Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-10-27
A WOMAN IN FRENCH TRENCHES

PARIS. October 2l.-'SuiGIcrs who
had not seen woman 10. months
crowded around me 10 pay their re
Spccts,' said Marika Suerusiedr. a
Swedish author ana ;hc first woman TO
visit the French battle front by In
vitniion OF the general stan. Ola re-
turning to Paris to-day. "fhci: bear
!nI proved" she added. that they have
not lost Il particle Of the traditional
French polish in the months OF bur
rowing in the earth far from refining
influences. Their mothers, wives, ais-
tcrs and swccthcarts may be proud OF
them.
Miss Stjernstcdt is not only the first
woman 30 succeed where so many men
have failed. bat she is likely to be the
last Of her sex 10 enjoy the privilege
Of being specially conducted 10 the
front. The French general staff is
opposed 90 The p!"scnc. Of women ia
the zone OF operations.
The party will be within range OF
the cncmys artillery objected the
official TO whom she appealed. Won't
you be afraid what | fear most"
Miss Stjernstcdt replied. lis that
shall not be permitted To get close
enough to show YOU am not afraid"
The party approached close enough
to inspect thoroughly the hcld OF the
recent operations in the Champagne.
and what Miss Stjcrnstedt saw of IL,
she declared to the Associated Press.
"surpasScS all imagination.'
81 went so rapidly from one strong
impression TO another that it is diff
cult to recall them ALL" she continued,
Il t"avcrScd miles of devastation over
the ground, every rod of which had
been ncaVcd up, and where remained
not sign of vegetation. where should
have been shrubs. trees or crops and
flowers, an arm stuck ont here ana
leg there. and all was pervadcd by
sickly. oppressive odor.
AN indoiinable sadness in the pres
cncc of 80 many evidences of death
diuinishes somewhat as you get in
contact with the Indifference of those
who have lived amidst it for more than
Il year Perhaps the strongest i'm
preston came from the sight Of two
inert bodies. that we took ut first for
wounded, being carried back from the
lines. They were two heroes who had
made tho supreme sacrifice. Nothing
more could be done for them.
Bnttics the Only Monuments.
Every member of the visiting party
was moved but for all YOU could see
il was to the stretchcr- bearers and to
the soldiers who saw them pass moth
ing but daily incident. They car
ried them back from the lines TO .he
little cemeteries that can he seen
everywhere on approaching the front.
y bottle stuck into each mound con-
tains the individual history of each
actor In the tragedy for his loved ones
to learn after IL is all over.
1.-The din of il becomes so soon fa-
miliar that one pays little attention
to the field batteries firing close at
hand though the threc-inch guns make
II noise quite In proportion to their
deadly execution.
Though we were I'm range Of heavy
and light German guns none Of the
big shells called Marmitcs' came our
way.
The officer conducting the party
said iokingly he would be glad If one
exploded near enough so he could see
how | would take II, but we were not
to have that luck.
'"rhc soldiers ] saw while passing
through Germany on my way to France
cannot stand comparison with the men
i saw In Champagne. The latter are
admirable in quality and spirit They