Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1918-12-14

"a 10 me arch across the street, a few feet away
,"ough which they would soon pass with the
american ana French flags ntertwined and the
'otto IN big scrawy letters "Soyes les Bienvenus"
Nhe explained that l was an American They
SEEMED 10 understand, and their faces lighted up
'' IillS was IN early June, and even these pitifu
ones VINO had been where little news had reached
mem Tor nearly four years knew that the Amer
'"hS were III France in good numbers now and
were their allies
30 Inc group ceased to shrink from my camera
woman even thrust her child forward and
SBoothed its hair that it would look well in the
lncture But, just I about to snap the
shutter, another woman in the group, standing
Hltle back, looked at me with an expression that
vas full of condemnation, full of appeal, as she
said; Yes my friends, let US stand up straight
30 mat he can get good photograph of miseryP
Ihen she laughed bitterly and well. did not
lake the picture
Al this moment the rest Of the convoy began TO
come out of the station, led by the Chasseurs' lit
Tie band. With them came Red Cross men and
nurses carrying helping those who >Juld not
walk into the waiting camions and ambulances
put up my camera and hurried ahead to reach
,he casino, whittier the procession was bound, be-
lore their arrival there. Someone struck up La
MarSelaise," some woman with high, shrill
voice. AS | climbed upon the front seat Of an
ambulance and we started to pass the crowd /
1
see going to hear, what 1 had come up from Paris
for-the glad burst of enthusiasm, Of happiness
rom these people that they fully realized
mat they We're In France, among their own, free
from the German yoke which had lain on their
uecks since 1914. But as our ambulance went by
Inc procession there were other voices raised
10 JON that of the singing woman and after few
naFs she, too, stopped singing and the procession
went on silent shutting except for some small
hOyS XHhO tI'fIdU q 10
Seurs, still playing their tune drum and bugie,
reached the casino ahead of the procession
.ld waited at the door for them to come down the
hue du Casino. The narrow steep street was
crowded along its sidewalks with townspeope,
ana from windows was flung the tricolor, While the
american flag waved here and there, too. As the
procession came around the head of the street the
people hailed 1t with cheers and the waving Of
uagS. The Chasseurs played more loudly-now
b" was "Nive rArmee" they were footing. few
VI me children raised their heads and looked with
t'ad eyes on the enthusiastic natives who We're
Tying so hard to cheer them home. An old man
~ The procession Strengthened up and shouted,
we lie General Joffre." But otherwise there
We're no cheers. no thrills of happiness any
'hing but just that downbent attitude, that shut
'Ihg walk that dazed. whipped, cowed express
S'Vl 1t was, the woman at the station had
said misery. For Evian is the clearing house OF
misery these laws
II was not so at first, the American Red Cross
uoctor told me, and the subprefect Of the de-
partInent of the Haute-Savoie also assured me-
Which IS why we make such great effort to
eaeer them as they come in nowadays. he said
4hey are crushed, these people they are like
ueao men and women, and the children, even the
nlue ones, are scarcely alive To the situation
aFee from Germany once more? They cannot be
'.e'e lt-there is scarcely enough strength left in
.le!' poor minds and bodies for them to be able
70 Understand"
les added the Red Cross doctor, pointing out
girl Of eighteen or nineteen who passed Took
az The expression on the face Of that girl
looked. l caught here eye az shs turned in my d.