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diff --git a/old/2014-03_7811-h.zip b/old/2014-03_7811-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4e47ade --- /dev/null +++ b/old/2014-03_7811-h.zip diff --git a/old/7warm10.txt b/old/7warm10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7e4db0b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/7warm10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11695 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The War Romance of the Salvation Army +by Evangeline Booth and Grace Livingston Hill + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world. Be sure to check the +copyright laws for your country before downloading or redistributing +this or any other Project Gutenberg eBook. + +This header should be the first thing seen when viewing this Project +Gutenberg file. Please do not remove it. Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The War Romance of the Salvation Army + +Author: Evangeline Booth and Grace Livingston Hill + +Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7811] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 19, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR ROMANCE *** + + + + +Produced by Curtis A. Weyant +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + +[Illustration: William Bramwell Booth +General of the Salvation Army] + + +The War Romance of the Salvation Army + +by + +Evangeline Booth + +Commander-in-Chief, +The Salvation Army in America + +and + +Grace Livingston Hill + +Author of "The Enchanted Barn"; "The Best Man"; +"Lo Michael"; "The Red Signal," etc. + + + + +Copyright 1919, by J. T. Lippincot Company + + + +[Illustration: Evangeline Booth +Commander-in-Chief of the Salvation Army in America] + + + + +Foreword + + + +In presenting the narrative of some of the doings of the Salvation Army +during the world's great conflict for liberty, I am but answering the +insistent call of a most generous and appreciative public. + +When moved to activity by the apparent need, there was never a thought +that our humble services would awaken the widespread admiration that has +developed. In fact, we did not expect anything further than appreciative +recognition from those immediately benefited, and the knowledge that our +people have proved so useful is an abundant compensation for all toil and +sacrifice, for _service_ is our watchword, and there is no reward +equal to that of doing the most good to the most people in the most need. +When our National Armies were being gathered for overseas work, the +likelihood of a great need was self-evident, and the most logical and most +natural thing for the Salvation Army to do was to hold itself in readiness +for action. That we were straitened in our circumstances is well +understood, more so by us than by anybody else. The story as told in +these pages is necessarily incomplete, for the obvious reason that the +work is yet in progress. We entered France ahead of our Expeditionary +Forces, and it is my purpose to continue my people's ministries until the +last of our troops return. At the present moment the number of our +workers overseas equals that of any day yet experienced. + +Because of the pressure that this service brings, together with the +unmentioned executive cares incident to the vast work of the Salvation +Army in these United States, I felt compelled to requisition some +competent person to aid me in the literary work associated with the +production of a concrete story. In this I was most fortunate, for a writer +of established worth and national fame in the person of Mrs. Grace +Livingston Hill came to my assistance; and having for many days had the +privilege of working with her in the sifting process, gathering from the +mass of matter that had accumulated and which was being daily added to, +with every confidence I am able to commend her patience and toil. How well +she has done her work the book will bear its own testimony. + +This foreword would be incomplete were I to fail in acknowledging in a +very definite way the lavish expressions of gratitude that have abounded +on the part of "The Boys" themselves. This is our reward, and is a very +great encouragement to us to continue a growing and more permanent effort +for their welfare, which is comprehended in our plans for the future. The +official support given has been of the highest and most generous +character. Marshal Foch himself most kindly cabled me, and General +Pershing has upon several occasions inspired us with commendatory words of +the greatest worth. + +Our beloved President has been pleased to reflect the people's pleasure +and his own personal gratification upon what the Salvation Army has +accomplished with the troops, which good-will we shall ever regard as one +of our greatest honors. + +The lavish eulogy and sincere affection bestowed by the nation upon the +organization I can only account for