Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-12-05
WHEN THE WAR ENDED.
The Day the War Ended,
Same Place in France,

| 10 nave been N the WnyeSterday after
noon and night. had some business
in town yesterday afternoon, so lcaught
the one o'clock train and went in, and
just as got there the bells in the
churches began to ring, the whistles on
the factories began to blow, the engines
in the railroad yards began TO let out
shrieks, and in less than five minutes
the entire population OF the city were
on the streets-and you can't imagine
the scene! From nowhere sprang hun
dreds of French and American flags
and soon every house and place OF
business was flying the beautiful flags
of the two countries, and could not
| buy flag for love or money, for there
i was none for sale. The jov of the
/ French people is absolutely indescri
bable, for it was so genuine and so
whole-souled that won't even make the
attempt. The young folks, boys and
girls, Immediately started a parade.
headed by drums and bugles, and as it
passed along the streets il gathered
numbers and size and within a block
there were several thousand kids in line,
and singing and shouting and dancing
along the street, and the older folks
stood along the pavements or looked
out from the windows. doubt if
among the older folks there was dry
eve, for the men and women made no
attempt to hide their tears, and as
an American soldier would pass, /ant
there were very few in town atthattim
the good people would smile at him
through their tears, grasp his hand and
without exception would say, "Finis La
| Guerre! Vive La AmeriqUe! Vive La
Francew And it sure made fellow fee,
fine to see the gratitude and thankful
ness of the people. have lots OF
friends among the French in town, and
when would see one of them they
would COME runninO up to me and en-
| brace me-and what time we hac
talking and discussing the events Of the
| day. After a time the excitement diee
down, and went around to see my rea>
friends. when | went in the grand
mother met me at the door and threw
her arms around my neck and kissed me
on both cheeks, and since would not be
outdone | returned the salute. And
when went into the house had to kiss
the whole family-the father, mother
and four kids. Then these simple folks
all began to talk at once, and before
long they were all in tears, and for Joy
too, and their gratitude to America Is
of such a quality that can't help but
feel that it was certainly worth while
to have come over here to help our
neighbors out. Soon we heard a roar
of aeroplane motors and went out into
the yard, and here came four big planes
flying just above the housetops, seem
ingly going up and down with the un
even roofs, and | must admit that !
never saw planes fly any lower thar
those, and from all over the city came
the shouts of approval from the people
who were crowded in the streets. AS
the planes came over where we were
the two smaller children took one quiel
look at them and dived into the celia:
and would not come out until the ma
chimes were entirely out of hearing
About four o'clock | went out on the
streets again, and by this time a good
many American soldiers had gotten in.
to town, and things were beginning to
liven up in good shape, and you CAM
imagine the happiness and spirit OF
joy that enlivened the people. For more
than four years they have stood sur
rounded BY the horrors of war, and
there is not family nor a person who
has not in some way been affected
directly by the war, and during all that
time they have never lost courage nor
given up the fight, but have bent their
effort toward winning The strain has
certainly told on them, and you can
imagine the effect Of the sudden lifting
of the clouds of uncertainty and the
knowledge that the enemy has been de-
feated, when at times it has seemed that
there was no hope for the French tc
win. News of reverses has come, and
they have borne it with fortitude, and
then since the Americans have beer
here the battles have been coming our
way, and gradually the French people
have come to see that there was chance
TO win and to clear the country Of the
Hun, and steadily their spirits have
been rising. Now comes the news that
the fighting is over-French and ATieri-
cans went right straight Up in the air
and the celebration will last long in the
memory of US all
At half-past five one Of the bands
from camp landed in town, and then
started the real parade. First .here was
band concert in the public square,
every minute saw more people Join the
happy crowd, and soon the square YVES
packed and jammed with the rejoicing
people. The Hotel de Vile, or city
hall, was all decorated and illuminated
| for the first time since the beginning of
the war, and the effect was beautiful
The most striking feature Of the d9cora-
tions was the French coat at-of-arms done
in electric lights, and it was certainly
beautiful, and the "Oh's and Abs"
the French were as numerous as those
Of the Americans. Then the bard be-
gan to get restless, and felt that 500
We were going 10 see the real celebra-