Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1918-10-18
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ed 10 the arch across the street, few feet away
uroueh which they would soon pass with the
i'."i "hu FRENCH flags intertwined and the
,o''o IN Dig scrawly letters "Soyes les Benvenus"
one eHihaihed that was American. They
seemed to understand, and their faces lighted up
Tor this was In early June, and even these pitful
ones, who had been where little news had reached
'heih TOT nearly four years, knew that the Amerl-
c'hs were In France In good numbers now. and
their allies
80 the group ceased to shrink from my camera.
woman even thrust her child forward and
unoothed Its hair so that 1t would look well In the
picture But, just as about to snap the
'hutter, another woman in the group, standing a
ttie back, looked ut me with expression that
vas full OF condemnation, full of appeal rs she
mid: Eyes, my friends let us stand up straight
30 that he can get good photograph of misery |"
Then she laughed bitterly, and I-weli, did not
AXE the picture.
AT this moment the rest of the convoy began to
come out of the station led by the Chasseurs' lit.
tie band With them came Red Cross men and
nurses. carrying or helping those who could not
walk into the waiting camiOns and ambulances
| put up my camera and hurried ahead to reach
the casino, whittier the procession was bound be.
Marseillaise" some woman with a high shriIl
voice. AS climbed upon the front seat of an
ambulance and we started to pass the crowd
thought for moment that l was now going to
see. going to hear, what had come up from Paris
for-the glad burst OF enthusiasm, of happiness
from these people now that they fully realized
that they We're In France, among their own free
from the German yoke which had lain on their
necks since 1914 But our ambulance went by
the procession there We're no other voices raised
to join that of the singing woman, and after n few
bars she. too. stopped singing and the procession
went ON. silent, shutiiing. except for some small
boys, town boys, who trudged ahead of the Chas.
'eurs, still playing their tune on drum and buCle
| reached the casino ahead Of the procession
ina waited AT the door for them to come down the
tue uu casino The narrow. steep street was
crowded along its sidewalks with townspeople
md from windows was flung the tricolor while the
American flag waved here and there too AS the
procession came around the head OF the street the
people hailed II with cheers and the waving of
flags. The Chasseurs played more loudy-now
II was 'Vive fArmee" they were footing A few
Of the children raised their heads and looked with
glad eyes on the enthusiastic natives who were
trying so nard to cheer them home. An old man
In the procession Strengthened up and shouted
"Vive le General Jofre" But otherwise there
we're no cheers, no thrills of happiness nor any.
thing but just that down-bent attitude that shut
fling walk. that dazed, whipped. cowed expres
sion. IL was as the woman at the station had
said, misery For Eyian Is the clearing house of
misery these days.
II was not so at first the American Red Cross
doctor told me, and the subprefect of tbe de-
partment of the Haute-Savoic also assured me
(which Is why we make such great effort 10
cheer them rs they come in nowadays" he said
They are crushed, these people; they are Ike
dead men and women, and The children, even the
little ones, are scarcely alive 90 the situation
Free from Germany once more? They cannot be-
lieve i--there Is scarcely enough strength left In
their poor minds and bodies for them TO be able
20 understand"
Yer added the Red Cross doctor pointing out
A Cir ~ eighteen or nineteen who passed. look
at t'.e expression on the face OF tina girl" |
inoked, cap.'ht here cps os she t7'"nea IA nay di