The Washington times., 1919-05-25

natural. And they make heaven on
earth for us"
The boys themselves. made the ia
bles and benches and stools. The
/ girls of the canteen made the red
canvas covers for the reading tables.
/ the red silk shades for the fourteen
electric bulbs. the window curtains
with their slender red parrots.
/! Mrs. Dudley Malone was fitting
about serving huge bowls of coffee
with a dexterity | have never seen
/ equaled anywhere, and like Ruth
Burke. the directress, was all smiles
for everybody. even for an inter
lopez like myself.
My examination of the canteen was
interrupted by the arrival OF Ford,
! and Major McCurdy of the Red Cross
came in. No one else seemed to
notice. Four boys went on teasing
! the parrot, Peter Radcliffe by name
( in his cage on the stove in the middle
OF the ROOM trying to get him to
teach them some OF that French he
is supposed to have known before
DR.. Augusta Williams gave him.
with the heart of Radcliffe College"
to the Parrot Canteen.
Doughbeys were reading the morn
ing papers: the one opposite me was
WILING letter nome. CnleI ma
chinist's mate. with his pipe and three
hash marks and cap pushed far back
on his head looked exactly like the
heroes OF Jack Londons tales Chief
Boatswain's Mate. Garrett. off the
U. s. Garcia, with four hash marks
on his sleeve, was getting some OF
the Red Cross heaven. And every
one there was happy.
Protected the Flag
A doughboy from Chicago was tell
ing me ne had picked up a L. s. flag
from the floor of a barber shop this
morning. And people were walking
right over if, which L won't stand for.
He took the nag from his pocket.
1t was less than an inch long. But
it was a real Star-Spangled Banner,
and he was a real American.
And then / saw what I was look
ing for. Two women had entered
very quietly. very naturally. One of
them was talking and laughing with
the major and some of the canteen
workers. Scores Of hungry men were
passing her on their way to the coun-
ter where Mrs. Oscar Straus was serv-
ing mashed potatoes and roast beef,
and Mrs. Urquhart, Mrs. Harding and
Miss Breet were setting out dishes
ever tasted-and I did taste it.
The woman in blue was watching
the boys, and her establishment was
real, when she saw among them a tall
boy on whose sailor cap we read in
gilt letters. IS. S. George Washing
ton"
We'll. what are you doing here?"
she called after him.
Vat NJ All Ca.rnlsuo,,.
She did not go around shaking
hands with all the men there. That
would have been conspicuous: That
would have been unnatural But she
did go behind the counter and talk
with the girls and examine the kit
chen paraphernalia and the store
room, and showed genuine pleasure
at the exquisite arenas arising from
steaming urns.
Everything in the canteen went on
exactly as before. with one little ex-
ception-one, and only one, touch of
excitement A sergeant beside me
asked a Belgian soldier across the
table from US: Know who that is?
That's Madame Wilson"
The Belgian soldiers eyes opened
as wide as those OF the woodcutter's
son the first time he went down into
Ali Baba's cave,
'Meesez America" he suffered in
his very best English.
The Mrs. Woodrow Wilson whom
the doughboys worship and the
French ropulace scclaim-quietIy-i
the woman who. tireIess, indefatig-
able. smiling. keen, alert and natural
went away quietly with . huge
bouquet OF violets some one present
ed her a. the Parrot Canteen."
She is Messez America