Omaha daily bee., 1918-07-21
V9ews, Reviews and Interviews
Letter from Canteen Worker Describing Life Right Behind
the Firin0 Line
the Firing Line.

have just received a letter giving most
graphic account Of some things that are hap
pening over in the war zone from the view.
point OF an American woman engaged in wal
work The writer of this letter has been in
the war zone doing canteen and hospital
service for nearly three years, and believe
| have quoted her on war topics once OF
twice before. In the drive during the latter
part OF last March she and the other can.
teeners were bombed out of Scissors, but
the new line from which the letter Is dated
AS the envelope is marked examined by base
censor" and carries the stamp showing /,
was duly passed, am sure there is nothing
in the extracts l am giving to whose publica.
ton there can be any objection, and l know
these observations will be read with as much
interest at this particular moment as any
thing except the accounts of the actual fight.
ing now going on.
MANY times in the early days Of Lead
vile, when l was allowed to 60 to public
schools, had the temerity to choose for
my chums girls whose mothers were not
on mammals calling list. There was some
thing so genuine about those people from
the mines and smelters, but never until
people in the most natural and unconven-
tional way, and l am so glad, and really
they seem quite glad too, and my little
poilus calls me the lady who smiles That
is the French way-of saying that most OF
the time grin like Cheshire cat.
"But they are so funny, so dear, so gay
and so brave and their sense of humor is
so exaggerated And they are so gateful,
all my little poilus. Some day III disgrace
my superior and lean over the counter and
kiss some of those kids of class 1917 or
1918.
"And these French offcersl What menl
They love their little poilus as father
loves his children. They call them thou
in the familiar way one speaks to ones re-
lations or intimates and they father them.
of their own pockets pay for the soup and
coffee for their men, At the counter they
go down the line urging their men to eat,
after helping them to lift off their KNAPP
sacks, and always calling them 'non-petit'
or non n-enfant.' 1t is lovely being so close
to people that you feel their heart throbs.
There comes sometimes an old poilu and
in a worn little pocketbook, bound around
with yards and yards of string, he has
few coppers and proceeds to treat his
'copains' (pals) to coffee at one sou the
bowl because he has had word there is
new 'gosse' (kid) at home.
"The Bretons and Ncrmans returning
from perm 90 days furlough) have al
ways pat of delicious butter, which they
share with everybody at the counter.
Many of them ask my name and weeks
after, from the trenches, comes post card
from Jean, Jacques or Paul, thanking me
for some imagined courtesy. One seedy
poilu the other night said to his copain
thou knowest, my old one, thou are for
the first time in this life served by a lady,
remember thatr
IF l do the least thing for them they
say but no, it is not for lady to do
wish mothers in America would not enter
tain such ridiculous ideas about what harm
is going to befall their angel children. Let
Buddy or Billy associate long enough with
poilus and he'll have better manners than
a college graduate and be much more COM
panionable. see difference between the
American boys who have been up to the
front and those who have just arrived. A
new arrival pushes the shabbily dressed
poilus from the counter, demands cream
N (whatever that may be, though, have a
dim recollection Of it in the distant past)
and never says please, whilst the American
boy who has been over q year comes up