Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-03
ATTEND THE SWEETEST
PARTY IN ALL PARIS
Two Hundred American Soldiers
Guests In Homo OF Rich Amer.
lean Resident.
MAGNIFICENCE ovERwH e In
But Magic, Word 'Rcfrcshmcnts"
Puts Every Man at His Ease, and
Uncle Sans Lads Enjoy Evening
OF Innocent Gaycty.
Especial corrcspondence.l

Especial Correspondence.l
PARIS. February 1.-two hundred
american soldiers advanced as primly
- small boys on their way TO dancing
Joi
Past the pink marble facades and
Trough gorgeous wrought iron gate.
H. double line OF khaki edged Its way
etrtously Through the medium OF
he I. NJ. G. a. the men were about
he entertained By one OF the
1vea!thes, women OF Paris. an Ameri
IN who had married abroad. The
house was like nothing they had ever
seen before. and its grandeur scared
them.
"IIobokcn was never like this"
whispered Private Smith and some one
else started to whistle under his
breath. II Dreamt I Dwell In Marble
Halls" One OF the informed announced
that the house was perfect model OF
the Pctit-Tr!anon. pronouncing the
word as 1t was spelled. with Middle
Western accent. Zone contradic;cd
him.
i'hey filed through the imposing door
and came safely out OF their encounter
with the butler In livery in the great
hallway. Some OF them slipped and
STATED prccariously az they hurried UP
the great rcd marble stairway aud
one whispered rcscntfu!ly that the
h!a:rcd stairs were waxcd. Others
eyed the gold walls and magnificent
pictures. an,: appeared 10 be wonder
ing what they should say to tnei.
hostess.
WISHED FOLKS BACK HOME;
COULD SEE THEN
Before they knew 1t. they were in
the music-room. and Private Jennings
Was wishing that the folks back home
could see him then. Tie ceiling was
high and vnulted. and concealed cleo
trio lights threw a soft glow upon It
from gilded mold!ng. Scores OF wax
candles elittered amidst the crystal
bangles OF thin glass dc,abras. the /
only Visible lights In the room. on
tho walls were heavy bas-rclicfs. and n
llfe-sized bronze statue stood In the
corner. 1t was a swell party. AL right. .
They forgot what IL was they ha1
mean; TO say TO their hostess when
they saw her standing al the door OF
the mushroom. No matter. She was
shaking hands with each one and
smiling at him In way THAI reminded
him Of his mother At home Another
woman at the piano was siuEinE--a
ronE they knew. song they had sung
back home. The men didn't dare join
In. but they applauded heartily. They
wished some one would play the
golden harp that stood ny the music
rack; many OF them had never heard
real harp played. They sat listen
!nE 10 that song and another Pr
pounds OF avciraupo!r carefully upon
The small gold chair. wondered
whether Il would break. and how mu III
Il had cost.
MAGIC WORD. "REFnESHMENTs.-
PUTS THEM ALL At EASE
'Refrcshmcnts" came the magic
word with small boys anu soldiers
II j. always time TO eat. and the 900
American soldiers were entirely nat
urai again. as they walked Driskly
down the marble hall toward the
snowy table. About four feet from
'hcir goal the front line halted nni
blushed red. They had seen four SC
vc-c-looking buffers behind the table.
The front rank tried to back through
Into The second line wh!cn stood It's
ground with the determination OF
alarm. There were the little cakes
and tho hcaDci-up plates OF Ice cream (
and there We're the men. but between
the two an !mpassab!e gulf seemed
fixed
Come on. boys," urged the hostess
What Will you have?" she added 10
one OF them. He turned red and
seemed unable TO say word: he could
not even point. rs no might have done
when tie was younger. However his ,
silence was interpreted an crdar |
10" Roman punch. and several defect I
able small cakes. which his hos,ess
herself rut into rs hand. Tnai broke
to learn something new about a nun
cry American crowd
Not that they didn't all remember !
their manners. you understand. Each
man was most polite and deliberate. /
He tried 10 take his cakes as II he |
didn't much care whether he had them
or not. But he took his hostess at her /
word. and piled his plate high; il was /
his first party IN Paris. and he wasn't
just sure when he could go to another. /!
Meanwhile. the ice melted with the
Ice cream. and the American soldiers /,
'old jokes and laughed at them as
heartily as they might have done in !
Hoboken fat.
ALL CARRY MEMORY Of
"rIlE SWEETEST PARTY IN PARIS"
Afterwards. there was more music: /
then reluctant good-hy to the
hostess, rush for the subway, and
the party was over Not really over,
either! 1t still lives In the stories of
the SWEETEST party in Paris" which /,
are being carried to the uttcrmost con-
fines of American soldiers camps In
France.
This was only one IF the parties
Which are being given for the men,
through the medium OF the Y NJ C. |
Under the auspices Of the association. |
many OF the wealthiest homes in Paris
are opened to American soldiers in the
city. The men go back to the trenches
with tales OF leave that has been |
spent in a taste Of home life and in
nocent gayety. instead of having 10 |
tell OF time and money squandered |
upon the underworld OF the city.
Observation-Disclosures.