davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03
CHATEAU Rhc91As
TsrN

fore the outbreak of the war M
Piettre had arranged to make the
chateau over into a vacation home for
the children Of the poor from the slums
Of Havre. But the war fairly crippled
the vacation colony's prospects and
left the chateau to the occupancy of
nothing but its ancestral ghosts until
the psychological moment arrived when
the "sous-prefet." learning of the
plight Of the children in the war zone,
was struck with the idea Of turning
the chateau into a refugee colony
That was over nine months ago. At
the time the historic little village of
Thanh. in what was then German AL
SAGE, was the center of a raging battle
The sufferings of its civilian popula-
ton were acute.
Caught between two fires. they had
no choice but to take to the cellars
with stock Of provisions and candles.
there to await the uncertain verdict of
fate. By the time the French forces
finally gained complete possession of
the town and intrenched themselves to
the north the whole district was laid
waste. Although the affrighted DWELL
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

through his project. without hesita-
ton he turned for help-as many an
other in his dilemma has turned dur
ing this war-to America.
What he did, precisely. was to send
a cablegram to an influential American
friend, Frederic Coudert, one-time sec
rotary of the American embassy in
Paris. will you lend your patronage
and help to the establishment of a
refugee colony for children of Alsace
and northern France" M Piettre
wired him.
The answer came. couched in these
laconic terms: Yes. Do you want
funds?"
Followed a rapid-hre exchange of
messages, and, shortly afterward, an
American endowment of $4,000 from
Mr.. Coudert and his friends.
Armed with this tangible expression
of sympathy from across the Atlantic
NJ. Piettre proceeded to the in
stallment of the new colony. Every
remote detail necessary to the comfort
struction Of $50 refugee children was
foreseen and provided. The French
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

ers in the cellars were now able to
come back to daylight with compare
tive assurance of safety. scores Of
them found that during their sojourn
underground their roofs had been shot
from above their heads and their homes
riddled with bullets and wrecked with
shells.
Yet so strong were the heart ties
that bound them to their Quilted homes
that they begged to be allowed to re-
main. although they might have gone
under escort to refugee camps where
they would have been supported in
comfort and safety by the French gov
eminent. Only they asked that their
children be taken to a place of safety.
The "sous-prefet" of Yvetot. far
away in peaceful Normandy, resolved
to take the children of Thanh under
his protecting wing. The chateau of
Grosfys. he decided. would make for
them an ideal home. The only diff
Guilty was to acquire the necessary
funds for undertaking and carrying
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

of French. English or Belgian troop
er. and then the trenches for a home.
X X
There are other tales, too, of life in
the cellars of bombarded towns: of
reigns of terror and despair, sometimes
stretching over several days, in the
pickering half-light of ta1low candles;
of heart-breaking vigils in the musty.
underground darkness, with baby ears
straining to catch the sound on the
flooring overhead of a fathers or
mothers returning step that will never
be heard again; and finally of hunger
and thirst. more potent than profound
est terror, eliminating In flight by
night through the ruined countryside
to other more fortunate villages or the
beacon fires Of distant friendly outpost
camps
These tales were not long in filter
ing back from the front. Various in
d!viduals and charitable societies in
France heard them IN dismay and be-
the lot of the unfortunate tots who,
robbed Of home and father and mother.
were sharing the fortunes Of war in the
trenches with the soldiers Of the allies.
one 1nQlVlQual IN particular, monsieur
J. Piettre, under project Of the region
of Yvetot, undertook to furnish a sat
isfactory solution for the problem pro-
sented by the children of the regt-
ments." 1t was at his invitation that
the writer recently visited Yvetot and
viewed the finished product Of the
under projects genius.
The village of Yvetot. head
quarters of the district over which M
Piettre holds sway, lies in the heart
of one Of Frances richest grain and
dairy districts, the erstwliile Duchy of
Normandy. Yvetot was once king
dom in its own right but, the nearest
thing to king that 1t can boast today
is the "sous-prefet" himself. Though
he does not reign in pomp and SPLEEN
dPr by the divine right of kings, he
rules with strong beneficence His name
is one to conjure with; you have but
to mention it anywhere between Rouen
and Havre or the Seine and the Eng
fish channel to command immediate, In
terested attention.
His good works-and those of his
wife and daughter-are proverbial in
the region. Hence it was considered
not in the least surprising that he
should be among the first in France to
go to the rescue of the forlorn kids in
the trenches and the bombarded towns.
A short distance from Yvetot stands
the venerable chateau Of Grosfys. Be-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

