The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1936-11-07
: WOMAN,S REALM
Your
Children

Paris - believe It Is the duty
Of anyone who has been to France
and visited the battle country, and
seen some Of the beautiful ceme-
teries where so many Of our SOL
diers, lie, to carry q message to the
parents and friends Of these young
men who did not come back.
We did not get as far as verdun,
I am sorry to say, but we followed
the Marine through Meaux TO the
famous sector including Chateau
Thierry and Belleau Woods. And II
had my choice Of laying o loved
one away, 1t would be right where
these heroes rest. Never, BY any
stretch Of tn imagination could
one picture o more perfect or peace
full scene. Our own battlefields COM
mission, with the cooperation Of
the French, has been inspired to
erect memorials, and the more per-
sonal monuments to each boy, that
will remain in my memory far more
sharply and irnpressively, than all
the time-honored cathedrals and
galleries Of the old world put to-
gether.
On . nill Above the Marine
On the top Of Hill 204, named, as
all hills were, for their elevation on
military maps, we stood at sunset
and looked down into the lovely
town Of Chateau Thierry. The mem
orial, O huge temple Of four square
columns, stands ct the top Of the
hill. I shall not try to describe 1t,
but rather my impressions as we
gazed speechless whit emotion into
the valley below. All about, the
fields were still green.
I thought instantly OF the Twenty
Third Psalm. The quiet waters by.
Yes, the quiet waters Of the sweet
Marine were near. The green pas
lures were again green. The war
might never have been. But there 1t
was, only too true. My husband, be-
side me, had seen II under the guns.
He was less affected than I. His
memories were too grim, no doubt,
to waste time on sentiment. The
soldier Is seldom sentimental after
war.
In Belleau Wood, now o fairy
land Of brilliant lacy green, even
In late autumn, where the new
growth has tried to cover the
trench scars and shellholes, few
rusty guns remain where they
were abandoned after the 28-days'
battle. The old trees were all
sheared of, but one or two had
been "fllled" and are making
brave attempt to put out o few
forgiving shoots.
Appearances Belle History
Above the wood ct Is only a lit
tie wood, but here seven thou
sand men were killed, three thou
sand our OWN stands another me-
mortal to those who died. II too
Is on O hill. About II, In semi.
circle are the stately graves Of
unreturned soldiers. The white
marble crosses are large, much
larger than had pictured from
descriptions. On each Is the
soldiers name, his division and
regiment. The grass Is velvet green.
There are hedges of roses: some
were still In bloom for US, and other
flowers as well. Above stands the
memorial chapel with It's bell-tower.
On the walls Inside are deeply CHS
eled the names OF every boy who
died and was buried there.
For hours, II seemed, we read
those inscriptions. II there is any
consolation whatsoever In war, and
I think there Is none, II Is the fact
that those who fought are remem-
bered.
In both places we were alone. I
felt, with Gray, that the curfew had
left the world TO darkness and to
me. Had there ever been O war?
No, II was merely nightmare I
had had. This lovely land had never
been torn In two. It couldn't be. The
beautiful lanes, the quiet villages,
the sweet little fields, the limpid
Marne But there were the crosses
and the stars. A boy for each one.
And for each boy, O mother.
Copyright 1896, NEA Service, Inc)