South Bend news-times., 1919-04-27
MANY At ANNUAL
CLUB LUNCHEON
Miss Sarah Mildred Wilmer
Gives Dramatic Story Of
Her Experiences.

aWaka WOtnaU's club at the Hotel
NIishawaka, Saturday afternoon.
With a reception at 1870. followed
by luncheon at / and a program Of
exceptional msrit. the affair was
among the most successful the CLUB
has sponsored. Mrs. G. r. McCol-
lum. retiring club president. pre-
sided delivering "A message Of greet
ing TO the members and guests.
many OF whom came from surround
ing cities
Toasts were delivered by Mrs H.
s Thompson, Mrs w. r. Wallach
Mrs. T. II. Norman. Mrs. James w
Keller. Mrs ". r. Young. Mrs. c.
" Powell and Miss Anna DObbins
At their conclusion the first stanza
OF the Star Spangled Banner was
sung by the assemblaEe. Music
during luncheon was provided by
Mrs. Violet Shy Parks and Miss Mary
Doolittle A particularly pleasing
feature OF the program was the
group OF songs rendered by Miss
Aileen Webster OF Elkhart. two num-
hers OF which We're Indian melodies
anu OF tSDttlal tDaEtu-
The lobby Of the hotel was effect
lively appointed in the national col
ors, the service flag OF the club be-
ing displayed on the north wall.
Wild locust was attractivelv used on
the fireplace. and the tables were
dainty with spring flowers AMI ferns
Place cards contained the program
Of the afternoons events.
Speaks on Suffrage.
Miss Amy Keene of Indianapolis
spoke briefly on the suffrage ques-
tiOn, urging that the members of the
Woman's club ally themselves with
the Franchise league which is soon
TO be reorganized IN Mishawaka. She
stated that the caEse Of suffrage is
one which all women ought 10 sup
port. and explained its important
place i'm the political and social pro
gram OF the nation
Few pictures Of the world war are
more intensely graphic than that
brought by the speaker of the after
noon. Miss Sarah Mildred Wilmer.
well known lyceum entertainer who
offered her services to the Y. NJ. e. /
time near the front lines. Miss Will
mer, contrary 90 military orders.
went often into the front line
trenches. comforting the boys NOR
tally wounded. doing all possible to
aid them and 20 make their last mo-
ments easy She disguised i'm the
uniform OF soldier to keep her
own identity unknown, but was fire.
quently recognized as "a woman by
the boys she comforted.-
She remained from August of 1918
until the signing of the armistice
near the lines. entertaining daily and
far into the night. assisting in the
operating rooms in administering of
ether. or lending a hand 20 the busy
surgeons. liz was not until after the
armistice was signed that Miss Will
mer consented 90 return TO America,
where she has since been recuperat-
ing from the effects of the poison
Gus chlorine gas.
The story Of her experience reach
ing the front is one of the most
thrilling the war has produced. IL
Illuminated by pictures in passing
that throw "a side-light on the con
duct OF the Yankee fighters in
France, IL is interesting from the
time OF her arrival overseas until
she embarked for home. a dramatic
reader. Miss Wilmer is able 20 lend
additional impressiveness TO her ad-
dress. which is as delightfully."- hu-
morous as II is tragic.
Yankees Good Nature.
Describing the marvellous good
nature OF the American boys Miss
Wilmer declared that the most no
ticesbIe thing about them il their
smile she stated. however, that
they are inveterate grumbIers in
triding affairs but that I'm the real
test they meet almost unbeara BILE
hardships with smiles What they
endure, she said. was worse than
ony language can picture il. Forced
90 literally face hell, they behaved
I'm such fashion that she termed
them the grandest things God ever
created"
Paying tribute 20 England, Miss
Wilmer declared that Il is a blot on
modern civilization that IL was nee
essary FOR her 20 print statistics in
order 20 win the admiration and re-
spect she 80 richly deserves, with
900. coo Of her finest young men ly-
ing buried In French soil. God bless
England" cried the speaker. her
part has been superbly played"
Telling OF the delight with which
American wounded IN "a base hospi-
tai which she visited welcomed the
roses she took 10 them. Miss Will
mer declared that America commit
Ted colossal blundsr when she put
stress on the smokes Tor soldiers"
idea. and devoted So much money 20
tAat end alone
II we had spent more money for
flowers and less for smokes" she
raid. "the boys wouldn't have grum-
led 80 much. II was too much
smoking that made them do IT,"
Men in Full sens.
The Yankee soldiers we're men in
the absolute sense OF the word. the
speaker declared. She said that
during the entire time that she spent
among them, the only woman within
hundred miles radius. she was not
rmRa NfarfaH ia anffnvt "a