Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-01-29

| BATHS. Mrs Parker Is in a Y. NJ. c.
Ny dear Friends: Dec. 10.
An opportune attack of larynitis
gives me the chance to write to you
as ! have long Intended. l rely upon
you not to look askanee on n type
written copy but to give the all suifi-
cient answer to everything Of an un-
usual or disagreeahle character
''Cest la guerre'. After that 1t Is pro-
per TO shrug your shoulders and smile
and the matter IS concluded.
l certainly have been having a most
interesting and absorbing experience.
! have been stationed right in the cen
ter of large artillery camp. When
first arrived amidst barraaues and
soldiers could only murmur. Can this
be T. and feel as IL I had been sud-
denly set down in moving picture
scenario. Now ii seems quite like home.
We are on a high plateau and look
across n valley Of lovely colors TO
mountains. Our immediate quarters
arc IN wooden hut built for officers.
My room has walls Of natural colored
wood II contains hospital bed stun
ed with floss. II has an eiderdcwn
quilt tmy OWN a steamer rug tmH
OWN and several very heavy unyield-
ing army blankets. A Jaeger night
dress and a hot water bag in addition
make Il possible TO sleep warmly. IL
also has a wash stand. niSht stand
an unpainted and unvarnished chest or
;wo drawers with a small mirror upon
il. an equally undecorated Kitchen
table, Q Wooden chair and wooden
Wis SfCins Of
carpet The chief attraction Of the
place j a voracious stove and Il l
don't take my mind off Of ii at all.
can keep q nice FIRE brightly burning.
You may surmise it gets a bit cold
there. While we have a maid to start
the fires before We rise the bath water
makes ycur fingers ache. When l re
turned from Paris short time ago
found as I prepared TO jump into bed
m, hot water bag solid cake OF ice.
! thought 10 melt it from the water
pitcher tightly hugg!ng the stove but
also that was floating ice. But the air
IS exhiiarating and delightful. ! al
ways feel my spirits rise on reaching
il
We are IN what is called the advance
war zone but our only outside indi-
cations OF war are the visits OF the
boChe a!rplanes. one night when
serving in the canteen our lights sud-
denly went out. We tried to start
some oil lamps but were promptly dis
cou-aged as there was an air raid on.
The other lady and were escorted to
safer place than a wooden hut-wh!ch
proved 10 be the nearest soldiers bar
sNt, OrN ~
soldiers and saw one visitor high up
in the SKY. The way was made for us
thru a crowd OF watching soldiers and
We were promptly hera!ded as the Y.
NJ & A ladies' for reasons clearly
understood. We were plotted into an
unknown spot called the office. There
triae less ohscurity marked
window, duh glow, a stove and
few darker SHADES, men. A bench was
produced and there We sat for three
hours chatting with unseen and un-
known men except our secretary.
do not know them now. The fire went
out and the cold swept in. We were
given an overcoat and still We sat.
Outside was the shutting OF many feet
OF tiled floor and an occasional sharp
Put out that light" from a Non.-C
officer. Sometimes a knock on the
door and "SeIg cant, the men are going
upstairs" Whereupon a voice OF real
authority would sing out Corporal.
take TWO men and bring those men
down" Finally a permission to roll UP
IN their blankets in some room on low
er floor. About II p. N. We were re-
leased and were accompanied 20 our
ha.-raque by the secretary with nothing
mere startling happening than chal-
lenge BY the sentry ! pulled OF my
shoes and slept the sleep Of the weary.
But Il anyone had told me three
months ago that could hardly keep
my eyes open during an air raid.
should have been bit surprised. An
other time, when We first arrived we
sci our watches by the Call to arms'
(shelter) thinking II the usual noon
signal.
was indeed fortunate IN being one
OF the very first ladies in camp. One
had preceded my compagnon -de-voyage
and men by one day. Tho enthusiasm
with which three middle aged Amen
can women were received by the
American soldiers was pathetic. They
would sey Have you seen the Ameri-