
romdnceJ