Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-09-14
TWO GIRLS, CUT OFF
BY WAR IN FRANCE,
REACH HOME SAFELY
Isolated in Breton Village,
They Are Held Eighteen
Days, Then Make Their
Way to Paris.

To he stranded In seaport town eigh'
hours from Paris, and cut off from com
uunlcation with the outside world fol
.tybteon days during the mobilization oi
the French army, was the experience oi
two Philadelphia girls, Miss Hortense
1,oyy. 1924 North Fifteenth street and Miss
Helen Abrahams 3ll9 Diamond street,
who returned to this city yesterday after
n series of exciting experiences within the
war zone They were at small seaport
town named st. Jean du Doigt In Brit
tany.
"ye were no worse off than the rest OF
the women OF Europe and great deal
more fortunate than the majority, said
Miss Levy yesterday In speaking OF her
experiences. Everywhere the men have
deserted the villages and the women are
taking over their labors.
ION August 1 was attracted to the
window of my room by the pitiful crying
at funeral which was being held IN a
picturesque cemetery across the street.
It was while in the midst of this dismal
scene that the tones of the toosin bell
broke in, telling that war had been de-
clared. The proclamation calling for mo-
billzation, which was pasted before the
mayors office, was several yards long 1t
was received at . o'clock Sunday evening
and at the 6 o'clock church services the
next morning no men were present, all
were i'm the fields hastily harvesting their
crops or were ON their way to the front.
During the period of mobilization we
were not allowed to leave The town. We
were with little money and wore cut off
from news and friends in the outside
world.
FRENCH WE'RE COURTEOUS.
1.-THE French were very courteous to
u.s. Prices were not raised. In fact, ,he
prices on butter and eggs came down.
Butter could be bought for 10 cents
pound, because the usual sources of its
outlet were cut off. Notices were postcd
notifying the public that 1t was a penal
offense to raise prices.
while we were stranded we knew but
little of what was going on on the out
side, The men had all left and all the
activity of the town was carried on by
the women We spent considerable of
our time sewing for the Red Cross.
"On August IS we were able to reach
Paris. after many passports and papers
had been signed. The trip took 20 hours.
while it usually takes but eight On the
trip to Paris we stopped at La Mons,
where the first trainloads of wounded
were being brought in.
"At Amiens we saw the arrival of the
7j,0OO English troops. They displayed the
greatest good humor and were singing
popular song. 'Tipperary,' which the ma
tves believed to be their national air
The postage stamps of France, which
formerly cost two cents, are now selling
for three, the extra cent being used for
the Red Cross relief work.
Everywhere we found the widest ex-
element. The soldiers go on their way
singing, the women hang flowers from
their windows and even the wounded do
not lose their good humor."
Miss Levy and Miss Abrahams arrived
on the steamship Finland at New York
yesterday. They say that the congestion
of tourists at London has been relieved
and praise the work of the American
committee. They had to work their own
way from the coast of Brittany to Paris,
but in the French capital they met
friends who assisted them to reach Lon
don.
Trains from New York Yesterday
brought home two Philadelphia families
who had come over on the steamship
Campania, landing at New York Mr..
ana Mrs. c. Hartman Kuhn arrived yes
terday evening and are registered for a
few days at the Bellevue Stratford. The
her 0ther couple were Mr. and Mrs. Morris
Danhenbaum, of 1901 Spring Garden
street.
WAR NEWS IN LETTER.
An interesting account of the war con-
ditions in Antwerp and the attack OF
the German Zeppelins on the city is con-
talned in letter received by Max Hess,
OF ZV55 Arch street, from his brother
fhIlippe. who has been attending school |
In that city.
SCHOOLS theatres and cafes have been |
closed the letter says. "and have been
turned into hospitals. Automobiles and |
motorcycles bear the insignia of the |
army Soldiers patrol the streets and all |
business is suspended. All the soldiers
e'aFtlhg Tor the front are loaded with |
no"eFs' cigars candy and luxuries. The |
English allies receive ovations whenever
'heS appear on the streets"
Inc attack of the Zeppelins occurred at
O'Clock at night. according to the letter.
we all had retired" he writes "ond
'NN HSaIu no TufnorS or an
''en'S lor some time, when suddenly the
city was shaken as II by an earthquake.
series OF explosions followed at short
intervals and people rushed into the
streets not knowing where the next
bomb would fall.
inc King who had moved with his
iamily to Antwerp. is said to have rushed
'H'o the street coatless and hatless. Ten
'O"'Os We're dropped ana eight people
meIe KILLED and 25 wounded. The whirr OF
bear5 - T g'tTFs of the destroyers could be
heard al the time that the hop,bs we're
reIS cropped, aud the only evidence the
psople mad OF the presence of an enemy
Of t AT hahd was the low droning hum
tba 'ho propeller blades, which preceded
M ulopplnS Of bomb, after which the
~ seht the machine beyond the range
u any possible attack
- business must be suspended at
49, 80 ana all lights must be covered at
tbe't nov To prevent future attacks By
@ rue alF destroyeTs. Dark coverings are
strsat 1''t lhe Nights and soldiers patrol the
Tbe ~ groups to ward on any attack"
en-, "I .eIler, which had large portions of II
~ 9ui ui oy The censor, also had a map OF
To- DyStloNei buildings taken from It be-
iUIe being passed.
vy,rI anu t rs described as war mad by Ed
5'N " haue. who returned with his |
~ e.l'i' Hiss Miriam rIart- tyaDa on |