Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1919-09-19

sible, attended their funerals and
wrote their friends when death en-
sued.
Long afterward ! received CRATE
! full little letter from one Of those
men. who had recovered and gone to
the States. Il suppose you get a
good many of those" said friend.
NO" | replied, II doubt if very
many of the men l spent the most
time with even remember me. They
were too sick AS soon as they were
better. l had to devote my time to
the others You see, it was large
hospital and there were only two
of u.s.
Yet how they appreciated it! "Our
Red Cross!' said one boy weakly,
touching my sleeve as l passed, his
poor face lighted by smile. l had
to turn away to hide my tears, and
prayed to God to be worthy of my
trust. And so i made the rounds,
through mud so pervasive and per-
lsistent that we promised each other
to establish new order and have
awards made of a "Croix de Boue"-
which we all felt we would richly de-
serve.
The mail situation was the hardest
thing to cope wirh-it was nowhere
in France more hopeless than here.
For nearly every patient was cas-
ual, dropped behind when his organ
iZation left the transport, and went
on up toward the front-where, we
were not supposed TO know. His let
tiers, of course, were supposed to be
forwarded to L through central rec
ords office Through that channel,
also, we were asked to hope to obtain
trace of the mail But it was an open
secret that GRO was swamped.
| 1t was the rule, not the exception,
to find boys who had not had word
J from home for months no word since
they landed in France; and to add
to their Encouragement, they were
usually penniless, too-their little
store of money and valuables stolen
on the transport during their uncon-
seriousness, and their service papers
gone on with their organizations,
| somewhere in France"
The system of temporary pay
checks did not obtain at that time;
we could not induce paymaster to
come out from Brest even for the
men who could have been paid; and
the discipline was so strict it was
almost impossible for a man to obtain
pass even when able to travel the
three miles over rough and muddy
roads. Had it not been for the well
men would have been even worse
than it was; but l am far from say
ing the relief we gave them was ade-
quate. We did our utmost for them;
but that was pitifully little.
| OF their sorrow, their disappoint-
ment at not going to the front, their
inconsistencies, and their wonderful
patience and logged courage under
these conditions, the half will never
be told, Danger showed bright be.
witching face to the boys at the front,
but to those who suffered and died in
the S. O. S. deadliness without a
thrill. They carried on just the same
died without flinching All honor
to them. and tender pride for those
who loved them.
At this time, the Red Cross work
: had not been fully organized. The
j hospital representatives were doing
their best, and just before Christmas
huts were opened for the nurses, the
officers, and little later wonder
| full hut for the enlisted men, which
/ was never to see. A social life bios
somed and conditions must have
been far more tolerable for the men
Before this there was dancing for the
H nurses and the officers, the sole socia
\ diversion, which seldom INDUCED in
\ These dances were usually held il
the city, and transportation in am
balances furnished those who wanted
to go, officers and nurses separate
The only diversion for the enlisted
H men was the entertainment givel
\ every evening by the Y. NJ. c. A. il
H the camp hut. There was movin,
h picture. and then mixed program
sometimes consisting of boxing
| wrestling, etc., but oftener of musi
II and dancing.
| These entertainments were good
| The talent they had to draw from tn
| camp of thousands of men was of
high order, much of it professional
The hut was not large enough to az
| cOmmodate all who wished to come
however. The men would come a
early as 4 O'Clock, to hold their seats
and go without their mess to do SO
Later the various organizations too
| turns - certain regiments Monda
/ evening, others Tuesday, etc.
II The nurses and officers had re
served seats, but under these cond
tons many OF the girls felt selfish i
taking a seat that was so coveted b
men without other diversion. No
all the men in the camp were able t
l have even this-they were held mde
strict orders back in that hinterlan
of mud. and could not obtain passe
II even as far as headquarters. On
II officer told me that up there in tina
II camp there was a X. C. hut, with fir
= and chairs and writing tables. AN