The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-10-20
THE SPY
By ETHEL N. oADoAs.

writing. The finest French, however,
would have been a. unintelligible 10
poor old Naneiie. II was the village
cure. himself Hhife-hslred and bowed
~ the burdens Of war. who read The
eIOseiy written pages. French this. 10
q wornaD's tine heDd. and blotted here
and there a. II by a womsn's tears.
To the old stopped woman who
lirss r tbs ,,sy cottage under the hill.
70 what was Je Bols des oiseaux.
That IL because he did DOT know
her oarDe,- intcrpOsed the priest. abd
the gray head nodded. though wonder
tngsy.
III is many days ssipce ! left you.
stole sway In fhs night ike man
sSSamed. What could you have
thoughtf u shall never know. Per
haps you expected only ingrafitude,
+ sinking silence. frosn such as L Yet
thought ! saw
Il am very weak. That last night
sapped my small strength. and then
the fever gripDed me. But my mind
is quite clear
Il can see yOu now. the compassion
in your kind eyes as you stopped over
the wounded lad fallen at your door
compassion that changed involuntah-
ly 10 aversion. 20 hatred. as you saw
the too-famillar gray Of the German
field uniform.
You would have turned away
knew it--but you could not Some
thing held you. Was it the thought
Of a boy in the horizon biuei or was
II the utter helpleSsness Of the young
stranger that touched your mother
hearth No tears Of pity softened your
eyes. yet ] felt your knotted hands
fumbling at my stained coat. dragging
my weight over the low doorsill -.
Then | WAS lying in bed. such
bed as my weary body had not known
for months was clean. too. and ly-
ing between clean sheets. the nnmbing
pain somehow softened. Someone bent
over me, Offering food. Your touch
was gentle; you DO longer shrank
from me.
again ] wakened II was night.
the moonlight streaming in through
the tiny window. You were kneeling
on the earthen floor. talking with your
God.
Then ! saw anew this awful con-
fiict. In its power - scar a woman's
heart. For you spoke of loved ones
gone-two sons with the colors, offer
ing their lives daily for France; the
husband Of your youth, lying beneath
wooden cross; daughters purity
violated by the invader; the child.
your last. slain before your very eyes.
All. how well you knew the bitterness
Of war;
yet you could pray. Kneeline there.
crushed and alone In your old age.
amid the ruins of ali you had cher
ished. you prayed for me. Enemy
though he was you asked Gods bless
ing upon the wounded lad you had
taken In
"Yor slept. that night. upon the
hard floor. And | also slept, In spite
Of my pain, for your words had
brought me strange peace.
''For two days and nights lay pas
sive, gaining strength TO complete my
mission. Patiently was cared for,
and tenderiy. and I marvelled at the
miracle of your love.
For how could you know that IL
was for France. the France OF my IA.
theirs, that ] had fought, for her that
l had risked life and honorf And how.
indeed, could you know of the bitter.
ness of soul, the cruel disillusionment
and loss of faith. that had driven me
to this, unhonored task?
Il could not speak. Even when, dis.
carding the lying uniform that could
no longer serve me. | slipped away In
the stolen smock Of your dead hus-
band. I could leave no word.
snow at last | may speak, for my
work Is done and | rest.
"waat may come l know not, but
this know: Ny spirit that was
crushed is whole again. You saved a
life, o mother of France. but you did
more than thst-you gave back faith
70 soul that WAS dead. That is why,
as wait here, have no fear. Surely
the God who has comforted your heart
will not forget me-
Now II Ia evening. and am weary.
But In my heart is peace that will
never leave me. Goodnight, dear
mother. and may the good God bless
you for what you have done"
.
The postscript was short, scribbled
by tired nurse in a pause between
duties.
He is gone. dear mother" read the
old cure. while Nsnette listened and
wept softly, but his smile Is won
drous sweet as he sleeps. France will
not hear his name. for the work of
spy is In silence and shame. You
may never know how great a task
your mercy has helped to accomplish.
But God win know. Pray for him.
mother. pray for France, pray for the