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[Page 30]
quaintest one ever seen. I just mean to plod along gathering material until I strike a vein. That's all one can do.
St. Gratien.
June 30th.
Yesterday I borrowed a bicycle and with Lt. Deshon made for Dreuil on the other side of Amiens. We had a perfect morning to start on and with one or two stops for refreshment - grenadine at one place and strawberries at another - arrived at a little restaurant we had found on the day we went to the military competition. The woman who owns it is a good type of French -woman. She has a wounded husband at home - out of it for good; a son, whose portrait she showed us, with pride, still at the front, and - - Georgette. I'm not good in guessing ages but I should say that Georgette would be 18, a sweet wholesome type of the best French girl. She, and an almost as nice cousin, help maman, who, for those whom she knows, will get together nice little lunch. While we were lingering over our coffee three Aust. field Ambulance N. C. 0.'s. came in. They had a motor ambulance with them, and Desh - who is wonderfully ingratiating - persuaded them to take us for a run down South into French territory. It was a treat to get off the beaten track and enter untouched, rural France - so neat and fairy-like. The road was fairly good, the weather perfect and we bowled along its undulating surface at a great clip. Everything looked prosperous, sleek and very, very peaceful. The lawns were so velvety and the trees so shady I felt like getting out and lying under them forever.
''Here will I lie while these long branches sway
And you sweet stars, that crown a happy day
Go in and out as if at merry play".
But if peace and rest were in my mind, speed and joyful noise were the objects of my friends. We passed one little village after another. The inhabitants just knew enough to say ''Australians"! as we passed, until we pulled up at a somewhat larger one where a number of horizon blue clad men were "en permission". These grand fellows gave us the heartiest kind of welcome and from the jump, for the little while we were there, we were all good friends. With much handshaking we left