The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-07-11
AS seen BY CYNIC spirit Still THERE
French Patriotism Defies Hun
5.v friqhtfuIness.
Refugee Gives Thrilling Account o.
$ Children In Devastated Town Sing.
Ing the "MarseilIalss" Despite
Orders Forbiddino It.


There are many persons, by no
means all Of whom are French, who
think that the Marseillaise Is the very
finest Of all war songs. Certainly 1t Is
a great song Of freedom as we'll as Of
France, and Is associated historically
with the progress Of liberty among the
nations. Youthful America used 1t be-
fore the Star Spangled Banner h"d been
composed; newborn free Russia still
sings It, scarcely less often than Its
own new national hymn. 1t binds to-
gether In the memory Of Frcnchmen
hundred thrilling scenes OF their
country's history; and to this rosary
Of patriotism new jewels are added as
tho great war goes forward. 1t Is not
easy to read unmoved the narrative OF
how, although sternly prescribed, it
was sung recently in one Of the inyad.
ed districts. A refugee told the story
to the American novelist, Mrs. Dorothy
Canfield Fisher: IS -.
We>huve tried our best to keep the
life of French children what it ought
to be. remember last year Aunt
Louise taught group of children In
our part of the town to sing the Mar
seillaise. The studio Of my cousin
Jean Is at the back of the house and
high up; and so she thought the chill
dren's voices could not be heard from
the street. The mayor heard Of what
she was doing, and sent word that he
should like to hear them sing. The
news spread rapidly. When he ar.
rived with the city council, coming in
one by one, as II merely to make call.
they found the big studio full to over.
flowing with their fellow citizens-the
old men and women who are the fel-
low citizens left there. Two or. three
hundred of them were there-the most
representative people of the town, all
in black, all 50 silent, so old and so
sad. The children were quite abashed
by such an audience and filed up on
the little platform shyly-our poor,
thin, shabby, white-faced children, so
Or GO Of them. e.. ..'
There was a pause. The children
were half afraid TO begin; the rest Of
Us were thinking uneaslly that we
were running great risk. Suppose
the children's voices should be heard
In the street, after all. Suppose the
German police should enter and find
us assembled thus. 1t would mean hor-
rors and miseries for every family rep.
resented. The mayor stood near the
children to give them the signal to be-
gin-and dared not. We were silent,
our hearts beating fast. .......,
Then all at once the littlest ones of
all began In their high, sweet treble
those words that mean France, that
mean liberty, that mean life itself to
- "Alltor.s, ;enfants de ID patrie," they
sang, fitting their heads back like lit.
tie birds; and oil the other children
followed: Against US floats the rcd
flag oftyranny" We were on our feet
| In an instant. 1t was the first time any
Of us had heard It sung since-since
our men marched away. l began to
tremble a1l.over. so that could hardly
stand! Everyone stared up at the chill.
drcn; everyone's face was dead white
to the lips. The children sang on-sang
the chorus, sang the second stanza.
When they began the stanza, SACRED
love Of our fatherland. sustain our
avenging arms" the mayors old face
grew livid. He whirled about to the
audience his white hair like lions
name, and with gesture swept us all
into the song: "Liberty, our adOred
liberty, fight for thy defenders"
There were three hundred voices
shouting 1t out. the tears streaming
down our cheeks. II regiment Of
German guards had marched into the
room We would not have turned our
heads. Nothing could have stopped US
then. We we're only crowd Of old
men and defenseless women and chill.
dren, but we were all that was left Of
France in our French town. - Youths
Companion. -.