The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-04-24

race hal softened into IL perpetual smile. niost
OF his teeth We're gone. Nine. Blanchard nAso
very old was more sprchtly. The old couple had
one Joy in life besides being back home again after
four years as refugees. That joy was big sleek
white cat. They had In the army. and
while waiting for his return were patching up the
house and refurnlshns it, OF the several hundred
people that had lived in Cutry. the Blanchards
We're two OF twenty-four that had returned.
They picked up pieces of timbers from she'll
struck houses for fuel They worked by dny patch
ing up their house and slept In the cave at night.
The American women of Scissors kept m eye
on the old folks; brought some cigarettes for the
Old man every now and then and saw to It that
they had food enough to keep them going
1t was always red letter day in Cutry when
the committees auto truck appeared loaded with
supplies. Driven by typical American girl the
little truck would swing briskly up the village
street would take the huirpin turns leading UP
the big hill toward the church and would draw up
with n flourish In front of the cave dwellings In
the old quarry. big shrill-toned bell Ind been
mounted on pole near the spot where the mer-
chandise with which the truck was loaded to
be sold. The moment the young woman truck
driver rang the bell "a refugees dropped their
tasks and came hurriedly up the street, anxious
secure some badly needed goods. II they lacked
money and really needed stuff difficulty was
placed in the PEASANTS way to the ma
terlas. While the bartering and exchanges went
the young American woman chartered French
with the peasants. exchanged jokes and generally
helped promote the gospel of good cheer.
Red Tape Causes Suffering.
So there were many bright spots such MS this
through the GO00 square miles of devastated
France. In all the ravaged territory-which will
bear the scnrs of war for generations-the job of
reconstruction was starting with all the atmos-
phere OF holiday. notwithstanding the sinister
background of disrupted roofs. crumbling wills,
shell-marked streets and ruined public buildings.
What did 1t matter that France had half n mil
lion houses struck by shells, with quarter Of a
million reduced to rubbish heaps? The war was
and the big task of rebuilding was starting
with impetus that demonstrated the farmers
implicit faith in the future.
Two and a quarter billion dollars worth of
household goods in all France had been DESTROYED,
according to official estimates made soon after the
arnistice signing when the first calculations In
dicaed that Frances war damage for actual de-
struction of property would amount to something
like thirteen billion dollars for everything. As
the statistcians check their figures there will
probably be some alterations made on the grand
total of thirteen billions At present that item
stands as the probable loss in France. to property
in lands overrun by the Germans hs 1faldfnifv
Blerancourt not far from SOissons about so
per cent destroyed, is just an item on the long
French indemnity bill against Germany. Here the
Germans had full sway until they were driven out
in the last few weeks of the war; Now the French
families beginning to get back into Bleran-
court and begin life over again. re rti--
One of the first to arrive a French soldier
honoraby discharged. He was faced by terrible
difficulties. He had nothing but his uniform and
that had to be returned to the government But
the government is standing behind this soldier In
his problem of repairing war-damaged home and
fields. The French government is going to give
adequate aid for the whole period of reconstruc-
ton About $lo0 an acre for deserted fields and a
large part of necessary expenses for the time and
work required for getting house and home to-
gether. But this money, ample as 1t will be when
finally received. is not readily available. Forms
must be filled out, checked and approved, and 30
forth. before the money is actually paid. The