The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-30

the sailors betweef lines of cheering
valleys there was heartening proof at
hand that new life was being infused
into that section. American soldiers.
respondent In new leather jackets
that kept out frosty cold of the No
vembcr atmosphere, smiled broadly AS
the car rolled through the demolished
towns. Soldiers, catching the slgnifi-
canoe of the unwonted disauy Of the
NJ p. at Dead Mans Corner would
swarm out of dugouts underneath the
ruins to wave a greeting to the daugh-
ter of the president. Miss Wilson fire.
ouently threw kiss at groups scat
tered along the road and not to be
! outdone. the boys returned the salute.
Engineers Mt Work.
Roads that until few weeks ago
were resounding to the traffic of Ger
man trucks and armored cars. OF
heavy artillery and the goose step OF
! thousands OF marching men were un-
der repairs. A regiment of American
engineers were at work filling shell
holes or building new roads and short
cuts around places wrecked beyond
repair. Streets of ruined villages had
been swept clear of rubbish by the
! men in khaki, and although many of
! the places had been under fire only
three days before there was already
ground for belief that the American
soldier was bringing his innate civic
pride into play and 1t would not be
= long before the torn and serried land
OF France would be made to respond
to the magic spirit of reconstruction.
Sparkling sunlight played on the
the havoc around. After days of
rain and mist overhead and siushv
mud underfoot, with enemy shells and
enemy gas searching them out, 1t
seemed to the doughboys that the
old world was once again smiling and
peace, blessed peace. had come in
time to relieve them from a winter in,
the trenches,
Ready to so home. boys"" Miss
Wilson asked some of them.
Sure" said tail Texan. might as
well, .the war ts Ami"
The presidents daughter ltatenea at
tentively to their talk Of going
home Dame Rumor, who works
far more assduously at the front than
she DOES at the knitting ctvhs hack
home, was responsible for the report
that such-and such n division would
leave the next day.
Going home" was the predominant
Ing topic or conversation exchanged
with the visitor, When she expressed
a doubt as to the correctness of thor
reports she was quickly assured hat
the NJ. p. said so. Be it said Ia the
credit Of the latter that he Is a proph at
not without honor in his own country,
especially when that country is a
crossroads village in Northern
France Miss Wilson herself came
to regard him before the trip was
over with customary veneration.
when tho Boys Come Home"
All this going home" talk did not
fall on deaf ears. The presidents
daughter, like the president, has the
happy faculty OF knowing what people
the enlisted men most. before she had
been at the front two days Fortu-
nately. she had a song to tit the occa-
sion.
1t was, when the Boys Come
Home"
/ Wild applause. cheers and calls for
more always rewarded the singer when
she gave them that song. She sang
II at stops along the roadside using
! a folding organ where she found regi-
ments en- repos after the hard fight
ing of the week before. She sang II
In hospitals. the Y. NJ. C.. A. huts and
at village hospitals until every man at
the front was whistling the refrain. 1t
was the song Of the moment.
! Houdricourt, that little mass OF
tvmbied- down ston. houses. stables
ard manure heaps. felt very flattered
when 1t was known that Miss Wilson
would sing there before two audiences
one at ard another AT o'clock, the
same day. A sign posted nj con-
spicuous place m the main thorough
fare carried the announcement. II
had hardly heen posted before the Y.
NJ c. A. man AT the place was be-
sieged with men who wanted 10 Know
II the news was readily the truth. The
concert was given in theater built
for the use of German officers
The arrnistice had been signed four
DAYS then and the rionotony began to
toll
Gee I'm glad we're goinr to have
+ a concert" said an idle douchooy a,
the "Y" hut, this having nothing 10
do gets my goat We got to have en-
tertainnent IL we amt going to fight
no more"
/ He was assured the Y. NJ. G. A. had
the same idea and had planned y pro-
gross of amusement that would ward
on any tendency toward home sickness
until the last transport OF boys had
started for America
! Miss Wilson had spent the entire
day on the road hut the concerts went
over with more than the usual amount
of pep. The douehboys hadn't seen
American women In many weeks and
they were like children IN their Joy
over the visitors. Awkwardly they ex-
pressed their appreciation by count
legs donations OF German souvenirs,
including helmets. rings. watches
| etc
AT one place she made d little speech
TO the boys. telling them how much
She appreciated what they had done.
III ever can do anything Tor YOU
want You 10 let me know" she said.
a boy on the front row grinned at
tho remark and whispered 10 his
neighhcr, Col. don't you wish she
would give u . knock down 10 her
"