The L'Anse sentinel., 1919-01-17
LILLE KISSING ORGY
PICTURED BY YANK

evacuation DeyOnu the terrlnC eXpIO-
sions at six o'clock that morning when
the bridges were blown up. Many SOL
diers had been moved from their bill
lets In Lille homes. However. II had
been the experience Of four years to
have the city alternately filed with
Germans then suddenly emptied.
When the explosions had brought the
people into the streets they were Inn
pressed by the complete disappear
ance OF the enemy. About nine o'clock
brave soul went into the headquar-
ters OF the kommandantur In the large
building Of the prefecture 0f police
and found II vacated.
British Flyers Over City.
British airplanes began to fly low
over the city, but not British Tom
my was I'm sight
After tense minutes of anxious walt
Ing three things happened. Charles
Delasolle. Jr., a French aviator and
son Of the mayor of Lille. flew over
from Dunkirk and lighted on the
Champs de Mars. Two correspondents
Of the Petit Parislen and lie Matin Of
Paris trudged. after long walk.
through the Armentieres gate into
Lille. Mellett and entered the Port
de Postes. Who was first probably
Will never be settled. nor is 1t at all
important that It should be settled, ex-
cept to the entrants.
IF we were beaten by few minutes,
which we dispute. we know we had
the only parade. procession that
went through the heart Of the city,
covered mile. lasted an hour and In
cluded many thousands of dancing and
singing celebrants. If we had not
been rescued IN the Place de la Re
of the prefecture the parade might
have ended only when MeIlett and /
had reached the swooning point.
Hundreds EncircIe Car.
When we reached the Port des
Postes. with its several traffic aisles.
hundreds of people came running out
of the gate, never-ending stream
that tightly encircled our car.
Les Anglaises sOnt lei! Vive les
Anglaise y was what they shouted as
they tumbled toward us, and we even
heard II being taken up In alarming
crescendo on the other side of the city
wall.
AS soon MS the kissing started Mel
lett surrendered his face and hands,
but. with his mind still on business,
managed to slide out Of the car. un-
wisely established precedent for
lifting up babies. kissing them In the
French fashion on either cheek, giving
them a little spank and tossing them
back to the first woman In sight. This
was unwise In a way because 1t at
tracted hundreds Of mothers who
wanted their offspring kissed and
spanked by the bogus great English
man. and undoubtedly resulted In
many delirious mothers extricating
themselves from the mob only to find
themselves In possession Of strange
infant, for In the excitement Of the
moment I could take no responsibility
for making correct returns.
Kissed by Swarm of Maids.
AGt IL HhoWtu tll'lI lluu
heart, and, while l was paralyzed by
the sea Of babies surging up to me-
many Of them back for second 60.
no doubt-still there was the satisfac-
ton Of seeing that among the babies
were the flowers of Lille, the prettiest
mademoiselles. Mellett. In the mean
time. was struggling with swarm Of
buxom housemaids, who were bussing
him four and five Mt time. In fact
he had oil the La Bassee mud kissed
of one ear.
remember his tussles with the stout
girls quite distinctly. and the recollec-
tion. always flashes upon me when he
happens to mention my graciousness to
the bearded gentlemen.
"For Gods sake. climb out, or we
are lostl" shouted Mellett, so l per-
mitted several of my lissome beauties
to assist me dismount. collected few
warm oscillations, and, with three of
the loveliest on either arm, surged
forward.
The crowd gave way with a shout,