Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-02-15
OTTAWA GIRL WAR
WORKER VISITS ALL
BIG BATTLEF|ELDS
LUCILLE IRON RYAN WRITES OF
TRIP TO FRONT LINES, WHERE
SHE GATHERED MANY INTER.
EsTlNG SOUVENIRS - SAILING
FOR UNITED STATES.

FOR UNITED STATES.
Mrs c. W Irion, 535 Congress
street, has received the following in
teresting letter from her daueht er,
Lucille Irion Ryan, who was waiting
In Paris for the American steamship
Adriatic to sail and bring her home at
the time she was writing Mrs Ryan
has been actively engaged in Red
Cross work as a nurses aid since last
teresting collection of souvenirs
which she has gathered on the French
battletields, and about meeting Lieut..
Bushnell Fullerton and Henri de la
Chapelle, well known former Ottawa
boys, who are fighting in France The
letter follows:
Jan. %, 1919
My Dear Mother:
| was never so happy as to receive
your letter and know that you had re-
ceiyed my letters. | know you must
have received my cableeram by this
time saying, Sailing Adrlatic middle
February; best love" and here am
walking around with my steamer
ticket in my pocket, and the boat
being delayed every day, But / have
just some from the White Star office
and they assure me the Adriatic will
sail on Feb. 2G, which will land me in
New York about March 8. just in time
TO get some spring clothes.
I've seen Paris from Mont Marie
TO the Bots de Boulogne, and I've also
seen other places. Fortamebleau,
Rems, Chateau Thierry Fer an Tar
denois, Scissors, Fismes, all the Ourq
River battle line, and | have so much
to tell you. | have a boche helmet, Il
boche bayonet, a steel pronged .hing
the Huns threw in shell holes, French
machine gun belts, a boche Cot Nit
Uns' belt. Ali actual souvenirs, not
bought ones. How III get them home
is beyond me. but III try. The hel-
met is for dad.
am helping Major Ieberhart at
the new officers hotel here make
out the bills in a lovely warm office,
and come and go as / please You
see, | have to do something, waiting
so long for sailing, and won't &c
home on French boat. All personne
on the French boats are going second
class. And my cabin on the Adriatio
is on the upper promenade deck and
III feel much safer in case Of bad
weather on the Adriatic than on one
OF the little French line boats.
Yesterday | saw DR. Meyers from
ST. Louis and Bush Fullerton. Bush
is fine and was on his way to Nice on
leave. I've really had a wonderful
time combined with the hard work.
Major Heberhart is a New York
hotel man and has been with the Red
Cross for two years. He knows Uncle
Rob Johnston He is begging me to
give up my passage and stay on in
Paris | couldn't have nicer job
but when the Adriatic makes her next
"trip Little Lucy will be on her.
Major Heberhart has a boy with
him who interprets and is a kind of
a private secretary | said to this
boy yesterday, Tell me you nation
atty. You speak perfect French and
still you speak American" He said
his mothre was American and his
father was French. | said we had
some friends like that, the d Ia Cha
pelles, and he said II am Henry d la
Chapele." Imagine! His family is
at Dion, but are coming to Paris
for the winter.
went to Lusernes to the officers
cemtery, and they have no record of
Richard Munzer, so | shall stop in at
G. Fl. Q. at the grave registration and
see where he is. Marion White, the
girl who went to the hospital in the
same ambulance with me and had the
bed next to me and had the same i'll
ness and died on Oct 3, is buried
there at Luresnes. When | saw her
grave | shuddered She was big
brown-eyed girl, full Of vitality They
thought | was the sicker of the two,
and here l am, well and enjoying life.
Paris is rapidly resuming her pre-
war quiet, and fashions are in evi-
dence aaln.
I'll be home soon Just be patient
So much love for everyone.
LUCILLE.