My Home In The Field of Honor | Page 9

fell asleep before the noise ceased. Indeed for three long weeks
there was no end to it, as night and day the Eastern Railway rushed its
human freight towards the Eastern frontier.
Sunday morning, August second, found us all at our posts as the sun
rose. Elizabeth and I drove down to Charly for eight o'clock mass, and
all along the road met men and boys on their way to the station. The
church was full, but there were only women and elderly men in the
assembly; why, we knew but too well, and many wives and mothers
had come there to hide their grief. Our curate was a very old man, and
the news had given him such a shock that he was unable to say a word
after reaching the pulpit and stood there, tongue-tied, with the tears
streaming down his face for nearly five minutes--finally retiring
without uttering a sound. Not exactly the most fortunate thing that
could have happened, for his attitude encouraged others to give way to
their emotions, and there was a most impressive silence followed by
much sniffling and nose-blowing! All seemed better, though, after the
shower, and the congregation disbanded with a certain sense of relief.
Before leaving home H. told me to seek out the grocer, and to lay in a
stock of everything she dispensed.
"You see," said he, "we're now cut off from all resources. There are no
big cities where we can get supplies, within driving reach, and our
grocers will have nothing to sell once their stock is exhausted. We're
living in the hope that the mobilization will last three weeks. That will
you do if it lasts longer? It never hurts to have a supply on hand!"
"All my salt, sugar and gasoline has been put aside for the army. I was
ordered to do that this morning--but come around to the back door and
I'll see what I can do for you," said my amiable grocery-woman.
"That's pleasant," thought I. "No gasoline--no motor--no electricity!
Privation is beginning early. But why grumble! We'll go to bed with the
chickens and won't miss it!"
Madame Leger and I made out a long list of groceries and household
necessities, and she set to work weighing and packing, and finally

began piling the bundles into the trap drawn up close to her side door.
Our dear old Cesar must have been surprised by the load he had to
carry home, but Elizabeth and I decided that a "bird in the hand is
worth two in the bush," and one never could tell what astonishing
"order" to-morrow might bring forth.
How H. laughed when he saw us driving up the avenue.
"I didn't think you'd take me so literally," said he. "Why, war isn't even
declared, and here we are preparing for a siege!"
"Never mind," I returned, "you must remember that there are twelve
persons to feed, and we'll soon get away with all I've got here."
The afternoon was spent in arranging our apartments. For convenience
sake, we decided to close part of the chateau and all live as near
together as possible in one wing. The children and younger servants
seemed to consider the whole as a huge joke--or rather, a prolonged
picnic party, and the house rang with peals of jolly laughter.
Monday, the third, Elizabeth and I tackled the provisions which were
piled high on the table in the servants' hall. A visit to the storeroom and
a little calculation showed that there were sufficient groceries already
on hand to last the month out.
"Very good," said I. "Now, the rest we'll divide into three even parts
--that makes September, October and November assured. By that time
we'll know what precautions to take!"
"Well, I should hope so!" came the smiling reply. And we set to work.
It all recalled the days of my childhood when I used to play at
housekeeping and would measure out on the scales of my dolls' house
so much rice, so much flour, so much macaroni, etc. I could hardly
believe I was in earnest.
We were right in the midst of our task when our gardeners appeared
bearing between them a clothes basket full of plums.
"Madame, they can't wait a day longer. They're ready to cook now."
It was almost a disagreeable surprise, for we were already as busy as
we could be. But there was no way of waiting, or the fruit would be
spoiled.
"Is that all the plums?"
"Ah, no, Madame, there are fully two baskets more. And in a day or
two the blackberries and black currants must be picked or they'll rot on
the vines."

"Heaven preserve us!" thought I. "Will we ever come to the end of it
all!" But by four o'clock