The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-07-15
Women and War Work

Miss Emma S. Lansing and Miss
Katherine +. Lansing, sisters of the
secretary of state, have been work
ing with the American Red Cross in
France since last September. They
are now conducting canteen in a
village near the front where they
are often under fire. Following are
extracts of letters addressed to Sec
retary and Mrs. Lansing in March
and April
Thirty bombs were dropped here
last night Those of us who were
not on duty at the canteen last night
sat in a cave belonging to the Sis
ters of Mercy listening to the pop
ping of the mitraileuse, the roaring
OF the cannon, and the bursting OF
bombs, but feeling pretty safe so
far underground.
March II, at the canteen. a. m.
- Last Saturday night the clocks
were set ahead one hour, and, | as
sure you, when we leave the canteen
little after in the morning it is
still very cold, although the weather
is wondcrful-full OF sunshine all
day. | had only four hours sleep
last night as we had an alerte and
had to stay dressed, fearing our
evening visitors, who are frequent.
They come about the same hour
each night-a little before Q clock. |
Our orders are never to go out after
the alerte sounds, except to go to a
cellar. Very near the canteen the |
French have built an abri for us
which Will hold about 50 people, and |
only two doors from here is an eX
cellent cave, to which the Sisters OF
Mercy have given us a key.
A Glimpse of the Canteen.
"April II, ) 30 a. nj am writ
ing at the canteen, where | am on
the shift from midnight to ! o clock.
wish | could give you an idea OF
he atmosphere here at night. In
,ront OF me group of French in
.antry with one Iouave is playing
ards. Nearby is one of the black
st of negroes | have ever seen, in
he blue uniform of the French,
Walking up and down to keep him
elf awake. An American ambu-
lnce man is playing the piano; an
Italian is sitting at a table eating l
read and cheese; and the whole \
lrge sale is filled with soldiers q
leeping talking or listening to the t
lusic. My letter has been inter c
upted number of times once by /
n American soldier who wanted to
III me low he happened to enlist, !
i about his family and the girl
nd he wished to show me their pho
graphs; and again by French t
'ldier, who wanted to tell about his !
mily. "
April PA have been out buy Fl
g a wedding present for one OF my a
lleuls.' Did tell YOU that have n
wv about Is soldiers to whom | b'
rite more or less often? | am ii
ry unhappy about some of them, n;
ON whom lave not heard since ei
cir part in the big battle. h;
The poilu who is being married al
S gone into aviation and is ready
begin his flights now. He had j
rec days in which to be married. ev
: brought his fiancee to see me, en-
d | have letters from her. Be su
use could not go to the wedding pl
It now they proposed to postpone
FL
May 81 have just finished a
ter OF coincidence to the widow
one OF my 'poilus. He was mar re
d on the 25rd, and on the 10Th tic
in his aeroplane and was killed of
Rheims Cathedral. ag
May l0.-IeStcrday | made CO
it to Rheims. We approached it ca
IN a hill 50 long before we he
.ched the city we saw the cathe- of
Il outlined against the sky, ma Po
tic and apparently perfect. We lt'
preached over camouflaged roads We
1 through a city forSaken-a city WI
the dead. The cathedral is still tn
ely in its state OF semi-deStruc- an
II. The beautiful outlines are lai
re and the towers are still stand -
:, although badly weakened. Two -
ge shell holes are in the roof,
lie the altar is completely de-
Dyed. As We drove away we got ,
I OF the car and mounted a little
by the roadside and looked back,
/ out OF mist that was filling
valley we saw the city, so be- '
ed by all France, rising like a