Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-14
BLINDED BUT HAPPY HERO
RECEIVED AS GUEST OF CITY
Vgnan With Party of Wounded Veterans From Cape May Make
Most Of Glass EyesParty Sees Philadelphia and viii Be
Entertained Private Homes q .

They're going to patch up my nose
somehow and I'll soon be able to manip-
ulate. my glass eye so we'll people won't
know I've been in the war"
Smiling and boyish, Private Howard
J. Wells Of Petersburg. Va, formed the
central figure OF the group of wounded
soldiers on furlough from the Cape
May Army Hospital, and the Philadel-
phia women who are their hostesses for
the weekend. Twelve Of the more se-
verely wounded men, who have had no
previous chance to leave the hospital,
arrived here today
II think I'm pretty lucky. You needn't
feel sorry for me-" It was Private
Wells again. Tall, we'll built and nat
urally easy of movement, the casual OBJ
server might not have known he was
blind. "I just got my glass eyes two
days ago, but can move them round
so folks think they are real"
"No, it wasn't in big battle that I
was wounded. 1t was just one of the
drives made last August near Belgium.
A shell burst and hit me in three places.
I was knocked unconscious and l didn't
know for good many hours afterward
that my eyes had been knocked right
out and my head pretty well mutilated.
Isn't 1t great that I got my glass eyes
before going home for Christmas? I'll
have to have a new bridge for my nose
and 1t may be attached to glasses That
will pretty completely disguise my de-
formties. Anyway I'm happy"
Heroes of Chateau-Thierry. Soissons
and of minor drives that home folk
didn't hear so much about, are included
among the guests. One is deaf; an
others arm Is parayzed. There Is one
whose memory is wandering. After his
wound. at Chateau-Therry he couldn't
remember his own name but gradually
the happenings of his former life are
coming back. All Of them have been
gassed. But all of them are cheerful
and eager to get back into civilian life,
now that the war is over.
The men were taken to view the city
this morning and had luncheon at the
Wanamaker store as guests of Mrs
George w. Urquhart and other members
Of the Urquhart auxiliary of the Red
Cross. Mrs. Barclay II. Warburton was
hostess to the visitors at a theatre party
this afternoon, and Mrs. Samuel Lit will
entertain them at dinner this evening
The party will see musical comedy
tonight and sleep at the Service Club
Various Chestnut Hill families have in.
vited them to dinner tomorrow. A spe'
cial showing of the Governments new
official war picture. Under Four Flags
will be given for the soldiers tomorrow
afternoon.
Twelve year-old Wade jolly, Jr.. OF
1915 South Broad street, was one of the
first to greet the guests when they ar.
rived today. Wade has been saving al
his money for weeks to help entertain
the guests and was ready to hand ou,
cigarettes and chewing gum as his part
of the treat.
Among the women who served as
hostesscs we're: Mrs. Mabel Lovegrove
formerly a nurse at the Cape May Hos
pital; Mrs. Raymond Brook, of the
Emergency Aid. who has been singing
for the boys in hospitals and camps, and
Mrs. F. r. Butterworth. Arrangements
for the entertainment Of the men were
made by william Ehrenberg. recreational
director of Pier 10, U. s. N.
The visitors were: Privates c. c.
Howard, of Arkansas; J. Baetz. Detroit