Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1919-03-13
InY. M. G.. A. Work In France


Vivian. Extracts follow.
Maybe | can write you a little more
connectedly today though | am here
in the canteen with hundreds OF peo-
pie. One of the girls is whistllng, q
man playing the piano and lots OF
noise. We are now out at Versailles
over twenty miles from Paris and It's
rather inconvenient, though it's lovely
out here. We have to get up at a. M
in order to take the $40 train to
Paris for the Conference at $3.50.
Have no fires. but in a fireplace,
and it is fine. One hotel is gorgeous
one and is said to be the home OF
Nine. Pompadour. The bedrooms are
lovely floors waxed. beautiful hang
ings. mahogany furniture, grand clock
candlesticks, etc, etc. 1t sure does not
improve the looks Of 1t to have all our
trunks and baggage In there. We went
to the Opera, Tuesday evening and
heard Norma Vonna. The leading lady
Nine. Chenal is the prettelst actress
and best singer, in France. We could
not stay for the finish as our train
left at 1920 but we enjoyed it i'm
mensely and the opera house is the
finest in the world. (Ringling's ex-
Guided OF course.) Some American
soldiers took us about in the foyer. Ii
was wonderful yesterday we had an
interview with Mrs. Mead, the head
here, she said she thought | would
better go to a leave area, she called
il, where the soldiers come for their
weeks leave. Thousands of them are
coming and going all the time. told
her | thought, perhaps, [ ought to go
to some isolated place for Social
Work as | had done that and could
stand it better than some OF the girls.
She said, No, they needed me in
leave area" SO / will soon know
when I'll 60 She asked me it | could
endure the cold and l said, YES" but
would like warm place. Wish |
could go to southern France. No new
girls can go with the army OF occupa-
ton now. The old ones get first
chance. Lots of lovely girls here;
1000 and 800 more coming. There will
be more, so you see | am lucky. | met
a Pi Phi from Chicago, who knows
Addie, Olive, and lot l know. She is
here in library work. Write to II
Hue G. Agruesseau all the time and 1t
will be forwarded. No mail as yet, but
hope for some next week. The mail is
in a dreadful state and lots of the
boys have not received letters for
months Don't know why as the "Y,'
is wonderful about the mail.
We can send letters or packages to
any one in service in 'I,'' Or Red
Cross free. There are 235 people work
in this Paris office. There are 5000
workers in France; 1926 huts; and
they spend $200,OO0,000 year. They
say there are so many demands for
us they don't know where to send us.
get along fine with my French.
told YOU about the French girl we
met on the train. She is dear and is
engaged to a Canadian Lieutenant.
We went out to her sisters home; it
= as darling; imagine pillows on all
the chairs and pillows for your feet,
W hich made it bad for us as we had
on our army boots which were any
thing but dainty We stayed about an
hour and l had to converse or try to
converse in French. They are all
crazy about dancing and it seemed to
make quite a hit with them because
could dance.
We took the Metro underground
out to Versailles. 1t is some railroad.
Has the New York tube beaten mile.
The weather is not bad at all. To-
day is warm and rainy like spring.
We have on our suits and rain coats
and no capes The gardens and grass
are green and the flower stalls are
wonderful with millions of violets,
roses, and all kinds of flowers.
| have my trunk and wish to good
ness l had sent more things home.
Food is fine and not at all expen-
sivc, if you go to the right place, we
set breakfast for three francs, (60c)
and this noon had a fine lunch at
Hotel Petrograd, the American Y. M.
C. A. Hotel, for $1.00 (no tips) and
another place we get lunch or dinner
for less. Fruit is scarce, but oranges,
figs and dates are reasonable. The
''Y' sells things very cheap and good.
Wilson'S are here but haven't seen
them. Saw Jusseraud this afternoon.
Isn't it awful about Teddy.
They say mail is very uncertain SO
l won't be disappointed if | don't get
your letters for some time but write
often on account of the irregularity
I'm seeing and enjoying and learning
every moment No one will ever know
what France has suffered. Everyone
is in uniform and so much mourning.
Will write more tomorrow or soon as
l can and tell you where 1 am going
Best to everyone and tell them tC
write me as have no time.
Bushels of Love,
VIVIAN.
P. S. Can get magazines and every.
thing here, so don't think of sending