"GINGER."

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1917, Page 1

"GINGER."

THE PAPER, GIRL AT THE

FRONT

“Papier, m’sieur; Inglecsh pa-

pier 1 ” I was halted by a smiling, rosycliefeketl girl, typically French, on one of our screened roads leading’ to the ■‘line.” “Hullo, Ginger! What's the news this morning ? ” “ Boa, news; plenty advance . ...... Merci,” The "paper I bought was'24 hours old and cost two-pence halfpenny, but I trudged on delighted with a budget of good news. The girl responding to the sobriquet of “ Ginger ” was a character .to be met with every day near a little •shell scarred village a few hundred yards behind our trenches She was of the blonde species, ar'tf her hair would be best described as fiery golden. She was always hatless, and the wealth of vivid hair was responsible for “Tommy’s” appellation of “Ginger.” The blossom of youth in her cheeks and a cheery disposition had won her a local popularity.

Before the war La B nestled peacefully and contentedly in the shade of a wood, but one day tine sunniness was dimmed b} r the clouds of war. The village was threatened ; its church tower became an aimingpoint for artillery, and its people fled. After the first few months of the struggle some of the-refugees, including “ Ginger,” returned with their bundles. Her father—now numbered among the fallen at Soissons—used to sell papers at.the little shop which still stands hack from the cobbled pave and defies the intermittent shelling. A couple of English contents bills of ancient date and ancient interest are the only marks of distinction the shop possesses. It was in consequence of the soldiers near by that “Ginger” took np “ papering.” In addition to keeping herself, mademoiselle was responsible for the support of her old grandmother, who was very frail nnder the weight of years, but who refused to leave her home. * * * * *

The paper, girl's approach' each morning was heralded by the “ toottoot ” of a French horn she 'had thrown over her shoulder iu the approved “ Little Boy Blue” style. Her military knowledge of the district was extensive, and wherever njen were billeted she hunted out likely customers. No one was allowed to evade her challenge of ‘‘ Papier, m’sienr? ” with the eternal assurance of “ Plenty news.” Her approach was first announced away back near infantry rest billets, and she made her way towards the line with the same unconpern as “Tommy” himself., She neydi : ’seemed to think of the German/?*'who once drove her from her home. She'was used to the rumble of bombardment and the eerie scream of a shell. To her the noise of war had become the daily condition of things. Whenever she passed a party of men returning from a spell or going “ vip ” there was much “ leg-pulling ” on both sides. Her hair naturally evoked playful comment, but whenever Tommy referred to the ‘‘gingery” curls she implied, “ Ton jealous.” One morning someone asked her why she did not wear a tin hat, and she laughingly remarked, “Me not wear tin hat. Me not frightened ! ” She had no mean knowledge of newspaperdom and understood the relationship of one paper to another.# If sold out of one she would calndy inquire if so-and-so would do, and invariably it would. A lijnifc has to be put to her wanderings, and when a cert/iin point is reached a sentry stops her, and it is at fhis limit-post that, she dumps down the remains of Fleet-street’s energies and makes her final stand. Here she resembles that, new English the Flag Day Girl, and it is her business to see that everyone is buttonholed. “ Ginger" never gives up the ghost even when the weather is bad, but turns up regularly each morning. *