East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-03-29


a reaphook or Il .bushwhacking axe
over his shoulder Is TO he seen amy
evening. "The Cleaners were in all
the Fields passed last summer. The
Old shepherd with his small band OF
sheep makes as perfect picture to-
day as tht artist immortalixed,
Though my Ford almost stampededl
his little flock and spoiled the picture
for a passing moment.
That REM brandt masterpieces "A
Peasant Woman with strong, hard
face showing toll and faithfulness,
adorned with large white angular
bonnet, can be seen by the hundreds
any market day in amy of these towns.
He didn't paint her feet II he had.
then she would have worn wooden
sabots. The age old custom stinE
abides. The scarceness of leather or
the corner on the leather market viii
never make ripple in the economic
conditions here.
You saw pictures OF the refugees
fleeing before the Hun hordes with
their ''all''-their household and
kitchen furniture piled high on a
large two wheeled cart and a tiny
donkey hitched TO it: and sometimes
a dog hitched to it alongside of a man
pT WOlIldn WDiIe OtffefS puSueu. W cit,
saw the same by the thousands. but
they were returning home with things
stacked just a little higher. / h>ee
had to put my Ford in neutral at
times while l wondered what would
happen to the donkey if the hind
prop on the cart didn't work. 1 IL
nally decided that he would go In
high for awhile, anyway. About
two months ago on a narrow road l
came up behind cart and donkey
driven by a madame. 1t was up hin
and Immediately the little donkey
took fright and ran with that big cart
to beat the band. The madame sawed
him hard. while / gave my flivver a
little more gas so as to keep in sight. !
Soon he began to flag. then she began
to lambast him to make him run so
as 10 get the quicker to a cross road
on ahead. She turned in and stopped.
then turned to give me a smile. !
rose in my seat shouting, Bravo. !
Madame. vive la France!" Her smile
was blessing. She had enjoyed the
fun as much as l had. She was the
master. not the mule.
But here is another incident some
time later. These little donkeys are
very gentle. l was coming home one
day. 1 saw moping along a donkey
in a cart. Soon 1 could see an elder
ly madame alone and she was sittins
sound asleep as the donkey poked
along. Quickly I decided to get off In
the ditch and stop so he wouldn't hit
me and so let him pass. He was
making fine progress till within n few
feet of me the purr of the motor
awoke the madame. 1t was distress.
ing to see her jump for the lines. |
However it was needless operation. !
for the donkey murmured not. nor
batted an ear.
washing Machine Lacking.
In every town or community there
are wash pools with a roof where tho
women do all their family washing. |
These are also along rivers or streams.
The women kneel on planks at the \
edge of the water and with brushes /
and by pounding do the washing. I 1
have seen them there i'm all kinds of /
weather. even with ice on the water.
Some washing machine companies are
surely lacking in enterprise or their
agents would visit here.
This season of the year, late winter
and spring. seems to be the wood cut
ting time and time to trim all trees
and hedges. The French peasant II
He uses every root and twig of tree
or bush for firewood. I used to see
some old wood cut-pictutes of the
burning of martyrs and saw the fires
burning and people carrying bundles
of faggots to make the fires. / won
dered where the artists got the idea of
such bundles of faggots. Now know.
for 1 have seen them just such bum
dies by the thousands. ricked along
the roads and piled at every farm
house for fire wood All the twigs
from the trees are Strengthened out
and tied with a twig in small handy
bundles and ricked up to dry. These
pine woods are raked bare and clean
of needles. The same are ricked at
the farm house and used to light fires
with. Other leaves are raked up ana
used for beding the horses. Oh. yes.
the barn Is just the other end of the
house.
Ford Is Known.
This area is largely a wooded coun-
try. For fifty kilometers in every d.
rection / have come to know it like
a book and can drive the roads night
or day. The people along these roads
have- come TO know my Ford for
which There's a reason like for a
well known cereal drink. X
There Is always more or less Well Il
fare stuff about the warehouse of our
Headquarters. With this / always go II
out loaded. 1t may be cigarettes.
gum, chocolate Sor any thing. just
slightly damaged. so we mustn't sell it,
Wen. I have the time of my life
singing it out along the roads to
Young. old, big and little. French and
American. Do they know me and my
Ford =? Oui. ouii ! have made many
an old French man think the skies