New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1922-07-02


virtue. Courage must be gay and loyal it
must be French. The little story which I am
going to tell is intended to illustrate that naive
truth.
Nine. Regnler turned around.
Hey. there Pcre Fendt, why didn't YOU
speak to me-
Il didn't you" replied the old man. az ne
continued painfully to unload his barrels.
The barrels rolled down an inclined plane
which stretched from the wagon to the floor of
the barn They made a good deal of noise
coming down. 1t was the only noise which
troubled the clear morning. The songs of the
birds fitted in with the dazzling sunshine,
did the hills of the Vosgcs. barring the hor-
zon.
"A beautiful morning, Pere Fendt. When
you think of last year"
"A beautiful morning. Pere Fendt an
sHered. If it only lasts
He rolled down another barrel.
Nine Regnier passed on. She walked with
little steps, with unintelleent steps. The
peasants take big steps. big, solid steps. --nc.
Regnier cast sophisticated shadow on the
sunny pavements Of tho village street. The
peasants cast big, picturesque shadows on TIE
sunlt fields
GCOOQaS, VI. CTlCH.
"Goodday, Nine. Regnier,' answered the
blacksmith, without interrupting his blows on
the anvil.
What beautiful morning, N. Uirch But
last year VIC not so happy
mo. we weren't If this wotld only last
The hammer fell on the red iron.
Nine. Regnier went on. She logged along
Al
with her high heels.
well Gertrude, what a mornng'
MAY the Lord give US more Of them an
swered Gertrude, without lifting her face from
the tub in which she was doing her washing.
Nine. Regnier entered her house. The din"
ing room was respondent with copper and
polished wood. In the saloon were carly lllacs,
blooming in May. Everything was clean, OF
Derby, opulent-a house to which there was no
counterpart in the village.
"Ah, the miscreants' Nine. Resnler sighed,
looking at herself in the mirror.
She took off her coqucttish hat She was
still pretty, having once been much more 50.
IL saved Them she murmured "Ah. the
ingrates.'
A blackbird whistled in the garden, hnch
nracticed trills. even an insect buzzed, The
~A'~N
tory told of the joys of living to men who did
not know how to live in simple happiness.
1T is so beautiful" Nine. Regner sighed
again. "Why don't they like me-
She was elegant-too elegant for the viii
lage.
II am unhappy she signed again
A door opened
"You? You, my child? l needed"
I
beautiful so clear
This Young man was as clear and open as
the spring. The Lorraine blood makes thor
oughbreds,
II. too. was waiting for you. You went out
so early this morning.
She opened her mothers arms to him, but
he remained enveloped in his own light
Mamma, it is so clear Never will day
like this come again to help me tell you.
INV bow, / have just come back from pill
rrimaee to the place where l first crossed
the lines. The trenches are filled. There is
no more barbed wi-c. The flowers Of the fields
are JOYOUS at having escaped the machine gun
fire"
"Stop, mamma, Don't take away my cour-
age There is no happiness for US here
She bowed her head in resignation. She
knew that there was no happiness Tor them
there And the young man, still enveloped IN
his own light, said
n "You have been heroic, mamma. You have
Rbeen sublime
In low voice she replied:
81 don't know any longer. They IN
yaded our village You had gone-the rest of
YOU They shot the Cure and the Mayor
avenged them as well as could"
Then Strengthening up:
Eyes, was a spy. l accepted money from
the Germans in order to deliver their secrets
to France and to take back to the Boches false
information which the General Staff of our
army framed up fer me, During the whole
war I ran to and fro between Metz and
French Lorraine. deceived and betrayed
them. l never told them word of truth The
Germans paid me and l paid France"
Mamma, stop! You mustn't confess that"
Il confess it. I proclaim it. When they
came they told me that / pretty You
don't know what that insult cost them. You
were in France-your sister and you. l was
alone. All, am pretty! l thought. 1t will
be of service to my country that pretty
l. A. Il l.