Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-10-02
MISS P0RTERFIEID'S
LETTERS ARE VIVID
Charles Town Girl Writes In
tereStnigly of France.

Recent information from abroad
indicates that West Virginia is in di.
rect communication with the West
front through one OF West Virginia
girl soldieres, Miss Mary Porterfield
whose home was in Charles Town be.
fore It was transferred to Beurees,
France.
Before going overseas Miss Porter
field was one of Charles Towns chief
attractions. the eoterie- to WHICH sho
belonged being graeed by the Same
spirit that inspired her to Join the
Y. w. c. Az workers when this eoun-
try entered the war. and that now
cheers the weary. heart broken young
GIRLS of France who have gathered
M Bourges from the devastated dis
trlcts to toll in the munition factor.
les that feed the guns OF their
French brothers.
And one of the most popular forms
Of social diversion in Charles Town
has become knitting party at the
porterheld home, where the mother
OF the West Virginia girl reads ex'
tIaets from her letters showing how
the West Virginia spirit operates on
foreign soil SO vivid have these let
ters become that the Headquarters
of the Y W. c. A. in New York have
embodied them IN their reports OF
the secretaries on the foreign field,
and MISS Anna II. Caldwell, Director
of the Womens Department Of the
United War Work Campaign Of West
Virginia, has sent out 10 the women
representing the seven organizations
united for such campaign, few item
from the work Of the Charles Town
girl, as 1t appears on the records In
New York.
These items are particularly inter.
estlng to West Virginia. for by what
was probably a nice appreciation OF
the eminent fitness of things. on the
Fart of destiny, the girl from tho
greatest munition producing state In
the country is wording In what she
described as bleak munition town
of France taking with her an UNI
derstanding of the needs Of her
French sisters that she has learned
from Her sisters at home.
Concerning the town and her work
In It, Miss Porterfield says.
III is Il mile from the end OF the
railroad and desolate spot In many
respects. II Is town OF munitlon
workers. almost all OF them refug-
ees. There are no trees. no streams,
no green grass. When the sun+Ahirles
there Is nothing to break It's rays,
and when it rains the mud Is ankle
deep. The girls working here have
come directly from their own devas-
tated fields and villages, and their
hearts are broken, but not their spir-
its. They come to our foyer which
the Y. w. c. A. has established
here every night. 1t seems to I'LL
real want in their lives for clean.
healthy companionship, and forget
fulness of the unbelievable scenes
through which they have been called
upon to live. The foyer is the one
bright, clean, cheerful place for them
where they read write, play the
grapiAphone, sew and iron. just as
American girls love to do, and pour
out to some sympathetic listener
their tragic story and the story Of
their friends and, thewfamilies and
Their homes" H,
\ In conclusion Miss Porterield
says: a
III we GAP get real. vital interests
in ff1s slEdss OF these girls, il win do
much To counterfeit that terrible effect
Of thes scenes they have Witnessed,
and we hope that after The war some
Of tpep pay be abl@ te carry back
toatheii. Rebuilt vflafes 4 littleaof tho
hope for better things that we are
striving TO put in their desolate lives
and empty hearts"