More Tish

hen that wonderful poise and dignity that had always distinguished her, even under the most trying circumstances, almost deserted her. She wrote, I remember, a number of lett

ntly been increased by practically the entire population of the country, and suggesting that she could b

ional anthem. But she recited it, since, as the well-known writer, Mr. Irvin Cobb, has observed, it can only be properly sung by a boy whose voice is changing

nt; she remains inactive for certain preparatory per

n, in July of 1917, she stopp

of the French village of V--, where our extraordinary experience befell us, and s

d have been knitting so many socks for Charlie Sands that he

I wish you wouldn't talk about it. I can't

, Aggie," she reminded her. "And when I remember how nearly your l

a shell hole full of water up

been in a shell hole full of water up to my neck." The war was over then, of course, but t

e said thoughtfully. "I suppose that Russian laundress of the Os

, and I found her later on in Tish's

of my life falling into shell holes and being potted at by all sort of strange men she can just think again. Besides that, I have

lipped on a tin gutter, without overshoes, one rainy day; and it is quite true that we had all been kissed by two French generals and a m

ion, "you haven't told Mrs. Osterm

e towel and looke

e had been obliged to take her away before it was over, owing to a picture from France of Tish's being kissed by a French general. She

ving picture of our being decorated, et cetera, going about the country. It is, I believe, quite usual to kiss the persons rece

e French town of V--. For the story has got into the papers, and only yesterday Tish discovered that the plea

ce of plaster in her right eye when a shell hit the church roof, and I was badly scratched by barbed wire. It is not true, either, that Aggie had her teeth kno

lks into the country. Also, going to her apartment for Sunday dinner on, I believe, the second Sunday of the month we were startled to see the Andersons, very nice people who occupy the lower floor of the building, running out wildly into th

n, with two policemen leading the way, and the Anderson baby left outside in its perambulator for fear of accident. All was quiet, however, and we made our way upstairs to

ograph. "Besides, what right have people over here to f

enly and said: "It didn't go an

building was a mere shell, and that people with sma

next-that Hannah came in and said the janitor wanted to see Tish. She went out and came back somewhat later, looki

hat janitor will collect a hundred dollars from her, and that phonograph never cost more than th

harply, "if you me

ore a judge and jury I'd say that for all I know Miss Tish was reading the Banner all morning.

out and slam

e drawer. However, a moment later I happened to upset my glass of water and naturally went to the sideboard d

revolver. She's practicing again;

ave a l

ane. She might have been satisfied,

en dead too," I re

rather bitterly that she didn't see why people had to have a phonograph when they had that, and that personally she fe

ficer. We called to see the colonel in command first, and Aggie gave him two extra blankets for Charlie Sands' bed and a

" he said. "Fine to feel that our boys are comfortable.

ful when he found we

that there is nothing so comforting as a d

sely confined to the office, and that therefore he had not yet had the pleasure

ooner or later, for one thing

s pleasant to to think of Charlie

n a mud puddle with a rifle in front of him. We did not recognize him at once, as a lot o

n't you see we're shooting? You'l

er splendid poise. "But if you will take charge of this homemade apple butter, which I didn't t

waited to be introduced. But Charlie Sands did not seem to think of it,

e to wait for my nephew." Then seeing that he looked rather strange she added: "But per

met your nephew-that is-- Private Sands, take these ladies

. As Tish observed later, he migh

o one," she said. As for giving him only an hour when we had

we wished to take him back to headquarters and present him to the colonel he said at once: "Who? Me? The colonel! Say, you'd better get this and get it right: I'm nothing here. I'm

ll trouble you to remember that there are certain wo

tter place than some others

ging that charming colonel. He told us hims

st say Charlie Sands was very queer about it. He stopped and looked at us all in turn, and

e said; "I don't seem to get it altoge

en she came to the eiderdow

elieve you. I-you don't mind if I go and get

im as he went away,

it of youth and feeds it on stuff cooked by men, with not even time enough to chew properly, and puts it on its stomach i

ut Tish's nephew, a grandson of a former Justice of the Supreme Court, into a building with a number of

thes?" he said when we protested.

