The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-01-15
All American Doughboy Soldier Shoes Look
Alike 10 This CongeniaI French Cobber.

With TIE American Army in France
BY Main Americas entrance into
world war brought a Hood OF pros
verify rushing into the eobbler shop
# old Henri Rappal Bet Henri could
lot harness the flood il simply over
ihelmcd him, passed on and left the
title old man Il little whittier of hair
= little more wrinked and not a sou
iclor
Before the American army invaded
u certain French village squattcd
lown at the foot Of a high hill, Henri
ed a frugal contented peaceful eXs.-
nee. On Sunday he went 70 church
IN Monday Suzanne the daughter OF
he cafe keeper, next door brought i'm
or high heeled shoes to be repaired
IN Tuesday, old Andre climbed down
rom his high wheeled cart with u
muddy pair of thick boots to be heb
lailed. And so it went all week
Now old Henri knew suzanne, and
le knew Suzannes shoes Likewise
e had drunk many a bottle Of red
inc with Andre, and he knew An
RES boots as we'll as lie knew his
rayers When Suzanne came for her
hoes and Andre FOR his boots the
Unked faced little cobblcr hobble0
'ver and picked them out Of a pile
ear the stove.
The American came to town on q
Nonday There had been rumors of
heir coming for days, Madame who
an the village tabac shop, had been
ymg in stores Of yil0-smellng Gig
rcttes and heaps Of chocolates with
isions Of sudden wealth IN her pretty
read The cafe keepers the hotel
roprietor and the old man who kept
he knick -lnack shop near the town
all rubbed their hands with glee and
ade ready to found the family for,
pnes Old Henri smiled over his
ork, too.
On Tuesday Henri had his first
American customer A bronze faced
10Y in khaki pushed in ;he door, lug
ing a pair of heavy army shoes.
Look" said the doughboy point
ng to run down heel "Pas bon
Jou fix compree?'
The o,d cobber nodded assent The
lo1glboy passed out. Henri tossed
he shoes in.o the pile near the stove
lied his pipe and went on whiting
tough piece of leather.
The door opened ten minutes later
"Sayl' shouted another youth in
<haki, exhibiting a pair of Shoes with
4 ripped out cyelet, "moi-you repair
-compree
The old man nodded The boy in
khaki went out whistling. The shoes
went into the pile and Henri resumed
Ibis whiting only to be interrupt ed
a few minutes later by Doughboy No
3. then by Doughboy No A, and thru
out the day an endless procession OF
Sammies with shoes to be repaired.
When Henri winfed out the light in
his shop and climbed the stairs tc
his shop and climbed the stairs to his
good wife, there were forty pairs OF
American army sfoes piled high in a
dark corner. When he fairly tripped
up the stairs the following night
humming al old French love song
there was a mountain Of these same
rough looking shoes back in the
sloom-each one looking exactly like
the other
The storm broke on Thursday.
Henri looked up from his work into
the eyes of a bronco faced boy-his
first customer.
Shoes moi -fini?'-.nqured the
Sammy
"Ah-oui-oui!" answered the cob
bier.
"Ou?' asked the doughboy?
La replied the old man with a
gesture that indicated, "Pick out
your own"
The bronze faced boy gazed with
mouth agape for a full minute. Then