Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1915-09-14
BROOKLYN WOMAN
MET NOTED AUTHOR
OF "Queed" On French Battlefield
Henry Snydor Harrison Drives
Ambulance.
FOR AMERICAN HOSPITAL.
Bringing Wounded Frenchmen Back
From the Front, Comforts War
Victims in French Tongue.
By Jean Cabsll o'Neill in Brooklyn Easle.l

100 UuSE 10 lnluk OF DthL StlttIst
or even of the fash of "V VS. Eyes"
Henry Sydnor Harrison of Brooklyn,
and several other places is at the fore
front of relief work in Paris, in connec-
ton with the Ambulance Hospital, Neu-
lily. Just outside the walls of Paris.
He was intensely busy getting a car
ready for a run to New Chapel, where
the trains from the front brought their
pitiful passengers, there to be lifted by
the American boys of the Ambulance
Hospital into their cars for tho last run
into Neuilly, when l met him, and so
modest is he that when I asked about
someone else, had a long chat with
him before either of us knew the iden-
tity of the other.
His first query was did the home
people know anything of the work of
the hospital ?"-for he had written to
Richmond to The Times-Dispatch
something of the splendid work, as to
him there seemed less information on
the subject than it deserved. When !
said Il am a self-constituted press
agent for the work of the American
Ambulance here, and also have been
trying to stir up things at home" he
forgot to crank up, and we talked for
long of Brooklyn and The Eagle and
then of days in Dixie, where we both
were born.
Even then l did not know it was
"Queed," for any Harrison is interest
ing to a Virginian; but when he was
suddenly called away, his comrade on
the car took advantage cf his departure
to tell me what a great boy" "Queed"
was in the estimation of everyone eX-
cept "Queed" himself. That the nick
name was a constant worry to the mod
est inventor of it, added greatly 10 the
Joy of using il among the American or
derlies; for there is more grief than
cheer among the five hundred patients
of this great hospital, and to guy" is
not a lost art.
Not only does Mr.. Harrison seem to
he tremendously liked by everyone. but
all point with astonishment to the fact
not only did he learn to run an auto
ambulance right up to the front in two
months, but he also seemed to have
discovered royal road to learning"
French was mastered by Mr.. Harrison
in the record time of eight weeks.
Probably the firm foundation which he
received in the Brooklyn Latin School,
under his father. DR.. Casxie Harrison,
Of which at one time of his busy life he
also was an instructor. may have been
responsible for this ease of mastering
the language of many pitfalls to the
average American. And knowledge of
French is absolutely essential, TO the
hospital ambulance workers, for the
poor soldiers are in so much nerve
strain as well as physical agony, one
needs to comfort them in a tongue
which they understand.
Harry S. Harrison is incidentally
looking for fiction material; but so
thoroughly is he working for humanity
that it is doubtful if he will-ta much
time from hospital work to record his
impressions. He told me that the sto-
ries the wounded men had to tell were
the most amazing in quiet heroism,
endurance and "all in the days work"
spirit that could be imagined There
may have been men like the chief actor
in The Red Badge of Courage" who
were at heart afraid, but he doubted it
Not only did the idea of scare seem
never to have found lodgment in the
brain of any one he had met, but cour
age, and not to count the cost of any
thing dore for La Parie. was the dom
'nant spirit on every hand.
But sympathy the wounded did want
not pity.bu Willingness to find lis
tener to their stories of individual ad-
venture-and if one would look at the
wound which was q particular badge
of distinction TO the wounded, he was
greatly comforted Even French human
nature seems much like he,boy nature
of Tom Sawyer's chnm, who wanted to
show the wounded toe-for a consider
ation-to mis- less fortunate friends, as
Mr.. Harrison quantity expressed it.
was to have had the pleasure of
another chat with him, and-greatest
of boons-he was to take me to inter
view some of his pets among the men;
but the fortunes of war interposed;.
He was rushed off to Yrpes to gather
Up the victims CT the gas bombs, and
although l saw many he brought into
Paris in safety, l met him no more.
1t was the first time the American
ambulance has received the soldiers
from so far away but the French have
| acquired a great admiration for the
| skill and fearlessness of the American
doctors and this was new evil, and
how to cope with it was beyond those
n the field hospitals nearer to Elan
| ders
| Mr.. Harrison seems to bear a
charmed life, for he is in the thick
of the trouble, and day after day
comes through without hurt, and, as
he would say better still, he brings his
precious freight of wounded into shell
ter and care. He is proud of his work
and of the Americans in Paris, and
| proud of being an American and
Brooklyn boy. ]. c. orc.
II