The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-10-03

side tall candles always burning.
All sorts of flowers were about it. We
were told the wreaths were for the dead
the loose flowers and growing plants
for the living
The effect of the Pickering lights on
the gay banners, and on the still, tragic
figure of the Christ perfectly symbolzed
the glory and the sacrifice of war.
We were early for service and count
ed ID soldiers, some officers, Others not,
who stopped and knelt before that shrine
before taking their places. 1t was so
different from anything I've ever seen.
When we reached the hotel after
church we found Miss Y. waiting for us
with the request that we 90 to lunch
with two perfectly strange American of
ficers
She had an old admirer who had an
engagement with her and in mentioning
il TO his two friends, filled them with
the desire for feminine society of the
home variety. So he put the question to
Miss Y. who decided that Miss H. and ]
would fill the bill.
SO we went and had fine time. All
three officers were at a school tor gas
near Paris. They were all youngsters
but delighted to talk to American wom-
en-. Both had been to the front and were
feel that I've been through it all my
self 1t is so intensely interesting to
hear it first hand
After wH finished dinner we found a
taxi and drove about, incidentally tax
ing my trunk to the station and buying
my ticket.
This was a most entertaining affair.
First they. weighed the trunk. 1t is
trundled along by you on a wheelbarrow
thing. The man who weighs it gives
you a slip showing the excess and pastes
another on the trunk Then you buy
your ticket and pay the excess baggage
and as 60 pounds is the allowance on
the French railroad it's mostly excess.
Then you make your seat reservation.
These various places were just as far
apart as possible, so that our little pro-
cesson marched back and forth for miles.
First came Miss II. talking French to
the porter. who transacted all the bust
ness. At every other step he would in
quire what "the madame who goes"
wanted next.
Then / followed with all my precious
French papers, carte d identitee, travel
permit from the French civil and militia
ry authorities, and my passport. With
out all this you cannot purchase "un
billet de chemin de fer" your railroad
ticket
After me trailed the two army officers
much Disguised at their lack of useful
ness; but we assured them we were sure
they could have attended to it all per
fectly in English.
After this little episode we had tea at
hotel much frequented by the army.
At little after we went down to
serve coffee. sandwiches and cigarettes to
train of French wounded. The Amer
lean officers were allowed to remain; We
women had been asked to come
1t was so busy a place that ! could
not take time to be upset though every
! few minutes d see someone that made
me gasp with despair at the tiny bit OF
comfort ] could offer. There were many
/ Algerians, as black as the ace of spade:
with gay fez or a gay turban. How
they all could drink that boiling cot
| fee ] don't see, but with few exception.
they took it with very evident graft
tudc.
No matter how smashed they wer
there were n few words of thanks 70
the "Croix Rouge American" 1t i
dearly loved in France.
While working on that train W
learned that one of our own mer
wounded, was coming soon. And afte
the French train pulled out we hunte
up a place for bite of supper, whc
was obtained with difficulty as il wa
past and no one is allowed to serv
food after that hour. However, we wer
able to get omelet, cold meat wit
chicorv salad and the inevitable crap
for dessert. They are the only thin
we ever see; what will happen whe
their day is past | have no idea.
like Lady Baltimore cake or at leas
part of one.
Then we returned ito the gare, an
gave coffee, fruit, sandwiches an
smokes to our own men. ! wish | coul
tell you how wonderful they are.
ism I merely a question of grim endu
enee; they are positively cheerful whe
they can speak at ALL And almost a
ways they will say that Bill or Sam hi
worse wound Those with face wounC
seem the Exception. Evidently the fe;
of DISAGREEMENT is deep. It's not Il
thing to hsk the "face cases how thC
are getting on for they are discourage
and there's little comfort to offer. Sti