The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1919-02-13
Charlie Desmonie Sends
War-Souvenirs MagicaIly
Made by the Fairies of
Petriied, Springs.
FRAGMENTS FROM FRANCE
Dainty Jewels Garry Blessings of Joan
of Arc-Strange Industry Near
Bordeaux Sulphur De-
posts Prove Story.

When Charlie Desmonie left Kenosha
for France in April, 1918, neither his
mother nor his best girl could have per-
suaded him to believe in fairies. But
now after almost year "out there"
he is convinced that there are fairies
and fairies in France and more espe-
cially that there are nymphs in the
streams that border Bordeaux.
And just to show his friends that
his beliefs are not without foundation
he has sent eight of F'the little girls
back home" specimens of the handi-
work of the water-elves that haunt the
springs of France.
The strange mementoes are little
canoes, spotlessly white and shining,
except for water-marks in sui hurous
russell and rose. They carry finely
chiselled enclosing of Joan of Arc,
''the little sweetheart of the En-
tente," done with all the nicely and
art of amber caryers in Brazil or
Chinese sculptors in jade. To be sure,
the eyes are 1ack-luster, as always in
canoes, but the hair is delightfully."-
Wavy and the lips - well, as tempting
as the lips of saint can be.
The chief interest in the little frag-
ments of France centers not so much
in their beauty and artistry as in the
process by which they reached that
pinnacle of perfection; for there is
where the nymphs and fairies come in.
The canoes were purchased by the
Kenosha soldier from the peasants who
| live at Petrifed Springs in France.
Centuries ago the humble folk of the
village found that the waters of the
fountain had strange properties, that
little deposits on the stone banks of it
were strangely white and shiny, and
that these little deposits conformed in
shape to that of the crooked crevices
where they lay. The discovery held
the germ of a "big idea" which has
brought both wealth and fame to the
peasants of Petrifed Springs.
Thereafter they placed tiny steel
moulds in the channel of the stream,
left them there for four months, and
then took from the magic waters dainty
ittl@ jewels embossed with iris, heads
of maidens, or even full figures, grace
fully formed and finely wrought.
The fame of the canoes spread until
now, despite the allurements of war
manufacturing, "water-carving con
tinues to be the leading industry of
prosperous Petrifed Springs.
The little village has been mecca
for soldiers, among them Charlie Des-
monte. Five months ago he spent
furlough at Bordeaux and saw the
quaint sculpture of the water-elves. Be
ing scientist, he knew that the whole
thing was easily explainable by chemi-
cal formula but he preferred to be-
lieve in the nymphs and the fairies be-
cause the villagers did and told such
battling stories about them.
Anyway he bargained for some
canoes and ordered eight of them for
as many Of his friends back home.
Four months later he came back to the
Springs and saw them taken from the
magic rivulet by peasants who were
very careful to do nothing that might
offend the little folk in the fountain.
And that is the reason that Charlie
Desmonie, a soldier, believes in elves
and fairies and that jewellers in Keno
sha are bothered to death with "Iit-
tie girls back home" who want settings
for canoes.