created, delights in the remembrance of every instant, dreams but of
the moment when he shall again be part of the light-hearted throngs who
composed the society of the Butte. Time and again I have seen heavy
army trucks lumbering down the avenue, bearing in huge chalk letters on
either side of the awning-covered sides, such inscriptions as--_Bon
jour, Montmartre. A bientot la Cigale--Greetings from the Front_--and
like nonsense, denoting not only a homesick heart, but a delicate
attention towards a well beloved.

A few months might have made but little difference, but each succeeding
year of war has brought indelible changes. Gone forever, I fear, are
the evenings when after dinner at the Cuckoo, we would stand on the
balcony and watch the gradual fairy-like illumination of the panorama
that stretched out before us. The little restaurant has closed its
doors, but the vision from the terrace is perhaps more majestic, for as
the last golden rays of twilight disappear, a deep purple vapour rising
from the unknown, rolls forward and mysteriously envelops the _Ville
Lumiere_ in its sumptuous protecting folds. Alone, overhead the star
lamp of a scout plane is the only visible light.

The old Moulin de la Galette has cast aside its city airs and taken on
a most rural aspect, while the _maquis_, or jungle on whose site a
whole new white stone quarter had been projected, is now but a mass of
half finished, abandoned foundations, wherein the children of the
entire neighbourhood gather to play at the only game which now has a
vogue, i.e., "War."

_La petite guerre_ they call it.

We came upon them quite by accident one afternoon, and discovered two
hostile bands occupying first line trenches.

Of course, as no one wished to be the Boche, it looked for a time as
though the campaign would have to be deferred, but so violent was the
love of fray that it was soon decided that the _opposite_ side in both
cases would be considered Hun, and thus the difficulty was solved.

It goes without saying that the school which is first dismissed
occupies the better positions. The others must rely upon their
strength and valour to win out.

The first attack was with hand grenades in the form of pebbles.
Patrols advanced into No Man's Land, crawling and crouching until with
a yell the belligerents met. Prisoners were taken on both sides.

"What forces have we in front of us?" demanded an important looking
twelve year old General o