Grandpere
and Father Meraut took charge of the live-stock, and Mother
Corbeille milked the cows.
As they dragged themselves wearily to bed that night, Kathleen
decorated Mademoiselle with a huge cross,--cut out of paper,--
which she pinned upon her nightgown. "For extreme gallantry," she
explained, "in leading your forces into action in face of a
fierce charge by two goats, and for taking prisoner two
rebellious pigs!" Then she saluted ceremoniously and tumbled into
bed.
XII. MORNING IN THE MEADOW
As summer came on, life seemed less and less sad to the people of
Fontanelle. With the coming of the Americans the outlook had so
changed that, although the war was not yet over, they could look
forward to the future with some degree of hope. The news brought
from Rheims by occasional refugees was always sad. The Germans
con tinued to shell the defenseless city, and the Cathedral
sustained more and more injuries, but the beautiful stained-glass
windows had been carefully taken down, the broken pieces put
together as far as possible, and the whole shipped to safer
places in France. The statue of Jeanne d'Arc within the church
had also been taken from its niche, while the one before the
Cathedral doors still remained unharmed by shot and shell.
It comforted Mother Meraut to think of that valiant figure
standing alone amid such desolation. She had other things to
comfort her as well. With food and fresh air the roses bloomed
again in the cheeks of her children.
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