The Washington times., 1918-02-11
WASHINGTON BOY
IOBSERVES PARIS
CHANGED BY WAR

Her streets are thronged with SOL
6iers OF every CLINE.
Her marts maintain an atmosphere
of comaraderie IN spite OF the war.
Her former palatial. well-kept
homes no longer resound with the
echo OF young peopIe-only the old
folks remain Many Of the houses
are IN need Of repair.
Her people are eager to converse
with men in uniform, although the
men addressed are usually unable TO
speak their language.
Her warmest welcome is held out to
men wearing the American uniform.
That's Paris-writes a former
Washington boy. Derrill G. Gilmore,
former student at Western High
School and now a lieutenant of the
United States Infantry Reserves in
France.
The letter has been received here
by the young mans father, F. H. Ell
more, superintendent of insurance for
the Southern railway. It was written
metropolis. The letter follows:
Got @Dandy Supper"
5ust back from q trip to the big
M. Got q pass yesterday afternoon.
md GIthcugh It was pouring in tor
rsnts. caught q train and got In about
o'clock. Went straight to q hotel.
nd after getting q room beat # for
he cafe, where got . dandy supper.
"QuIte the most impressive thing
me was the great number OF
oldiers Of every race and cline that
ne sees everywhere. Everything
rom French African troops to Chinese
nd other ,Asiatics- It's quite a proud
selling to see our soldiers here with
le many nations lighting for the
rfnciples our country have perpet-
ated. And can tell you that they
artainly stand well in the represen-
tticn Of the worlds races and coun-
les.
AFTER the show we went immedi-
tely to the hotel and slept like a
p until 9 this morning. We then
ent out to q little French pastry
rop for a breakfast that was q real
eat. Although It was raining very
lrd, Francis and I started out to
the town-walking, Of course. We
srtainly had some walk; got back
5 the hotel at 6 in the evening. soak
wet and nearly frozen; got warm
I'd caught q train for camp. getting
sre quite late.
Ate -Four or Five Meals.
TO go back to our sightseeing
VI, can't tell you OF the many
d very interesting sights fer rea-
rs appreciated by both the censor
me. However, I can assure you
at 1t was quite some walk, and well
orth while even though the snow
d begun to fall thick and fast
'out noon. We made stops at num-
Gus cafes tc seek warmth. and in
course OF the day ate four or five
Dod meals.
We stopped at a small shop to buy
few picture postcards, and spent
lite an enjoyable hour in animated
ough little understood conversation
it'll the proprietress and two Of her
-onies-al middle-age women Of the
i..iddle class Of French.
"As luck would have it today dawn
r l cold, raw, damp day after a whole
eek Of sunshine, but 1 spent the en-
re day walking over the country,
svertheless. Payne and 1 walked to
very interesting old village about
ts miles from mere this morning,
here we had dinner IN a cafe over
years old. We sat at much bat
'-ed old table in 9 room where many
snerations OF the French have drank
IA 'chattered'
Finds Eating Reasonable.
In a corner was an old fireplace
th its spit. huge iron forks and
dies and other culinary utensils
sSd in by-gone days Everything in
70 place smacled OF tye good old days
yore'-not even the cobwebs were
lssing. All! but the dinner-it was
tIfumph-five courses OF real eats
ith a very ancient looking wooden
!g Of red wine thrown in (all for 5
anes-aoout % oents). After this we
lred forth with light hearts and de-