The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-10-17
SINGING At THE FRONT
BY Grace Hoyt, an American Singer
Who has Bcea Touring the Amcri-
can Camps and Hospitals In France.

Who has Bcsa Touring the Ameri-
can Camps and Hospitals in France.
Last week we gave q performance
at the front for about 1000 men who
had been in the trenches since Fehru-
airy. Our stage was a ropcd boxing
platform in beautiful grove; the
piano was two tones below pitch, my
sister sat on soapbox 10 play: the
army mules broke loose during one OF
our songs; the men fcstooncd them
selves in the trees over our heads, or
stood in mud AT least three inches
deep, but We were all happy, The
nights in this part OF France are tx
tremely cool, but we wear white
gowns--the boys say it's relief 70
see something other than uniform
and We are SO busy after our perform.
ance starts that we don't have time TO
feel cold Then old people, children
and mothers with bahics--there are OF
course no young men--come TO the
out of-d door performances, and We
always make it point to do some OF
their folksongs SO that they can sing
the choruses with us.
We have brought over all the latest
songs, and when we leave camp
almost every man has learned them.
II is very wonderful TO hear "A thous-
and or more OF our boys singing.
especially when we realize how utter
ly worn out they must be from actual
battle Directly hey hear music they
seem to forget everything but their
almost childish enjoyment Of 1t.
An Open Air Performance
Last night was another open-air
performance. II was in the public
square, the piano was backed up TO the
Hotel de Vile, the men sat on the flag
cling in solid mass all around us, and
the colonel Of the regiment held the
flashlight so my sister could see to
play. Not hat was on in the whole
huge crowd, and you can't imagine
with what really affectionate respect
the men treat us.
1t is different when we entertain
near the front 1--WE are away for few
days now, working for the waiting
boys). There one is not allowed TO use
a light of any kind on the streets, and
it's quite an experience travelling in
huge army automobile in the rain,
through villages, past moving troops,
and ali in absolute blackness. We
sang for General -- and his
staff at his headquarters in the BAN
quet hall in a chateau. 1t was huge
room, but we had light from only
three candles and the iron shutters
were closely fastened.
The dust is beyond belief, and the
boys on march are exactly as though
they were made up with whitewash.
If we are indoors when they pass we
hang out Of the windows to wave at
them, and you ought to see their tired
faces light up--even under the plas-
ter-like dust--when they realize that
we are Americans. If we are out we
sit on the stone walls and the boys
"fall OUT in droves and are perfectly
happy In this part of France it is
quite billy, like New England, and the
marching is tiresome and difficult,
their packs are very heavy, and there
is always the dust.
We have had two especially inter
esting experiences in hospital, sing
ing. One was at small building used
in winter for a school We sang in
the courtyard without any accompan-
iment), and the men who were well
enough to get about sat on the grass
around us; the windows were all open
into the wards so that those who could
not get downstairs heard something OF
what was going on, at least. The doc
tors there are busy day and night and
there is not one woman nurse to help
them, nor have they an Xray. We
went in to see the boys--we were the
only women who had been near there
very often, and did so want to give
them extra pillows and make them
more comfortable.
Gayety in Hospital
The second hospital was where we
entertained about 1000 men. The
Ford sprang a leak or something, so
that we didn't reach the building (Y.
NJ C. A. until almost half an hour
later. That never happens-being
late, | mean--with us, but we found
the audience just as gay as possible.
Hundreds were standing, hundreds
were sitting in the windows. Many
were in wheel chairs, the stage was
full and the rest sat on benches with
out any backs. We entertained for
over two hours. They wouldn't let US
stop. They were quite the most en-
thusiastic audience we have ever had,
] think, and how they did sing! We
are going back there TO sing prob
ably twice day in the wards from
which the men could not come TO US.
At the end they crowded round the
stage and shook our hands and
thanked us until we nearly dissolved
in tears. When we see all that we
might have done we are ashemed that
we were not here four years ago!
II you know Ct anyone who hasn't
given quite all he can 10 the war, tell
him to please give any kind of an old
piano 10 the first hospital Of which I've
written; you can't fancy the good II