The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-06-25

as her time of service with the Red.
Cross has expired and she will soon
be at home again:
HOSPITAL Center. Savenay.
A.. P. O. 939. "A. e. F..
L June s, 1919.
Dear Charlie:
one week from today, my labors
with the A. r. c.. A. T. f.. cease.
Before that time I have about sev-
enty-five mortality letters to write.
These letters refer TO boys who died
fully a. year ago, so there is little we
can tell about them except to give the
tin, place, cause and manner Of
tho .eath and an account of the
memorial service last Friday. 1t was
by far the most impressive service
ever attended. Everything went Of:
so We'll and the chaplains who had
charge deserve unlimited credit. At
nine O'Clock, we gathered outside the
Red Cross auditorium, officers, hos
pital corps men, patients from every
branch Of the service. and about five
hundred American women. The band
headed the procession. About five
hundred of the soldiers carried flags
instead Of guns. and each Of the
nurses and REQ Cross girls carried
large punches Of red, white and blue
f1owers-poppies or red clover. daisies,
and ragged-robin. The French school
children and cadets also marched and
carried flowers The field adjoining
the cemetery was filled with those
taking part in the procession so that
there was little room left for the peo
pie of Savenay. When the band
played My Country. 'Tis of Thee" we
sang it with different feeling than
ever before. Fr. Lynch, in his open
ing prayer, brought out the fact that
every creed, almost every nationality
and every branch of the service is
represented in this little cemetery.
There are a number of women buried
there, one OF whom is Miss Delano.
Chief Of the Nursing Department of
the Red Cross. It. was she who or
ganiZed the nurses throughout tho
States and raised the Standard for
army nurses While on u tour of in
spcction. she was taken sick at Save
nay and died after. Il short illness.
selected choir sang KiplinS'S Rcces-
sional," after which Col. Cooper intro
Guced the American Consul. His IN
tentions were probably good, but the
Consul was a very poor speaker The
band then played very familiar
piece but do not know the name OF
it. The fife carried the air very ef-
fectively. BY far the best speaker Of
the day was the Mayor Of Nantes. His
delivery was excellent aud his words
so expressive. Ee took advantage CT
the opportunity to thank the army
and the Red Cross for what they had
done for the poor and sick Of SavenaX.
and he assured us that in years TO
come the citizens of Savenay would
place flowers on the graves Of our sol,
diers on Memoria! Day. By a trick Of
fate. Fr. Lacare. who fled to America
several years ago when the French
government attempted to force priests
20 do military service, Is now station
ed at Sayenay as chaplain IN tn"
service Of the American government.
He was born just a few miles from
here It was he who translated the
mayors speech. After hymn was
sung by The choir. Chaplain Lamar
asked the blessing. AS the women
and those soldiers who carried flags
took their positions by the gra"es.
The band played Loves Old Sweet
Song At the head of each grave
stood soldier holding flag, and Al
The foot a, nurse with flowers. At the
close Of the song, the band played the
'Marseillaise," whereupon the soldier
planted the flag in front OF the cross
and the nurse arranged the flowers ON
the grave; then all stood 81 attention
during The Star Spang1ed Banner.
There were many pictures taken and
hope to get some prints Of them. for
it was a lovely sight. The ceremony
closed with three volieys and taps
Yesterday morning, just as l was
starting for Nantes in the Ford,
someone handed me some mail. two
letters from Papa and one from
Whitaker l am SO glad Whitaker
got over to Sumter. de is q very
nice boy. and. when I knew him. was
rather homcsick Eleanor and | went
to Nantes to get our hair washed and
draw our money out Of the bank. 1t
was good TO be back in the Old town.
II believe if ] drop into Nantes fifty
years from now I'll have d sort of
honey feeling. We Wen, out to the
Center after lunch and found Sallie.
Dorothy. Fred Hibbard and Bobby
Brown holding down the fort They
arc all that are left Of the old Red
Cross Eleven family. Ny hospital has
been evacuated and the unit is TO sail
about the fifteenth.
Speaking of, condolences. last
Thursday Pearl Snyder asked me to go
to a dance with her and two officers
from Montoir They came up for US
IN q, real car One OF them Pearls
escort. was Lieut.. Polk another OF my
Champion 'acquaintances. My es-
corts face seemed very familiar and
he spoke of having seen me some
whore. During the course Of the even
ing recalled having seen him at the