The Coconino sun., 1918-09-27
GRACE WILLIAMSON
 WRITES FROM FRANCE
AMERICAN RED CROSS
 (Croix Rouge Americaine)

SlHCe lelt TidSSldll, anu diu sure there has not been a day when 1 have not thought of some of you, and want ed to write; but it has been so hard to settle down to anything, and the time has slipped away without my doing anything, it seems to me.
 We reached Paris August 2, and it was certainly relief to quit travel ing. Had very interesting and thrill ing trip over, and would like to write you all about it, but don't believe l can. Will have to wait until return to Flagstaff, when 1 will tell you about it. Paris is so very lovely, and 1 think 1 am going to enjoy year here, but after that Pm going to take the first boat home. The flower gar dens are lovely here, and l have thought so often of how I'd love to send you some of the begonias. There is one large bed that l used to pass on my way up Champs Elysees every morning to work, and I'd go few minutes early so I could see them, all wet with dew and sparkling in the sun. They were all shades of pink, red, yellow and light brown; large ones, the size of peoples. The other evening four of us went over to the Tuileries gardens, where the Louvre is situated, and I thought I'd almost burst with joy over the wonderful things there-the gorgeous flowers and statuary. The Louvre is not open now, and I understand most of it's treasures have been removed to places of safety.
 We had an air raid today, the sec ond since I have been here. We heard the guns and saw all the people in the streets, so went up to the fourth floor of the house we are in; we saw the plane way in the distance and the bar rage sent up by the French guns. I. was some distance from this part of the city, and looked like big white bird from where we were. The first raid was last week at about 12 o'clock at night. We were all disturbed by the "alerte," as it is called; I groped about in the dark, found my shoes and coat and went out on the porch, where number of other women were. The cellar we are supposed to go in in case of raid is across the street, but as there seemed no danger in that vi
 cinity, most of us stayed on the porch until the Gall clear" call was sounded down the streets. It certainly units one for very much work the next dav | It is going to be a clear night and I | just bet the things come again. 1SI Have not heard from my sister since I have been over here, except indi- rectly through a friend of ours from New Orleans She had letter from l sister from ---, where she was in hospital i'll with humps. She was on her way up right near the front lines, so this friend told me, when she was taken i'll, and the rest of the con tingent left her. Have written, but so far have had no word from her, but reckon she is too busy.
 am now with the Bureau of Refu
 gees. Besides great deal of othe" work, it has charge of the canteens in Paris, where the soldiers are fed and the wounded cared for when they arrive. Of course they take care of the refugees, feed bathe and clothe them, etc, when town is evacuated. In times of great crowds coming in when the regular canteen workers cannot care for them they call on diff ferent girls in the offices who regis | ter there. and they go and work all night sometimes. Don't believe that will happen again now, as believe the | Hun is on the run for good.
 l Am staying at a very nice, comfort able place, where they give us splen- | did meals. Of course, there are lots ln,oif hot httf hoXa fresh vegetables, and fruits, butter once a day and sugar for coffee once day, if one wants it. They also have so much nice cheese, all kinds, some almost as bad as limberger. Have never learned to eat the latter as | haven't lost my sense of smell yet. For the last few days have been get ting my lunch here where l work. The offices are in large residence, and on the fourth floor there is kitchen and gas stove, where we can prepare lunch. The U. s. commissary is just a block away, so I go there and stand in line and get loaf of bread and a can of "honest-to-goodness" jam made | in the U. s. A. and come back and have a nice lunch. Yesterday 1 treat ed myself to an egg, which I bought at a corner grocery for 10 cents. The Pension Galilee, where l am staying, is hotel run by the Red Cross (the Y. M. c. A. also has one, the Petro- grad)-principally for its nurses, but there is room for few others and happened to be fortunate enough to get a room there. Some of the girls have taken rooms in French families or French Pensions, as they call them, but for this winter at least decided would try to get in place that would be as comfortable as possible, and try to take French lessons. Of course, their object is to learn French by as- sociating with the French people, but I'd rather have little comfort and heat this winter than to become a proficient French student. It is quite amusing to see the Americans and French people trying to talk. pre- pared few sentences such as "Can you direct me to -" "Will this car take me to ...'...," etc., but hadn't prepared for the answer, you see, and when policeman or ticket r,on rottlad off lonC strinO of