marines. the warships handling the
ports and the marines the shore pop
ulation. The warships are the protect
ed cruiser Washington. the admirars
flagship: the battleship Connecticut
and four smaller craft. namely, the
Castine. the Nashville. the Sacramento
and the Marietta. Commanding the
marines are Col. Littleton w. T. Wal
the taking of Picking during the Boxer
troubles. and Col. Eli K. Cole.
This is the force. then, with which
Admiral Caperton has undertaken the
making over of a nation. All this, it
must be understood. Is not war. oh.
dear, no.
A great many Haitians are very sure
In their own minds that Admiral Ca
perton is not to be successful in his
making over. They point to the fact
that Napoleon failed in much the same
Job: for. 1t will be recalled, Haiti
wrested her independence from Ma
poleon and chased the French troops
out of the island something more than
100 years ago. Bobo and his followers
assert darkly that they will chase Ca
perton's force out in the same man
ner. They do not want to be made
over.
caperton is quite sure that Bobo is
wrong. though Caperton Is not dis
cussing the subject very much. True.
Caperton never undertook to make
over a nation before. and does not
regard himself as an expert in the
work. but, being an American naval
officer Of long experience. who has
been called upon to do many difficult
things, and who never has failed, he
is convinced that he will finish UP the
job all right. An American naval
officer has to accustom himself to many
strange and unusual tasks.
Haiti Is sort OF sore thumb among
the American republics. That 1t has
been deteriorating for many years is a
fact generally admitted. Once. early in
blood in its population. That. through
revolutions and by reason of other cir
cumstances. has been practically elimi-
mated. Not more than per cent of the
per cent lives in the seaboard towns.
In the interior the people have reverted
practically to savage state.
They are a fecund people; 1t is
fecund country; Revolutions have kept
down the population. but. even SO. con-
trast its 100000 or 100000 popula-
tion with the 100000 of the Dominican
Republic. occupying the other end OF
the island. remembering that the area
of Haiti 10 only 10000 square miles-a
little larger than the area of Vermont
while the Dominican Republic covers
$4,000 square miles.
SO fruitful is Haiti that life can be
maintained with little effort. There is
q large coffee production. and heavy
production in other lines. but little cul-
tivation. Still. the republic Is rich.
The finances of the country have been
in tho hands Of a French chartered
bank. and much of the trade in the
hands Of Germans Doing business in
the republic has been dependent on
ability to stand in with the persons in
control of the government. This has
led to the industry of financing revolu-
tions, the loan being transformed into
q government loan when the revolution
succeeded. with appalling rates of in
terest.
Loans thus authorized and outstand-
ing now amount to something more
than $14,000,000, and no one wants to
loan any more money to the govern
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