," Aggie objected gently.

ven't got anyt

mall tin trunk. Even that was destroyed, however, by the entrance of a thin young man called Smithers, who reache

ention, but Tish fixed th

e young man was changing his socks, with his b

to ask you to go out. Haven't a

tting on my ne

he said. "Did y

ou to take them

n't remember exactly, but I'm darn sure of his underwear and his breeches. You see, while you good people at home are talking democracy we're p

others going through what Major Williams called setting-up exercises. She was greatly interested and made notes in her memorandum book. I have a copy of the book before me now. Th

rone position rise to sitting position without aid of A., but using S. muscles. Repeat six times.

e, and after one is the thoughtful observation: "

e thoroughness with which she does everything. For instance she ma

owels instead of sacking, and to boil the dish towels

ots, to give that measure of privac

bag of camphor in each one would serve to keep away mo

the top of the cot. Sheets should also be provided, as blan

prevent the men in training from going to neighboring towns after certa

made him as a part of his army equipment he confessed that he did not use them, and in fact had torn them into rags to clean his gun. He went even further, and stat

should be provided. Are our me

as appointed. Yet we carried away a conviction that though certain things had been sadly neglected Charlie Sands was in good hands. The col

they were about to bring in the flag

ring in the fl

l: Every n

better housekeeper th

l: I beg y

hcloths, but you are right about flags. They do fade,

e had never failed to have the flag brought in at night. "I may fail in other things," he

ch there. She had an excellent French book, with photographs in it showing where to place the tongue and how to pucker the lips for certain sounds. At first she did not allow

three of you sitting there making faces I nearly go crazy. I've got so I do

onsidered that we could advance a lesson,

p of tongue aga

o upper mi

oad s

Whi

-Po

gh we all found difficulty in sh

led for hollow cheeks, and I rememb

he said scathingly, "you might learn the French

put on twenty pounds or so went dumb. That woman who trims your hats isn't dumb so you could notice it. I'd

but Tish kept them up. She learned ten nouns a da

ur valiant Ally," she said, "by naming it in the

oint to her place at the table; but Hannah almost left on the strength of it, and when she tried it o

y is retiring," and "We must attack from the rear." She also took to testing out the engine of her automobile in various ways, and twice, trying to cross a plowed field wit

ad taken the doctor home and put him

t may be a useful accomplishment sometime. If one were

all the doctors on

of August the boatman from the lake came up the path with a spade over his s

d God only knows what'll happen if somebody r

unless you continue to shou

But 'twouldn't surprise me a mite if we both did some time

of the day shut in the garage with her car. I went back and looked in the window

inner she made

nnah, and close the door-been considering the values of differ

cried in a hea

s I shall have an ambulance body built on it. I know this engine; I may almost say I have an affection for it. And it has served me well. Why,

ing; "why should you, when you c

to get as near the Front as possible. She said also that she had already writt

of the line, as it was my intention, though not sacrificing the national good to it, to rem

r out, and with a feeling of des

ried only by Tish's observing over her shoulder: "No m

Tish in an emergency, and we could not fail her then. She ha

d just put a small flash of blackberry cordial to her lips to steady herself when the machine went ov

nt. Then Aggie said in a reproachful

perceived her bent forward over the steering wheel.

I cried.

self and put both hands o

" she said in a strangled tone

ly alarmed, as it is unlike our brave Tish to give in u

d felt her pulse. "If I've burst anything," she announced a moment later, "it's a corset steel. That boatman is a fool,

