Amy Ella Blanchard

“ Lucie sat silent and troubled. She would like to have said at once that Odette must come in with Paulette and herself, but she was not sure how Paulette would regard such an arrangement, and Paulette could speak her mind most positively when she wished, without regard to those concerned.
However, as if Paulette had read her mind she presently appeared from next door. “Well, my child,” she began, “I do not intend to stay here to be annihilated by those Boches. Enough of the city for me. We go. We go to the fields, to the trees, the good earth. For me I have no regrets.” ”

“ It must be as Paulette surmised.
She entered the little shed and sat down to take a baby bunny in her lap, stroking the small creature’s long, soft ears. “And there is Pom Pom,” she soliloquized, “even he will not miss me so much once he is again in Victor’s hands. Odette thinks of no one but Jean, and Annette has her baby. I have my beloved parents, ungrateful that I am, but it is hard to feel one’s self slipping into second place, third place, no place in the affections of one’s friends.” ”

“ Paulette began protesting.
He lifted his hand to silence her. “It is nothing. In these days one takes what comes and says no word.”
They followed him up the street, turned a corner and halted before a house which reminded Lucie of her own home. A green gate set in a white wall led, probably, into just such another garden as she had left so regretfully. It was through this gate that they entered, and, true to Lucie’s expectations, the garden was there, holding the familiar trees and flowers which spoke to her of home. Her lips trembled and her eyes filled with tears. ”

“ He waved his cap when he saw Lucie. “He is better, mademoiselle, and unless he takes a bad turn the doctor thinks there is a good chance for him.”
“Thank you, Michel, that is good news you bring to-day,” Lucie answered cheerily. “Such a good doctor, so kind, so devoted. His only son has gone to the service and he has taken up the practice again. He had retired, you see, for he is quite an old man. The people adore him, for he is just as attentive to the poorest as to the richest. He came all the way out here to see Pom Pom, and is watching and nursing him as if he were his dearest friend.” ”

“ Mamma, papa, grandfather, you look as if you had lost your last friends.” She perched upon her grandfather’s knee and began pulling his moustache so as to make the corners of his mouth turn up. “Smile, cher grandpère,” she said.
He took her hands gently away and held them in his. “It is a time to be serious, my child,” he said. “One cannot smile when there is war to face. I who remember 1870 cannot smile now.”
“War? Not for us, not France. What has she done?” Lucie looked around incredulously.
“She has done nothing but be her true self,” said her grandfather shaking his head sadly. ”

“ Meanwhile are we to sit and suck our paws like bears?”
“You know a great deal, don’t you, Paulette?” said Lucie much impressed.
“I have ears. I know what I hear,” returned Paulette. “Moreover,” she went on, “who am I that I should not work? I have always worked, even as a little child. I should be lost, desolated, without work. Am I to sit up like a lady and fold my hands at my time of life? No, no, the sooner I get to work the better.” ”

“ All Paris was agog. The streets were crowded, flags were flying, bands were playing. “I suppose there is nothing for us but to mix with the common herd,” declared Miss Lowndes, “and stand on the sidewalk. After all there might be a worse place, for we shall be nearer to the boys than higher up. Here, Lucie, pin on this little American flag. You, too, Paulette, and you, Odette. I think I can make myself known as an American and perhaps we shall receive some consideration in being given room.” ”

“ A soldier must consider bullets.”
“A soldier?”
Victor nodded. “It seems that you are not very original, mademoiselle. You do nothing but repeat my words like a parrot.”
“But these surprises. You are too young. Surely, Victor, you are not thinking of going to the war.”
“And why not? I shall become eighteen next month. I am but waiting that day. I have had considerable military training. Aux armes, citoyens!” He sang in a fine clear voice. “Shall I not fly to the aid of our beloved France as well as another? I am no coward, I tell you, Lucie Du Bois down there among your flowers.” ”

“ Now he will be envious, that poor grandfather, for ours has not half the number of blooms.”
“They are very droll, those two old ones, your grandfather and mine,” remarked Lucie. “To hear them argue over a bed of cabbages one would think them the most important things in the world. They are never so happy as when they are discussing the merits of their gardens. For my part I cannot see that one is better than the other. They grow; there is enough and more than enough for our use, so what does it matter? Here comes Paulette now to gather vegetables. Shall we help her to pick the peas, Annette?” ”

“ Lucie sighed and hid her face again on her father’s breast to hide the gathering tears.
“I tried to be brave, papa,” she said brokenly. “I still try, but sometimes it is very hard.”
“Do I not know that, dear daughter?”
“But soldiers are always brave.”
“They try to be; they always are outwardly, but there are times when the spirit faints.”
“I am glad you tell me that, for there are days when my spirit goes down, down into the very depths, yet I am much better off than so many many others, than Odette, for instance. She has lost both her parents. You think there is no doubt she is in Germany?” ”

“ Life again appeared worth living. Lucie sat by Victor’s side on the length of board which served as a seat. Paulette, perched on a similar board, was surrounded by baskets and bundles. She held firmly to her green cotton umbrella from which she had not parted in all this time. Sometimes she used it as a staff, sometimes it was laid across her shoulders on the top of a pack she carried, again it found a place on the top of a basket, but wherever it was Paulette evidently did not mean to lose sight of it. ”

“ She told Paulette about it when she next saw her. The good woman nodded approvingly. “She is clever, very clever, that Odette.”
“And if you could have seen how pretty she looked in the hat that was tried on her.”
“No doubt, no doubt, but beauty is only skin deep, and does not earn the bread and butter as readily as quick wit and busy hands.”
“Yet Odette is quite pretty; she has lovely eyes. She is not so good looking as Lucie, to be sure.”
“She should not be. She is a skinny little cabbage, but she will do. If she turns out as well as she has begun, she will not be half bad. ”

“ Paulette brought a basket and they lifted Pom Pom and his bed into it. Jean carried it out to the doctor’s gig. As the doctor drove off Jean stood at salute and Michel, not to be outdone, followed his example. The daylight was fading. The rosy flush of apple blossoms became brighter because of the rose of sunset sky. As the doctor drove out of sight Lucie gave a quick sob and buried her face on Paulette’s shoulder. “Is there never to be anything but unhappiness in the world?” ”

“ Victor stooped down to examine it. “There is only one little place where it is very wet,” he said, “and I can carry you over that, Lucie.”
“You will do nothing of the kind,” declared Paulette, bristling up. “If mademoiselle cannot walk without getting her feet wet I will carry her.”
“And a pretty spectacle it would be,” protested Victor, “if any one were to come along, to behold a soldier permitting a woman to do such a thing. Are we men permitted to show no chivalry?”
“Zut!” exclaimed Paulette, snapping her fingers. “That for your chivalry; it is all because you wish to have your own way.” ”

“ The tears came to Lucie’s eyes as she lifted Pom Pom into her visitor’s lap. The dog looked inquiringly at his mistress but seemed to understand that he was to remain, and was very quiet under the caressing touch of Odette’s hand.
“We had a little farm,” Odette went on, “and we were very happy, but I shall never see that home again, for it does not exist. There is nothing there, nothing but deep holes in the ground, no trees, no house, no barn; all is destroyed, the house and barn burned, the trees cut down, the fields plowed up by bullets and bombs. ”