Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-05-11

own, and we were sWarnpcd Win
work-it was narrowing. 1T was time
gees, then an extraordinary thing
happened. The parents asked us to
keep their children. Such a mark OF
confidence has probably never before
been given. We sent off the parents
to the interior of the Oise,; and that
night all of the children, with two OF
our members to look after them and
to the farm; from there they left the
next morning for Vnlers Cotterets. it
WAS a big responsibility could not
have believed the French women
would consent to he separated from
their babies. but they had .cll known
the horrors of a previous tvicuation,
and they trusted us to save their chill
dren another such experience. satur-
day and Sunday were appalling DAYS.
Palm Sunday n few VINO could be
spared, with the refugees, went to
church to pray for victory, the guns
still roaring. the church full of SOL
diers and weeping mothers. sunday
night, every. member.of the unit, with
the exception of two, a sent TO q
place Of safety. Monday, two, OF US
received and fed 200 refugees still
waiting for Canaions to carry them
back. The: Red Cross. was doing all
in it's power to give US the necessary
transportation. { can never describe
the awful tension OF those hours while
we waited for. the cars Then: the
great French army. "ent US ten cam
ions. 1t was late in. the evening" We
helped the. people in and imnlored
them to be- separated from the few
goods and 'chattels the poor things
wished to carry, ard. they left with
our promises to.take them some day
soon.". About midnight the Red Cross
cars arrived we rapidly put into them
some of the valuable stores wesknew
might be required-soupu milk. flour
and. Z espeoially---also blankets
and mattresses. We did not know
what to expect. 1t was2a wild night.
The Germans were. reported as COM
ing, and coming fast-were the
French. and English holding? 2. Would
our Beloved centei fail into the
hands of the enemy? We could not
think; we had to work. and we did
till morning. Then came. a sudden
asking the last two members to move
a little farther back. but to wait there
until further orders. We were re-
assured that the great French army
had stemmed, the advance in our .di-
rection, but that we must move TWO
Of our French workmen,. the mason
and the plumber. who have helped US
LOT ClHlI HIOltltIS " iCoSoAO VAL ~
der in his long suffering Aisne, re-
fused to leave the chateau, and re-
manned, and still remain as guardians
until we have authorization to return.
In the last few days events.
taken a better turn, we are optimis-
tic, we are %hopefult; we believe and
Ewant to. believe the hideous waves ,of
German hordes have been stopped.
We are here to help-that. is all we
know and care. There is the deep
est gratitude in our. hearts that we
were wanted and needed--iti is q
sweet compensation for nine months
work in this region.
And now we are in the war, saving
;, live stock, feeding refugees, u two
canteens. thanks to Miss Moulton and
kthe Good Will club, are serving three
to five thousand soldiers day and
night with hot swectened chocolate
and coffee-a few officers ask for
bouillon or soup, the majority of the
soldiers have had coffee, or a kind ,o1
Indifferent brown liquid, for so lone
4 that when we give them our good
chocolate with sugar In it they ex;
claim with pleasure like children
IOur three other canteens were requi:
sitioned by the army ina moment
,tof terrible difficulty-how glad we
were to be able to offer them. We
have opened an infirmary for the
wounded opposite the canteen. Here
we care for. lost soldiers, tired +.sol'
diers. soldiers with letters to write
questions to, be answered. :; ln4a.tht
villa: where we were immediatel!
lodged by the army we have. a dis
the very i'll ones are taken to a his
Cpital at Villers Cotterets, 20 kilome
tiers away. This villa is destined t.
become The home of the American