The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-13
SAW HIS FAMILY
PUT TO BAYONET
Belgian Boy Refugee Who
Himself Was Wounded
Comes Here to Live.
LEARNS LAUGHTER AGAIN
Francois. Found at Sea After
He Fled, Is Protege of
49, Naval Officer.

tiaries. give ear TO the story of Francois.
He is 10 years old. He must learn
all over again the meaning OF the word
happiness. He never speaks of home
In Belgium His face is torn and Scared
by bomb. He saw his father and
mother and baby brother and sister
hayonetsd by Germans. lie rs a manned
and broken little remnant of the war
with memories only of horror and mis-
cry. Francois Ia a symbol and In the
minds Of the men who gather around
the peace table there will be many like
him.
He came here In charge Of a naval
officer one OF several who are going to
see that he has a chance to forget some
OF the things he has seen. Yesterday he
was bathed and clothed in a bright uni
form and had cakes and tea with women
who petted him and made him laugh as
he hadn't Laughed for--oh, since ages
age, before the Germans came. And by
and by he will go to school and then to
college. II he wishes.
Francois's father was a fisherman on
little coast town in Belgium when
The war started. His name was Cate
cloux, and his mother was Marie Cate
cloux. There was also Jean, II. and
his sister Mile, who was %. and the
beautiful baby twins. Francois played
on the sand with the twins and dug
sand forts and watched the clumsy
boats come drifting in at night with
their catches. And then they would all
go home and in the little cottage were
laughter and happiness.
Then came the war and the hordes
of Germany rushed over Belgium and
at last reached the village where Fran
co.'s lived. They swarmed through the
streets and Francois. wondering, saw
his family driven forth and herded with
other frightened and ruined old men,
women and children. They wandered
about the countryside, living in caves or
cellars OF abandoned houses. any place
where they might huddle together out of
sight of the despoilers.
Aerial Bomb Wounds Him.
For year they lived this way until
one day. while Francois was out, trouble
started in the village where they had
found a temporary refuge. The Ger
mans were let loose on the people An
airplane lowered over group OF the
refugees and wsntouly dropped bomb.
A piece OF IL tore into the side OF Fran
coiss face. leaving him lying on the
ground. When. half mad with terror
and pain he woke, UP, he ran TO the little
hut where his family had been.
The door was open and as he looked
in he saw ten German soldiers. They
pierced his father with bayonets and as
his mother fought desperately 10 defend
him ran her through. one Of the baby
twins was lying bleeding under bed.
the other lay wounded in a corner. Lit
tie Francois turned. and sobbing with
pain and grief ran down TO the beach.
where he found a boat and pushed off.
ha thinEa ha 70 alaan IN
when he knew any more he was some
distance of shore and his face hurt him
terribly, hut there was no water in the
boat, and after a time he was hungry,
but there was no food. The boat drifted
out and south for a day and night
and early the second morning the look
out on a transport saw the tiny figure
curled up in the stern Of the bobbing
craft.
They took him into Brest and put him
in hospital, where busy doctor and
nurses found time to attempt to cheer
up the little refugee. When he was well,
after six months the hospital people tried
to get some one to take care Of him, but
nobody wanted to be bothered by a boy
whose face was so mutilated. They saw
only the face. not the loneliness of the
sturdy little soul beneath. And so the
hospital people, burdened with wounded
soldiers, gave Francois some clothes and
told him he would have to find his own
way.
ID He Finds a Friend.
Francois wandered down TO the docks
and there found a friend, a jolly faced
little pup, whose ancestry was all mixed
up. But the quality of friendship In him
was as straight as the look of his eye,
and when he reached out pink tongue
and licked the boys hand and danced a
bit to show how worth while he was
Francois Just sat down and put his larms
around him.
The boy and the dog lived around the
docks, picking up what bits OF food they
could find. sometimes getting meal
from sailors on the transports. At night
they shared a corner among the piles of
war Stun and kept each other warm.
Francois got bit of rope and looped II
about the dogs neck. although nothing
could have separated them.
1t was this way that a big hearted
| sailor from an American ship found them
| one day. when Brest had grown into one
of the huge debarkation ports of France.
He took Francois on board his ship and
fed him. and the officers got interested
In the ragged youngster with the de-
voted friend. Bit by bit they got his
story, and then gathered to talk over
what should be done with this eng ging
| waif They couldn't leave him there. he
seemed to them such a perfect little rep.
resentative of all they had come to re-
lievc.
They decided finally to send him bsclS
| to America, to give him home, to sec
that he was cared FOR and taught thai
| there are good things in the world. That
Is why Francois came to New York with
an officer who will not let his name be
| used because he says he is only one OF
many who like Francois.
shining Bathtub AmaEes Him.
The officer went to the Biltmore. where
FraRcois's eyes opened wide at the sight
| OF big bathtub, white and shining. and
| full OF clear water. lie hardly dared gel
into 1t. It feslned so clean, and the Officer
had to roll Up his sleeves and show
| Vra ncots the delight of a good tub.
| Monday might, when the city was COINS
mad over peace the officer took Francoi:
out into the raging streets and the box