The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1918-10-25
A WALLED CITY
OF WOMEN

in straight even rows and along one
side OF the city wall Is long dorml
tory for single women. There are many
more of them than of the families In
the drab little houses. The village Is
fun Of w0mcn-old. young middle
uged-whoSe faces hands and hair
slowly are turning yellow from the
powder which 1t is said will eventually
affect their lungs. But most of them
nre refugees and the fact thar they
are giving up their good looks thelr
health aud perhaps their lives Il The
munition factory, is of little monent TO
them. They have come into the walled
town from ruined villages and deSas,
tgtcri farms with their frightened little
children. their despairing old people,
carrying all their earthly possessions
in tiny bundles. In their individual
lives there is no future in all their
world there is no interest but the CON
quest of the Hun.
No one comes into this little war
community that centers around the big
new munitions plant bul those who
work. Because of the danger and the
blighting yellow powder the work is
highly paid and all the workers are
volunteers.
The women wear overalls or apron
dresses. some Of black sateen. some
nOndescript. The dun garh harmonizes
with the following faces and despair
ing eyes.
Into this modern walled city of de-
spnir the Blue Triangle has flashed the
first message of hope, The Y. w. G. A.
foyer is the only recreauonal center
within reach. The cars which find
cafes at the end of the line mile
ag.ay, stop running at seven o'clock to
save fuel. The city is three miles
from the factory.
My problem" writes the Y. W. @.
a, secretary In charge, lis to keep the
women occupied in the evenings, TO
give them good healthy amusement 50
that they will forget their sorrows and
go to bed i.nd sleep, physically tired
out from playing"
She goes on to tell OF some of the
women and girls who come to the
foyer:
There is a pretty little round, rosy
checked girl here who is just beginning
TO show the effects M the powder. The
roots of her hair and her forehead are
pale yellow. The palms of her hands
are deep burnt orange and her hands
and arms a bright yellow.
There is an ex-professional dancer,
an interesting girl who enjoys the
foyer and helps entertain the other
girls. There is a professional pianist !
who does her bit at the room and eve
ming hours. There is one roughand- |
ready girl who speaks English, whose
father was an innkeeper in northern |
France. There Is pretty little girl
who is engaged to a French soldier |
who still is rejoicing over the five min
l:tes she had with him recently during |
an mir raid. His mother Is the care
tn :er here and he is one of six sons in.
the war. Two of them are German |
prisoners, two are civil pris-
oners in Germany and two are soldiers |
in the trenches. Her home in the |
north OF France was destroyed and she |
escaped with small bundle Of such |
things as she could carry in her hands.
There is a sweet-faced girl who |
was lacemaker in valenciennes, who
came direct to us from the German
ridden section after hard experience !
in getting away"
These are the women the Blue Tri- |
angle is helping to forget-perhaps !
only for an hour at tlme-the hor-
rors that have blackened their hearth |
stones and darkened the world.
MY foyer" the secretary writes, |
consists of hall and two I rge rooms |
with cement floors. One has a writing |
table and paper, pens and ink, sewing |
machines, cupboard with teacups in |
IL, large table with papers and maya
zines, easy chairs and my desk. The |
other room has piano, more tables, !
chairs, ironing boards and a Victrola.
There nre unframed French pictures
and American and French war posters
around the room. The walls are paint
ed gray and white"
Saturday evenings they sing and
dance. "First they have a chorus"
writes the secretary, such as lie Reeve
Passe or the 'Ilylnne DIES Amateurs or
something equally thrilling and at the
final notes of triumph voice at my
ears begs, I'm polka mees.' The polka
finished, there is n call for the 'Hymne
Amerlcain' and VIZ sing the Star
Spangled Banner lie Drapenu Etoile)
in two languages
These foyers have been established
In several munition centers in France.
Each one has a cafeteria, recreation
hall and rooms fitted up as rest
rooms, writing and sewing rooms. At
night these rooms are filed with
French girls learning English, book
keeping e. stenography, that they may
work In the Offices OF the American
Forces. In connection
with each ls large recreation field or
park.
At the request of the French minis
try of war the Young Women's Chris
tian association has opened club
rconas fSr the sixteen thousand French
employed IN the Offices Of the
war department.
So successful has been the foyer