Grand Forks daily herald. (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1914-1916, 1914-10-08
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y A Woman's Wartime
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"A w OMAN 5 w ar line =
Diary X
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On the Way to Marseilles. Sept. /.
The gray of dawn is creeping over
the car; the boys are still asleep, one
with his head in mothers lap and
morning we had the compartment to
ourselves. A rustic of a 50-franc note
from hand to hand in the midnight
darkness Of the unlighted train had
converted third-class tickets to second
class. had softly closed the doors and
curtains on h aisle. and by spreading
bundles about and stretching out and
sleeping like the dead when onyone.
looked in we had held the place for
the four precious hours. Not too
moral, but any one will bribe q plot
for sleep.
Then a man who couldn't be fooled
and saw the difference between foul
his wife and little girl. The dawn is
just sketching them into shadowy
form. They are all asleep. They
look like nice people. From some
where a boy about IL has taken an
other e I judge that they are
modern-minded. for they do not OBJ
ject to open windows. We came to an
0@NSaoNdiiAii6 dOouS ~ III Tie OdIhs
ness, our voices all we had to 60 by.
The train is just pulling out. A
newsboy has passed, but I do not want
a paper. III get one later. I'm afraid
Of news. 1t is o early in the day
for any sort of excitement. The world
looks half asleep. The shadows are
yapory. and 1t is going to be a hot
day. No n seems to have any idea
how long it will take us to get to
Marseilles. Under normal conditions
1t takes about eleven hours. Mother
and I are already stiff and tired and
irritated with the heat and dust. but
we know better than to admit it as
We have another night before US at
least. and confession might break u
courage. Now we have passed the old
city ramparts. and Paris behind US.
"Adieu, HParis!"
Curious experience! We have still
five minutes here and I will jot it
down before. it dims in the oncoming
Of other things. I got off the train
fruit and mineral water. Half way
across the room an ordinary railway
buffet. a long table down the center
and small ones along two sides, sor-
! as they all are and ugly in fixture,
! had h sensation Of having been in
the place before. 1t was so acute
that it stopped me. sorted me out of
"S SAo"0 vi 4tS1N 1IAS 0d1SO lOOA-
ing about the room. Surely I'd lived
through some indelible moment there
before. Back there in the train, a
sack Of fruit in n hand and a bot
tie Of water in the other. I've been
trying to think it out. think why wal
and strife and the impatient crowd
were blotted out for me Just then, and
my eyes and senses held In an mex
plicable mirage.
I've just thought to look at the
name of the station. La Rocher? La
Rocher? And I've bought a bottle of
lemonade instead Of mineral water,
and I've nothing with which to get off
the miserable patent stopper! Mirages
DO not do in times OF war and with
thirsty boys. We should have been
here before noon. 1t is nearly four
o'clock. -.
We are creeping through town aft
er town. They all look alike. SOL
diers everywhere, a strained patience
holding things fairly level in the late
the front we have a carload Of Ger
man prisoners enroute for some south
ern prison. Well not go up to see
them. hate the human way Of star
Ing at humans in stripes or chains.
Every station has its crowd-a wave
Of human dust reaching to its crest
to see its prisoners. The minute the
train stops thev rush down the plat
form. women holding babies high to
see. dogs. innumerable dogs. barking
with excitement. Come. come! And
look at the Germans!" I notice that
when a group of people is possessed
OF, a curiosity that Is tinged with re-
vense their chins reach out and lines
show in their necks and they look ug-
ly.
In the next compartment to ours is
an officer suffering from that worse
result OF war than wounds-nervous
shock. 1t results in bulging eyes and
loss Of power to sleep. He is a big,
strong man. his face looks as If it
booty back with him. The saber and
the helmet Of a German officer. Both
helmet and saber are handsome, mon
ogrammed and crested. the crest a
small crown. The saber is long and
the blade ~two-edged and fearfully fine.
The boys were allowed to sit by the
officer and hold them. There were all
sorts Of cartridges and bullets, the
much talked-of soft" kind among
them. When the bays came back 10
their " seats they looked at zach
other q long moment. Suddenly AL
len said: My goodness. PAUL." and
Paul responded: Gee Whit"
The night is down and the stations
have a less sordid look under lights.
The room where the soldiers sleep is
piled with straw. Heaven knows
when the greater unwashed will be
washed again!
We have had nothing warm to eat
all day long. and nothing but water
to drink. The corridors are filled
with people. They must expect to
stand all night long. The women
have got rid Of their corsets and have
ceased to v try to sit up, as II they
had them on. Goats and collars are
off. Nobody cares about anything
but his own comfort. The night from
this side looks long and hard, even
precarious. Once I have q. small,
heavy head In my lap it will be easier.
to forget myself. And time does pass,
and tomorrow will be longer than to-
day has been!
It's awfully hard for some Of US
to lind thouEhtl to fit our Worda