The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-02-03

A HOSPITAL CHRISTMAS
An Observance Planned for Wounded
Soldiers of France.

village nave Deen engaged IN the max
ing of articles for the use and COM
fort Of the wounded soldiers in
France. The Bennington organiza-
tion of women has directed the great
er portion of its energy in this line
toward assisting in the work of the
hospital established near Champagne
by Mrs. Depew, who was formerly
Mrs. Trenor Park. Because OF this
connection the following letter from
Mrs. Depew written to a Bennington
friend will be of unusual interest:
Dec. 26, 1916.
At Xmas we sat down 19 at table,
nurses and all. We had "A in hospi-
tai, and the cook cooked for $40 souls.
We had turkey and plum pudding;
and the hospital had goose and plum
pudding. Yesterday some very dear
English friends came out to lunch.
For ten days we have been busy days
and most nights. The surgeons did
80 operations, big ones, in five days.
There has been incessant coming and
going. Our unpleasant neighbors
have been very active, till Sunday
when they took rest and only
recommended last evening for short
time. We had in our first gas victims
last week; and l have never dreamed
OF such horrible suffering. Dante
could never have imagined hell like
1t. One died, the rest are pulling
through A son of a friend of mine
was brought in here last week des-
perately wounded, but he Is pulling
through, Our French surgeon is an
excellent one.
Now to tell you about our Xmas.
We had done up within two weeks
1000 packages for the men in the front
trenches-consisting each of good
handkerchief, candy, cigar or ciga-
rettes and key chain. Each had
tiny American flag on. People in
Paris gave me some money and each
packages cost / fr. 20 centimes. The
ambulance took them up to three
posts and as it happened the cannon
were busy that morning.
We have lots of mistletoe in the
park, and Lady Sutterham q (who is
a big, practical. good hearted English
woman) trimmed all the wards with
green, so they looked very CHEEKY.
Last week we were full up, 80 blesses.
so we had to evacuate some poor
wretches before Xmas to liberate
some beds. But, as / told you. there
were "a for Xmas day. We had mass
in the little ward and all sang AIDES.
to Fidelis" and 'Huch the Herald
Angels Sing" A curious audience,
officers, farm people, blesses, and
our own household. Service was
finished off with French and English
National anthems. Kind friends of
ours came out and some officers. AT
ter lunch each blesse received COM
fort bag sent by the American Relief
for French wounded and a chocolate
Croix Guerre!
The night before the nurses had
gone around and played Santa
Claus to them all; so they had pret-
ty good Xmas After that we gave
out the gifts we had for the house
hold and that was job! Frances and
/ had our Xmas together early in the
morning.
/ can give you no idea of the intense
dHu ItDtlllOuS lCtiiiiS lOuoCu ny w IL
sons note. What an insult to put the
Allies and Germany on the same
basis. The ewspapers-French and
English, are bitter. Wilson's ignoI-
ance must be wilfulness, for he can
not be so ignorant. We out here feel
we must do something to let the
world know we cannot but resent a
government like this CD ! assure
you, close as we are here to the lines
even anywhere, don't like to say
what my nationality is. It is too dis
tressing, You all must be wild!
am thinking seriously of calling Will
son just to relieve my mind!
We are getting very active around
here and certainly no signs of peace
anything but! The army is sending us
two baracques, which will give us 130
beds. They are furnishing one and
the American Ambulance Hospital"
the other, also the personelle is to be
increased with two more surgeons,
and an officer of administration who
will think be of great value to me.
1t is too big machine for me to
swing alone.
] asked you and Lila to stop hospi-
tai supplies till April, but if you will
begin again soon we will be grateful.
Single fats, gauge and cotton wool,
and If you can send any sheets or
bath towels we would be grateful.
You can imagine what 1875 beds
means! You have done so much that
hate to ask, but with this hospital,
Frances Home and the Crillon Dis
tributng center it is big job and
then we cannot do half we see is
needed. What a state of horrors!
1t is beyond belief. Surely Ameri-
cans do not yet realize that as the
war goes on the needs increase ten
fold. | wish Thornton Turner would
come over and go back and talk of
what he sees! l only wish could
get over, but am sure | would not
be allowed to say all think.
To think that our wonderful, free
openminded country can be as 1t is
today. sometimes wonder is 1t that
people fear Germany One thing is
sure and 1t is the general opinion over
here that il there should be a patched
up peace soon that the U. S. will be
Germany's next victim.
| Frances house is getting along
nicely and her little CD family will
/ r1nua T., Lt1I> Cl,1 hoe Inna cn for