The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-10-29
The Dark Days
PARIS, JAN. July, 1918.
BY Lee Wilson Dodd, of The Vigilantes

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the German drives.
Since the battle OF the AIarne il
1914 Paris had felt. | believe, entirel,
safe from the danger OF siege or cap
ture. And suddenly, overnight, tn,
old dread-the almost forgotten
dread OF the first weeks OF the wal
came back upon Paris. 1t was al
10 do again-all to do again. after
four wears.
Paris Remained Serene.
The old dread, yes; but Paris soon
soon thrust it down out OF sight
where it belonged and remained out
wardly serene. The armies OF France
had turned back the enemy once
from her gates; if necessary they
would do ii again. Ii her heart was
heavy, it was chiefly that she well
know how terrible would be the
cost oi her defense. And ii in its
course the boches should succeed in
battering their way far enough south
to lombard her. she well knew what
would be her fate. 1t would be the
fate OF Amiens and ol Rheims.
1t was during these heavy, intoler-
able days OF waiting that we Amer
leans in Paris learned to love this
beautiful city with an almost pas
sionate love. We grew savage at the
thought OF her possible defilement.
l remember standing one evening
before the Gambetta monument on
the Place du CarouSel. looking up
along the broad alley OF the Tuiler-
les gardens and on through the
Champs ElvseeS to the Arc de Tri-
omphe, mistily dark against a velled
sunset standing there with
clenched fists, literally gritting my
teeth in a tense ecstasy OF hate.
When | came to myself and realized
what ! had been doing, it made me
grin rather sheepishIy as | turned
away. thought at once OF that
famous cartoon in "Punch of Ger
man family having its morning
strafe. Nevertheless the moment had
been genuine, an unconscious tribute
to the beautyfi the brave dignity OF
Paris. Nor were such moments rare
among Americans living with tins
people through their dark days. 1t
is something to have seen an Amer
lean doughboy standing at dusk in
the shadow OF the Rue de RivoIi ar
cade. and gazing at Fremiet'S gal
liant little golden Jeanne dare
with undiSguised tears in his eyes. \
moment later he may have turned
self-conscious and sheepish, too but
as slipped by him with quick
glance lie was oblivious of me and
of everything save his deeper
thoughts. Sentimentality? | don t
think so. You would not think so
ii YOU had passed with Paris, heart
sick but answering i'll her courage.
through the Great Shadow. For the
Great Shadow was no Illusion. 1t
was real and upon us. Would it ever
dissipate. or would it deepen-deep-
en- and endure?
Calm of Desperation.
The hour OF the evening papers
= r | was on the BoulevardS when
thev brought MS news OF the German
attack in force at the Chemin deS
Danes. We stood about in groups.
poius. civilians, men and women,
and snatched at the headlines over
one anotherS shoulders. Even so
there was little excitement; we were
curiouslv calm. We didn't chatter.
We spoke quietly. courteouSIy, II we
spoke at all. But there was an cleo
trio sympathy between us. We be-
longed to one family
A Young poilu borrowed my IN
trans for a minute or two. then re
turned it TO me with a faint smile.
He made no comment on the news.
1t was not good news. We all knew
that. And the Great Shadow deep
ened.
Those were the darkest days.
Less than a week late American
infantry and American marines
Jumped from their camions before
Chateau Thierry and charged. Good
God. with what thrill we read that
news! American troops had helped
in the nick OF time-had helped at
last
Paris knew then that her dark
DAYS might not soon be over but
they would pass-They have passed
Paris was right.