Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-11-05

for a tailor shop. The little roll o.
channels had been filched from {
French first-claSs railway carriage, &C
cording to the best tradition of thu
! American army.
The tradition was fully two years
! old. Nobody ever gave proper credit
! to that pioneer who discovered thai
this particular variety of chamois pro-
vided the finest chevrons which ever
adorned American soldiery, but the
news had quickly spread-togethel
with the technique for acquiring them
That technique required simply, 9
sharp pen knife and 80 seconds OF
freedom in a first-class compartment
The knife was inserted beneath the
drapery that covered the top Of the
seat and a quick twist Of the wrist
did the rest. There must have been
miles of mutilated upholstery after
the A. e. F. went home.
Sergeant Bennett was In possession
of almost everything a soldier could
desire, the new serge uniform, the new
divisional shoulder insignia and a roll
of railway channels. His sole remaining
need was a French tailor to bring
them all together.
He discovered a little shop Just q
few steps away-around the corner
from the Rue de Siam. Still whiStling
he strobe through the entrance. The
whistle died on his lips. It was crushed
against his tonsils by his hearts mad
leap when he saw-herI
She was trim and petite with black
hair and rosy cheeks and-and-that
was about all his dazed mind could
register after the first shock. That
and the realization that she was I'M
doubtedly the prettiest girl he had ever
seen in all his life.
She was sewing away busily in the
corner and she dropped her eyes de-
murely before the sudden consterna-
ton evidenced by the tall intruder.
There ensued a full minute of choking
silence before she laid aside her needle
and sparkled gleefully:
"Qu'est ce que cest, Monsieur"
He choked helplessly. There were
other people in the shop-but they
were a thousand miles away. He swal-
lowed hard and remembering his err
rand, fumbled for the little roll Of
chamois.
Awkwardly he extended it, at the
same time indicating the dirty brown
stripes already on his sleeve. He re-
manned utterly speeches.. All the
knowledge of his French vocabulary,
so painstakingly accumulated during
the past IL months. had vanished She
nodded Understandings.
sch bienI vous desirez-Y She rose
and took the bit Of channels. She held
it against his arm and an electric
shock jabbed clear through TO his
backbone. Miraculously, he recovered
speech.
@Oui, MamseIleI" he jabbered hasti-
ly. "Je misunderstanding
oh, damn such language mean,
III wait"
She nodded comprehension and mo-
toned for him TO remove his blouse. |
In q trance he obeyed and dropped |
INTO the chair she indicated.
The little seamstreSs busted herself |
with the chevrons, and he was sudden
y horror stricken by the speed with |
which they were being attached. |
Valiantly, he rallied his thoughts and |
prepared to take advantage Of this /
golden gift Of fate. he cleared his
throat.
''Adademoiselle, je desire-to make
Votre - votre - votre - acquaintance.
&c smiled hopefully. Mademoiselle re-
.urned the smile and answered simply:
Comment allez vOus2"
Sergeant Bennett shook his head de-