The Delta independent., 1919-01-31
MISS oLcoTT WRITES MOST
INTERESTINGLY FROM ENGLAND


Through the courtesy of Mrs. w. S.
Olcott, we publish below an interest
ing letter from her daughter. Marie,
who is engaged in hut work under the
Red Cross in England She is now in
France.
Thackeray Hotel, London, Dec. "a.
Dear folks: / seem to have found
breathing space just now, so will
write a little to you. We have been
very busy-myself in particular. We
volunteered to help the Y. M. c. A.
out this week. We went down to
Eagle hut this morning and did can
teen work 1t was my first experience
and l thoroughly enjoyed it. Some of
the boys found that l played, so was
at the piano part of the time. l never
realized before what music means to
people. Why. the boys are simply
crazy for music. I'd give a good deal
to have my music at home. Tomorrow
I'm to play a dance at the Casino
hotel( run by the "Y" for American
enlisted men) and l have eighteen
pieces of music at home suitable for
dances Will have to fake all the
waltzes and can't remember one of
the old ones. / forsee an unpleasant
two and half hours. .
| I feel as though I ought to be at
the hut right now, but slipped away
this afternoon for nap. am to
play for the pic.lres from 1880 to
l1:45 and from to 4. Played last
night from 8 until $3.50. They seemed
to like my music and that is all
cared. My hands are in bad shape
Of course, but the main thing is rythm
and noise. While I played last night
a boy from Canada told me how he
had lost an arm, part of his lower
Jaw and had a bad shrapnel wound In
one leg. He is certainly in bad shape,
poor fellow.
Another American wearing the
kings uniform, confided that he was
taking home an English wife, and did
! think she would be happy. OF course
assured him ! thought So Some
boys from Texas begged the names of
Texas girls. A boy from Boston who
hadn't had n letter from home since
last May was so lonesome that hunt
ed up a Boston girl to talk to him. 1t
turned out they live within three or
four blocks of each other so on and
on. How the boys welcome the Amer
ican girls you are all honest-to-God
ladies'" one COB declared. Gobs are
sailors.
| December 26. Christmas day at
Eagle hut was great. got down there
about II o'clock had a cup of coffee
land roll, played accompaniments for
a woman and then went for the movies
at 12 and played till 2. Then had
dinner.
They served turkey, potatoes. mash
ed turnips and cranberry sauce. mince
pie and plum pudding and coffee Then
played till 4:30.
AS ! was starting home soldier
came up and asked il he might talk
to me. He was homesick an most for
Iorn. So took him back to the hotel
with me and gave him tea and cakes.
Later went to the Grafton with him
to dinner, from there to the Casino
where played two hours and hall;
rom there to Eagle hut to see what
was doing. The orchestra was just
bringing the performance to a close.
so we Joined in singing THE Star
Spangled Banner" and "America' and
came home. I was very tired and
glad to get to bed
There are $4,000 Americans in
rance in Canadian uniform and 50.-
900 elsewhere. We ought to be proud
of those boys. tell you. There are
many of them here on leave and they
are quick to tell you they are Ameri.
cans.
Yesterday President Wilson arrived
About 1900 American soldiers. "Y'
and Red Cross girls, and motley
"mpany Of Americans In other uni
forms than our own, marched from
'agle bnt to Constitution hill where
places were held for us. They began
to sing and sway back and forth
We took It up and found that II kept
'us warmer than we had been. A
policeman c1me up to a "Y" secretary
land asked him n this swaying was a
custom with American crowds. We
sang many songs and gave yells. One
boy was cheer leader for the gobs
They gave us, The Red Cross Girls. Z
j cheer---can't remember the words, but