Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 11679-h.htm or 11679-h.zip: (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/6/7/11679/11679-h/11679-h.htm) or (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/6/7/11679/11679-h.zip) THE WHITE ROAD TO VERDUN By Kathleen Burke Knight of St. Sava, Serbia Officier de l'Instruction Publique, France This Little Book Is Respectfully And Affectionately Dedicated To Madame Jusserand, Ambassadrice de France in Washington, and to Monsieur Gaston Liebert, Consul General de France Dr. C. O. Mailloux And to all my good friends in the United States and Canada, whose sympathy and encouragement have helped me so much in my work. VIVE LA FRANCE Contents Chapter I The True Philosophers II The Bridge At Meaux III Recruiting Rat-Catchers IV A Gun Carriage An Altar V Life Behind The Lines VI Devotion To Animals VII Hunting For Generals VIII An Instance Of Quick Wit IX At The Headquarters Of General Petain X A Meeting With "Forain" XI Value Of Women's Work XII The "Movies" Under Fire XIII A Subterranean Cut XIV Poilu And Tommy XV Abbreviated French XVI The Brown And Black Sons Of France XVII At General Nivelle's Headquarters XVIII Rheims XIX At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo XX To The Glory Of The Women Of France The True Philosophers We left Paris determined to undertake the journey to the Front in the true spirit of the French Poilu, and, no matter what happened, "de ne pas s'en faire." This famous "motto" of the French Army is probably derived from one of two slang sentences, de ne pas se faire des cheveux ("to keep one's hair on,") or de ne pas se faire de la bile, or, in other words, not to upset one's digestion by unnecessary worrying. The phrase is typical of the mentality of the Poilu, who accepts anything and everything that may happen, whether it be merely slight physical discomfort, or intense suffering, as part of the willing sacrifice which he made on the day that, leaving his homestead and his daily occupation, he took up arms "offering his body as a shield to defend the heart of France." Everything might be worse than it is, says the Poilu, and so he has composed a Litany. Every regiment has a different version, but always with the same basis.