Ruth Royce

“ The stretcher bearers were too few to give quick attention to all, but Jean was there. With his bandages he bound as best he could the wounds of his comrades, and quenched their thirst from his canteens. Many were the suffering poilus who blessed the little soldier of mercy that day.
"Jean's face was bleeding where a bullet had left a gash across it, but to this he gave not the slightest heed. Time and time again he ran back for more water; time and time again did he rush for the stretcher bearers to get aid for a particularly badly wounded comrade. ”

“ Perhaps it would be well for you to go to the rear and be under the protection of the French, for the Prussians are beasts!'
"'With your permission, my uncle, I shall stay here with you. I shall not leave you.'
"It is well. If the Prussians come I shall speak with them, and perhaps they will leave the Padré and his niece to themselves. But they shall not make us Prussians; we shall still be loyal to our beloved France.'
"'Yes, uncle, but it will be well that you have a care as to what you say and do. ”

“ A captain and several men entered the home of little Pierre, where there was a wounded French sergeant that the lad's mother had been nursing and whom the little boy loved very dearly. The sergeant's wounds were just beginning to heal, but so weak was he that he could scarcely stand without someone to lean upon. When the Germans burst in the wounded man was filled with rage, but he knew better than to attempt to thwart them. ”

“ That for the Fatherland!' The lad snapped his fingers in the Prussian's face. Pierre's courage, instead of further angering the German, appeared to amuse him.
"'We shall see. It is for you to shoot your friend the sergeant. Shoot him and you shall have your freedom and your life. It is well that a Frenchman should be put to death by his own. Can you shoot?'
"'I can.'
"'Then here is a rifle. It is loaded. Shoot and shoot true and freedom is yours, for yourself and the old woman yonder who insulted the officer of my Emperor.' The captain extended the rifle, butt first, toward the boy. ”

“ Having none, I am good for nothing.'
"For a few moments he stood observing the stretcher men gathering up those who had been wounded in the explosion. He did not quail at sight of the maimed forms before him—he was unafraid, but his childish face drew down into hard lines that made him look years older. He knew now that he must join his company and fight for France. After what he had seen nothing should hold him back. Perhaps once at the front he might find a gun. Remi tried to enter the communicating trench, but was stopped by a sentry. ”

“ You know where they are?'
"'No, sir, but I know the country for many miles.'
"'But the Germans will catch you, and if they do you will be shot. I cannot permit one so young as you are to sacrifice himself.'
"Francois smiled. 'I have a grandmother living in the other village and she is sick. Should a lad not be permitted to visit his grandmother who is ill?' he asked.
"The French captain saw the point and smiled. 'Go, then, if you will, but be careful. If you succeed you truly will be a hero, my lad.'
"'Francois will find the Boches,' was the boy's confident reply. ”

“ It is not for children to be there. You do not know what the soldiers suffer there. They must be strong and they must be old enough to stand the terrible strain.'
"'I care not for that. I want to fight,' replied Mattia with determination. 'I am strong and I can endure as long as can the men. I know, for I have worked with men. Where shall I eat and sleep?'
"The officer told him he would speak to the mess sergeant and that the latter would provide him with food, and would arrange for the lad to lodge in one of the buildings where soldiers slept when off duty. ”

“ In this little volume are set down the stories of many devoted little French boys and girls, some of whom have offered their lives for their country, others of whom have passed through perils that would try the strongest and bravest of men, and yet lived to be honored by a grateful government for their deeds of heroism. ”

“ All food that is asked for by the soldiers shall be given to them without question, but any attempt to communicate with the enemy, the slightest disobedience of the orders of the commander, will be punished by death.'
"The soldier beckoned to several other soldiers who were in the background and ordered them to search the house. This they did with thoroughness. Marie had forgotten about the equipment of Captain Grivelet in the cellar, but it was brought home to her with a shock when the searchers came up bearing the stuff the French officer had left. ”

“ Before the "Squire's" son went away to war, the neighborhood children knew him only by sight and by hearing their parents speak of him as the son of "the richest man in Titusville," who never had done a day's work in his life. ”

“ You may trust Marie. She is a loyal French girl and will continue to be so no matter what comes.'
"The captain nodded approvingly.
"'Whether or not we shall be able to hold our lines here seems doubtful. At least we fear the Prussians, in large force as they are, may temporarily drive us back. But it will not be for long. We shall recover our ground. Even now we are entrenching ourselves to the rear. When that time comes, Marie, you and the Padré will be in peril, for the French probably will have to [166] shell the village. ”

“ He knew there was one man, and perhaps two, in that falling machine, and that he was watching them falling to what would probably be death.
"'It is for France,' he said to himself. 'If they are Boches they must die.' However, Mattia did not get the picture of that scene out of his mind for a long time. Later on he became used to it and did not even marvel.
"One day the gun squad was sent to another point a long distance away and the lad returned to the rest camp. He now felt himself to be a well-seasoned soldier and talked of high-angle guns as volubly as could an experienced gunner. ”

