THE WOMAN OF PARIS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 737, 16 January 1915, Page 2

THE WOMAN OF PARIS.

And this Parisenne, meant to be the type of the French woman —look at her! Her husband, her sons, her brothers, all are armed and defending their country against the invasion of Germany's virtuous sons. She is collected—anxious, it is true, but brave. She works for the soldiers, and performs wonaers of ambulance work. As a business woman, left alone in the shop because her husband has joined the colours, she carrieß on the business a? best she can, and brings up the children at the Bame time. Left destitute of news, ignorant of the march of events, overwhelmed with cares, see hbw she practices that most difficult of all virtues—patience. She suffers materially, also, for money is scarce, and everything bought from the tradespeople must be paid tor cash down. But she never utters a word of complaint. Unlike the gentle German Gretchen, this woman will not counsel those who set out for ihe front to kill and ravage and destroy everything which cannot easily be carried away. She will not go and insult the prisoners, herded together like beasts, not finish off the wounded in the ambulance vehicles. She is generous and compassionate. She thinks of those who are far away from her, and endeavours to soften the miseries of the enemy in her own vicinity. She has been told that the approaching winter will be severe, and that warm Uothing will be needed for the soldiers. And as in a bygone age the women of Brittany threaded their bolikins to pay the ransom of the good Knight Du Guesclin, so does she knit with her nimble fingers the woollen vests wuich ara to comfort our brave soldiers in their cheerless camps.

Woman of Patis, you who did not tremble under the brutal menace of the "Tauberi," who did not flee before the German onslaught, and the massacring artillery, by your Bimple virtues you have Bhown the power of a Saint Genevieve, and you have driven back the blood-thirsty and rapacious hordes of the demon Attila whose entry into Paris wag hourly expected. It is your tranquil valour which has kept the heart in the combatants of the Marne and the Aisne. Sons, brothers, husbands —none wanted to be behind you in heroism, and because of that they have carried off the victory. Woman nf Paris, if ever any misguided writer tries to falsely represent your real character; if he depicts you without your aureole of virtues, smile with disdain, and count upon the-gratitude of all those who, knowing what you are, will look up to you and love you in the future as the patron - saint of our beloved Prance!—Le Figaro.