The Washington times., 1918-08-25

!
a marked difference between the
entraining OF the British troops and
the Americans when they returned
| after the review of the Fourth OF
July. Since there was no one to
| give them a send-of our troops
cheered themselves and waved fiags
and sang songs AID shouted, Just as
II there were thousands of spectators
while the Americans were Just the
! reverse, quiet and orderly-no run
ming to catch up the train All our
men who took part this time in the
parade were veterans-many having
four and i've wound stripes
Our American
Boys I'm Uniform
/ by the way, did I remark in my
last letter to you that thought the
American troops seemed self-con-
scious in their uniform? I know /
did to some one. but can't remember
whom II did, now want to say
that take II back. That's the worse
of your having such q big Y. NJ. c. A.
army in Paris-it gives false impres-
sions. Also the large clerical STAFF
which you have over here in khaki
does not conduce to respect But I've
LuCI cOAnC Ol your DOna- nOe
soldiers, and 1 talked with one
marine from Chateau Thierry, and I'm
quite content with them.
Somebody ought to forbid
your civilians over here to
bTag; they make other people
wild, and besides, IFS not exactly
their province, since many of them
are young, strapping fellows who
ought to be in the army doing their
bit, and not Dragging about the other
fellow who is. From the way I've
heard some of them talk one would
think the United States army was
composed of supernen; 1t isn't I'm
pleased to say, but Just very ordinary
human boys.
II feel very much moro COM
Portable about the end of the war
since I've met some of your real SOL
diers. They realize-those at least
who have already seen tghting-whatl
it means, that 1t is a tremendous job
needing serious attention, and be-
cause they realize that II isn't a Joke.
feel real confidence in them Those
who have done some 1ghting are
modest and unassuming as are all
real heroes-and ! consider all those |
heroes who have shared the life OF
the trenches and tasted OF fear and
seen the bitterness of death-and yet |
still carry on. You can be proud, |
rightly, OF your fighting men, but
your 7. NJ. c. A. army I'm bound to
say, is joke.
The Fourth Of July
In Paris.
ut was rather fun the way I hap
pened (ahem) to meet the marine.
On the Fourth. OF course, had
nothing to do and nowhere to 20. ri
didn't have the whole day free sol
missed the parade in the morning
and in the afternoon felt SO fed IN
that went to sleep and then washed
my hair. In the middle OF doing the
latter another English girl came in
to see me. also feeling fed up because
every one else was en- fete. So she
stayed to dinner with me. and after
we went to a cafe on the Champs
Elysees and watched the peopIe. and
we decided that il an opportunity
presented we would. what is COM
monty termed get on
We'll, we walked down the
Champs, and then back again
without any opportunity present.
ing, but just as it was dark
two marines spoke to us. and we re
piled, and mine was a very nice boy,
who did all the talking. He lust
poured out his Impressions.
Il feel rather mean about one thing
though, 1t was getting rather late by
the time we got near to our hotel
and we left them rather in a hurry
or / would have asked him for his
address and offered to write to him
and send him papers. etc |
Ia aHn -
foreign life, even though he had all
his pals round him. and I could sym
pathize with him heartily in this di-
rection. It's the fact of not having
any one to take SPECIAL interest;
Of being just one of a crowd, that IS
so depressing.
"As no doubt you have noticed. I've
moved again. This time to small
and genuine French hotel, where the
food is first rate At least, the place
is not so small as at first sight one
would imagine. 1t is built round a
that is. one set of rooms
on each floor faces the street, and
one set the courtyard. It is run by
a Frenchwoman-a jolly souL-and we
have very good times. 1 also hear
more French spoken, and the life is
much more French than in the ordi-
For foreigners For instance, yester-
lay morning there was a knock on
ny door while I was still in bed and
called out, "entnez." thinking II was
one OF the English girls (of whom
here are two besides myself IN the
house. 4 deep grun voice answered
1e facteur." at which / had a shock.
| jumped out OF bed and slipped on
l dressing gown, opened the door, and
'ound the postmsn waiting for me to
sign for a registered letter. I was
-ickled at the idea II had said a
second time "entreZ" he would have
,ome right IN
From the outside the place
ooks distinctly faded. perhaps
wen a little grubby, but inside IL is
1ery clean-a dashed sight cleaner 1
han the rather pretentious pension
where I was living. And all the
nan come and visit in our rooms: