Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-10-17
G M2MPQW N4Z2YHT EMW III

touch them. She point
ed 10 the arch across the street. a few feet away
through which they would soon pass, with the
American and French flags intertwined aud the
motto In big scrawly letters, "Soyes les B!envenus.'
She explained that ] was an American. lheE
seemed to understand, and their faces lighted up,
for this was in early June, and even these pitifui
ones, who had been where little news had reached
them for nearly four years, knew that the Aueri-
cans were In France In good numbers now, ana
were their allies.
So the group ceased to shrink from my camera.
A woman even thrust her child forward an"
-smoothed It's hair so that it would look we'll in the
picture. But, just as | was ahou, 10 snap the
shutter, another woman in the group. standing II
little back, looked at me with an expression th;tt
was full of condemnation. full of appeal, rs she
said: ayes, my friends, let us stand up straight,
SO that he can get a good photograph of misery
Then she laughed bitterly, and I-well, ! did not
take the picture.
At this moment the rest Of the convoy began to
come out Of the station, led by the Chasseurs' lit
tie band. With them came Red Cross men and
nurses, carrying or helping those who could not
walk into the waiting camions ana ambulances.
put up my camera and hurried ahend TO reach
the casino, whittier the procession was bound, be-
fore their arrival there. Someone struck up La
Murseillaise," some woman with a high. shrill
voice. As l climbed upon the front seat OF an
ambulance and we started to pass the crowd !
thought for a moment that I was. now going to
see. going to hear. what I had come up from Paris
for-the glad burst Of enthusiasm. of happiness
from these people now that they fully realized
that they were In France, among their own. free
from the German yoke, which had lain on their
,necks since 1914. But as our ambulance went by
the procession there were no other voices raised
to ioin that Of the singing woman, and after n few
to-. 80 %oo c<Oppod xinyinp and tho nrOcpSStOn
went on, silent. shutting, except for some small
sboys. town boys, who trudgcd ahead of the Chas,
,seurs. still playing their tune on drum and bugle.
reached the casino ahead Of the procession
and waited ut the door for them to come down the
Rue du Casino. The narrow. steep street was
crowded along its sidewalks with townspeOple,
and from windows was flung the tricolor, While the
American flag waved here and there, too. AS the
,procession came around the head of the street the
people hailed it with cheers and the waving or
f,nrs. The Chasseurs played more loudly--now
~ was "yive rArmee' they were footing. A few
.of the children raised their heads and looked with
Glad eyes ON the enthusiastic natives who were
CRYING 80 hard to cheer them home. An old man
An the procession Strengthened up and shouted,
..viva 10 General Joffre.'' But otherwise there
wero no cheers, no thrills Of happiness, nor any
thing hut Just that down-bent attitude. that shut
,A,nr walk, that dazed. whipped. cowed express
.sion. II was, as the woman ut tho station. had
amid. misery. For Evian is the clearing house of
misery these days.
II WINS not 80 Mt first, the American Red Gross
doctor told me, and so the subprefect OF the de
partment Of the Haute.Savoie also assured me.
(which Is why we make such a grent effort II
.chaer them as they come In nowadays" he suit
..T,hov are crushed, these people; they nre lk'
.aocd mon and women. and the children. even thu
attic ones, IRE scarcely alive to the situation
Frec from Germany once uore7 They cannot be
il,eye it--thcre Is scarcely enough strength left II
their poor minds and bodies for them 10 be adj
to understand" .. .a.,,,. !,
eyes" added the REQ Cross doctor, pointing on
n rdrt Of eighteen or nineteen VINO passed uoo
Mt tho expression on the face OF thh. s'r, !,
looked, 1 caught here eye " bne 'usneu = ~ =