East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1919-07-22
RHEIMS HAS JUST
\ ONE WHILE F0JSE
City, Without Even Spool of
Thread, Being Supplied,
Cheered by Y. w. Center.
BY GRACE GoULDER
with the American Y. w. c. A
France.)

OK by bHAtE dOILDEk
with the American Y. w. c. a. in
France.)
RHEIMS, July 22.-Rheims has one
whole house. It is a new house with
windows-real windows of glass Ther'
are bright curtains at the indows
carpets, chairs with cushions, a tea
pot and dishes. And there is a sew
ing machine and a piano and an iron
| ing board in that house. 1t is bull
and equipped and maintained by the
American Y. w. c. A. 1t is the sun
chine center, the wholesale hope store
and joy reservoir for the women of
this city that France has named above
all her devasted cities, the Martyr
City"
! When the Y w. c. A, launched its
work inethe devastated districts a few
months ago under Miss Grace Drake
Of Cleveland. Ohio, it was asked to
come to Rheims by three of the lead
ing women of that city. Miss Drake
went there on her first trip of investi-
cation. wrapped in all the heavy
clothes she owned, for even in the
spring the city that had been so long
without coal or heat of any kind was
cold. ~
Once 10000 Buildings
No building could be found for the
cheer spot. There was no such biuld-
ing left standing. So one. was built.
A piece of ground loaned the Associa-
ton in the rear of what had been an
old peoples home once upon a time,
long long ago, before the Germans
came. 1t had had big garden with
stiff little paths. carefully flower
bordered and gravelled. But now
there are gaps and torn places as well
as weeds and rubbish in the garden.
Signalling apparatus and telephone
wires of the emeny communication
lines stick up in the garden. The old
folks have gone - heaven knows
where. And the building with it's
shattered corners and ripped roof
stands empty and neglected. But the
cheer house" is in its back yard, very
gay, very crowded and very busy. Soon
5000 people were back. There had
been $4,000 living in Rheims once.
There were 10000 buildings. One hum
dred of these had been spared"
which means. left so that they can be
remodelled and used again.
The people are coming back, coming
to nothing but a home that is q heap
of stones and the courage to start
again. All day long, half dozen wo-
men of the before-the-war wealthy
class, headed by a countess, stand be-
hind long improvised board counters
giving out clothes, clothing materials.
simple household equipment to the re-
turning citizens. They pay a small
rental fee for these articles, and take
them back to the spot where their
home once was. The husband-if he
survived the war-works away at the
ruins he finds and pretty soon cor
ner of shelter is arranged where the
family live, until the rest of the house
can be made. 4
Bring Work to Y. w.
And while the outside of the house !
Is coming into usable being again, the
woman is busy with the inside. Sheets
must be made and clothes for the
,hildren--there is everything for liv-
ng. TO be done. 1t is then that she
brings her work to the "ciub house."
That is why there are sewing machines
md ironing boards. But it is hard ?
work. 1t is discouraging work. And
10 there are fun hours when the two