by the simple fact that our +ministering members have been in spirit and reality with the men. + +True to our first light, first teaching, and first practices, we have +always put ourselves close beside the man irrespective of whether his +condition is fair or foul; whether his surroundings are peaceful or +perilous; whether his prospects are promising or threatening. As a people +we have felt that to be of true service to others we must be close enough +to them to lift part of their load and thus carry out that grand +injunction of the Apostle Paul, "Bear ye one another's burdens and so +fulfill the law of Christ." + +The Salvation Army upon the battlefields of France has but worked along +the same lines as in the great cities of the nations. We are, with our +every gift to serve, close up to those in need; and so, as Lieut.-Colonel +Roosevelt put it, "Whatever the lot of the men, the Salvation Army is +found with them." + +We never permit any superiority of position, or breeding, or even grace to +make a gap between us and any who may be less fortunate. To help another, +you must be near enough to catch the heart-beat. And so a large measure of +our success in the war is accounted for by the fact that we have been with +them. With a hundred thousand Salvationists on all fronts, and tens and +tens of thousands of Salvationists at their ministering posts in the +homelands as well as overseas, from the time that each of the Allied +countries entered the war the Salvation Army has been with the fighting- +men. + +With them in the thatched cottage on the hillside, and in the humble +dwelling in the great towns of the homelands, when they faced the great +ordeal of wishing good-bye to mothers and fathers and wives and children. + +With them in the blood-soaked furrows of old fields; with them in the +desolation of No Man's Land; and with them amid the indescribable miseries +and gory horrors of the battlefield. With them with the sweetest ministry, +trained in the art of service, white-souled, brave, tender-hearted men and +women could render. + +[Evangeline Booth] + +NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS SALVATION ARMY, NEW YORK CITY. + +April, 1919. + + + + +From the Commander's Own Pen + + + +The war is over. The world's greatest tragedy is arrested. The awful pull +at men's heart-strings relaxed. The inhuman monster that leapt out of the +darkness and laid blood-hands upon every home of a peace-blest earth has +been overthrown. Autocracy and diabolical tyranny lie defeated and crushed +behind the long rows of white crosses that stand like sign-posts pointing +heavenward, all the way from the English Channel to the Adriatic, linking +the two by an inseverable chain. + +While the nations were in the throes of the conflict, I was constrained to +speak and write of the Salvation Army's activities in the frightful +struggle. Now that all is over and I reflect upon the price the nations +have paid I realize much hesitancy in so doing. + +When I think of England-where almost every man you meet is but a piece of +a man! France--one great graveyard! Its towns and cities a wilderness of +waste! The allied countries--Italy, and deathless little Belgium, and +Serbia--well-nigh exterminated in the desperate, gory struggle! When I +think upon it--the price America has paid! The price her heroic sons have +paid! They that come down the gangways of the returning boats on crutches! +They that are carried down on stretchers! They that sail into New York +Harbor, young and fair, but never again to see the Statue of Liberty! The +price that dear mothers and fathers have paid! The price that the tens of +thousands of little children have paid! The price they that sleep in the +lands they made free have paid! When I think upon all this, it is with no +little reluctance that I now write of the small part taken by the +Salvation Army in the world's titanic sacrifice for liberty, but which +part we shall ever regard as our life's crowning honor. + +Expressions of surprise from officers of all ranks as well as the private +soldier have vied with those of gratitude concerning the efficiency of +this service, but no thought of having accomplished any achievement higher +than their simplest duty is entertained by the Salvationists themselves; +for uniformly they feel that they have but striven to measure up to the +high standards of service maintained by the Salvation Army, which +standards ask of its officers all over the world that no effort shall be +left unprosecuted, no sacrifice unrendered, which will help to meet the +_need at their door_. + +And it is such high standards of devoted service to our fellow, linked +with the practical nature of the movement's operations, the deeply +religious character of its members, its intelligent system of government, +uniting, and thus augmenting, all its activities; with the immense +advantage of the military training