. "I'm not and I don't want to be. Though I can't see how bi

e shovels out of the car, and we could see her

hole and contains a wounded soldier. We are being shelled and there are those what-you-call-'em lights overh

o do is to go home and make an affidavit that we never saw that car,

paying any attention to me,

gie sn

e observed. "I am the wounded s

at three o'clock in the morning Tish climbed in and started the engine. It cl

eet emergency in the proper spirit. As for the hole, that driveling id

erously given him, and the milk wagon which supplied us going into the hole an hour or so after we had left he shamelessly told his own part and ours in the catastrophe. The resul

igarette lighter-not that Tish smokes, but because wounded men always do, and we knew that matches were scarce in France. It also contained an ice-water tank, a reading lamp, with a small portable library of improving books sele

as I am filled with admiration of those sterling qualities whi

as to the camps, and so forth, and said that he had referred the matter of pyjamas, for instance, to the Chief of Staff. He himself felt that the point was well taken. He believed in pyjamas, and wore them, but that he had an impression, though he did not care to go on record

gie had a warning. She had been reading everywhere of the revival in spiritualism, and once before when she was in doubt she had been most successful with a woman who told the future with the paste letters that are used in soup. She went

terrible position at V-- she remembered that

it marked at a place which told how to signal at night with an electric flashlight, and from that time on for several weeks she would sit in her window at night, with Aggie on the pavement across the street, also with a pocket

! I've stood being frozen until my feet are so cold I can't t

trifles when your country's safety is in questi

he wretch with the cornet who rooms above Tish's apartment was at t

peared in the window again, and had flashed

ery unpopular with the many women he had been obliged to refuse. It is enough to say that the wonderful day finally came when we found ourselves on the ve

look back on that glorious sky line I feel that no sacri

ces they charged me at that hotel the Germans are welcome to New

rving suits, which the clerk at the steamship

ores, supporting life in the meantime with ship's biscuits, and so on, in waterproof packages, carried in the pockets provided for the purpose. She did indeed go so far as to place a bottle of blackberry cordial in the

usual commenced to sneeze violently. We ran out on deck, dear Tish saying to be calm, as more lives were lost through excitement than anything else; though

nces. As we had inflated the suits they were not immodest, effectually conceal

le in our lifeboat he was pleased to see that three of the eighteen ladies in it were prepared to take

fely in the boat anyhow. I should not like to think of you floatin

n case of trouble if the boat were crow

ng on that Aggie suddenly said: "I've

idn't care for the sea. She never had and she never would. And then she said "Ugh!" and the Red Cross man put his arm around her as far as it would go in the rubber su

sh's knitting. We had the misfortune to hear a slow hissing sound, and her in

we had put Aggie to bed in her life suit, for she refused to have it taken of

once: "I'm glad you asked me that. I've been wanting to tell the whole ship about it, but it's so darn

et?" Tis

. Can't run. Couldn't even kick a Hun," he added bitterly. "And what's more, there's a girl on this ship who thinks I'm a slacker, and I can't tell her about it

quired in a gentler tone. Though not young herself she h

t that keeps a fellow out of the Army. It's-well, that doesn't matter.

ggie call

was with a very pretty girl in a Y. M. C. A. uniform. We had gone up on deck for air, and Tish was looking for the captain. She had a theory that if we could put Aggie in a hammock she would feel better, as the hammock wo

you'd better wait six months before you fall too hard for him

ss, with just a suggestion of the caveman beneath, would have been more efficacious. Indeed when

tame him. I've tried being both, so I know. I'm damned-I beg your pardon-I'm cursed if I know why I care for her. I suppose it's because she has about as much us

night out Tish saw the captain and he finally agreed, if we said

enty-four hours, and the crew sleeping on the decks. And you know crews are touchy these days, what with submarines and

Tish said it looked more like a chandelier than anything else. Getting Aggie into it required the steward, the stewardess, Mr. Burton and

wed by silence and then by low, dreadful moans. Aggie had fallen out. She did not speak

her back into her berth. She refused the hammock absolutely. She said she had forgotten where she was, and had merely r

er, but that the time Tish's horse had thrown her in the ceme

ed up all the wicked words and impulses which the conscious mind puts virtuously from it. And she recalled the fact that Mr. Ostermaier, our clergyman, taking

age. He formed the habit of coming down every evening before dinner to o

ut never with such-er-medicinal qualities. You do

rve it," I told him with some p

led up the tooth mug again. It was after that that he told us that Hilda

belongs in the infantry. He's got the photographs of five youngs

u tell her?"

