Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-16
GAY PARIS GIVES WAY
TO SOBER WAR WORK
Boulevader and Flaneur of Yesterday Have Work to Do
and Former Gayety, Grace and Goodfor- Nothingness
Pass-Hosptal and Charity Workers Very Busy.

spond with a number OF American
friends. among them Miss Anne Nor
gan. Since then French soldier has
told me of his great charm of manner.
and how even in the fury OF battle he
retains his perfect courtesy anu ';ind-
ness towards al, Subordinates.
Towards the end of January. While
all Franco was in tho grip of IL cruel
frost. the streets and cars suddenly
cleared. Scarcely an able-hodied sol
6icr was to be seen: the railroad sta
tons of the northern lines were practi-
cally closed to civilians. and those OF
The south were crowded in the midnight
hours with the wounded who were be-
ing evacuated from Paris hospitals to
give room to the victims OF the Of
fcESivc 10 come. One OF my friends.
tho Duchess y. who has been decorated
for hospital work. WAS the sole at
tontlant on one OF these ears. and dur
ing four DAYS and nights Of unrcmit-
ting care distributed her charges in
tho various hospitals OF Brittany.
Miss Franklin and had NO take !,
seemingly dying soldier (vetcran and
hero at the age of nineteeno to the
Care Montparnassc. one OF the worst
service gave us admission to the plat
form. I can never forget the impress
sion made by those masses Of men en-
training. Under the dimly tlarinE
lights OF the vast shed II multitude of
grotcSque forms seemed to surge back
and forth seeking each his particular
unit. and place OF departure.
There was no sound except OF heavy
footballs and hurried breathing: under
officers stood here and there TO give
directions: q quick word exchanged
with them. a long handclasp as COM
rades separated. that WAS all. Each
man was i'll marching hi; and seemed Il
f,F iN,s in II ,tlNss
were enlarged and deformcd by sack
and blanket and cauteen. steel helmet
and gun. The pockets OF their heavy
coats were stuffed with al! the parting
gifts. their neckS swIthcd in newly
knitted scarfs. their fee; cncased in
heavy military boots. The air was Il
cold cl!ngine Saturaticn OF HtHl. doors
odors. from which one could dc:ach wet
leather and wool. sweating bodies and
treasured came,nberts. The oaones o.
heroes. l nllcd my lungs with il that
| might thus lift my sinking heart.
For have uo; been ncarl; SIX months
in daily contact with men fresh from
the battle field without gaining an idea
Of what they mus; pay tvT this glory
of bfins q soldier. Even glory seemed
very improbable rccorlpcnSa 10 these
thousands Of humble beings whose 200,
names would never be known. whose
tortured bodies would SIM; forgotten
and unmarked in that muck Of lnud and
blood called the Field OF Homer. They
seemed just SO much human waste TO
be used 10 stanch the worlds mon
strous wound. Never had our common
human face seemed 10 NE at once 50
foolish and SO sublime.
\ Girls Service.
Upon arriving IT tho station we
iooEod ~ vain for u porter. and eur
sick soldier WAS protesting ~ "u-
having to carry his heavy equipn1 emf
when a girl OF about fifteen ran through
the frozen siuSh and sluns the load on
her thin shoulders with an entirely
professional air a shc led the way
%on would have said size was an illus