provided by the organization, that give +to its officers a potency and adaptability that have for the greater +period of our brief lifetime made us an influential factor in seasons of +civic and national disaster. + +When that beautiful city of the Golden Gate, San Francisco, was laid low +by earthquake and fire, the Salvationists were the first upon the ground +with blankets, and clothes, and food, gathering frightened little +children, looking after old age, and rescuing many from the burning and +falling buildings. + +At the time of the wild rush to the Klondike, the Salvation Army was, with +its sweet, pure women--the only women amidst tens of thousands of men-- +upon the mountain-side of the Chilcoot Pass saving the lives of the gold- +seekers, and telling those shattered by disappointment of treasure that +"doth not perish." + +At the time of the Jamestown, the Galveston, and the Dayton floods the +Salvation Army officer, with his boat laden with sandwiches and warm +wraps, was the first upon the rising waters, ministering to marooned and +starving families gathered upon the housetops. + +In the direful disaster that swept over the beautiful city of Halifax, the +Mayor of that city stated: "I do not know what I should have done the +first two or three days following the explosion, when everyone was panic- +stricken without the ready, intelligent, and unbroken day-and-night +efforts of the Salvation Army." + +On numerous other similar occasions we have relieved distress and sorrow +by our almost instantaneous service. Hence when our honored President +decided that our National Emblem, heralder of the inalienable rights of +man, should cross the seas and wave for the freedom of the peoples of the +earth, automatically the Salvation Army moved with it, and our officers +passed to the varying posts of helpfulness which the emergency demanded. + +Now on all sides I am confronted with the question: _What is the secret +of the Salvation Army's success in the war?_ + +Permit me to suggests three reasons which, in my judgment, account for it: + +First, when the war-bolt fell, when the clarion call sounded, it found +_the Salvation Army ready!_ + +Ready not only with our material machinery, but with that precious piece +of human mechanism which is indispensable to all great and high +achievement--the right calibre of man, and the right calibre of woman. Men +and women equipped by a careful training for the work they would have to +do. + +We were not many in number, I admit. In France our numbers have been +regrettably few. But this is because I have felt it was better to fall +short in quantity than to run the risk in falling short in quality. +Quality is its own multiplication table. Quality without quantity will +spread, whereas quantity without quality will shrink. Therefore, I would +not send any officers to France except such as had been fully equipped in +our training schools. + +Few have even a remote idea of the extensive training given to all +Salvation Army officers by our military system of education, covering all +the tactics of that particular warfare to which they have consecrated +their lives--_the service of humanity_. + +We have in the Salvation Army thirty-nine Training Schools in which our +own men and women, both for our missionary and home fields, receive an +intelligent tuition and practical training in the minutest details of +their service. They are trained in the finest and most intricate of all +the arts, the art of dealing ably with human life. + +It is a wonderful art which transfigures a sheet of cold grey canvas into +a throbbing vitality, and on its inanimate spread visualizes a living +picture from which one feels they can never turn their eyes away. + +It is a wonderful art which takes a rugged, knotted block of marble, +standing upon a coarse wooden bench, and cuts out of its uncomely +crudeness--as I saw it done--the face of my father, with its every +feature illumined with prophetic light, so true to life that I felt that +to my touch it surely must respond. + +But even such arts as these crumble; they are as dust under our feet +compared with that much greater art, _the art of dealing ably with human +life in all its varying conditions and phases_. + +It is in this art that we seek by a most careful culture and training to +perfect our officers. + +They are trained in those expert measures which enable them to handle +satisfactorily those that cannot handle themselves, those that have lost +their grip on things, and that if unaided go down under the high, rough +tides. Trained to meet emergencies of every character--to leap into the +breach, to span the gulf, and to do it without waiting to be told +_how_. + +Trained to press at every cost for the desired and decided-upon end. + +Trained to obey orders willingly, and gladly, and wholly--not in part. + +Trained to give no quarter to the enemy, no matter what the character, nor +in what form he may present himself, and to never consider what personal +advantage may be derived. + +Trained in the art of the winsome, attractive coquetries of the round, +brown doughnut and all its kindred. + +Trained, if needs be, to seal their services with their life's blood. + +One of our women officers, on being told by the colonel of the regiment +she would be killed if she persisted in serving her doughnuts and cocoa to +the men while under heavy fire, and that she must get back to safety, +replied: "Colonel, we can die with the men, but we cannot leave them." + +When, therefore, I gathered the little companies together for their last +charge before they sailed for France, I would tell them that while I was +unable to arm them with many of the advantages of the more wealthy +denominations; that while I could give them only a very few assistants +owing to the great demand upon our forces; and that while I could promise +them nothing beyond their bare expenses, yet I knew that without fear I +could rely upon them for an unsurpassed devotion to the God-inspired +standards of the emblem of this, the world's greatest Republic, the Stars +and Stripes, now in the van for the freedom of the peoples of the earth. +That I could rely upon them for unsurpassed devotion to the brave men who +laid their lives upon the altar of their country's protection, and that I +could rely upon them for an unsurpassed devotion to that other banner, the +Banner of Calvary, the significance of which has not changed in nineteen +centuries, and by the standards of which, alone, all the world's wrongs +can be redressed, and by the standards of which alone men can be liberated +from all their bondage. And they have not failed. + +A further reason for the success of the Salvation Army in the war is, +_it found us accustomed to hardship_. + +We are a people who have thrived on adversity. Opposition, persecution, +privation, abuse, hunger, cold and want were with us at the starting-post, +and have journeyed with us all along the course. + +We went to the battlefields _no strangers to suffering_. The biting +cold winds that swept the fields of Flanders were not the first to lash +our faces. The sunless cellars, with their mouldy walls and water-seeped +floors, where our women sought refuge from shell-fire through the hours of +the night, contributed no new or untried experience. In such cellars as +these, in their home cities, under the flicker of a tallow candle, they +have ministered to the sick and comforted the dying. + +Wet feet, lack of deep, being often without food, finding things different +from what we had planned, hoped and expected, were frequent experiences +with us. All such things we Salvationists encounter in our daily toils for +others amid the indescribable miseries and inestimable sorrows, the sins +and the tragedies of the underworlds of our great cities--the +_underneath_ of those great cities which upon the surface thunder +with enterprise and glitter with brilliance. + +We are not easily affrighted by frowns of fortune. We do not change our +course because of contrary currents, nor put into harbor because of head- +winds. Almost all our progress has been made in the teeth of the storm. We +have always had to "tack," but as it is "the set of the sails, and not the +gales" that decides the ports we reach, the competency of our seamanship +is determined by the fact that we "get there." + +Our service in France was not, therefore, an experiment, but an organized, +tested, and proved system. We were enacting no new role. We were all +through the Boer War. Our officers were with the besieged troops in +Mafeking and Ladysmith. They were with Lord Kitchener in his victorious +march through Africa. It was this grand soldier who afterwards wrote to my +father, General William Booth, the Founder of our movement, saying: "Your +men have given us an example both of how to live as good soldiers and how +to die as heroes." And so it was quite natural that our men and women, +with that fearlessness which characterizes our members, should take up +positions under fire in France. + +In fact, our officers would have considered themselves unfaithful to +Salvation Army traditions and history, and untrue to those who had gone +before, if they had deserted any post, or shirked any duty, because +cloaked with the shadows of death. + +This explains why their dear forms loomed up in the fog and the rain, in +the hours of the night, on the roads, under shell fire, serving coffee and +doughnuts. + +This is how it was they were with them on the long dreary marches, with a +smile and a song and a word of cheer. + +This is how it is the Salvation Army has no "closing hours." "Taps" sound +for us _when the need is relieved_. + +Three of our women officers in the Toul Sector had slept for three weeks +in a hay-stack, in an open field, to be near the men of an ammunition +train taking