The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-09-23
''Y" GIRLS CHEER 400 HOMESICK
SOLDIERS ON THE SWISS BORDER


out On the SWISS border. They we're
proud to have the girlA see everything
too. hAcAus<--well. here's part of the
reason why.
/ Not only all the parrAek. had been
butt by the men who lived in them,
hut nearly Everything they used They
had even made their own stoves out OF
pieces Of heavy tfn--cratker boxes and
such thtnxA The stoves worked very
we'll. too But their greatest pride was
their own hospital. 1t was small and
IL was rough. AT least on the outside.
but It waA beautifully appointed.
! The big hands that had cut and
hauled huge trees had made the r, ost
delicate Instruments that the major
doctor in charge had need to use. He
displayed with pride the drawers In
with grooves to keep the plates from
sliding down. the towel racks and the
sink for draining the dishes
These men have tried to make for
us everything they have ever seen In
their mothers kitchens at home" said
th6 doctor. And II was owing to the
fact that We had so many things to
work with last winter that. when 4
men came down with pneumonia wo
dih not lose A single case
TO that and to the wonderful nurs-
ing Of our orderly. mere hoy. below
the draf. age. and lame. How he did
pet those men, He was always beat
ing up pillows or running around after
hot water or cold water or writing
letters for them or playing the pho
,nograph, and when he could not think
Iof anything else to do he would just
hover around patting them as a won
an would" 4
He would have gone on indefinitely
but dinner time came. The women
had planned to stay only an hour or
SO, but they could not go away
We haven't seen an American
woman since we came. and you need
not think we're going TO let you 60
of like this" they protested And
besides. the cook has made some ap
pie pie"
Needless to say they stayed No
American in France can resist apple
pie And no doubt they found il just
"a hard to resist the faces of Ameri-
can bows that hadn't been home for
more than a year.
| 50 they gave up their previous plan
OF Visiting several camps in one day,
ana stayed on until evening. They
had concert given for them in sthe
rustic theatre which the men had built
and decorated with evergreen houehs
The tanor sang. for the last mum Der
when You Come 70 the End Of
Perfect Day and then ne had to re-
trea. It, because, as the sergeant ex-
pressed II:
This Il the blamedest perfect day
we've had since we came"
At $40 the visitors firmly insisted
that they must go They climbed into
the auto. and started the engine. Tho
men stood around packed as closely
as they could. and waved good bye
But for some strange reason the car
refused to roll away. 1t shook and
fingered. II even crept forward about
a foot. and there It s.opped
Or. Cockett. who by the way, stud
ted motor mechanics for a year and
At one time drove an am bnlance got
out an Investigated the engine. the
bo~s looking on eheerfully
II seemed TO he all right But when
they tried to start again the car did
not bulge.
And then some one had a hrish.
inspiration. She looked hack Of the
car and there were as many boys as
could find room holding he truck so
that the girls could not leave
Now, look here, you boys Dr
}Cockett said severely. we must go.
It's getting dark and We don't know
the roads through these woods"
Is that ah9' inquired the young
officer whom they HAD met in the
dug out, Come on. boys: let's take
the girls home'''
SO the girls turned of the engine
and the men pushed the car down the
road and up the Hill, as far as they
were allowed TO go. And the last the
girls saw OF then, they were standin,
on the hilltop waving and cheering
Then some One started song and
down the dusky road came the sound
Of 400 men singing:
There's a long long trail awindine
To the land OF my dreams"