~ ONE authorities assert that the
~ population of the black republic
of Haiti is 100000: others put
~ the figure at 100000. Haitians
themselves are careless as to the exact
figure, and they have not bothered
much with censuses.
But. whether there be 100000 or
100000 of them, every last Haitian
happens now. for the first time in the
country's history, tosknow Just who is
boss. That boss is Rear Admiral Will
liam Banks Caperton, U. S. N, who, to
all intents and purposes. is Uncle Sans
viceroy.
Not exactly that Uncle Sam proposes
10 extend a regal sway over Haiti as a
permanent thing, but simply that Sam
has grown tired of the annoyance and
the danger to his own interests that
lie in a continuance of the time -honored
turbulent condition of Haiti. and has
taken hold of the misguided republic
in order to start 1t in the way of well
doing.
AS understood at Washington. this
government has assumed what amounts
to protectorate over the republic and
VIII exercise supervision over Haitian
AFFAIRS. for the benefit of the Haitian
years. 1t assumes larger degree of
control than II exercises over Haitt's
neighbor. Santo Domingo, where there
is an American receivership of customs
revenues only. In Haiti there. will be
an American receiver general of Gus
toms and American supervision over
collections and also disbursements of
public funds as well.
-.
"A new government of Haiti, headed
by President D'Artiguenave, has been
installed, and IT is understood that gov
eminent will enter into a treaty with
the United Staes to sanction the pro-
tectorate. In the meantime the anti
DArtiguenave forces. comprising a
very considerable element of the popu-
violent death of President D'Artigue-
nave and the utter destruction of his
administration in all its parts. One DR..
Rosalvo Bobo, leader of this element,
from the shelter of the neighboring
republic of Santo Domingo, is watching
events, II is said. and waiting for that
much desired end.
So Uncle Sam has put Admiral Caper-
ton on the lid in Haiti to hold things
level. TO prevent further revolutions
Haiti has had six of them in the past
eighteen months-to keep Bobo at q
safe distance, to uphold the DArtgue-
nave government and to start the new
order OF things in motion
In other words. Admiral Caperton 10
charged with job demanding military
skill. statecraft, diplomacy, tact and,
above all. common sense. To drop
nonchalantly into a country, take pos
session of it's machinery of govern
ment. suppress q revolution. establish
martial law, graciously grant to a
trembling legislative body permission
to elect president-D'Artigue
maintain the administration of that
president in ofiice and hold a turbu-
lent and savage people. totaling some
1.500,000 in check Is some undertaking.
for naval officer. But, being a
typical naval of1icer. Admiral Caperton
10 doing il all as being in the days
work"
Properly to handle the situation Ad-
miral Capterton has a STABLE little
aeet Of warships and. In addition, 1900
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

ing. Of q bleak January morning. ant
giving vent to sturdy young French
Tom Sawyer" yawning copiously ant
running small errands through the
smoke of battle for his grown-up com
rades crouching behind the advance
line of earthworks?
X X
The lad in question, Gregoire Abel
lived in this way, perfectly happy and
content, under the fire of the German
guns for more than five months before
he was finally discovered and removed
thanks to a happy combination OF
French and American charity-to a
safer environment. And his case is
only one instance among hundreds OF
much the same kind.
rubbing the sleep out of his twelve
year-old eyes?
Or Of the same undaunted youngster
trudging back and forth, day in and
day out, through labyrinths Of COM
munication trenches, placidly oblivious
to bursting shells and whining bullets
How did he and his youthful compa
triots come to be thus precariously
sandwiched in among tho ranks of the
His own experiences are more or less
typical of those Of all the other little
sons and daughters of the regiments
VINO nave shared IN greater or less
degree his extraordinary fate. His
mother having died prior to the war.
he and his father kept house alone in
the little village of scissors. When
war was declared his father was called
to the colors at once. leaving his small
son to the care Of a neighbor.
Then the German advance swept
through Scissors. The boy was sep
arated from his friends in the general
panic. He wandered forlornly Off by
himself. sticking close to the skirts Of
soldiers shared their rations literally
with him.. They conceived liking for
the plucky. friendless little chap. By
a sort of tacit understanding they
adopted him into their regiment.
And so. behold him. after the events
of the battle Of the Marine. domiciled
in company with his soldier friends in
the first-line trenches north of Sois-
sons, a full-fedRed fills du regiment"
dra wing full rations from the commits
sariat = although the commissariat
never had any say in the matter-and
running errands in the teeth of death
for the troops.
Ring a few judicious changes in
the details of Greeoire Abel's history
and you have the story of every other
"enfant du regiment" The tale does
not vary greatly. Parents dead or lost
track Of: panic-stricken fight before
the advancing hosts Of the Teuton in
refuge. food and great-coat
for bed. begged at the kindly hands
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

