Produced by Michelle Croyle, Sankar Viswanathan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net [Illustration: "I OUGHT TO DUMP YOU OUT."] THE CHILDREN OF FRANCE A Book of Stories of the Heroism and Self-sacrifice of Youthful Patriots of France During the Great War By RUTH ROYCE PHILADELPHIA HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY 1918 CONTENTS CHAPTER I. THEIR FIRST HERO II. REMI THE BRAVE III. THE HEROINE OF FORT MONTERE IV. FRANCOIS OUTWITS THE PRUSSIANS V. THE SACRIFICE OF LITTLE PIERRE VI. A LITTLE SOLDIER OF FRANCE VII. SAVED BY A CHILD'S WIT VIII. THE CHILD DESPATCH BEARER IX. GENE AND THE BAVARIAN DRAGOONS X. A LITTLE SOLDIER OF MERCY XI. A BRAVE LITTLE COWARD XII. THE HERO OF THE GUNS XIII. MARIE THE COURAGEOUS XIV. CONCLUSION AUTHOR'S NOTE While the Author cannot personally vouch for the stories related in this volume, she has full confidence in the sources of her information--men who have seen and heard on the battlefields of France, and who have related to her these and many other like incidents illustrating the heroism of the Children of France. Some of the stories the relators have learned through personal observation, while others have come to them indirectly. The author, therefore, believes each story set down here to be authentic, and so offers them to the liberty-loving boys and girls of America. THE AUTHOR INTRODUCTION The story of the heroism of the Children of France never will be fully told. Many of these little patriots have suffered the supreme penalty for their devotion to their country, leaving neither track nor trace of themselves. That they have disappeared is all that is known of them, and thus the stories of their deeds of valor have died with them. In no other period of the world's history have there been so many instances of self-sacrificing patriotism on the part of children as have come from France during the great war. Through all such stories as have come to light, there runs a spirit of heroism that is sublime. Such stories should and will prove an inspiration to every boy and girl of America and surely will lead them up to a more perfect manhood and womanhood. INTRODUCTION