Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-11

on foot to the same town. They
had my sympathy marching through
| that rain.
Namur People Kind
My arrival at Namur I am not
liable to forget for long time. be-
cause it was too firmly impressed
on me by the kindness of the peo-
pie. You see, our guard did not
know where the hospital was we
were assigned to, SO he needs must
ask, and while following directions
We walked through the principal
streets. Dressed in the blue OF
France we naturally drew q lot OF
attention.
Truly, If there would not have
been so many Boche about we
would have started a parade. In
fact, we did start a small, one, for
many people walked along beside
us, asking US where we had come
from and where we were going.
When they found we were bound fol
a hospital their pity assumed more
practical shape, for people came
running from every quarter to Of
fer us presents-eatable ones, you
know.
At first they slipped them to us
sealthily, but on finding our guard
did not object they did it openly.
Soon my pockets were bulgtng with
every known variety of eats. Every
thing from potato to a bonbon. One
woman came out of a shop and gave
us each a loaf of bread, a gift that
surprised us so much we nearly
forgot to say "Merci," for not only
was it a much needed gift, but we
had not had so much bread for our
very own for months.
Naturally, the shock left lis some
what stunned. Just walking through
those streets did me more good than
all my time spent in the hospital
for the streets were filled with peo-
pie, and lots of them were pretty
MAIDEN oiselles," too. Well, you
know what good effect they would
nave, especially when they smiled.
Most of them did that, too, ol
moved to pity, even gave me pres
ents. Once three came down on me
all at the same time. One gave me
an apple, another cigarettes and
the third, the prettiest one, by the
way, a little pack of candy. Indeed,
II that street had been a little longer
would have been we'll before ]
reached the hospital, for with all
the feminine attention being show
ered on me L was fast forgetting
where l was bound and for what
reason, and then there were SO
many pretty shops along the street,
with their windows decorated SO
pTettliy that after had walked a
pIock thought was in Paris.
What surprised me most was the
number of candy shops, and thew
had real cakes and CANDY in. foo
Not the kind of substitute stuff one
got in Paris. This was the real
thlng, and the thick yellow cream
oozlng out of the chocolate eclairs
paced so temptingly in the window
maze a mountaineering sight in
deed. But nobody handed me any
of these delicacies.
Loaded With Presents
Anyway, by the time we arrived
at the hospital we were LOADED
down with all manner of presenfs
now, that we had arrived, 1 had lit
Tie doubt but that the adtutant
would have his knee bandaged i
Wouid De given several pills, and we
would be sent on the road again
Ihat was the way we had noticed
the Boche had treated sick prison
ers' SO we naturally expected tbe
same. Nothing like this happened
however. Our names were written
GOWN we were taken into a hospital
ward given nightshirt and told to
be In bed before the doctor came
around. We needed no second order.
TOT thls was a soft bed covered with
cIean' II coarse. linen and warm COW
grs gi,s 10 poot DID we go to bed? Well.
I'll say we did! "Cooties and ali ;:
And 1t was such a novel sensation
that neither of US slept that niebf
we were not used to ANYTHING 40
SOFT, you know, but believe me. we
grew accustomed to it much quicker
than the old plank beds.
NO. mad no kick coming about
the service of this hospital, for I
was given all I wanted to eat
mad a clean, soft bed, and not being
very sick, did not need much med.
ical attention. All that needed
was good rest and I proceeded
TO take 1t in large quantities. The
doctor and nurse seemed to Know
thls, too. for after taking my tenn
perature and giving me a pill. the
nrst TWO days they let me strictJv
aIohe. Ihe nurse did not even take
my temperature after that time. Not
that l wanted her to hole my hand
for she wasn't one of those nratt,,
ones one reads about; besides sbe
was a Boche. A nice, fat, tubbv
one' with the usual feet, size 70.
Get Five Meals Daily
You probably will not believe mo
"hen say that five meals a dav
were given us in this hospital. They
were not the kind of meals vo;,
make, though, SO don't begin 10
think overate. The first maaI
consisted of a cup of coffee and n
shce OF black bread with oleomar-
garine.
About 10 a. m. they came around
with another piece of creased hraa y
and cup of beef broth. and ar 10
came soup, whole bucket of -
NO bread was served with the soun
however. The soup was NOT "Int'
ian." either. but thick eatable sonn
with lots of meat in. Several tim az
we even got chicken soup.
One could have all this he xvishs.
that is, If he was a fast eater anI
some of those fat Huns couId s,,,.a
lap up that soup at a great rato
Ihere were about dozen Boche in
me same room with us, also two
other Frenchmen, and as far 40 T
could see there was nothing the 80 no
Ter with the majority of those
Boche. Golly, how they couId aotI
some would get away with threa
bowls of soup at sitting. and tbe =
was considerable, for they were bio
bowls. "eo Dis
But my friend, the adjutant. was
not far behind. Man! How thas
Frenchman could eat. And he wa g
only little runt, too. Dad com1d
not accuse him of having boIIo,..
legs either for thew 80. Ao"