The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1919-10-23


of this hospital
| We were delayed in the getting o
our movement orders for Bar-sa
Aube, so our chauffeur. Rernald, hur
ried. One Of us started by sitting OF
the front sea, with him, but as he has
quite made up his mind TO do tn
twenty-eight miles in thirty-fiye min
utes, she soon climbed into refuge a
the back Of the car: she said that boti
she and the engine were boiling
Our road left Chaumont CT is no
such an easy thing to do, that leaving
of Chaumont, for there are armet
guards at every roadway who hold ons
up until they are thoroughly satisfied
that ones going is perfectly legitim.
ate) by the way of the wonderful
bridge which is the pride, and rightly
so, of all that part of France. There
is railway on the upper part Of the
acqueduct, and two roads below that, sc
that il is really three stories in height
Our road turned and twisted so that
we passed under il three times before
we were really ION our way
Our hotel in Bar-sur Aube will al
ways seem almost like home, to US, for
in tile family who run it are some of
the most charming women we have
ever met. Madame and her mother
managed all the work of the kitchen.
kitchen bright with shining copper
cooking utensils hanging against the
spotless walls. The eldest daughter
is the wife Of French officer, now
recovering from most severe attack
of typhoid: the next is one Of the most
beautiful women we have ever seen,
and works from early until late in
the hospital as an "infrmiere:" the
youngest attends to the books, and
having beea to school in England,
speaks very good English. 1t is a
most useful accomplishment these
days, but it does keep Madamoiselle
busy. Monsieur, the patron is max
err of champagne, such champagne as
has never been surpassed (really) and
in all his spare CD moments he at
tends to three truck gardens in diff
ferent quarters Of the town, which
supply his guests with delicious veg
etables and always lovely flowers for
the center Of the dining tables.
The glories of the bathroom we
could only imagine, as the tub was
now used as receptacle for the
household linen. The only water
which ran in the town, and that with
much physician persuasion, was the
water in the pumps in the street, and
every pump was carefully placarded,
for the water was absolutely poison
Gus to drink. The one just outside
our dining room window was busy
day and night, and there was con
slant line of boys waiting their turn
to wash, brush their teeth, to get
water to do their laundry or to use
for baths. The French say that it is
not only the drought that has made
the shortage of water, but that it is
the unnecessary number OF baths which
Americans take!
Lady" child of sixteen, does all
the heavy work of the household: she
carries the water up to the intermin-
ably bathing guests, feeds amin
ais, scolds the barking dogs which
keep one awake all the night with
their bowling, and helps carry the
heavy luggage.
Our town was in a valley, but even
that valley is thousands of feet above
the sea, and the mountains about it,
bver which our road wound to Sous
Lain are very high, (but cultivated
straight to the top). The way led up
the side of the mountain and then
doubled itself until il went along the
top. 1t was dusk when we started on
our ride, and the setting sun too
wonderful TO seem really true. We
picked up some tired, dusty soldiers,
and through each of the little villages
hat we passed, we had something Of
i "triumphal procession" for this part
IF the division had not seen an Amer
can woman for over nine months.
The open square was filled with
smiling and expectant boys, many had
.ramped miles to get there, and they
gave us a most heartily noisy recep-
ion, in which the Colonel and the
Chaplain joined quite as noisily. We
until "taps" and ther the
nen, led by the Chaplain did some of
he regimental songs for us. The one
Il.
Uncle Sam when he gets the cav
airy,
He gets the infantry,
He gets artillery,
sItl ~ &