The Children of France

ter the fashion that little Remi did. Remi, of course, ran away to follow the army, which, perhaps, was not wrong in view of the fac

d in this boy's home town, and the lad, by many li

the soldiers advised him to remain at home because he was too young to go to war. 'Go ask your mot

uggestion, ran home and burst,

if you say "yes." Say "yes,"

at you mean, my son,' an

t a lad I can do much, oh, so much. And Jean shall be so very careful that he may come back to his

f such a thing,' begged the mothe

n be happy to die for h

Jean saw at once that his mother

says I may go if you will

mother finally, clasping the little fellow in her arms and kiss

rogress. But Jean hung about at a distance. When the detachment started away, he, like Remi, fell in behind and followed. Perhaps th

anket with the child. The next morning Jean made himself useful by carrying wate

e soldiers of his company, he stopped every little while at farmhouses and filled the canteens. These he restored to their owners, and then, taking other canteens, fill

t his side in a moment relieving the soldier of some of his burd

Jean begged, all to no purpose, then ran to his friend, the lieutenant, for h

outfit. We shall miss him if he is sent back. And further, it would not be safe

ng to charge yourself with the care

certainly,

may remain. Watch over hi

o fuss, but kissed the hand of his faithful fr

h his beloved companions, but, strange to say, he carried no rifle. One had been offered to him, but he shook his head. Instead, he carried se

s there. With his bandages he bound as best he could the wounds of his comrades, and quenched their thi

more water; time and time again did he rush for the stretcher bearers to get aid for a particularly badly wounded comrade. The child seemed to be

He remained out on the field where lay men who would never rise again, and many more who were suffering and dying. A

f his own trench, with a storm of machine gun fire sweeping over him. He was s

the dugout and literally blown the boy over the lip with it. H

d got the dizziness out of his head, his

s reply when an officer

wept field. His eyes glowed with admiration when he saw his lieutenant leading and encouraging the men of his company.

the lieutenant

om the wounded man he was working ov

my dear Lieutenant?

nd in the side. It is bad. But never mind, lad,

e with me. Let me g

annot c

t the lieutenant's, his arms under those of the officer, he straightened up. Of course, he was not strong enough to car

ce the officer was taken to a first-aid station, then later in the

ned with lieutenant André, was shell swept, the Germans kn

a shell that wrecked the ambulance just before they had reached their destination. The driver was killed but the Little

rough his efforts Jean was appointed to the French military training schoo