Newark post. (Newark, Del.) 1910-1969, 1918-10-23
AN INTIMATE SKETCH
FROM THE FRONT
Canteen Worker tells Of visit
to Hospital

worker, sends the following lntl-
mate sketch of visit to military
hospital:
Please, Ma'am, Miss, are you an
American canteen worker"
Thus L ann accosted in the anc-
lent town of v, where l have
just been dropped by a passing
automobile. | have come in search
of salad dishes and supplies for
our officers tea, to be given the
next day. My mind is full OF
housew;fely and canoeen cares, but
as I look up at the long, lanky, UNI
shaven, sickly fellow who has
spoken to me in my own tongue, l
fong.t all else. He lis spokesman
for about half dozen homesick,
pale lads.
On hearing that one of the boys
has just been operated on and that
another is to undergo the ordeal
the next day, | promise to come
around TO the hospital right after
lunch and see them for bit.
At 2 o'clock in the afternoon |
enter the great iron gates of Mill
tary Hospital No. 3S, loaded down
with tooth paste and soap. The
sentry bows graciously and let's
me pass. Finally / find the long
ward where sit my friends of the
morning. They receive my gifts
with much gratefulness, promis-
'Ng 70 distribute them among the
ether needy ones, and then take me
into the surgical ward.
am led up to the young Amerl-
can just operated on the day be-
fore and miserably sick from the
effects of the chloroform. Rest
lesgly he moves his head from side
to side on the soiled pillow. AS |
entered the room long lines of pale
Frenchmen on either side smiled
w:istfully, and those nearest his
bed now try ito explain to me that
he, will soon be better, as he is
only sick from the effects of
opium. | bend over the lad, who
mutters welcome to me in broken
English, for he is of Italian par
entage, one of cur typical emf
grant type. just then a French
Red Cross nurse comes UP to me
We chat a little while together
She has an uncle who is a physic'
ian in America, and speaks glow.
ingly of what we are doing to help
LOW.
As she passes ON the spokesman
of the morning tells me "she'!
m ghty nice. Pm trying to teach
her English. She amt much OF
language, but I'm doin' my best.
He said this with the dominan
Ang,Io-Saxon spirit, and smile;
inwardly at the Thought that thi
crude lad, who knew no gramma,
in his own language, could hav'
such a superior attitude towart
the cultured Frenchwoman wht
spoke her own tongue SO beauti
fully.
The bovs follow me out to tn
big gates. Those who have had ga
attacks are greenilsh colored, an,
tell me of their experience in dull
tired voices. Everywhere up Their
you see the sign: In gas attack
Il dc IF or
the quick and the dead And | tel
you, if you amt devilish quic
you're dead sure enough. It's a
awful experience, a gas attack"
In R;dgefeld Park, N. j., wher
the Scout organization is especia,
ly active, Scout Commissioner A
berque learned that the autho,
ities were expecting a terrific eS
pl0sion of eighty thousand pound
Of trinitrotoluol at the Gillespi
plant, and despite sickness at hi
home, Immediately Informed tn
Scoutmasters. 1t Is tribute to tn
value of the Boy Scout organize
tim that they covered PRACTICAL
every home in the town within
half hour. That the explosion di
not occur is fortunate, but all az
rrec'ated the quick action of tn
Scouts just the same.
The Poy Scouts of New Brun,
wick, n. j., nave been in continl
,-a.troryioo Of G -1r4n a ", how NJ I
since the explosion at the Gillesp:
shell loading plant. These boy
were nrc'o liked Saturday, and wei
detailed to canteen service at tt
New Brunswick relief station j
South Amboy, also the Scout An
bulance Corps to the Medical D
vision.
There were from 35 TO so Sc0u
~