MEXICAN Naval Officer Who Is Now the Real Boss of the Republic Haiti and
Population Nearly MGonAs Uncle He Lead Tubu
lent and Country Into Peace and Order Somewhat Its WILL
Bobo Thinks That Because 1ans Defeated Defeat
Him.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

government detailed teachers and fur.
ntshed books. From blackboards down
to dolls and toy cannon nothing that
could tend to make the prospective
young beneficiaries happy was omitted
And 1t is to be remarked that every
of the colony at Grosfys was directly
or Indirectly gift from America.
When the writer visited the colony
1S0 children, rescued from the battle
he!ds of the north. were there. 1t was
evident. from the light in their faces
that they had thrived under the watch
full care of the "sous-prefet" and his
helpers.
As the approaching automobiles of
the visiting party swept down the
stately drive to the door Of the chateau
the children of the regiments" in a
picturesque group at the entrance. sang
the Marseillafse by way of welcoming
ceremony. The French have a pleasant
way Of staging things according to
their dramatic possibilities.
A gray-haired, bright-faced little
Frenchwoman, the directress Of the
colony, did the personal honors. acting
as guide and hostess.
And are all your charges happy so
far away from homer" she was asked.
Happy. monster" she exclaimed.
Look at their faces. Do they not
look happy"
1t was SO. During the months they
had spent in this old-world mansion,
with its stately salons turned to dormi-
tories and its park-like lawns made
over into Fairgrounds, they seemed to
have forgotten the horrors they had
witnessed, the terrors they had braved
in the danger-fraught cellars and
trenches of the north. Chubby. rosy
checked. spirited. they might have been
just so many American youngsters out
of almost any public. school.
They had not even that Subdued mien
that SO often goes with children liv-
ing under an institutional regime, that
telltale air that one finds in nine out
of every ten so-called orphans homes"
the world over. In some subtle. happy
manner the founders of this colony of
young Alsatian and French boys and
girls had succeeded in avoiding that.
They had made of Grosfys home, in
fact, not in name merely.
The little directress had a strange
tale to tell apropos of the happy.
healthful life her charges lead.
I'VE have two little girls from the
north" she said. whose mother IS
dead, poor woman, and whose father
is a soldier in the ranks. Not long
since the father was given few days
leave to come to Grosfys and visit his
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03
~ RENCH warfare is Peplete with
contradictions and romantic
paradoxes. .~.. $50 .--,.

IN RENcH warfare is replete with
contradictions and romantic
paradoxes. $50 r-,.
Granted that 1t is a bloody.
savage business; that 1t lacks the
glamour of the strife of chivalric and
Napoleonic times: that it is the hideous
abortion of cold calculation and science
mated, rather than. as in former times,
the wild offspring of mingled might
and valor, yet it has it's humanities
its phases of pathos and humor. which,
In spite Of all. lend to it's sullen, sable
exterior small areas of refreshing
highlight.
When the uninitiated neutral sets his
imagination to work painting a picture
Of trench life he generally gets a men,
tai view Of sinuous. narrow bitches
winding across the face of the earth;
Of men and guns and barbed wire; Of
the rattle of musketry and the thunder
Of cannons; of suffering. death and de-
atruction.
Yet there are little children, many
Of them. in the trenches Of France and
Belgium. They. too. form a part. small
though it may be. of the questionable
pomp and circumstance Of modern war.
Their presence forms one of the high
lights on the surface of the twentieth
century battlefield
In France these small denizens Of the
war zone are called, with that pic
turesque aptness Of epithet which
marks the French as a race of poets.
les snfants du regiment"-the children
of the regiment
In the persons of the "children Of the
regiment" then, lies one of those saw
ing paradoxes of life in the trenches
that add a dash Of human spice to the
grim realities of the death grapple
between nations.
Could anything be more pathetically
picturesque than the strange spectacle
of soiled. blue great coat, flung un-
tidily into an angle of first-line
trench near scissors. suddenly unroll-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