'em, anyhow? If it wasn't this one it would be another. She's got her eye on a tank now, and she's only waiting for that aviat

ping the blackberry cordi

hing over there. That's all. Got to get in the papers and get a medal and a wood

m. He paid no attention at all to Hilda from that time on, and one morning while Tish and Mr. Burton were walking by her chair she dropped a bo

the captain could not speak French, and she had to ask Mr. Burton to order her

n," he said, "I'm

d Mr. Burton coldly. "

make that woman under

ton ref

your mouth and point down your throat. Mos

w a gleam of triumph in Tish'

in French, and don't mind what I say. The only thing I can remembe

fterward that as near as she could make out, Mr. Burton was telling the history of the country we went through, a

sed Hilda; I

my. Tish went out and bought a map, and decided that she would be sent in that direction or nowhere. But for several weeks nothing happened, and sh

ast success in present failure! But after a number of mysterious absences she came

p wh

mbula

n the mirror that she had her hat and coat on, and the e

his night in a French jai

retorted, and t

ked on a dangerous enterprise, was t

l, and I know it. You can't deceive a lot of Frenchmen with your handkerchief-

and only my own," Ti

or in a bureau drawer, but she was engrossed in her own thoughts, and besides, the streets were entirely dark and not a taxicab anywhere. She

ish was quite calm. And just then there was a terrific outburst of noise, whistles and sir

and walked on. I clutched at

!" I

of mortality from these things is considerably less than from mumps, and not

rd cage in his hand bumped flat into me and knocked me down. Tish, however, had moved on without no

lf a dozen men poured out through the doorway a

es over those whose motives are pure,

at moment down the street, follo

mly. "We might as well go inside, Lizzie. They may dro

d in a quavering voice. "My

replied scornfully

empty ice-cream freezers, and the perfect aplomb with which she kicked the tires to see if they contained sufficient air. For such attributes I have nothing but adm

Or perhaps she subsequently sent conscience money to the Red Cross an

eady and we got into the driving seat and started. Just as we moved out a man came in from the street and be

k you are doing?" he said in

e street and threw on the gas. He was on

he yelled. "Hey

tires almost immediately, and we swung madly from one side to the other. And just then, too, we struck the hole the shell had made, and went into it w

e said easily. "I feel that my judgment i

" I retorted with

dly tolerance. "But if he is it wi

dge of a shell hole, recovering, but showing one of the curious results of shell shock, being convinced that

was very sad, and that she proposed studying shell shock at the Fro

that we would start for the Front at once. Privately she told me that in a pocket of the car she had found permi

prepared to leave. And it is interesting, too, to remember t

"This looks like moving on. Where

Tish said. She was cleanin

at Scott, haven't you any

nting into the barrel of her revolver. "A

hrow a wrench into the machinery, but no one can travel a mile in this coun

rag, "I was arrested before you were born. Aggie,

trench that takes your fancy, and-weak tea! And I am going to St.-Nazaire! I, a man, with a man's stomac

ide the ambulance, and I'm sure you could be useful, changing tires, and s

d in a strange voice. "Very stro

ick candy and chocolate, with perhaps lemons for lemonade, is going to be stopped anywhere as long as it's headed for the Front. I understand they d

p, and then looked round in

on't mind, I suppose, if I take a moment to arrange my mind? It seems

I am a childless woman, and he is all I have. Second, I fancy the more cigarettes and so on our boys have the better for them, though I disapprove of cigar

easonable t

d soon after that he said he'd walk round a little in

e and wore what Aggie considered a haunted look

k or not. That's clear, isn't it? I'll go as far as you will, Miss Tish, and I t

ed with the intuition of her own e

She was with that-well, you know. If I had any sense I'd have stolen those photo

sh said. "I don't care to promise anything, but I

lways, our dear

cured these articles, but I have learned that very early Tish adopted an army term called salvage, which seems to consist of taking whatever is necessary wherever it may be found. For instance, she has always referred to the night when she salvaged t

