Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-07-01
MISS HEPFORD PAYS TRIBUTE
TO AMERICANS IN SERVICE
Harrisburg Woman Tells of Experiences Among the War
Workers and oldiers in France

Z certainly conferred a favor on me by
allowing me to do the work. At
mess. Miss Weldon and I served the
short cake. and the men were as
pleased as so many children. The ma
jority of the men were from the Thir-
ty-fourth Division. and as a reward
for our little services. were
given the very handsome and effect
i've insignia of the Division to wear,
and were also asked to sail with
them. / am very glad had that lit
tie experience. know now what 1t
meant for our men to have spent
months in a little French town. with
it's loneliness and monotony. And
Montfort was better than many 9TH
ers. Miss w and I lived in a little
French home, and the Madame was
as good as gold to us. But we were
there for only week, while some of
our men had never been in a city of
any size until after November II. 1918,
and to have lived in the small towns
during the winter required real cour-
age. I'm proud of them all.
While in Montfort, walked
through n park surrounding a chat
eau, in which lived the third largest
land owner in France. He built a
large church for the town. with won
derful bells. and each day he enters
the church through a subterranean
passage. Every mans house is his
castle" still in France.
I've returned to LeMans, and have
been given a new job. and a promo
ton I'm assisting with the type
writing in the salvaging office.
find the typewriter very fascinating
and much practice is making for i'm
provement, at least. During my
spare moments, I've been writing tc
| my family and friends; by rhe time
l return to the States I'll be enter
ing the business world.
Another art in which much practice
may make me perfect is dancing. II
there is one thing our men enjoy
more than any other, in the way OF
entertainment. it is dancing. And
since 1t is simply impossible to fur
nish enough partners for the men,
every girl dances as often as she can
I'm going to tell you about just one
dance 1 attended. which is typical. On
Friday evening, the Y. NJ. c. A. en-
tertained the men who had been re-
cruited into "Y' service from the A
Z. F. We were all taken to a way
side inn, which had a most beautiful
garden. A program of music and read
ings. a march through all the wind
ing paths of the garden, and refresh
ments were furnished in the garden.
The dancing was indoors. and 1 wish
you could have attended. The or
chestra was simply great. The flute
player stood on top of the piano, the
pianist stood on the chair most of
the time, and the violinist and the
mandolin player danced and gave
real Indian yells, while they played.
The music was fine, the dancing fast
and furious, and every one had a
grand and glorious time. We were
driven home in a big seven-passenger
and it all happened on a beautiful
moonlight night. I didn't dance much
on that occasion, l had met a young
man from Illinois who had not talke I'd
to an American woman for a long
time, and he didn't dance, so we sat
in the lovely garden and talked. And
that was very worth while. Each one
must be entertained in his own way.
LeMans is very large city of
about 25o.000 inha habitants. It has
quite q number OF places Of interest,
which I hope to visit while 1 am
here. 1t is an American emba rkation
center. and is full of our men. x Z
1 shall always feel deeply grateful
to you and any others whose kindly
interest made it possible for me to
come to France. My one hope is that
my coming has been worth while, and
that in my small way l contributed a
little to the happiness and comfort
of our brave men while in France. I
have esteemed it great privilege.