The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-31
Grecourt, somme, France.


st. Matthew, or his own kind heart,
has led our commandant again to Gre
court. He has brought with him SOL
der Workmen, to put in order for us
the Baronne's ruined estate. Their
first care Is for the Baronne's old
servant, Marie, the gardeners wife. For
three months she has lived in 10 little
hut. built into the unroofcd enclosure
which used to form the first floor Of
her cottage. There she and her son
| live. and there since our arrival, she
has managed also to cook our meals
Now. Of a morning. the sound Of ham,
mers is heard, and we know that Marie
will soon have a roof over her head.
But we have benefited more directly
| from the commandments kindness. The
only wood in Grecourt lies on the
ground in the shape of fallen branches,
OF Of great trees felled by the invaders.
Upon these our saws and hatchets
make little impression; and. besides,
| the woods are marshy and wet with
autumn rains. In consequence, the
first day that our commandment hap
next morning there appeared huge
canton and crew Of blue coated SOL
diers with a load Of wood.
There Is, upon the Baronne's estate,
noble water tower. It's only use at
present Is to form a picturesque en-
trance, draped as 1t is with woodbine
crimsoned by frost. The commandant
has promised to repair the water tower
for us. He has asked us also IL we do
not need telephone But we who are
used to our isolation, may consider
this an unnecessary luxury. On the
other hand, we may wake some day to
find the telephone poles set along the
roadway, and the copper wires shining
IN the sun. And IL telephone, why
not electric wiring? With the French
amy, all things are possible.
The most dramatic of the comman-
dant's benefactions, however. occurred
last week. 1t was toward the close of
a cold, rainy day-and 1t had rained
steadily for, ten days before. In
the midst of tea for some visitors,
made under difficulties in our ten-by-
twelve living room, we looked out Of
the window to see a gray limousine
draw UP at the duck walk which leads
to our front door. From 1t emerged a
tall officer, and following him, two
ladies. "Ah. the commandment" an
nounced the war correspondents, ris-
ing. Aa cecemonionsly as il entering n
drawing room, the white haired, soldier
handed tho ladies In.
From his rapid French we gathered
that the two ladies We're Nine. -
and the Comtesse de ------, her daugh-
ter; that they were wealthy and char
table, and that. in fact. they had made
the trip from Paris that day at the
commentaries invitation, to propose
certain matters to the Smith unit. In
short. the comtesse, who had already
rebuilt one village. was now DESTROYS of
rebuilding another The commandant
was an old friend of the family and of
the 1saronne OF Grccourt, and he had
proposed Grecourt.
The Smith unit was as surprised as
II was delighted. Nine. the mayoress
was sent for ana came in haste, bring
ing n list of the poor remnant of Gre
| court who wished to be moved from
their shelter in the Baronnes stables
to baraques on their own little farms
The commandant. II transpired, had a
| double motive In moving them; the
Baronne no longer wished them on hel
! estate. and She did wish that tho unit
| should be comfortably housed in hei
stables in their stead. I'VE will send
over the men and the lumber, and be-
gin repairing of them at once. Here
! he shrugged his shoulders as he look cd
out Of the window, here you will perish
| of cold"
On this point the unit Is still divided
| Our barauues are trim and clean, and
now that wood is laid in and the sur
shines more we are loathe to take the
commandments advice. But as to tht
commandant himself We are Of one
| opinion. Certainly he should be al
honorary member, as well as the pa.
iron saint, of the Smith unit in thu
Somme.