The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1918-08-03
Interesting News from Over
Seas.

A@OsA~'e
II We publish below a most in
> teresting letter which was recent,
received by Mrs. Earl Barnet
from Miss Ida McGuirk, . train
ed nurse, stationed at Limoges
J France. Miss McGuirk is vel
known and has many friends here
and anything written by her viii
be Of the greatest interest to them
i LIMOGES, FRANCE, June 2l, 1918
My dear Mrs. Barnett
I After my many attempts in writing
you and through you to the Culture
Club, hope this time to succeed.
Not that it is a task, to the contrary
feeling is near and dear to the friends
have made in Franklin, this letter
only affords me great pleasure in
reminding you that many, many times
my thoughts are with you. Especial.
~ in handling the Red Cross supply
that know q great portion of it has
been made BY the r. G. Chapter Of
Franklin. And l very seldom take
up q piece that do not wonder who
made it. We are very busy now and
the work is quite interesting. Though
we have many, many more patients
than we had expected and fewer nurses.
The Unit has been broken up, the
nurses and doctors scattered all over
France. We hope to get together
again as base hospital Unit, but
doctors and nurses are needed badly
nearer the front, and for some rea-
sons Units have been broken up. |
expect to 60 out on the next team. and
am very anxious to 90 to the front.
The nearest We ever get to the front is
(censoredl - miles.
We are located in the china factory
(Haviland) which | am sure will in
terest you to know. Just beside US is
the French barracks, and it is most
interesting to see the boys drill. Their
uniforms are not bright and new look
ing like our boys have. We have
had quite number of French patients
They are most courageous and an.
preciative. They seem to lean so en-
tireIy upon US now, for support in
every way. A number of refugees
came in few days ago, and it was
thu most pitiful sight ever saw. The
Red Cross workers and nurses were
very busy at the station for some time
ia clothing and fielding them and
giving them all attention. We give
them all the attention and help we
can, but in the meantime our own
boys are not sIighted.
We had the misfortune the other
day 10 lose one Of our nurses 10 death;
pneumonia being the cause. AS many
doctors, cOnvalescent patients, corps
men and nurses as could be spared
from the hospital attended the funeral
and the Il Jral offering was most beau
tiful. The floral Offering from the
nurses VAS q large white pillow of
Lilies of the Valley and Red Cross
10 the center of bright red roses.
Well now l think have told you
all the sad news, l want now to write
something more cheerful. One of our
nurses. q southern girl, though not |
from Louisiana. has been made assist
ant to the chief nurse in France (Miss
BelD who is chief army nurse Of ali |
the nurses over here. Major Elliott
has boen made Lieutenant-C Colonel. 1
The officers gave him q BANQUET. and !
we gave Miss Shelton) the nurse |
mentioned above luncheon at one of
the big hotels. 1t was very successful.
Until month ago we had been hav-
ing dances twice . month for nurses.
officers and o few invited guests
When we are not very busy We
sometimes form little groups and have
lunch in the forests or woods or 90
for long rides. think We must be ia
the preitiest1 spot ia France, The
lcenery arOund Is just beautiful. The
lowers are so plentiful and beautiful,
tut We are stfll wearing our warm
suits and this is June; wonder What
The winter will bring?
Well. l have written you quite q
long letter, and don't know that
have said anything. though. But il
you only knew that We get most Of our
news through old magazines. Audi
have read articles in them that have
% thoroughly described our trip and
Kings that happen over hare that l
will not even try to describe any of it
% sou.
have asked to be remembered to
you, and sent messages to you through
our mutual friend, Mollie Allen, which
nm sure she delighted ia speaking
IT. But letters from. friends and
lome afford US 50 much pleasure that
hopo some OF you will sometimes re-
member me in this way.
WIN kindest remembrance to all,
Sincerely yours.
Ida MCGUIRK.
EvAPv old Cnnfa 1aeata v>k>