FRANCE’S GRAND EXAMPLE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 10330, 27 March 1916, Page 7

FRANCE’S GRAND EXAMPLE.

May I (writes “A Colonel of Guns” to (lie Times) echo Lord Redcsdale’s final remark in his letter of the 19th inst? “How grand are the Frenchwomen.” Yesterday not far behind the shell area, I met a frail French girl, not more than seventeen years old, very nearsighted, but ploughing industriously with two large horses. The operation seemed to tax all her strength. Arrived at tho end of tho furrow, I asked ■ was there no ono to help her. “Non. m’sicur. Mon frere cst a la guerre.” Is it_not too hard for you? “Non, m’sieur,’’ with nu air that seemed to say, “It’s hard —but I don’t mean to admit it.” And she started on the new furrow. She had no time for idle conversation. Certainly—how grand arc tho Frenchwomen ! And tho men also play their part! To-day I overtook a miner making his way home across.the fields. As we were some distance from any mine, I asked him had he eonio fro mtho nearest one—some four miles distant. “No, I came from B ——,” and he mentioned ono quite seven miles away. “How long does it take you to do tho journey?” “An hour and a-half.” “What are your hours of work?” “Twelve hours —three extra to our pence shaft, owing to tho war.” “So you have twelve hours’ work and three hours’ walkingtvery day?” “Yes.” “That is a good deal.” “In war all is hard” —with a cheery shrug, and we parted. Certainly—how grand is the French nation !