The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-09-07
Louise Kieninger OF Topeka
Writes Home From France.
Has Been with Red Cross Since
Early Days Of War.
LIVE IN HUTS DEEP IN GR0UND
Use Trunk for Dining Table
No Furniture There.
Always Watching for Soldiers
From Home Town.

Mr. and Mrs. ]. Kieninger, of To-
peka, have received recent news from
their daughter, Louise Kieninger, who
is a Red Cross nurse in France. telling
them something of the comforts
the Red Cross brings to American SOL
diers. NurNe Kieninger is giving
anesthetics in field hospital work. and
has been an army nurse since the
earliest days Of Americas entrance
into the fight. She has recently been
moved to q clearing station.
Describing her new quarters, she
says: I'VE are living in huts dug deep
into the ground, with no furniture
but the things we brought, bed, trunk
and suit cases. We have q trunk for
a dining table.
I'VE do some playing. A few days
age some officers invited us to picnic
eight miles in the country. We have
also been to concert given by the
orderlies of this company. 1t was
given in the ruins of the cloister of
an old monastery. The English have
learned that their workers must play,
and Americans will learn it, too.
Living In Plowed Field.
Imagine living in freshly plowed
field that has been rained on for sew
eral days, in a shelter of hut tents. At
that we are better off than the boys
up the line who have the same condi-
ton and no tents. We met some Red
Cross people and some American SOL
diers on our way to our new station.
How glad we were to talk to each
other! The boys are eager to get into
the fighting. These splendid men are
making name for America that Will
live forever and ever.
fry 70 find ryt1f tho ma Of avArv
patient that is put on my table, and
where he came from. In that way /
will know If any of them are from
home. OF course, am hoping every
day to meet someone from home, not
wounded. but II they. have to be
same. Anyway. they are all our boys.
What Red Cross Is Doing.
''I must tell you a few things the
Red Cross is doing. The battle line
changes, and some times q battle is
fought where it was not expected. A
large number of American soldiers are
wounded. An order goes to the Red
Cross to put up a 500 bed hospital at
once. The chief nurse gets an order
for perhaps thirty nurses. She gets
them together, and they start out,
many times reaching their destina-
ton in the dead of night. No lights
arc allowed. The nurses go on duty in
whatever clothing they have on. as
there Is no opportunity to change.
Usually. within twenty-four hours q
we'll regulated hospital is established.
The Red Cross H. q miracle 1t can
furnish anything from a pin to a COM
plete hospital without delay. When
ever our soldiers are put into field
hospitals, Immediately American
nurses are sent to care for them. This
Ped Cross looks after everybody
soldiers homeless children. deya stated
villages. refugees-everyone. Its pity.
sympathy, generosity are boundless.
We are proud to be Red Cross wo-
men ana proud of the work our wo-
men at home are doing. You fur
nish the innumerable comforts for
the patients. Everywhere we see the
Red Cross flag. in old buildings, on
ambulances and tents, and it gives us
thrill of pride and a sense Of protec.
ton. Every moment you spend in
working for the Red Cross is giving
someone happiness, making someone
think Of loving hands and filling
someone with the home love that 10
so much needed here"