The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-09-19
Council Service Club Selects Candidates
 for Visit to France
(continued From Page l.,

IOI1f rage 1.J
 Send the name to the Good will Editor Times, or The Stratield, Room BOA.
 Seven Centuries of History.
 Rubbing elbows with historical as- sociations, the headquarters of the American comnaittee for Devastated France stands on soil pillaged by hos tile forces six distinct times during seven centuries.
 The ruins which crown the hill in the background are all that is left nf a feudal castle built more than 200 years before the discovery of America-
 Situated midway between Amiens and Laon, the castle was erected by the Chate1aine de Coucy and long controlled the surrounding territory. A round donjon. 100 feet in diameter and almost twice as tall, was one of it's distinctive features Encfrcling this were a series of star-like fortifi- cations and a net work of connected buildings.
 From it's battle-scarred walls, the retainers of the house of Coucy made raids on the towns of Amiens and Iaon and at least one owner made
 Across its drawbridge passed one day the minstrel knight of Coucy whose songs are still a part of the early literature of France. It is re- Palestine he commissioned his page to carry back to his lady Hove his heart as a token that he had given his life fighting for her. The story states that the maiden's father did not approve of the match and way laying the page. took the heart from him, had it served at dinner and af- ter his daughter had eaten it. told her of the deed.
 The Chateau was in possession of the Coucy family until 14oo although it was captured and uravaged during the English invasion of 1889. The
 All chased by Louis d'Orleans, brother of Charles W and restored to it's for. mer sp1endor.
 The owner during the 17th century was evidently unfortunate in this po- HticaG backing for we find that Coucy- le-Chateau was ordered dismant1ed by Cardinal Mazar in 1852. It was finally destroyed in the 18th century prominent again through Violet de Duo conducting researches on the spot in 1852.
 During the world war Coucy-1e- FIindenburg line and was in posses sion of troops under the Imperial Grown Prince at the time of its re- capture by the French. September 1. American Contingent took part in the drive on those memorable closing days of August which constituted movement toward IIaon.
 In th1S very SoCI1On OurlnS UH0 not test of the fighting, F. L. James. spe- cial correspondent of the New York Times wrote:
 "over the terrain which is the bat four times Of the pretty French villages of 1914 there stand now only rows of scared stones making these places look from the distance like like huge unkept graveyards. The fields and valleys are scared by wars ravage so that for miles there is not a foot of land that Is not marked by a shell hole, trench, phlibox ~T some other scar of the disease with which the world is now suffering. There are marks of the struggle of 1914 mixed up with traces of that of 1915. Then 1917 added it's scars and noW W receiving a new blight as the enemy is being driven back.
 What little shelter remained is now destroyed. The land is such "a by seeing it. Explosives have been placed in cellars so that the stones of destroyed houses fall deep down and leave a, level waste of what has been a French town or village. For ests of former beauty now are only broken and stark poles tossed and torn by shell fire and the little grass that has grown up is stained a dirty yellow by mustard gas in hundreds of places.
 a.It is a terrible wound in the side of France which is now being clean ed so that it may be mended. True 1t may take many years to wipe out the marks of war, but the effacingi years AND THE LOVE OF A CIVIL FEED WORLD WILL HELP BRAVE FRANCE IN HER TASK"
 The modest little shack nestling at the foot of the remains of six invas- ions covering a period of seven cen turies is the symbol of a new in- yasion. The French and American flags above the entrance are a symbol of the time when war with its ravage, nilIaee and destruction shall be no more.
 The American Girl in the little cap and uniform of blue signify the full fllment of that pledge, made during the stress of a titanic conflict, that Ame-iea would one day return and assist in putting the house in order.