me that I have heard her speaking of

as recently been challenged here at home, particularly in our church, though we have been lifelong members, it is a strange fact that we never required any. The sacred emblem on the ambulance and ourselves, including Mr. Burton, was

numbers of cigarettes and so on. We had, naturally, no home other than the ambulance, but owing to Tish's forethought we foun

then to make such occasional delicacies as cup custard or to bake a few muffins or small sweet cakes. More than once, too

e well known among both officers and

y worthy of record. Only one thing is significant! We moved slowly but inevitably toward t

ned Hilda but once, and that was to state th

s I'm concerned. I've forgotten her, practically. If I marry it will be one of these Fr

onfided to me later. "Do you notice how thin he i

moonlight night when that fool of a German flew over and dropped a bomb

ld and wet and we suggested flannels to him as de

id. "It's quick and easy, and-anyhow we ne

night at a small village within sound of the guns. We limped in, indee

elonged to General Pershing. We knew it at once by the four stars. As we did not desire to be interrogated by the commander-in-chief we dr

meal on the folding table we carried for the purpose, and we saw at once t

ertone to Aggie. He was subject t

erceptions we

st likely,

h her customary poise and unrolled her dinner napkin with a thought

. C. A. hut, Mr. Burton, it is just possible you will find an extra tire lying there.

ay," Mr. Burton said, rather disagreeabl

" Tish said. "Aggie, I think I'll have

shown by the fact that when Mr. Burton had gone she started the engine of the car and suggested that we be ready to

car approaching," she call

n appeared rolling a tire ahead of him, and wearing the dazed look he stil

and staring at Aggie and myself,

tire until morning? We found it and it is ours. Bu

even if it is I contend that war is war and justifies ce

o secure tires whenever necessary-that Tish had deliberately unfastened a spare tire from the rear of General Pershing's automobile; not of c

d horse trough behind a broken wall, I took Mr. Burton for a walk through the town in an endeavor to bring him to a more cheerful frame of mind. He was sti

ll be about as welcome there

the two great welfare organizations. But when I persisted in advancing he sai

y getting a bottle of vanilla e

she uses it for fudge! I'm no

you had for

a tooth to get it again. Look here, Miss Lizzie, do you know what she was doing when I saw her? She

hat she's

low with a cauliflower ear who was standing beside him. There was a li

think things are just as well as they are. You haven't a disposition for

as cured as a ham. She can feed sugar to the whole blamed Army, as far as I'm concerned. And after

scream of joy when she saw me and ran round the counter, which was a pla

too dear! We had a long talk here only a day or two ago, and I was telling about you three, and suddenly he said: '

as poor stuff, and right then and there I made a kettleful and s

t suppose you've seen that Mr

he window. He was standing across what had once been the street,

en I was never sure-- Why do you suppose he isn't fighting

," I said, and set t

how ridiculous! How-- Why,

hey're very painful. My cousin, Nancy Lee Mc

he plank and laughed she sat down on a box of condensed milk and laughed again. I am a truthful woman, and I had thought it w

ut as any mention of Mr. Burton only start

epartment at the Front, and that when he left he

ou remember him-he is going to bring me another," she cried. "He gave m

ive ch

hatever do you me

ive. I didn't know but that you had a

in a strained voice. "I don't

that, though as pretty as a picture, and I never looked up. She walked round the hut, humming t

and I like fighting men-the bravest are the tenderest, you know. I-if you ever happen on Mr. Burton you might

k, from which I judged she'd had neuralgia, and Aggie was nowhere in sight. But round the corner an ammunition train of

caught in a horse trough let her sit in it. If she could take a bath in a pint of water Aggie could,

down accidentally into a six-foot cellar, jarring my spine badly. When I got out at last it was very late, and though there were soldiers all round

a lantern and dice-a game which consisted apparently of coaxing the inanimate objects with all sorts of endearing terms. They got

heard the trickle of running water, and a

I said

ven's sake! Th

e are

attering. "Run and get my bathrobe, Lizzie. Tho

back. I must say that Aggie was a strange figure, however, and one of t

said another. "I thought maybe this

was sneezing a

felt a certain anxiety about telling Tish of the dangerous work in which he was engaged, and waited until her mo

