Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-02-22

tlN lllt tAtFI'l 'lAAF III lllt lIllltFi-
ing crashes Of tornado out West
when | was a girl of ten. I lit the
candle and dressed. Perhaps a bomb
had killed some of our people, | hur-
ried upstairs where all was quiet.
1t is cold and damp outside, but the
moon is bright | walked over to the
canteeu I lit the candle in the front
room. All was peaceful there, so
went through the next room and into
the kitchen.
II could have cried with the sight
| saw The kitchen was, or had been,
covered with glass. \ bomb had been
dropped on that glass and our kitchen,
which we had scrubbed to almost
snowy Wilderness, was now a mass of
broken glass and Splintered wood.
THE day after we are promised a
canvas roof for our kitchen. The de-
bris is cleared away. Two of our
men have arrived with a truckload of
supplies. AT last we are NJ our real
work of baking pies and doughnuts.
The men have carried gallons of wa
ter from a nearly we'll and have
helped rs to prepare the coffee.
Il have seen enough things on
wheels today to encircle the globe.
They all pass through here on their
way to the front Huge. numbering
wagons carrying tons and tons OF
ammunition, others carrying tons of
food and other supplies; scores of
rolling kitchens, ambuances too nu-
merous to count, and several cars
carrying both French and American
officers.
I'VE are ready to serve We. too,
are now part of this big program
of warfare. | am eager to meet the
boys. One feels a queer little thrill
of excitement as they come marching
up the road, one big picture of NOV
ing khaki.
our captain has gone down the
road ii way to inform the command
ing officer that we are ready to serve
the boys with hot coffee and dough-
nuts if he would permit them to stop
long enough en- route to accept this
truly American refreshment. He gives
his consent,
Doushnuts Surprise Boys.
"Our big tank Of coffee is placed on
wooden box outside the canteen.
1t is boiling hot Hundreds of fresh
~ baked dOughnuts furnish a surprise
to the boys as they tilt their tin hats
backwards to get a better view of the
refreshment counter--a bit of a curl
osity in this place, it seems.
"A youth from New York observed
This big attack on the doughnuts.
Gee" he said, you girls must have
begun baking when we started from
the States
How did You ever get up hereT
one asked Aren't you afraid of the
Boche bombs? When did you leave
the States?' and dozens of other ques-
tiOnS.
"They liked our coffee They praised
our apple pie. Their enthusiasm is in
fictitious. Everybody is cheered by
their presence, and as everyone says.
their self-confdent manner insures
victory.
THE roof of our dugout is covered
with sandbags, but the enemy Is de-
terminpd to wreck the town. Our men
have news to that effect. We have
been told by the authorities that we
must leave rs the danger Is too great.
IAG fnr
many weeks. and we give it up reluct-
antly.
Two weeks later: I thought 1t was
quite an event when | distributed
doughnuts to the boys in the trenches,
hut here we are I'm the thick of the
battle itself. Travelling since six
O'Clock in the morning, at two we
reached a small town from which the
Germans had been driven only a few
hours before. The earth at times
seems to tremble with the vibration
Of the guns as we stand before the
improviSed evacuation hospital.
"While our men unload the big sup
ply of oranges, lemons and sugar we
have brought with us, sister and | re-
port TO the doctors. 4 continuous
moving line of ambulances is bringing
in the wounded-Americans French
and Germans alike. AS their wounds
are treated and dressed they are
placed in other ambulances and sent
to the special trains waiting, and
thence to the base hospitals.
Doctors Work Like Mad.
"The doctors are working like mad.
The chief surgeon scarcely looked at
me. Yes he said. get them some
thing cold to drink, and get it quick.
I'VE have lemons and sugar, said.