<html xmlns:tei="http://www.tei-c.org/ns/1.0"><body><h1 align="center" class="head">A Wayside in France</h1><p class="byline"> ADOLPHE E. SMYLIE <br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/><span class="smallcaps">IN The New York Herald</span><br xmlns:exist="http://exist.sourceforge.net/NS/exist" xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"/>Permission to reproduce in this book</p><div class="stanza"><p class="line">"COME shake hands, my little peach blossom. </p><p class="line">That's right, dear, climb up on my knee. </p><p class="line">This big Yankee soldier is lonesome--</p><p class="line">Ah, now we'll be friends, ma chérie. </p><p class="line">We won't understand one another, </p><p class="line">Your round eyes are telling me so, </p><p class="line">But the cling of your chubby fingers </p><p class="line">Is a language that all daddies know.</p><p class="line">When I caught a sight of your pigtails</p><p class="line">And those eves of violet blue, </p><p class="line">It made me heart-hungry, ma petite,</p><p class="line">For I've a wee girl just like you. </p><p class="line">She lives 'way across the wide ocean, </p><p class="line">Out where the bald eagles nest, </p><p class="line">And she knows all the chipmunks and gophers </p><p class="line">At my shack out in the West.''</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">"Tu dis I'ouest! Est-ce ton pays? </p><p class="line">Veux-tu, quand tu iras chez-toi--</p><p class="line">Maman est toujours à pleurer</p><p class="line">Me retrouver mon soldat Papa? </p><p class="line">Il etait avec sa batterie </p><p class="line">Près des Anglais la en campagne </p><p class="line">Mais Papa est allé dans l'ouest </p><p class="line">Des Anglais disaient à Maman; </p><p class="line">Alors, Maman sera heureuse</p><p class="line">Et, tu vois elle tie pleurera plus </p><p class="line">Je veux te donner on baiser,--, </p><p class="line">Merci! To es si bon pour nous!"</p></div><div class="stanza"><p class="line">There she goes! She told me her secret, </p><p class="line">Kissed me and then flew away,--</p><p class="line">Say, Poilu! You savez some English, </p><p class="line">Now what did that little tot say? </p><p class="line">"She say Engleeshman tol' her Mama </p><p class="line">Zat her soldat Papa eez gone West! </p><p class="line">You said West, bien! Zen you live zaire, </p><p class="line">So she make you her leetle request, </p><p class="line">Zat you find heem in your countree </p><p class="line">So her Mama no more she weel cry; </p><p class="line">Zen she thank you an' kees you, si joyeuse,--</p><p class="line">Pauvre mignonne, she think you weel try!" </p></div></body></html> · Great War