The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1919-04-20

/ available on the OucSt railway. We
were not sorry. We became patrons
OF the cafes enemies OF tho NJ P.'s.
and dcml gods To the hosts OF street
waits to whom we threw souvenirs
and "claCkcrs"
think our first closeup imprcs.
sion of France contained many dis
appointments. We little realized
what changes must be wrought In
any country. however plucky. by
three years Of bitter implacable war
fare, Therefore we did not find the
gaiety we had anticipated. most OF
the women wore black, most OF tho
men were old and uncommunicative,
or young and unintcresting Besides
that, those Of us who cared for MAX
ing friends with the better class OF
people, found no spontaneolh1 rcCcp-
tiOn awaiting into their homes Fur
thermore, many TO whom hospitality
was given, were either boOrish, or
In some other way. unforgivablc to
the French, abused that hospitality.
We found the language, contrary
to advance dope" difficult to ac-
qulrc. in spite OF our hast ily-pur-
chased grammars. We felt like
ounces going INTO shops. or homes,
and being able solely to nod and
smile, or chant (as tho grammars
taught us), "Jcr ner WOO comprong-
par" Notable exceptions. Captain
lLlreau. Lieutenant Nabhan and Pvt
Sherwood lahman, Sergeant Van
Aiken (but that didn't help us
much).
Nevertheless, We thumbcd our
grammars on street corners. plunged
into 1t. and began TO "comprce, "
Then came orders 10 pack up and
finally abandon ship"
These orders we accomplished with
alacrity. For we had slept In the
stuffy bosom OF the President Lin
coin IT nights The hike TO the train
was brief, II was just around the
corner
Wo gazed at the train with aston
ishInent II was made up OF "A ram
bling limo OF diminutive cattle cars OF
tho now too-familiar "Hommer4-
CheveauI" type. They were good 10
us, jamming only 81 OF 'us into each
lSXS foot car. The cvcr-siZzling rain
made any kind OF shelter welcome, so
we were resigned quickly to the cars.
To the rythmic clinkety-clack Of
car wheels on rails and n rain ac-
compartment, we sped out from our
debarkation port, on nearer toward
our adventure. when we last saw
tho harbor. our giant ships were
lolling at their mcorings. while ant
like gangs OF stevcdores still delved
into the gaping holds and brought
forth boxes and bales and bars Of
iron without end The two lolling
side by side. brilliantly deckcd with
flags, were destined shortly after to
be prey for the diesel-fische.
Kilometer after kilometrr we
crawled into the interior OF the re-
public. We knew not where we were
going, nor did we care. II was all
new-all different. The snail pace OF
the train, the crowded draughty cars
they were not pleasant But the end
less succession OF little communes,
the patch work landscape. the beau
tifnl highways and the occasional big
cities interested us nightly.
Through Nantes. Troyes. Eevers We
passed. three days and four nights Of
travelling. 10 Neufchateau. We
munched willy and 'tack.- en-
route, settlement, save that twice we
were treated 10 hot, strange tasting
coffee by the French at railroad cen
terA
We knew now that We had come
far enough 10 be Close to the battle
lines. and when we reached Neuf4
chnteau we were not much surprised
TO find. on consulting our maps, that
we were close up behind the Toul
sector.
The same evening wo dctrrined. n
few miles farther up. at vaucouleurs,
a picturesque village some 20 kilo-
meters from the front Very tired
were we. very still and crnmped, and
sore, and hungry and sleepy. II was
not long before we had found our
first billets In France. We fell asleep
In the shadow OF the ruins Of very
old castle whore Joan OF Arc once
came to worship. and where she was
knighted.
Miss liberty had surrendered us
fully into the keeping OF the Maid OF
OrleanA
CHAPTER VII
TTflc VALE or COIORS.
TN VAUCOULEURS-Nale OF Col
ora-we bcpah 70 live novel eN-