The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1917-06-28
Wounded America IN Pollu
Is Decorated In French
Hospital
By Marian Bonsall Davis.

A French Red Cross nurse, who ha
had in her charge French Russian
German prisoners, Canadian Is and Nor
oceans. English and Cingal4e,7 Amer
cans from the Foreign Legibn and from
the Aviation Corps, was speaking of tn
differences and likenesses Of the Frencl
and American type of soldieF:
''One of the most remarkable pa
tients l ever had," she said. "seemec
to me to represent himself Dbl the best
qualities of both types. AS a matter
of fact, he did combine in himself both
nationalities, in this way Some years
ago, a wild youth, the son IF titled
family of Brittany, he rkn off tc
America. He had no moneI and helped
to unload bananas at the docks in New
York as his first job. Late11fs was
waiter and almost everything else. In
the course of twenty years be became
very prosperous in iron and steel and
completely Americanized.
when the war broke out be thought
he ought to help, so he camd over and
volunteered in the French krmy. In
the trenches he volunteered flor every
possible dangerous duty, carrying off
unexploded bombs. and thd like. 1t
was his supreme delight to find some
specially precarious thing to do, and for
months he seemed to bear charmed
Lite. But after q while in -kne of his
voluntary services he lost a leg near the
thigh. The surgery at the hospital was
done skilfully, but gangrene had made
headway. There was Just one thing to
do--long, frightful baths Of iodine.
Those baths have been my severest
duty in this war. They were almost too
terrible, and the agony afterwardl But
ne never made sound of pain, and
with his face drawn and CHASTITY be
would make some joke in American
slang. His strength was so wasted
that his surgeon told him he must con-
serve it, even to the extent of not
changing his position. But to remain
in one position was impossible, and
watching the clock he would lie on one
side for five minutes extreme du-
ration possible, then on the other for
five minutes. With such mighty force |
OF will to live, heperformed the miracle
of living.
:. One day we brought him word that
his mother from Brittany had come. |
They had not met in twenty gears. He
was suffering, weak, fighting his fight
against DEATH. and the emotion was al
most more than he could stand. What
ne said was, Tell her she may come in
if she comes in smiling. and smiles all
the time she is here. We tooks the
frail little .gentlewoman his message
She bowed. I will come smiling she
said. She did. And in the DAYS that
followed, through the dressings, through
the iodine baths, she sat near him,
knitting and smiling.
Then one day we brought him other
news-making the two supreme mes
sages of his life This French -Ameri-
can, or this American Frenchman, had
been cited. The General of his division
Of the army was to come in person to
decorate him with the MedailIe Mill
taire. When we told him, he, who had
never moaned, who spoke only in
American slang, burst into sobs like
little boy.
II wish you could have seen our
ward. The doctors and nurses decorat-
ed it in orange and green, the colors of
the ribbon of the Medaille Militaire.
He had but one sorrow-he could not
stand to the General. But he was al
owed to wear his uniform and to be
oropped up little in his bed.
"At the appointed time the doctors
md nurses and directors came in. We
lid not faust ourselves to speak. Then
he General entered with his staff, to
which were attached military drum
hers. The ceremony begins with the
Irums rolling certain beat of honor
lever used except to announce the dec
ration of the Medaille Militaire.
The directors of the hospital, doc
ors and nurses stood at attention, the
,atients in the ward held themselves at
alute, the General and his staff took
heir places, and the drums rolled their
ignal. Often at these ceremonies the
'enerals Are so deeply moved that they
an scarcely speak. So 1t was with our
General. His voice broke when he read
he citation from the Military authori-
les. There were tears in his eyes as
o touched the sword to the shoulder of
ne trembling man In bed, saluted his
heck, and attached the Medaille Mill
aire to his breast. At that second the
runs rolled out thunderously that the
iedaille Militaire had been conferred.
'"l'he surgeons couldn't talk for
1hile. They knew And we nurses
ropped things and were awkward for
1e'rest of that day. And the frail
tile mother kept on smiling, with en-
hattie rods over her knitting.
"I've spoken of him, )" she said, ''be-
ause he was so American in SO many
ays. They are all ss brave and they
eed 20 much; oh, they need so much
ore doctors more millions, millions of
oney to let each have his chance Of
fe."
The American Red Cross Is sending
octors and nurses. It is asking every
tizer for money, for the 800, 900, 600
md.