The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-17
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Story of Return of First YAM
kee Wounded to Paris.
Crowds Cheered as Our Soldiers
Entered the City.
SOME Went TO CEMETERY
Hats Removed as AmbuIances
Turned ON Another Road.
Enough To Make Every Amer
lean Hate the Huns.
SOME WENT TO CEMETERY
BY ERNEST P. ORR.

Paris (by mail) If there is yet
an American who does not hate the
Hun, he or she should have seen the
first trainload of American wounded
that arrived here from Thi-
cry. Torn and mangled by shell,
with eyes red and swollen and in
famed from the noxious gases the
''Kultur" opponents were the first to
give the world, with noses and ears
shot off, their bodies raked with ma
chine gun bullets and racked with
pain, they came.
They were boys from home. For
over two fears I have seen French,
Belgian and British wounded. I have
seen them grit their teeth and die
without murmur. but nothing
brought home the war in the way
that first train of wounded from the
last offensive did. They were more
badly cut up than the victims Of the
first German Onslaught. There were
more Of them and they hadn't been
able to receive the care of the first
American units that were thrown into
the great battle.
Here and there a form with a
Blanket drawn over the head in
dictated a young lad who had made
his last journey during the long
weary rue III 1IOIIl The 1EOHL. III d
compartment with number of
French wounded was a nineteen-year-
old boy from Chicago. He was all
alone and surrounded by men who
could not speak his language. He was
in the most terrific pain, but managed
Nothing could have drawn whisper
from him before his French comrades
in arms.
just Wanted a Drink.
A Red Cross doctor asked him II
there'was anything he wanted.
Just drink of water. please" was
the low answer.
He got it. The doctor asked II there
was anything. else he wanted. The
boy wanted to- be turned on his side.
With a machine gun bullet thru his
leg and a wound that had scorched
it's way across his hips, to say moth
ing Of an injured arm. he was perfect
ly incapable of helping himself.
The doctor turned him on his side
and then discovered the lad had had
nothing to eat for Nthirty-two hours.
Unfortunately he was only one OF
many in the same fix. The Red Cross
did its best and soon had what emer-
gency food 1t had in the hands OF
those who were still able to use them.
The more seriously injured. of course.
were the first to be removed by the
long lime of waiting ambulances.
Waved His Sandwich.
Before the train pulled in the am
balances were drawn up and waiting.
So was a small crowd. AS the first
ambulance quit the station the crowd
| started to cheer. There was a dough
boy on the front seat with the driver
one arm in sling, the other stuffinG
a sandwich into his mouth. He waved
the sandwich in Acknowledgment,
while a contented -ook came over mis-
[ drawn and tired face.
The crowd increased as the ambu-
| Iances formed almost a continuous
| train. Words of sym. -..Iy were heard
on all sides not unmingied with tears
IS the flower of Young America that
| had marched forth so valiantly Few
short months before was painstaking-
| ly transferred to base hospitals.
At the end of the procession came
| cortege that the -rowd grasped the
meaning of in a moment. They were
anbulances, but their destination was