LITTLE HEROES OF FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2548, 24 August 1915, Page 3

LITTLE HEROES OF FRANCE

The country is full of men, unknown, as_ they say themselves, who are daily doing deeds which build up the-coun-ty's glory, and the story of one of these came to. mo this week (states a correspondent from Paris to the ''Queen" of July 10). Tho hero in this particular case is a foundling. He was picked up on the berge de la Seino, and from the' river's bank he received , his namej "Bergerie ; " Le petit Bergerie. It has a "charming sound, and to-day it has a glorious meaning, for. Le petit Bergerie has been mentioned twice in dispatches, and is now proposed for the Military' Medal. ,He is also the proud owner of a German iron cross,, which he was. allowed to take from a German officer who had fallen to his account by the French officer in command, so ■splendid-and brilliant, had been his conduct' in that 'particular action.. The cross: is now ,in the possession of a kindly little bourgooise whose husband has taken .an .interest in the foundling boy for several _ years. She has been asked to keep it for the " soldier until he shall come back after the war. The pride, of this kindly woman in the career of the boy who was once looked, on as something of .in outcast by those who measure merit by conventional methods is good to see, and .she shows his trophy with tears -in her eyos, haunted as she must be by the fear that "whom the gods love lie .young." Another case 'of heroism of a .different kind was told to me the other day. A, soldier had been killed, and a comrade who was beside him when ha fell, and who knew what his death would mean) to his parents,,-,tpok the,trouble iffi.,tho. : midst : of allfthfif'diffifcult' arid-dangerous'-.tasks he had'to do to make a careful) plan of the spot vhero his friend fell' arid was'-,buried,''which be sent to the family, so that after the. war they .-might-have no difficulty sin finding the grave' arid placing there their tribute to liis memory. .'When we remember how difficult it is to fulfil even ordinary acts of .courtesy for a friend in times of : stress, the delicacy of this little soldier's act as; well as its determination can bo appreciated.. Another soldier in the second line writes us 1 - letters describing ! the daily round of his life.- Dangerous and dull to the last extremity is the ■ impression ho gives,. yet, as he says, "In doing what we have got to do well, I suppose we count as much as those whose work is more in evidence." We Certainly believe they do count, and it is good to; get such letters from the front telling-of the cheerful, modest spirit which keepa men so humble and. makes thein so great.