Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-03-05
ORPHANS JOYOUS
AS THEY SECURE
FUNDS FROM u. S.

Money forwarded to France for
the care of war orphans who have
been adopted does not go to waste.
This is proven in a letter received
by the Moline chapter of the Red
Cross from Madame Valeix, a pa
triOlc leader Of France, which tells
of the use to which money for
warded by the Moline chapter and
John Cady, was put in caring for
two French war orphans that were
adopted by the chapter and Mr..
Cady. The letter follows:
What a joyful Christmas for
Your prOtegesi They had never
been at such a feast before and all
the money provided by your gener-
osity has been used to buy useful
objects, clothing and shoes, which
were most urgently needed by the
little ones. I have allotted the
modest sum of so centimes per
child to buy some plaything; doll
for Clementine and a balloon for
Joseph. These small things have
placed the crown on their happi-
ness for they have never had any
piaythings in all their lives and
they will remember their 1918
Christmas as long as they live.
Our district of Chauve is sit
uated in the country. 10 kilome-
tres (six miles, from the sea and
not far from the mouth of the Loire
river. The village has a total pop
ulation of 500 and the majority live
in small houses or isolated farms
III the fields. About four hundred
are grouped in the center around
the church, the town hall and two
school. houses. There is no indus
try, no factories. The population
IS composed wholly of farmers who
live off the product of the soil. A
little wine and grain is produced,
hut the main and general tendency
is towards the raising of cattle and
butter. The sailed butter or Bre-
tagne is one of the best agricuI-
turh products Of France and very
well known.
During the dreadful period of
war, Chauve, which has not been
hit more than other villages, lost
20 per cent killed out of $50 SOL
diers taken from the population of
1900. Seventy of our men will
not return to their old parents or
their children, for which they were
the only support. Ten amongst
them were fathers of families, leav-
ing u orphans.
The last of those lost is young
man, who, after being taken pris-
oner by the Germans and being
forced to work in the German
trenches at the point of a bayonet
during several months, escaped on
the day of the signing of the armi-
stiCe, to come and die from exhauS-
ton in the first ambulance of the
French lines. But there are still
other miseries. We have five Grip
pies. who have lost one limb or
hand: 20 men who as the results
OF their wounds, some of them be-
ing wounded as many as six or sew
en- times, will not be able to take
up their hard work which they for
merly performed.
yes, France is victorious, but it
is a greatly wounded France Tell
all of them who have been so will
ing to help towards the victory,
that now the wounds must be heal
ed. France has been made free and
It must now be rebuilt and helped
up again.
The task which you have under
taken is not inferior to your sol
diers for it is just as necessary,
just as beautiful and demands just
as much effort. Thanks from the
bottom Of our hearts to all those
Of our dear allies who devote them
selves to it with such generosity"