Evening star., 1918-02-12

WEARERS Of KHAKI
Church ALTAR BOYS
Catholic Priest in Paris Served
by American Soldiers, Who
Volunteer Aid.
WELCOME ALL CREEDS
by HERBERT COREY.


PARIS January Away up on the
Avenue Hoche, near the Etoile, is a
little Catholic church in which Eng
lish is spoken. Not many OF the new
comers know about 1t. The priests
who serve lack the talent for adver-
tising Yet things happen there that
are worth publishing.
The other day a lady-in- waiting to
the Queen of Serbia was married there.
The queen herself came to the wedding.
A dozen in all. perhaps, were in the
church, queen and a ladyin-w waiting
and happy bridegroom and three dark.
erect Serbian officers wearing that air
of sadness that seems never to leave
them nowadays, and an English gov
erness or two.
The priest who aided with the mar
riage ceremony was thin and pale
One leg was off at the hip. so that he
hobbled about the altar with the aid
OF crutch. He is just out of the hos
pital. to which he went from Eerdun
On his breast he wears the Medaflle
1Iiitaire and the Legion d'Honneur.
On his ribbon are three palms
When the ceremony was over he
leaned for moment on the rail of the
altar His eyes were closed. for he was
very tired. The friends crowded up the
aisle of the little church to congratu
late the bride and groom. With them
was the Queen of Serbia. but before
she came to her lady-in- waiting she
stopped at the altar rail and kissed
the hand of a brave man.
American Soldiers Breeze In"
Last Sunday dozen or so American
soldiers breezed in. very slender and
efr I'd al
looking, too under their wide-brimmed
hats Father McDarby. who comes
from that part of Ireland where a good
horse Is regarded with reverence. COM
mented on their MISUNDERSTANDING
CATERS.
Like my grandfather used to wear
said he.
and Father McDarby learned that most
of the boys had once served at the
altar-"somewhere in Pittsburgh says
Father McDarby with a twinkle. They
in this little church in Paris. and SO
they did. There is a soft-hearted Irish
priest who had tears in his eyes that
day as he looked at his ;-ltar boys
And never mistake. mind you."
said he. They did it perfectly
After mass was over the priest and
the slim young altar boys in khaki
stood before the altar. talking together.
They told him what they had seen of
Paris and what they hoped to see.
Soon they were going to camp and then
to the front
-And what will you be after doing
them" asked Father McDarby.
The spokesman for the little group
answered him quite seriously. There
was not a thought of irreverence in
what he said. He just spoke out nat
uralIy. man to man. in the way an
American usually does speak. 1t did
nat % y IT, AI~< L,
before the altar.
Sure" said he. wen be beating hell
out of the kaiser"
What could a man named McDarby
dinner? It is a fine thing for him that
he stands in well with his cook.
Care for "Ruins Of Men,
Not far from the little church on the
Avenue Hoche is the home of a nurs-
ing sisterhood The sisters are vowed
TO poverty-which Is a work Of super
erogation. for they would be poor
enough without a vow Poor as they
are they manage to maintain a hospi-
tAl, in which are seven French soldiers
Just ruins of men they are, legless and
armless and half blind
The grands blesses." the French call
them. There is a tenderness in the
One day Father McDarby was sur
prised to hear the tapping of crutch,
foot and cane on his church floor as
the seven marched solemnly I'D the
aisle Day after day they came.
Eventually they asked permission to
serve at the altar. The occasional yis-
ttor is half stupeied. sometimes, by the
sight OF these scanned and MANNED and
hardened fighters. stumping solemnly
about their task They knew their
work-most had served when they
we're boys-but they puzzled Father
AcDarby for all that There was some
thing about them
Why do you do it?- he asked when
curiosity could be held no more "Are
ye devout, now?'
mot a damn bit Of It. father" said
the one-legged soldier, cheerfulIy. "Ruf
It pleases the sisters"
r salutes Priest Vigorously.
Yesterday morning whom tho priest
came down the aisle q big American
soldier rose and saluted him briskly.
he wanted to know If the priest spoke
English. He thought he did, from the
look of him. he said
Can l sort of stick around for a
whiie?" he asked. IT kind of like II
here"
He was reassured. but he would taka
no advantage of the clergyman's kind
You know" said he. I'm a Prote.-
That did not bar him. but tho n,,..t
wondered why this sheep Of a strange
mock should come to this parficrIer =
6old The big soldier eventually az
planned
You know" said he. Il bin around
= lot bin to Denver and San Fran