Evening star., 1918-01-20

fore, to look her over. I did SO dis
creetly, over the top of my newspaper
She was as pretty as one could wish
A brow well modelled; brown eyes
brilliant and tender: a rounded mouth
fresh as a strawberry; an air of smart
ness, graciousness and candor-the all
of a very genuine young woman.
dark straw hat set off her blond hair
Her tailor-made suit was cut in fault
less style. Obviously her type was
different from that of the customary
third class passenger. I was deeply
interested.
At the next stop we took on peas
ant woman. She was returning from
market. She opened the door. pushed
in with two big empty market baskets.
knocking them against my knees, and
called out:
EXCUSE me, Mr. Soldier; take this
little package for me; it contains eggs.
Handle it carefully. And take this; 1t
is butter. And then take this; it is
cheese"
pungent odor filled the compart,,
last. She found place for her panniers
The little packages were really Dig
packages. We put them on the seats.
The woman took one Of them on her
lap. could now see my pretty COM
panion with the knitting needles only
across the clearway of the wicker ham,
pers.
In her corner the young girl squeezed
herself up SO as to make more room
for the new arrival At this moment l
heard her voice for the first time. The
peasant woman said to her:
81 am afraid that I am crowding you,
mademoiselle?"
She answered.:
Not at all, madame"
This assurance was given in cor
dial tone as if to a friend in drawing
room.
The train started again. Suddenly
the peasant woman said to me:
Tell me. Mr.. Soldier. where do you
song fIom Down there aew aHs Have YOU You
big Shells And many men killed."
was about to answer her. very
obligingly. But there was the placapd
staring me in the face. BE silent. be
on your guard! Enemy ears hear you.
It was a reminder that ought to
weigh my words. So 1 contented my
self with answering evasiveiy:
1--WE have lots of rain. AND "heh
it rains . we get .is s9aked ,ri,h the knitting
needles did not lift her eyes from her
work But slight smile showed about
her mouth. Her charming face was
lighted up. I guessed what she was
"If that good fellow had been de-
pended on to invent powder. his COM
rades and he would still be fighting as
they fought in the time of Merovaeus.
1t Is useless to deny tnat All
somewhat sensitive. I felt humiliated.
Who wishes to pass for thickhead!
Especially in the presence of a pretty
girl.
Meanwhile the good woman broke out
in lamentations. Her son Arsene was
fighting somewhere in the Argonne
Mon Dieu. Mon Dieu! She could no
longer eat from worry. Oh, my! Oh.
my!
1 interposed:
But, madame. All those who go to
war are not killed. 1 have fought for
eighteen months"
She listened to me, but without being
convinced.
She repeated over again:
"Oh, my! Oh, myi
Then her charming neighbor inter-
vened.
"The gentleman is right. have two
brothers who have been under fire ever
since the war began. Only the elder
has been wounded"
Little by little the peasant woman
calmed down.
ALAS! Alas"' she sighed. But. as
they say. one must bear misfortunes
with patience"
At the next station she got out. When
she was on the platform, with all her
panniers. the big ones and the little
ones. two young girls appeared at the
window. of the compartment They
wore hats like that OF my gracious COM
panion.
'Well- twelln@ thew. said. : aaren,t Won