Arizona republican., 1918-06-26
Day In Y. M. c. A. Hut

or glad, you've got 10 give the boys a smile.
 Day In Y. M. c. A. Hut
 I'll give you sample day In Y. M. C. A. hut, when the front is quiet and the soldiers, for the moment, are resting. Up at o'clock. put Ger man prisoners at work cleaning up the havoc of the evening before, in the big room. where the soldiers congregate- go over the plans for construction of new huts with the French foreman of construction who is building them, us- ing Boche prisoners as workmen. Co for the mail before breakfast. It IS 70 minutes walk, but usually takes an hour on account of the happenings on the way. One soldier stops you and begs you to locate his brother in the American army. another wants you to write letter for him later on, next soldier needs cheering up, because his baby is i'll and he has had no letter for three weeks. this next one shows you his scars and expects sympathy. which l am glad to give. still farther on one stops you to display the short knife used for "close work when the bayo- nets cannot be used and to every one l answer such questions as How many American soldiers are over?" When will the war end?" "WiH you pleas, talk to US tonight about America 9" Finally l arrive at the small postoffice and encounter more trouble for the postmistress grabs my hand tears stream down her face, her rapid French overwhelms me, but is not hard to un- derstand when I look in the doorway and see her son-in-law saying farewell n Navifn fes f,, .l,s, orders, 50 pounds on his back and, be- fore many hours will be in the front lines once more. He has had leave" in order to bid his son good bye. who left that day with the class dix neuf' tthe 19-year- -old) who will be under fire in a few months time. The old woman's husband was killed in the Franco Prussian war, two sons and five grandsons were killed in this war, and now the only remaining grandson Is off for his training. is it any wonder she weeps? Think what war has done to her. Her son-in-law looks helpless and with an "Au RevOir' he is gone. and what can I say to comfort her? I do my best, but I cannot forget heA white hair, her tear stained wrinkled face. her bent form the touch of her calloused knotted hands, and the 'clank. clank" of her heavy wooden sa- bots. as she goes back to her lonely daughter. I get my mail. and as re- urn the little children are on the look put and l give them candy and watch the joy. that comes to their little young-old faces
 After breakfast I go to the hut where hundreds Of soldiers are waiting, foot balls, baseballs and bats are given out by the assistants. also paper. envelopes md postcards. Three thousand sheets of paper are given out on an average each day. Yesterday 2312 letters were written.
 French No Sabe Water
 Lunch time: Meat cheese. dark bread. a salad and coffee. The French still look on with horror as I drink water and one officer told me it was fatal to drink water, and I'd surely land in the hospital-but I'm still able to sit uI and take nourishment.
 Newspapers and magazines are read checkers. dominoes, chess and variou. foreign games are going on. the pragh- ophone grinds out records in thre languages. French. English and Italian we have only two English records Trip. perary" and Hello. Whose Your Lady Friend?" Great classics are they not The most popular French record f. When, Madelon?" It's about a Frencl girl who serves coffee to the soldier, and one falls in love with her. henc' he rather pointed title. but she re uses him because she loves them all Over and over it must be played an, inevitably produces a laugh. / thousand wants of the soldiers must D, al of lott listened to, and comfort given to tn lonely and homesick. My, but I've go choice collection of love stories. thinl I'll write a book.
 Not Enough Tobacco
 Then. at present, there are 400 soldiers without a cigarette or cigar something wrong with the shipment and | could not smoke if I wanted tC with al lthose men going without. A 6:3O dinner consisting of soup. meal potatoes, bread, cheese. greens. sala and coffee.
 Bread must be stamped with the da' it was made, ours is usually , days ol and sometimes, it has holes in it tha "souris' have made Chats mice) bu what's the difference C'est la guerre (it is war,)
 Smile and work One must smile, fo these soldier boys watch you an quickly catch your mood, so it is sun shine for yours, whether clouds han heavy or not. In the hut th black curtains lined with rcd are draw closely over the canvas windows (n glass in this sector). these curtains aI required by regulations. in order shut out light from prowling "avions who might otherwise "spot us'. Man bright young boys are here with tn experienced old soldiers. they are a 'old and young), ready to respond sympathy or smiles.
 First to Get Football
 One morning. about o'clock ia came on the window of my room ne, to the large one. A handsome your soldier smiled winningly at me as opened the window. and asked if might have football l said. "Why carly and he replied: q slept outsit the window so I'd be first, I've tri, three mornings to get one, but someol always beat me" You bet, he got ol that morning.
 Wish We had hundred, but we ha- only five and there is always a scran ple TOT them. The soldiers 0 duty are much like children you mu stay with them. tried to get aw; one day to write an important lett, went into the next room Presently became conscious that was not alor glanced at the window, SOW the ca vas was pulled aside and a bright Q