Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-12-14

ee"eu 10 understand and their faces lighted up.
Ior lhlS was in early June, and even these pitful
ones who had been where little news had reached
mem for nearly four years knew thai the Ameri-
cans were in France in good numbers now, and
were their allies
SO the group ceased to shrink from my camera.
woman even thrust her child forward and
Nboohed its hair that it would look wen In the
mcIure. But, just as l was about to snap the
shutter, another woman in the group, standing
mite back, looked at me with an expression that
was full of condemnation, full of appeal she
said: Yes my friends, let stand up straight,
so mat lie can get good photograph OF misery"
Ihen she laughed bitterly and well did not
take the picture
AT this moment the rest of the convoy began TO
come out of the station, led by the Chasseurs lit
tie band With them came Red Cross men and
nurses, carrying helping those who could not
walk into the waiting camions and ambulances.
put up my camera and hurried ahead to reach
the casino, whittier the procession was bound, be-
lore their arrival there. Someone struck up La
MarSeillaise" some with a high, shrill
voice AS I climbed upon the front seat Of an
ambulance end started to pass the crowd
thought for moment that now going to
see going to hear what had come up from Paris
iOr-the glad burst of enthusiasm, of happiness
rom these people that they fully realized
MAT they were In France, among their own free
"ecks since 1914. But as our ambulance went by
lhe procession there were no other voices raised
10 JON that OF the singing woman, and after few
oaFs she, too stopped singing and the procession
Went on, silent, shutting, except for some small
boys, town boys. who trudged ahead OF the Chas-
Seurs still playing their tune on drum and bugIe
reached the casino ahead of the procession
ana waited at the door for them to come down the
hue du Casino The narrow, steep street was
crowded along sidewalks with tOWnSDpOUie.
ana from windows flung the tricolor, while the
American flag waved here and there, too. As the
procession came around the head Of the street the
peoFe haieG 1t with cheers and the waving q
uags The Chasseurs played more loudly-now
II was "Nive rArmee' they were footing A few
OF the children raised their heads and looked with
gad eyes the enthusiastic natives who were
trying so hard to cheer them home An old man
IN the procession Strengthened up and shouted,
wi q lie General Joffre" But otherwise there
WeFe no cheers. no drills of happiness, nor any
thing but just that dOwn-bent attitude, that shut
hing walk, that dazed, whipped cowed express
sion 1t was, the woman at the station had
Said, misery. For Evian is the clearing house Of
misery these days.
1t was not so at first, the American Red Cross
Doctor told me, and so the subprefect Of the 4e
partment of the Hautp-Sav0e also assured me
w hich is why we make such great effort To
'heer them as they come in nowadays he said
They are crushed. these people; they are dke
uead men and women, and the children, even the
aFue ones. are scarcely alive to the SITUATION
? rec from Germany once moref They cah2ot De
AeFe lt-thtre is scarcely enough strength left in
Their poor minds and bodies for them to be able
% understood"
Yes" added the Red Cross doctor, pointing out
girl II eighteen or nineteen who passed TOOK
at the expression on the face Of that girl
looked. -s-.slt here eye as shs turned IN my d.