FRENCH LEAVE.

Auckland Star, Issue 265, 8 November 1929, Page 5

FRENCH LEAVE.

MARINE FROM TOURVILLE.

FARMHAND AT FTJKEXOHE.

"I WAS VERY LONELY."

LONGED FOR LA BELLE FRAXCE,

A kiss was blown to Auckland this morning when the Maheno pulled out from the wharf bound for Sydney by a marine in the French Navy, who. after a brief sojourn in New Zealand, became homesick and longed for La Belle France. The departing visitor was M. Jean Dazayons.

Jean saw Auckland for the first time when the cruiser Tourville was this way, and decided that Auckland in the springtime was quite a dear little place. The more he saw of Auckland, the more he longed for freedom. The night before the cruiser sailed for Wellington Jean bid a few of his intimate companions good-bye, dressed himself in his best naval uniform, clambered through a porthole, and marched away. Jean carried a musket with him, not that he had any idea of going deer stalking or using it for an ulterior purpose, but merely to confirm an impression about the waterfront that he was at the time on guard duty or something similar.

In broken English with occasional lapses into his national tongue Jean told the story of his adventures to a "Star" representative this morning. He said that he laid low for a day or so in Auckland, and answered an advertisement for a farmhand. He walked to Pukekohe, where he got a job with a dairyman, and soon began quite a new experience with Jersey cows and calves. Although an electrician, he took well to his new occupation and apparently gave satisfaction. "It was difficule, so difficule, monsieur, and some of the cows were most terrible," said Jean. "One was horrible—it attack me."' As he related that, he rubbed the back of his leg reminiscently.

Jean said that he stayed on the farm for three months and earned enough money to buy a suit. "But I was lonely, so lonely, monsieur," he said. "I could not talk to a soul, although everyone was so kind to me. I long for France every night when I lie awake." Fortunately for Jean there came a silver lining to his dark cloud, as he made the acquaintance of a young Belgian lady. "She was most delightful and gentle," he eaid enthusiastically. The marine lapsed into pure French in an endeavour to do full justice to the young lady's charms. "Ah," he said with arms outspread, "she was magnifique!" In spite of the solace that Jean found, life at Pukekohe began to pall, and the mental picture of a quiet street in his beloved Paris was always before him. He decided to come to Auckland to give himself up. He took lodgings at Carlton Gore Road, pawned his suit to assist his somewhat meagre finances, and once more donned the white uniform and redtasseled nat of the French Navy. Yesterday arrangements were made to ship Jean to Sydney, where he will join a French boat.

Jean is a bit hazy about his future, and has misgivings that some explanation will be required later on. "I have no regrets," he said as he stood at the Maheno's rail. "The kindness I have met with has been incomparable. New Zealand is tree splendide. Such charming ladies!"

Jean flung his arms wide open— metaphorically to embrace them all. Although Jean was offered the hospitality of several French ladies in the city until the Maheno sailed, he refused to accept their kindness, stating as his reason that it was beneath his dignity as a deserter from the French Navy, and despite his straitened circumstances, he preferred to pay his way.