The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1919-02-28
THRILL IN war STORY
RECITAL Of EVENTS IN FRANCE
DURING CRUEL CONFLICT
MADAM HuARD SPEAKS
French Baroness Relates the
Tragic Tale Of Her Battle.
Swept Country

Thrilling tales of invaded Northern
France, which suffered so bitterly
during the war. were told by Baro-
ness Huard to capacity audience at
Mankato theatre last hight. Herr mag
netic personality and unaffected ora
tory, combined with the personal ex-
pefiences of which she spoke so
convincingly, charmed her audience
and held the undivided interest from
beginning to end She has an unde-
niable sense Sof humor which crops
out occasionally. even when telling OF
the very serious moments of life, and
she often moved her audience to
laughter, and as often by some in
spired utterance moved them to APP
plause. Her story was simply told,
although filled with narrowing facts,
and that she had lived through every
incident related was very evident.
The baroness is a very attractive wo-
man, and wore black evening gown
as black as her own hair.
Entertaining House Party.
On the days Immediately preceding
the war the baroness and her hus-
band were entertaining house party
at their beautiful villa. At the first
rumors of the coming conflict She
went to Paris and, visited friend in
diplomatic circles who advised her to
take all her money from the bank. as
she would not be able to get it after
war was declared. She was told that
war was imminent. When she was
returning to her own village. she
noticed three men in the uniforms of
French officers on the same train and
wondered why they were going to
that part of the country where her
home was located and which is away
from military reservations. Later It
was discovered that these men were
German spies who were getting plans
of the land for their government.
They disappeared on the first day OF
French mobilization. and were later
caught ands shot Events then began
to move rapidly. The men of the
Huard household and the husband of
the baroness went to Paris. where
they were called for mobilization, six
men going, and only one, the baron.
ever returning. The baroness had
made another trip to Paris and re-
turned home on the last train, thai
ran from Paris for many months. TIE
trip was uneventful, but when she re-
turned to the village there was soon
call for mobilization.
Baroness Left Alone.
OF the entire household at the
Huard village, which numbered thir-
ty five, with friends and servants,
there were soon only seven left.
Twelve hours after the mobilization
call the baroness found herself prac-
tically alene, with five young people,
who had been employed by her. The
villa was practically cut off from
everywhere, as the telephones were
not to be used,rand soon all vehicles,
including her fine motor car was re-
Questioned by the government, leav-
ing her but one old horse, twenty one
years old, that is still doing service.
She offered her home as hospital,
and was told to report to the Red
Cross at scissors. People in the
estates knew more about the progress
of the war than the baroness, as she
was cut off entirely from sources OF
news. She did not know that Eng
land was an ally of France until she
met English soldiers on her mad
flight to the south of France. She
could not operate her farm without
workmen, and large quantities of
fruit were spelling. as there was no
way to get it to market.
Made Jam From Fruit.
She determined to make jam of it,
and obtained sugar to do so by pledg
ing the jam for hospital use. Her
lone was accepted as hispftal by
the Red Cross and one very rainy
night a Red Cross nurse in uniform
came to her home to take charge of
the hospital, work. The nurse, obey
ing orders to come at once, had been
unable to get a conveyance and had
walked twenty eight miles, bringing
to Madame Huard the first real news
of the war, how the French and Ger
mans had met in conflict. and the
wounded men were now>pouring into
the north of France 1t was seen
that the Huard Red Cross hospital
might soon be needed. The baroness
and her nurse went out next day and
got a group of peasant girls whom
thew organized into a first aid class,
to be ready to render service to the
wounded when they came. There was
continual, watching for spies. The
little village had only three hundred
inhabitants at the outbreak of the
war, and all the men of military value
were at war, leaving only the very old
men women and children. If the viii
lage observed the custom it would
have the right to fly "a service flag
with thirty eight gold stars.
Old Men Put On Guard.
AS the old men were put on guard,
and the arduops duty of marching up
and down the street in front of the
hall tired them out, some of the wo-
men volunteered to do guard duty.
and the baroness stated that it had
been her privilege to walk on guard
before the village hail, during the
hours y between midnight and four
o'clock in the morning, with rifle
over her shoulder, and in company
with an; old peasant woman.
Baroness Huard could noH be con
WINGED that her home might be in
danger from the Germans. She wit
messed the flight of the Belgian refu-
gees past her home with pity that
they could be frightened and fee like
that Wildly she described the pitt
full sights, woman carrying her dead