Back of the chateau a class OF wee
tots was discovered in session holding
forth under the shade of. a great beech
tree. The handful of tiny Alsatian
boys and girls. scarcely more than oa-
bies, seated on a pine bench before .
Scared, black desk. were dutifully be-
slowing their most solemn attention
upon the chalked figures on small
blackboard that hung against the ample
trunk of the sheltering beech.
Somewhere in the offing a tall Asa
tian soldier, dropped from active serv-
ice because of wounds-he wore the
faded blue uniform of the French 2Sth
and spoke with a German accent-was
keeping a fatberly eye on the proceed
ings. A trinity appareled young
French schoolmistress was explaining
that mysterious process wherein nine
times nine becomes an inexphcaoie
The .sous-prefet" surveyed the pic
turssaue taS hsas with n Hatre that very
American" he beamed delightedly. The
writer averred that 1t was-very. put
with the mental reservation that II was
also inimitably French: ....,.-.
said Monsieur Piettre. commenting to
the writer on the relief work, amount
ing to millions. financed and en-
gineered by America ana Americans
"When this war is concluded 1 firmly
intend going to the United States.
there to express publicly the heartfelt
gratitude which France cherishes for
that great country and its people"
Certainly the good "sous-prefet" has
made no secret of his sentiments at
the rChateau de Grosfys." There
America" and 'beneficence" are con-
ceived to be terms synonymous. The
best proof of the fact Is that when
the writer had ended his visit to the
colony, hidden the bright-faced little
directress farewell and stepped into
the waiting motor to be whirled away
through the long. shaded driveway.
the children of the regiment" gath
cred on the steps at the entrance to
the chateau, suddenly burst into a
lusty cheer that rang in his ears all
the way back along the road to Yvetot
That cheer was "Vive rAmeriqueF
KENNETH PROCTOR LITTAUER.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03
children. They awaited his arrival
with gladness and few iato his arms

children. They awaited his arrival
with gladness and few iato his arms
the moment he appeared.
Il was a witness of the whole scene.
Imagine. then. my establishment when
1 saw the father push his daughters
roughly from him, crying. These are
not my children. Where are my little
girls?'
They were, indeed, his children. but
they had SO changed for the better
since coming to Grosfys that he no
longer recognized them. I know that
1t Is queer tale. monsieur. but giyo
exact truth. 1 was forced to remon-
strate for some little time with the
good man, his daughters meanwhile
standing by In tears. before he was
Americas part in the little drama
OF life being played at the Chateau
de Grosfys" is never forgotten for .
minute. The little 'colonists' know
very well where lies the source from
which their blessings flow"
Foremost among the objects which
greet the visitors eye as he passes for
the first time through the narrow por-
huge American flag draped from ceiling
to foor along one whole side Of the
entrance hall: and again. in the big
where the children gather four times
a day, is shield. very respectable IN
size and arresting in color. bearing the
arms or the United states of America.
and holding the place of honor among
the decorations of the room. which
decorations consist principally of the
names and banners OF the allies. Above
the arms of America is spelled out in
resplendent red, white and blue cap.
itals the single word 'TAmerique."
To this quaint display the little d.
rectress pointed with manifest pride
upon the occasion of the writer's visit.
IT was determined that we should
have It," she explained. But will you
believe. monsieur. at first could md
nowhere copy of your American coat
of arms. / searched through all our
history books without success. Finally
I wrote the American consul at Rouen
and he sent me a colored print OF your
national device. Immediately we de-
signed the shield and set II here on
our walls where all could see-and ad-
mire," she added, with much gracious
ness.
Among the numerous strictly Made
in the U. s. A." features OF the colony
at Grosfys is the practice. inaugurated
by NJ. Piettre. of holding all the school
exercises and classes out of doors.
weather permitting. OF this phase OF
life in the colony the "sous-prefet" IL
justifably proud. For a long time I
have been much taken with the Amer.
lean idea Of open-air schools" he told
the writer I'VE are carrying out that
idea systematically here. Come ana
see."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03

forming their duties-although only
control--honestly, and as efficiently as
they can. The reason Is that American
marines and bluejackets stand over
them.
To introduce a proper system of ac-
counting into the business Of collect