“ Through all such stories as have come to light, there runs a spirit of heroism that is sublime. Such stories should and will prove an inspiration to every boy and girl of America and surely will lead them up to a more perfect manhood and womanhood. ”

“ While the latter squads ordinarily were located behind the lines, the machine gunners were up where there was trouble all the time. To join a machine-gun company was not so easy.
"Mattia's chance came one night. A company of machine gunners was ordered to a remote point on the line, a journey of some fifteen miles, where they were to establish a new emplacement, temporarily, to clean out a nest of Prussians. The lad listened to what the men had to say about their proposed journey and the work they expected to have to do with the keenest interest. ”

“ A sentry, recognizing the German helmet, halted him some distance away, and after questioning him sent the lad to the captain.
"'Here, monsieur le Capitaine, see what I have taken from the Boches,' he cried, upon espying the commander. 'Thick-heads, all of them! It is easy to fool the Boches.'
"'But, my boy, you are wounded. What has happened?' demanded the captain.
"'It is nothing; it was an accident. The Prussians hit me by mistake.'
"The officer called a surgeon and while the lad's wounds were being dressed Francois related to the captain all that he had seen in the Prussian camp. ”

“ The officer eyed him sternly.
"'What do you mean, boy, by bombarding me with apples?' he demanded.
"Lucien hung his head. The officer jerked him to his feet.
"'Answer me! What were you doing up in that tree? Spying on us, eh?'
"'No, monsieur l'Officer, I am a Frenchman. Frenchmen do not spy on their own people.'
"'That is true. But how do I know you are not spying on us just the same, for the Germans have been here?'
"'Yes, monsieur le Capitaine, they have been here. See, they have spoiled my beautiful home. ”

“ Rene had been [70] with the army for some time, though he was only fourteen years old, making himself useful in many ways and fighting when he had the opportunity, which was more than seldom. For valiant service he had been made a corporal, so you may know he was brave and courageous, for the French do not encourage children to join their army, much less do they give them men's work and responsibilities.
"At the time to which I refer, the colonel of Rene's regiment had need of a man of courage and resource to carry certain important orders to the commanders in front-line trenches. ”

“ The French always have money. We shall find it. Throw the old woman out of the bed. She is but pretending to be sick. She is in bed to hide the money of the household,' raged the captain.
"Obeying his orders, his men dragged the sick woman from the bed and dropped her on the floor, where Gené, with tears of anger in her eyes, bent over and clasped her parent's hand. The husband protested against their treatment of the wife and Gené pleaded with them to go away and leave her family in peace. ”

“ It was desperate business that these brutal Prussians were engaged in. Finding themselves unable to whip the Allied soldiers, they sought to terrorize old men, women and children.
"Gené's home was situated at the edge of a village, and though they knew the Germans were headed in their direction, they thought the soldiers would take pity on their sad condition and leave them alone.
"One day, however, a company of Bavarian dragoons entered the outskirts of the village and halted before the child's home. Tying their horses, they entered the house and began a systematic search of it. ”

“ By this time the officers began to realize that the boy must be taken seriously. From that night on almost every night found the intrepid lad skulking about over 'No Man's Land,' many times with the enemy's machine gun fire snapping about his ears, but to which he gave not the slightest heed. Remi truly seemed to bear a charmed life.
"One night after his company had returned to the front-line trench, after a night's rest in 'billets,' he went out with the patrol, as usual, but with a new plan in mind. ”

“ Having asked permission to store some of his personal equipment in the Padré's cellar, they thought nothing of his going down there frequently. Now and then Marie was certain she heard him talking to some one down there.
"One day, after the Prussians had pushed the French back close to the village—this was before the Germans took the village, you understand—Captain Grivelet had a talk with Marie.
"'Marie, knowing that you are French in your heart and soul, I shall confide certain [165] secrets to you. Are you willing to serve your country?'
"'Yes, monsieur le Capitaine. ”

“ A fine business for those who call themselves men. You deserve to be shot, you and all your hounds. However, I will spare your life on one condition. It is that the father of this household shall be set at liberty and returned to his home before nightfall. Your troops will not be far from here. Who in command?'
"'A captain.'
"'Then one of you will ride and rejoin your detachment—'
"'I will go,' interjected the commander of the dragoons.
A FRENCH DRAGOON DRAGGED HIM IN.
"'Oh, no, captain; your presence is required [111] here. ”

“ The rifle had missed fire. And ere Pierre could make another try the weapon was snatched from his hands and a blow from the captain's fist again laid him low.
"'Dog!' raged the Prussian officer. 'Now you shall die, and yonder French sergeant shall be a witness to your punishment. Strip [66] the blinder from that man's eyes! Bind this boy!'
"'There is no need to bind me. I shall not run away. I am not afraid to die for France. I am sorry only that I did not kill you,' answered the lad stoutly. ”