Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-03

The story of real party in Paris"
not the kind that soldiers have been
said to attend when they venture forth
unchaperoned, has reached this coun-
try from one of the Y. NJ. c. A. di-
rectors abroad. 1t is descriptive of the
entertainment given a party of 200 en-
listed soldiers by a French resident
an American woman who married and
settled in the French capital.
The Y. NJ. C. A. is one of the many
welfare agencies in France which is
striving to provide wholesome recre-
alton and entertainment for United
States troops. This story of the party
for American troops, written by one
of the Y. NJ. C. A. secretaries who ac-
companied the soldiers and introduced
them to their hostess. is, in part. as
follows:
Enter, the Soldiers.
Two hundred American soldiers adj
vanced as primly as small boys on their
way to dancing school.
Past the pink marble facades and
through a gorgeous wrought iron gate
the double line of khaki edged its way
cautiously. Through the medium of
the Y. NJ. c. A. the men were about to
be entertained by one of the wealthlest
women of Paris, an American who had
married abroad. The house was like
nothing they had ever seen before, and
it's grandeur rather embarrassed them.
'Hoboken was never like this,
whispered Private Smith. and some one
else started to whistle under his breath.
I Dreamt-t l Dwe-el-lt in marble
Halls One of the informed announced
that the house was perfect model OF
the Petit-Trianon. pronouncing the
word as it was spelled, with middle
western accent. None contradicted MIN.
Bested the Butler.
They filed through the imposing door
with the butler in livery in the great
stairway Some Of them slipped and
skated precariously as they hurried up
the great red marble stairway, ana one
whispered resentfully that the blamed
stairs were waxed. Others eyed the
gold walls and magnificent pictures.
and appeared to be wondering "hat
they should say to their hostess
Before they knew it they were in the
music room, and Private Jennings was
wishing that the folks back home could
see him them. The ceiling was high and
vaulted, and concealed electric lights
threw a soft glow upon it from gilded
molding Scores of wax candles glittered
amid the crystal bangles of thin glass
candelabra, the only visible lights IN
the room. On the walls were heavy has
reliefS, and d nfe-SlZe bronze STATUE
stood in the corner. 1t was swell
party. all right.
Shakes Visitors by Hand.
They forgot what it was they had
meant to say to their hostess when they
saw her standing at the door of the
music room. NO matter She was shak-
ing hands with each one and smiling at
him in a way that reminded him of his
mother at home. Another woman at the
piano was singing song they knew, a
song they had sung back home.
1.-THE men didn't dare join in. but they
applauded heartily. They wished that
some one would play the golden harp
that stood by the music rack; many of
them had never heard q real harp played
They sat listening to that song and an
other Private McCron, as he deposited
his 200 pounds avoirdupois carefully
upon the small gold chair. wondered
whether it would break and how much it
had cost. -
REFRESHMENTS came the magic
word. With small boys and with SOL
diers it is always time to eat. and the
200 American soldiers were entirely
natural again, as they walked briskly
down the marble hall toward the snowy
table.
Meet More Buffers.