The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1918-03-09

0Oo vvOI
boots, and the fact that they were pushing heavy
street-ceaner carts thru the slush.
Women of France Think Men That
Are Gone Must Be Replaced
They were laughing and joking with each other,
their broad faces red with the tang of outdoor exer
cise and it was not until they stopped to let us pass
lon the crossing, and answered our friendly thanks
with their smiles = those wonderful smiles of the
women of France = that we knew them for women
But Marie and Therese are thOroy feminine in
their homes, which are neat as pin, just as they
were before the war when these women had nothing
to do but keep them so.
Each home has mantel, which is the place of hon
or for the gilded shrine hangs above it, and each
mante is given to the portraits OF brave soldiers
whom each brave woman has reinquished to France;
the husband, the brothers, the cousins.
What depths of grief there may be in Marie and
Therese one only guess from occasional tragic
infection occasional misery in the eyes, but Marie
professes to be very happy for God has given her the
strength to do her husband rough work. and to be
able to care for her two strong, healthy boys!
Nearly every woman in France has the thought in
mind that all those men who are gone must be re-
placed!
Therese is somewhat wistful at this point, for
Therese has only girls; but she brighens when it is
suggested to her that France needs continuation OF
her courageous women as well as of her gallant men,
She had been married five years. she had comfOrta-
bile home, she was very happy
She Smiles Beautifully; She Is
Able to Release Another Man
The war broke out.
Her husband was one Of the first to fall in defense
of her and the other women Of his country; and she
has no children! She is glad of one thing, however.
She has proved to have particular talent for
the position she occupies, position which ordi-
.nariy only an energetic young man could f1ll;
and that releases another soldier for France! She
smiles beautifully, this woman in the bank.
We had some official business to transact with an
other capable woman in one Of the government bu-
reaux.
She was particularly pleasant woman, who put
herself out tremendously to make everything cOnve-
nent for us. No time or trouble was too much, and,
mo matter how often it necessary to bother her
|she met us with a cheerfuness which was almost
gaiety.
She was always laughing, and you would have
imagined that she had not one trouble in the world
that she had not one serious thought
We became quite we'll acquainted with her. She
showed us picture Of her three little children Beau
tiful childrnl She showed us doll which she was
dressing, in her odd moments, for one of them who
was to have birthday soon She was especially joy
GUS about little silk handbag she was knotting for
the dolls
Something was said just then concerning the
war. We have never seen more startling change
in a countenance
A glaze dropped over the sparkle of her eyes,
and they seemed numbly staring at some far-off
terrible thing; her face paled into grey her lips
became blue, and her voice ordinarily full Of VI
vacity dropped to that dull even, colorless mono.
tone In which all French tragedy is expressed
She spoke rapidly and scarcely above a whisper.
oh the misery, the endless misery the depthess mis-
cry of this dreadful war, which had caused millions of
hearts to turn to the ashes of mourning thru all life
to come!
One Male Relative Left
She Gives Her Income, Too, for France
And it was blessing of the good God that one
might smile with the face for others, tho the heart
was dead!
With that came the smile again, for that was her
duty in life, to smile for others.