|THE delightful banks of the river Somme are imprinted on one's memory
among those "sweet places" where it would seem as though man could not
but choose to be happy, so liberally had nature decked them with her
gifts. Yet all of this region formerly known as Flanders, has from time
immemorial been war's favorite playground, "the Cockpit of Europe."
Even in the intervals of wars, strife equally bitter, if less bloody,
has raged here,--the struggle of industry against adequate reward. One
could never forget the sight of women laboring early and late in the
fields, or harnessed together at the end of long tow lines, painfully
dragging barges against the current of the river, or in the factory
yards, trampling with bare feet a mixture of coal dust and clay which,
molded into briquettes, was used as fuel.
Strangely enough, these women and girls, some of them of tender age,
seemed happy and content with their work. The sound of their singing as
they labored could be heard for a long distance. As the barges passed on
the river bank, with these women bending forward, straining at the yoked
ends of the tow rope, moving slowly step by step, we noted that not
seldom they were quite handsome of face, and of good figure. Invariably
they saluted us good humoredly with smiles, but when I removed my hat in
response, I could see that this courtesy struck them as unusual, and
did not leave the impression I desired. Thereafter I modified the
salutation.
At the inn in Péronne a young "commis-voyageur" with whom I made
conversation, and related this incident, told me that I had better
beware of offering such civilities in future, since these Amazons had
been known to seize strangers for fancied offenses, and after giving
them rough treatment, cast them into the river. He called upon the
proprietor of the inn to substantiate his warning, and the latter
satisfied me as to its truth, giving details which need not be set down
here, and which quite decided the matter.
Péronne as an historic and notable town was second to none in all
Picardy. Here the early kings had a great palace given to them by Clovis
II.