The Coolidge examiner., 1933-09-08


The tent flap was raised again
and a little old lady came in. De
spite his angry suspicious Colonel
Boileau rose and offered her a camp
stool. For the little old lady was
so typically French.
"Well, MADAME he asked.
my son has enlisted in your com
pany, colonel" said the little old
lady triumphantly.
Yes. there was triumph in her
voice and all through the story she
told him. For Nine. Marchand had
In secret wished that her son might
not forfeit his birthright, and, learn
ing at Nancy. by friend who man
aged to reach her, that Jean had
enlisted. nothing would satisfy her
but that she must go to the place
where he was and see him in the
uniform which his father had worn.
"And. thank heaven. he is here"
she continued. II walked from
Nancy. starting at noon"
You walked from Nancy, mad.
ann" inquired the colonel incredu.
lousy.
six miles? Pooh. That is moth
ing. During the war of 1870, when
my Philippe was serving on the
frontier, walked from Nancy to
Paris. And now ! have come to see
my Jean in the midst Of his com.
rades. To think that, with all his
American citizenship he preserved
his French heart"
did you say he was an Ameri-
can, MADAME" demanded Colonel
Boileau gruffly.
"Assuredly. His father and
went to America when he was
baby, and he obtained citizenship
at twenty-one. But a Frenchman
never forgets France. Now take me
to him, colonel!'
Colonel Boileau sat staring into
the little old ladys face. She was
typically French, so smartly attired.
despite her widows weeds. Captain
Jacquegel coughed in a melancholy
manner and looked down at the
ground.
MY son Is only a private now"
continued Nine. Marchand. "But
soon you will see him a corporal.
and then a sergeant. He will be
promoted for gallantry upon the
field and made lieutenant, then
captain. major-who knows but that
the end of the war may see him a
colonel?"
Colonel Boileau could find nothing
TO say. For a long while he sat
staring at the little old lady. At
last he arose.
Captain Jacquevel. you will offer
our hospitality to Nine. Marchand
until ! return" he said, and, leav-
ing the tent, went to the guard
tent.
Inside, between two corporals, sat
Jean Marchand. He was seated bolt
upright, staring out into the dark
ness. The terror had not yet come
upon him, for it all seemed like a
disordered dream-all the incidents
since his enlistment.
Colonel Boileau led the prisoner
outside the tent. The corpOrals,
springing TO their feet, saluted
their officer. It did not seem strange
TO them that he should have come
for Marchand - nothing seemed
strange in times like these.
When they had gone little way
Colonel Boileau shouted. Halt !"
The prisoner faced him expec-
tantly. He did not know that the
hour of execution had not been ad-
vanced.
'Marchand," said the colonel,
your mother is here"
Jean Marchand's hand went up
TO his hat brim mechanically, in
the manner he had learned.
"Marchand. you will die at sun.
rise" said Colonel Boileau. But
you will appear before your moth.
er and tell her that you are a free
man. She will think that you have
been killed in action. Do you IN
derstand?"
The young man nodded, and Colo
mel Boileau brought him to the tent
door and conducted his mother out
to him.
Half an hour later a wagon.
drawn by four horses and escorted
by file Of soldiers, conveyed Nine.
Marchand back to Nancy. Her eyes
were brimming with tears Of hap
piness at the thought of her sons
future.
Jean Marchand stood at the colo
ners door. He was awaiting the
soldiers who were to conduct him
back to the guard tent.
Colonel Boileau took him by the
shoulders and pointed southwark.
"Yonder lies Tourville," he said.
1.-The Army Of the East is recruit
ing there. Your future lies there.
Officially, you die at dawn. But
Jean Marchand is not a unique
name, and it is possible that an
other Jean Marchand may win hon
ors in war and serve the army of
his mother land"