The Natchitoches enterprise., 1918-09-26

very good meals might be partaken OF
by civilians, too, as well. The funny,
folding pannikins and dishes OF metal
the defenders use added interest to the
chow, naturally One of the best cheer
leaders of the city was in charge OF
the community singing that evening,
and he, sure got some good choruses
out of the throngs. The consuls and
representatives of the various nations
were present, and reception given
them, with all sorts of courtesies in
the way of children dressed in national
costumes to present their banners, and
the bands pealing forth the typical
HYMNS of each, etc. After the short
speeches, there were realistic liberty
tableaux and historical characters in
the big marble facade. We enjoyed 1t
all, and wandered all over the grounds,
taking in.the huge cannon, airplanes,
ETC., captured from the Huns, of which
there were so many: The film division
showed in half dozen different places,
real scenes of Pershing's Crusaders,
and scenes in various camps and ship
yards.
There was huge tent in which were
small-sized replicas of the various
buildings in use by our soldiers, each
about the size of . small room, big
enough for half a dozen people, be-
| sides the furnishings. There were the
Y. M. C. A. huts, with their musical
outfits, writing coEveniences, games,
etc., the K. of C., American Library
Association, Jewish Welfare Board,
and others. The model Liberty theatre
was fine, with its lights on, its crowds
of dough-boys, with their smileage
books all ready, and the groups show
ing the community singing, under
good leader, the base ball and other
athletic games, and in fact, every side
of camp life and training, so cleverly
L
carried out.
The Navy Departments showed mod
els of battle ships, cruisers, subs ano
other types of fighting craft, and inter
esting movies of marines. There was
a hospitaloutft, too, ambulance, army
cots, etc., with nurses in attendance,
and all branches of the Red Cross
Mrs. Baldwin had a splendid Red Stal
tent, with the fine war dogs, some OF
which were used in the sham battles.
1t seemed little queer to see Foot
Administration exhibit, but we fount
it most interesting, with the demon
strators in the Hoover costumes, ant
eyery form of saving food shown, dry
ing, preserving, ETC., with the process
in full operation. Books and pam
phlets of every sort were to be had
too, and it is wonderful what the vari
GUS committees are doing, all working
together. The Salvation Army serv
ed lemonade to soldiers and sailor
free, and of coul sc every war organ
ization bad booths or tents Of eats
Recruiting Offices did a big business
and the wolk of business womenin thl
connection, boy scouts, national leagues
commissions for aid of every kind wer
on hand; till one got quite bewilderee
But, of course, the actual article
captured were what one stood and gaze
, at and thumbed over catalogues an
, compared numbers and wondered alou
at the marvels. Americans had car
II tured field guns, grenades of ever
sort, huge bombs, howitzers, uniform;
: iron breastplates and helmets, gra
Uniforms, all sorts Of field kitchens
= and portable food conveniences, sigma
D ing balloons, trench tools, etc, beside
> there were interesting exhibits G
5 American equipment, such as complet
5 cavalry outfits, even to the first al
supplies, and one each of our guns
e trench mortars, etc.
Il The other countries showed all tn
things they had captured, from hug
e submarine, complete, and airplane'
e to medals and belt-buckles from tn
: Huns. thought the armor so clums
e and enormously heavy, and the othe
d things mostly very clever. Gas mask
!. of every kind, nose and eye protectors
e star shells, whiz-bang shells, the~Lus
n tania medals. bits of stained glass frol
e the RHEIMS cathedral, bits of insignl
e from flower troops at Ypres and Mons
e etc.-all the things we read OF WEI
c there. and intensely interesting, {
+ course. The boys saw everything, an
e are still studying out in their catalogu
Il the odd things, such as folding lanterns
e signal rocket carries, liquid incendiar
r bombs, ETC., and l must keep clea
d memory of lots of things, too, to
e able to answer their questions, whic
!, are still being fired at me.
q But of course the chief thing was tf