The Washington herald., 1919-07-20

three times but 10 Still etfon8 ana
husky. except for q weakened heart.
which will mend with rest
II had an interview with Miss
Anne Morgan, dAughter Of the late
j. Pierpout Morgan. who wanted me
to produce . big movie of the army
for her. to show the states just
what this Red Cross has been doing.
Professional women are scarce and
my record - . camp entertainer
suggested me to the woman, who
sends US on duty. and she had ar
ranged the interview. Had ] had
the smallest experience - 3 movie
actress could have taken the thing
over. arranging scenes. etc. but ]
feared I was not big enough for
the Job and told Miss Morgan So"
Continuing her letters from
Hyeres. Mrs. Lewis says: II am
mother to nearly 200 fnen-nor
counting the officers in command.
Hyeres Is the most beautiful place
hotels have been turned into hos
pitfalls. It 10 up to me to make the
boys comfortable In their lazy hours
waiting to be sent home. ! am ar
ranging rooms into lounges. bill
lard rooms, writing rooms, etc.
have to locate delayed mail, sew for
them, play the piano and even play
baseball. My room looks out on the
Mediterranean and the hotel has
been called the House of Lords"
for all the nobility of England used
It as a resort. I'm living in the
hotel. "The Albion" in which Queen
Victoria spent much time. There
are many antiques stored here which
the proprietor's wife promises to
show me. It is q hospital now.
have a hre going and the andirons
have little busts of Queen Victoria
on them.
Am at breakfast at 7:so and busy
with the boys until $3.50 and after
ward. They're not Ill. all except a
dozen or SO are well enough to 60
home. and / am doing my best to
keep them contented. There IL
big auditorium where we have
movies and we have had a minstrel
show with local talent Every day
help to prepare sandwiches and
chocolate for nearly 200 men,
visit two hospitals daily and as one
Is up a hill I do some trotting.
dance with the boys and they follow
me around like kids. 1t 10 really
wonderful how simple and sweet
they are. They cali me misses"
and nurse" and keep my room
filled with wonderful roses and
greens. am the only woman among
them.
II met DR.. Boiand, formerly of
Providence Hospital. Washington. at
a dance while here. There were
eight women and about 400 ofiicers
present. so We had to have eut-in
dances. a few rounds with each.
There are days when ! do not
have time to powder the end of my
nose. My minstrels have quite a
rep now and they leave for home
In few days. Some of the patients
have been gassed. some have trench
feet and others just need good food
and balmy air to bring them around.
Am doing all kinds of work, even
led church tonight Play the music
fer all attractions that we get up
ourselves and now play the drum.
Had 225 socks to fIl on Christmas
Eve and rode twenty-five miles In
an ambulance to get q Christmas
tree"
OFTEN AROSE
AT O'CLOCK.
On December 80 the number OF pa
tients was increased to 625 and Mrs.
Lewis was given two Red Cross help
ers. A week later there were LOIS.
From that time on they kept con-
stantiy coming and going; some would
arrive late at night. after travelling
from thirty to forty hours in box cars,
and it was $50 a m before the three
Red Cross workers would get to bed.
The boys grew restless and wanted to
get home. Some were sent to the
81 Ill.,, r.,
task of keeping away the blues"
grew greater and the work of enter
tanning them correspondingly more
difficult
There were instances Of getting up
In the morning at 3 o'clock to give
sweaters and other things to the men
that were leaving. and then getting
no sleep till late that night. Mrs.
Lewis now had charge of the Red
Cross work in the two hospitals and
had appeared in vaudeville for the
boys. There were so few women at
the place that she was obliged to at
tend practically all the dances. She
said it was the hardest part of her
duty. because it came at the end of
the day. but she would not disappoint
the boys: it was their chief pleasure.
She became known as Mrs. Pep"
Lewis. When the officials of another
hospital in town wanted her trans
ferred there the commanding officer
Joined the nurses and boys in making
a protest and she was allowed to re-
main.
She ran a canteen. took charge Of a
musical comedy company. getting the
music and costumes from Marseilles.
and the talent from the various hos
pitfalls. Each man had to have an
understudy. Then she startled every
one by arranging with the chaplain
to give a vaudeville performance one
Sunday evening after the services. II