Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-02

further and further away from us our
minds turn to good times after such
dearth Of them. So far however. there is
nothing big planned for the grown.ups,
but the kiddies will be so feted in Christ
mas week I doubt if they'll be able to
return to school and studies on time.
Mrs. Alexander Cassatt is going to give
a wonderful DANCE on the night after
Christmas for Sissy Stewart and Alexan-
der and Anthony Cassatt. They are her
three grandchildren, you know. Sissy is
the daughter of Mr.. and Mrs W. Plunkett
Stewart, her mother having been Elsie
Cassatt. She is named for her aunt, Kath-
erine Kelse Hutchinson She was the wife
Of DR.. James Hutchinson. you remember,
and died about ten years ago. Alexander,
who was named for his grandfather Cas-
satt and Anthony, named for his great
grandfather Drexel, are the two sons of
Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Kelso Cassatt. Their
mother was Minnie Fell daughter of Mrs.
Aleck Van Rensselaer, and granddaughter
of the late Anthony ]. Drexel The guests
at this party will be members of the
"middle.sized" school set.
= held on Saturday evening at the His
torical Society was more than usually in
teresting. Mrs. James Miffln was hostess.
She has been simply wonderful in the work
for enlisted men during the war, SO the
boys were delighted to see her. The men
who formed the reception committee were
Mr.. Charlemagne Tower, Mr.. John F.
Lewis, Mr.. John Gribbel, Mr. William
Drayton. Mr.. Harold Gillingham, Mr. Ned
Robins, Mr.. Albert Cook Myers and Mr..
Ernest Spofford. The speaker was Mr..
Hampton Carson, and he was certainly
interesting; "got" his audience from the
first, so to speak.
AS usual, Mr.. Hoxie led the community
sing and dancing and supper followed.
It's simply remarkable how many attend
these affairs. I'm not exaggei ating a bit
when I say there were at least a thousand
persons there; and there have been more
than thousand at each Of the other re-
ceptons held this autumn.
AN INTERESTING letter has been re-
Aceived by a member Of the overseas
committee Of the Emergency Aid who
won't let me use her name, from her son.
whom we know as Jack, and his last name
starts with q B. He's a wonderful dancer
let me add. He's in an ambulance section
IN France, and he adds, as Rreless post.
script to the letter. that the section has
been cited for bravery. OF course, that
means more to his mother tnan all the rest
of the letter put together, althc gh she
thinks it's perfectly beautiful letter. and
do 7 He Snaaks If hpu h,ic how
were the letter was written on November
81 and adds. 'Eortunately the number Of
wounded has been comparatively small; !;
If it had been otherwise hate to think Of
what the suffering Of the poor fellows
$ would have been"
Due to the rain, mud and shell holes 1t
frequently took eight to ten hours to go
three and half miles, He says: 1T was
just question of going forward a few
feet. stopping, getting out and begging
anybody who happened to be near to help
you push the car out of the mudhole:
starting up again, and going perhaps five
feet, and so on, all over again, until the
cries and means of the patients made your
heart bleed and you wondered how men
could suffer so and still live.
4Hc IOdu was htlcIcu Will CdIS VI oil
sizes and types which had broken down.
the fields were covered with them. Then,
too, there were German suLs-big and
.little-some of which had been hit by
sshells while they were being hauled by
tractors in retreat, some standing just as
they were, in position and all ready to fire.
Many of the German batteries were cap
tured while they were in the very act Of
firing, SO rapidly did the infantry and
marines advance. But there was victory
in the air." he adds, "and with 1t thrill
that more IL an made up for everything
else"
must say like the big heart this boy
shows when he speaks of the men he has
carried back to the dressing stations. IF
could only forget the suffering of the
wounded on the roads! That is the most
horrible part of our service.
when the shells begin whistling and
dropping AROUND you and you wonder
where the next one is going to hit, it seems
like a challenge: it makes you mad and
you swear you'll get through and bring
your car through in spite Of those d.
boches But for the moaning and beating
on the sides of the cars with the fists Of
those poor semiconscious men inside there
is no compensation. no offset and no help
You do everything in your pow wer to make
1t easier for them, you strain every muscle
B to keep the car from humping or Jerking;
but car. especially one with the speed
+ bands. worn out. is q torture box at best
The wounded who are at all conscious
and most of them are-seem to realize
though, that you are doing your best for
them and the greatest reward in the
world is to have those poor fellows thank
you when you get them t. the field dress
ing station and tell you they know tha
you tried to make 1t little easier fol
them''
His account of the awful discomfort.
brought about for want of water is inter
esting. The letter was written on the GIL