Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-01-06
FRANCE FAITH IN
i. S. ASTONISHING
Americans a New Kind of Peo-
pie, the French
Believe.

We've got a reputation to live up
to. We are firmly believed to be
new kind of people-paladins-of as
tonishing force and virtue. handing out
victory and, although rich, Tightening
our belts to give food to the world"
These words are used by Sterling
Heilig, for many years The Stars Paris
correspondent. in telling of the scrupu-
in living up both to the letter and the
lations. The implicit belief of the
French in our opwers and our destiny
makes an American proud to be abroad
in these times, says Mr.. Heilig. and
accomplishing in the face of all dim.
culties and privations. Furthermore.
it has called forth an admiring pa.
ternalism on the part of the French OF
all strata of society. the lowest as wen
as the highest doing all they can to
facilitate and to protect every Ameri-
can. and especially every American
soldier that comes their way.
In a personal letter to an old friend
in Washington Mr.. Heilig gives details
Of his own domestic daily life that may
be taken as a pretty accurate indica-
ton of how things stand in the average
household. His own trained powers OF
observation tell him just as accurately
how things are elsewhere.
Girls Dare Not Make Eyes.
The girls hardly dare make eyeS
at our soldier boys on the boulevard
runs the letter. in part. They have
been warned by the Paris papers that
the lads are Galahads, a new kind OF
crusaders, who have taken vows before
sailing Old buns have been known to
tell the most cheerful sort OF lies to
protect them from temptation w mere
is such-and-such placer asked one
soldier referring not to a dive. but to .
playhouse now in operation, as usual
which stages effects many of which
are little worse than those one sees In
New York. Its shut blandly replied
the old street faker to whom the query
was addressed.
Here are how things are with our
household at Neuilly-sur-Seine. Out
side is the coolest and most penetrating
snow-fog imaginable A fellow corre-
spondent who lives with us works with
one electric light: 1 with another. and
though it is 10 am. it is as dark as
night. Outside it is freezing. with a
slight coating of hard snow underfoot:
tips in violation of the law. and the
tramcarS make stoppages OF anywhere
from five to twenty-five minutes. Two
thirds of the conductors and some OF
the mOtOTlnen are NOIUeu. anu tncy 10
better than you would think.
Every time turn on the electric
light we shudder with apprehension.
We have been given az limit which
ought not to be passed, chiefly on honor.
because we are Americans II we ex-
ceeded this we could beg off, for the
project of police has promised both
light and heat to correspondents, but
'noblesse oblige'-we are Americans. 1
used to read in bed at night. 1t did me
harm. I'm better now, thanks
Coal Is $65 a Ton.
Heat? We got ton or two of an
thracite last summer to run a slow
burner stove in my mothers room,
enough to last the winter. and per-
haps a trife over for a parlor CRATE.
The latter. however, we have never
dared to light; coal costs sos ton.
We also got enough soft coal for the
kitchen for two-thirds of the winter
by not using it and cooking with gas.
Mutton chops cost 20 cents apiece.
Good cold beef tongue is dearer by
the pound than Huyler's candy in
America. Ham is cheaper, and one
~ f0r hash for two days. 'Noblesse
oblige,' we are Americans.
tcH I found really practical
electric heating radiator we were
Our landlord has
to get coal through a coal card; the
$50 am. and we get UP to 80 degrees
Fahrenheit in the workroom about
1915, and around Sc in the halls and
parlor. We use the radiator very mod
erately as a stop-gap, but we see what
the heating of the future will be. Those
better world to lD1e in. We are sowing
in for them low.