American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1919-01-03
STORIES FROM THE BAT
TIE FRONT.
RUINS MARK PATH
OF TEUTON HORDES

By Maud Fitch. J

Paris, Oct 2e.-I have just come
back from run of ninety-four kllo-
meters. Between here and La Fere
we passed several towns and one
large city of which nothing-absu-
lutely nothing-remain not even
brick wall four feet high. Isn't II
wicked, and so unutterably uselessY
If only you could see the desolation
they have left! 1t is impossible to
describe, and altogether incredible.
The place we are in and the above
city we're destroyed scientifically
every house mined. We are on the
outskirts here, and so have houses.
The magnificent cathedral at Noyon
is simply a mass of debris, with the
altars all smashed and great pillars
lying along the length of IT, broken
into a thousand pieces. And the roads!
! had to keep at top speed, for fear 1t
would be dark before reaching the
bridges at La Fere, of which there are
ten, all little wooden ones, very mar
row and at sharp detours from those
that are blown up. They have hun
dreds of Boches working on the roads,
| hut they seem to make no progress,
and the French are so lenient with
them.
! Yesterday the Prussian guard took
back a little country they had been
driven from in the morning, and got
] Poste de Secour in which they mur-
dered not only all the stretcher bear
ers, but also the wounded. They are
running again now.
Drives Tank
October 31.-This morning whole
regiment of little French tanks came
| from down the line. Meade and |
were each allowed to drive one. 1t
was the most wonderful little fleet of
tanks. none larger than our car, man
ipulated by one man, camoufiaged, of
course, and all looking like tremen-
and turn look very ludicRous. ] went
miles. an hour, and when they twist
nd turn look very ludicrous. ! went
over a sewing machine standing in
the field, and was not the least con-
scious OF having crushed 1t into no
thing. Instead of a wheel, there are
two hand levers on each side by which
one guides, so when going straigh'
ahead you sit with your hands in your
lap quite TRANQUILITY, so II approaching
boche one has free hands to shoot
\ November 12.-Peace at last! Ism
il too wonderful? All the suffering
hardship and misery Of four years
ended. Oh, 1t is sublime Up here a.
st. Quentin the announcement OF th'
signing of the armistice was taker
quite calmly. The soldiers have beer
Nn so long they seem to have lost the
power of rejoicing Paris, England
and America must be where one geti
the real thrill. / should like to have
been in New York yesterday, just FOL
one hour. when il was signed! How
terribly few can say, as we can. al
our own safe!
Going to Germany.
, November give came up here q
I La Capelle two days ago, with tn
/ First army. with Joy singing in on
{ hearts and our veins fairly BURSTING
E with excitement, as we had the orde
from General Debeny that we were =
he one of the five ambulance section
S allowed to go VIGOROUSLY into Ger
Z many We came along, our twenty
. one cars in beautiful convoy. TINS J
our first stopping point on the way Z
o Coblenz. and we are to wait mere 10
a the other sections.
S Coming up was tnrlillDB' ds al va
: places had been in boche hands 10
= four years Every little village SUI
e waved its French flag although
v we're ten days behind the march {
: their liberators. French flags, by Tn
: ; ~. made in Germany and sold I
|, them by the boches. who knew the
: we're lost! The children looked yer
pale. as they were never allowed eitf
or the milk or eggs from their ow
farms or from Americas supply, Cof
Sequentiy a terrific number of ba6if
led. Our landlady told us that whe
calf OF hers died one morning, h'
/ 14-yearsold son got six months IT
1t Drisonment 'at hard work. Once
a. friend OF hers was caught drinkir
y milk in his tea and was fined II
ii marks, Another time they said 81
m ad not properly looked after h
D. chickens and they fined her for
IS marks The poor people had to sun
lg this tyranny for four years.
asked a boy OF about IL II tie