said. "What so

re German

ans out of a trench was as easy as letting a dog out after a neighbor's cat. It's like Pershing and all the rest of them," she added bitterly, "

go alone," sa

alone. Of course not! He'll pick out a lot of men who play good bridge, or went to co

teacups and retired precipitately into the ruins. Not for us to witness

d that she was sick of fooling round on back road

off," Mr. Burton said

ed, Mr. Burton," I

lda, but he came back looking moros

said. "Do I look

all," I

n my feet, do I? Anything wan about me?

g as a horse," I s

l over the place when she sees me, and then baby me like an idiot child? 'Here's a chair,' she'd say, and 'Do be careful of yourself'; and

hen we passed, and I thought she looked rather forlorn. She blew kisses to us, but Mr. Burton only saluted

village that he turned to me

I tell you the minute she found she could have him she wo

replied. "But you're perfectl

ment. "That's the cleanest hut in France. And l

ction. Somewhat later he looked up and sai

hy

old her he was going to, and, of course, I told her if she was collecting them I'd get her one. A fat chance I ha

ts to turn from soft thought

s a strange gift of foresight t

velopment turn out to be a boy, or vice versa. And the very day before Mr. Ostermaier fell and sprai

so fried a number of doughnuts, and were given three cheers by various companies as they passed. It was when our la

id, "what bits of knowled

lained the mec

id gloomily, "if it were not for that devilish

cious!" A

in a shower one of the officers perceived my-er-affl

. Burton said it was not worth the trouble, and shortly afterward we turned off the main road into

against any emergency. And I feel, too, that it is my solemn du

r her shoulder at Mr. Burton, and it was too late to avoid the g

led it, Tis

I feel that with our near approach to the lines we should be armed to the te

ng observed that if it were not for the noise of falling sh

cheon of beef croquettes and floating island, and

ting eggs for a meringue at the time I co

and then he whistled and observed: "Great C?sar's ghost! Looks a

not to be vulg

in C.'s tires, but you can't steal a hundred or so grenades without somebody missing them. Besides, wha

cryptic manner. "Forearmed is forewarned

or I heard Mr. Burton yell, and a se

it you'd have been explaining this salvage system of yours to your Maker before this, Miss Carberry. Upon my word, if I ha

Tish's sole reply. "I had always understood th

tly heard

ze, Miss Tish, and I must say I think to this point we've made good. But when I see you stocking up with grenades inst

about the last few weeks

ad enough to have a certain person think I'm a slacker, but if she gets t

ie announced lu

shown by the number of shells which fell in it while we ate. The dirt from one, in fact, quite spoiled the floating island, and we were compelle

. "Viewed from that standpoint the attempts of the

st explosion out of his coffee cup. "Amusing is the word.

Tish taking a look at him and then saying quickly: "Lizzie, go an

e up and jumped off h

s Carberry," he said. "I didn't believe it at first.

anxious t

us-"you are-- Do you know that our

ans that; they seem to thin

you a general, Miss Carberry." He then said to M

r an indication of perturbation or of deep thought, and she spoke rather sharply to Aggie about rinsing the luncheon dishes more thoroughly. Agg

ie, you can reply. Say you don't know

t's more, I know I'm not going to ride a foot in that ambul

zzi

the two men came back, and the

that you haven't mentioned it I rather gather that

ers," Tish said with the dry

ew, I understand

uddenly grew

she asked in a

r just now than you are, for instance. But it's rather unf

h the blackberry cordial,

mine has allowed himself to be captur

of courage. A fellow goes farther than he ought to, and the first thing he

majestically. "I am ashamed.

this conclusion: The situation is unbearable and must be recti

his morning. He said he left your nephew in the church at V--, playing pinochle with the German C. O. The runner was hidden in the cellar under

ell, to retire from our dangerous pos

l pick that German as clean as a chicken. Pino

as undoubtedly then that she formed the plan which in its execution has brought us so