Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-08-05
Bv ELLEN ADAIR

ia very marked, for formerly there No..
no real time limit, and one could slt tI,,
the wee sma' hours" at those deIlRhtfat
little tables on the pavement and watch
the nIEht-life Of the gay Parisians IN ali
its flood tide
WOMEN TAKE MEMS PLACES.
The women, of course, have bravs,,.
stepped into the places OF the men AZ,
the tramcar conductors are women 49,
very odd do they look in their enor,no,,s
black alpaca aprons and small bises
caps OF the "Glengarry'' VARIETY. Thss
| are exceedingly businesslike all thu sar..
and hustle the passengers in and out veits
the greatest possible energy. The French
/ rendering of "Step lively please" iv oi
ways on their lips, together with a tveiss
kind of whistle which gives forth wan.
ing sound, such as a cat might utter IN n.
death agony, and which has n PECULIAR.
disturbing effect on the nerves the arss
time one hears it! For the sum Of thrss
francs and 50 centimes per day, or abont
10 cents in American money, these wons.
work tirelessly for 10 hours. The worF 4
hard and poorly paid, but they seem a
enjoy II.
I chatted with several of them, and ths.,
all remarked that they were happy In ~.
ing strong enough to fill the places ~
their men. Most of them were mart,st
women with husbands at the front orr
young woman on the Madeleine roita
had lost two husbands in the warl 'sMv
first husband was killed last September"
she informed me, "and I married again
but six weeks ago. Now learn that he
too, is killed."
LA GUERRE ONLY TOPIC
The one topic of conversation In Paris
is of course ia guerre." From morning
till night one hears nothing else. And
when one considers that every house N
Paris has brought its victims, It is oniv
natural that war should be the allah.
sorbing topic.
The ancient cab drivers, with their
high hats of white patent leather, thel,
bright blue long-tailed coats and acarint
waistcoats, present O curious picture
Many of them wear loose smocks. such
as artists affect, of pale blue linen, and
their flowing boards and curled mus.
tachios give even the middle-aged ones
a venerable look.
1t seems mystery that even the youns
Frenchmen should cultivate long, sween
ing boards. Perhaps they imagine that
II gives them added dignity. Half the
French army seem to be bearded men.
and all aim at the cultivation of fercs
mustaches.
Out in the beautiful forest of st. Ger
main / talked with many old peasant
folk. They were all optimistic on the ont
come OF the war and all confident that
the Allies would eventually win Dozens
Of wounded soldiers were walking among
the eunlit spaces beneath the venerable
trees, and all were bright and cheerful.
Yes, we wish to return to the frontl"
they all declared. "Our wounds ara
getting better and our comrades need
u.s.! There was not murmur or 4
grumble from any of them. 1t was 4
lesson in patriotism.
The forest OF st. German Law steamed
n the evening sunlight Away at our
.eet stretched 30 miles of the magni1cent
seine valley, with its peaceful orchards
md Its winding river. Far on the hori-
.on rose the dim outline of the Eifrel
rower and the buildings of Paris. The
old forest of Marty stretched
or miles upon miles to the right. And
ne only sound to break the solemn
ilence was the tinkling of the cowbells
IS the little "gamins" drove them home
hrough the shadows of the forest to bs
mixed.
In that quiet evening hour It seemed
impossible to believe that In a space Of
ess than one and a half houns an auto
noble could take one to the bIoodiest
I pattlehelds. Wars and rumors OF
vars seemed unthinkable in such a place
'or the forest OF st. Germain Is a verI-
aple sanctuary for solitude and peace
sui when / turned once more 70 nv
FOUNDED companions and saw them with
nelr races mutilated beyond all descrip-
on 80 that one shuddered to look al
ne poor Fellows, 1t was not hard to real
'e that war was somewhere very near
anu ABOVE all, very terrible!