The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1919-02-07
A WALLED CITY
OF WOMEN

inside hllh wall la France Within II.
last yenr Us SQUARE Dat houses sianc
IN strS,hi even Rows and along ons
side Mn city wall l. long oorrzi
tory Tor single wom.n. There are many
n.'re ~ them than Of TIE Families IL
'he drgh lille houses. The village :.
fun Of woInen-old. young. uitiie
aged-whose faces. hands and tsh
slowly are turning yellow from M
powder which Il l. said ~iil eventual
AFFECT their lungs but most 81 then
are refugees and the fact that thea
are giving az their good looks. n 4
health. ana PERHAPS their iiye~ in ii-
muHiiism Zachary. l. of mt tioui-.lt "a.
them. They have come inio ile Vail-f
town from ruined villages ana d..,as
,atcu farms with their "a Sit,n.-,i i.'ti-
children. rheir dc>Iairn- aid g''-opie
carry ins all their earthly po>Ss-~~iun,
IN rtny huvsiieS la their lndlyiiua
lives there T. 20 future: Ia all their
world there Is no Interest but the con
quest of the Hun.
No one comes into this lille war
community that centers around the iie
new munitions plant hut those who
work. because Of the danger and the
blIghtins yellow powder. the work IL
highly paid and all the workers are
volunteers.
The women wear overalls Or apron
dresses. some ~ black saieen. ~afue
nondescript. The dun sarb haunonizes
with the following faoes and despair,
ias eyes
Into this modern walled ciu 80 De-
spar the Blue Triangle hrs fla>i.-i thr
frst message OF hope. Tie \ "a G A
FOYER - ihr nnly recreational center
within reach. The ears nhi, iind
.nfcs al a., .ni of the line uiile
MAY. stop running al seven 90 lock 10
save incl. Tie city = Iiirc- miles
from Ihe factory.
ny problem. writes the y. ". G
A. secretary ga ..harge. IS a. ieeI' the
women occupied IN the evenings. 20
give them good healthy aInu~.n.ur -
that they will forget uheir sorrvas and
go 10 bed and sleep. physically Tired
out from playing"
She goes OF TO tell Of some Of the
women and girls who como 10 the
foyer:
There is n pretty little round. rosy
checked girl here who IS just beginning
20 show the effects OF the powder The
roots OF her hair and her forehead are
a pale yellow. The palms OF her hands
are deep burnt orange and her bands
AMI arms bright yellow
There Is an ex-professiOnal dancer.
an Interesting girl who enjoys the
foyer and helps entertain the other
girls. There IS professional pianist
who does her biz NJ the noon and eve
ming hours. There Is one r0ugh-and-
ready girl who speaks English. whose
father was nn iunkeerer in northern
France. There j. ., pretty little -iri
Who - en.ei ced "a Frsnch soldier
sho sin - rejoicing over The I've fnn-
uie> sht han ,iih iIrn recently lnr ~
az air raid. Ills mother j. tbs cafe
tinker here nud he l. iur az ~iN ~OI.~ .r
the war. Two Of u4em are Gerir .n
military iTisnnss~ rN,n are civil prs
ontrs ia Ge-lnnnr 'uid two are s',iui''r-
IA 40. trenches uer home "a IT,
norrh % France was destroyed and Sh-
s.Sc-,r,,u with "A .mnil bundle o. such
ihiu-~ as she ~ouli carry IN her hands
The. u "a sweet faced girl who
Wa "A l,,cen nker in Naleneicnnes. who
came .lire,a "a ns from Tie German
ridden section after hard exp"riencr
II gcr Ing sway"
These ar. the women the Blue Tri-
angle t. helping To- for=ei--rrrhap>
only FOR an hour NJ tiins-tif- hor
rorS ihag hav. blacke-ied their hearth
stones and darkened the world
MY foyer the secretary writes
consists Of a hall AMI two large rooms
with cement floors one has a writing
table and paper. pens and ink. sewing
macir mes. y cupboard with teacups u
4 II. a large tahl. with papers and mas
zines. easy chairs and my desk. Th'
other room has n piano more tables
chairs. irOnin. boards and Nicfrola
There ARE unframed French pictures
A and American and French war poster
around the room. The walls are paint
4 cd gray and white"
Saturday evenings they sing an'
dance. FIRST they have chorus
7 writes the secrssaTy. -such a. lie Rev
Passe' or the LYNNE des Amateurs o.
something equally thrilling. aud at ih
final notes OF triumph a voice al M!
ears begs. Tn polka. mees' The polk
finished. there Is a call for the Hymn
American and We sing the star
Spangled Banner tie Drapeau Eioiie
In two languages"
These foyer have been eSiahiish''
IN several munifion ceniers In Franc
Each one has n cafeteria. a recreaii"
hall and rooms ntted NJ Is re'
rooms. writing and sewing rooinS
night these rooms are filled ~ii
French girls learning English. i'""l
Keeping or stenosraphy. that they ma
work In the offices ~ the America
Expedirinary Forces IN connecii 3"
with each Is a large recreation Held e
park.
! At the request ~ the French mini
A.. - .~or tha yo,,usr Winners 'hri