supplies to the front under cover of darkness. The boys had +watched their continued, devoted service for them--the many nights without +sleep--and noticing the shabby uniform of the little officer in charge, +collected among themselves 1600 francs, and offered it to her for a new +one, and some other comforts, the spokesman saying: "This is just to show +you how grateful we are to you." The officer was deeply touched, but told +them she could not think of accepting it for herself. "I am quite +accustomed to hard toils," she said. "I have only done what all my +comrades are doing--my duty," and offered to compromise by putting the +money into a general fund for the benefit of all--to buy more doughnuts +and more coffee for the boys. + +Salvation Army teaching and practice is: Choose your purpose, then set +your face as flint toward that purpose, permitting no enemy that can +oppose, and no sacrifice that can be asked, to turn you from it. + +Again, a reason for our success in the war is, _our practical +religion_. + +That is, our religion is _practicable_. Or, I would rather say, our +Christianity is practicable. Few realize this as the secret of our +success, and some who do realize it will not admit it, but this is what it +really is. + +We _do_ worship; both in spirit and form, in public and in private. +We rely upon prayer as the only line of communication between the creature +and his Creator, the only wing upon which the soul's requirements and +hungerings can be wafted to the Fount of all spiritual supply. Through our +street, as well as our indoor meetings, perhaps oftener than any other +people, we come to the masses with the divine benediction of prayer; and +it would be difficult to find the Salvationist's home that does not regard +the family altar as its most precious and priceless treasure. + +We do preach. We preach God the Creator of earth and heaven, unerring in +His wisdom, infinite in His love and omnipotent in His power. We preach +Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, dying on Calvary for a world's +transgressions, able to save to the uttermost "all those who come unto God +by Him." We preach God the Holy Ghost, sanctifier and comforter of the +souls of men, making white the life, and kindling lights in every dark +landing-place. We preach the Bible, authentic in its statements, +immaculate in its teaching, and glorious in its promises. We preach grace, +limitless grace, grace enough for all men, and grace enough for each. We +preach Hell, the irrevocable doom of the soul that rejects the Saviour. We +preach Heaven, the home of the righteous, the reward of the good, the +crowning of them that endure to the end. + +Even as we preach, so we practice Christianity. We reduce theory to +action. We apply faith to deeds. We confess and present Jesus Christ in +things that can be done. It is this that has carried our flag into sixty- +three countries and colonies, and despite the bitterest opposition has +given us the financial support of twenty-one national governments. It is +this that has brought us up from a little handful of humble workers to an +organization with 21,000 officers and workers, preaching the gospel in +thirty-nine tongues. It is this that has multiplied the one bandsman and a +despised big drum to an army of 27,000 musicians, and it is this-our +practice of religion-that has placed _Christ in deeds_. + +Arthur E. Copping gives as the reason for the movement's success-"the +simple, thorough-going, uncompromising, seven-days-a-week character of +its Christianity." It is this every-day-use religion which has made us of +infinite service in the places of toil, breakage, and suffering; this +every-day-use religion which has made UB the only resource for thousands +in misery and vice; this every-day-use religion which has insured our +success to an extent that has induced civic authorities, Judges, Mayors, +Governors, and even National Governments-such as India with its Criminal +Tribes-to turn to us with the problems of the poor and the wicked. + +While the Salvationist is not of the generally understood ascetic or +monastic type, yet his spirit and deeds are of the very essence of +saintliness. + +As man has arrested the lazy cloud sleeping on the brow of the hill, and +has brought it down to enlighten our darkness, to carry our mail-bags, to +haul our luggage, and to flash our messages, so, I would say with all +reverence, that the Salvation Army in a very particular way has again +brought down Jesus Christ from the high, high thrones, golden pathways, +and wing-spread angels of Glory, to the common mud walks of earth, and has +presented Him again in the flesh to a storm-torn world, touching and +healing the wounds, the bruises, and the bleeding sores of humanity. + +That was a wonderful sermon Christ preached on the Mount, but was it more +wonderful than the ministry of the wounded man fallen by the roadside, or +the drying of the tears from the pale, worn face of the widow of Nain? Or +more wonderful than when He said, Let them come--let them come--mothers +and the little children--and blessed them? + +It has only been this same Christ, _this Christ in deeds_, when our +women have washed the blood from the faces of the wounded, and taken the +caked mud from their feet; when under fire, through the hours of the +night, they have made the doughnuts; when instead of sleeping they have +written the letters home to soldiers' loved ones, when they have lifted +the heavy pails of water and struggled with them over the shell-wrecked +roads that the dying soldiers might drink; when they have sewn the torn +uniforms; when they have strewn with the first spring flowers the graves +of those who died for liberty. Only _Christ in deeds_ when our men +went unarmed into the horrors of the Argonne Forest to gather the dying +boys in their arms and to comfort them with love, humam and divine. + +That valiant champion of justice and truth; that faithful, able and +brilliant defender of American standards, the late Honorable Theodore +Roosevelt, told me personally a few days before he went into the hospital +that his son wrote him of how our officer, fifty-three years of age, +despite his orders, went unarmed over the top, in the whirl-wind of the +charge, amidst the shriek of shell and tear of shrapnel, and picked up the +American boy left for dead in No Man's Land, carrying him on hie back over +the shell-torn fields to safety. + +It is this _Christ in deeds_ that has made the doughnut to take the +place of the "cup of cold water" given in His name. It is this _Christ +in deeds_ that has brought from our humble ranks the modern Florence +Nightingales and taken to the gory horrors of the battlefields the white, +uplifting influences of pure womanhood. It is this _Christ in deeds_ +that made Sir Arthur Stanley say, when thanking our General for $10,000 +donated for more ambulances: "I thank you for the money, but much more for +the men; they are quite the best in our service." + +It is this Christ who has given to our humblest service a sheen-something +of a glory-which the troops have caught, and which will make these simple +deeds to hold tenaciously to history, and to outlive the effacing fingers +of time-even to defy the very dissolution of death. + +As Premier Clemenceau said: "We must love. We must believe. This is the +secret of life. If we fail to learn this lesson, we exist without living: +we die in ignorance of the reality of life." + +A senator, after several months spent in France, stated: "It is my opinion +that the secret of the success of this organization is their complete +abandonment to their cause, _the service of the man_." + +Of the many beautiful tributes paid to us by a most gracious public, and +by the noblest-hearted and most kindly and gallant army that ever stood up +in uniform, perhaps the most correct is this: _Complete abandonment to +the service of the man_. + +This, in large measure, is the cause of our success all over the world. + +When you come to think of it, the Salvation Army is a remarkable +arrangement. It is remarkable in its construction. It is a great empire. +An empire geographically unlike any other. It is an empire without a +frontier. It is an empire made up of geographical fragments, parted from +each other by vast stretches of railroad and immense sweeps of sea. It is +an empire composed of a tangle of races, tongues, and colors, of types of +civilization and enlightened barbarism such as never before in all human +history gathered together under one flag. + +It is an army, with its titles rambling into all languages, a soldiery +spreading over all lands, a banner upon which the sun never goes down-with +its head in the heart of a cluster of islands set in the grey, wind-blown +Northern seas, while its territories are scattered over every sea and +under every sky. + +The world has wondered what has been the controlling force holding this +strange empire together. What is the electro-magnetism governing its +furthest atom as though it were at your elbow? What is the magic sceptre +that compels this diversity of peoples to act as one man? What is the +master passion uniting these multifarious pulsations into one heart-beat? + +Has it been a sworn-to signature attached to bond or paper? No; these can +all too readily be designated "scraps" and be rent in twain. Has it been +self-interest and worldly fame? No, for all selfish gain has had to be +sacrificed upon the threshold of the contract. Has it been the bond of +kinship, or blood, or speech? No, for under this banner the British master +has become the servant of the Hindoo, and the American has gone to lay +down his life upon the veldts of Africa. Has it been the bond of that +almost supernatural force, glorious patriotism? No, not even this, for +while we "know no man after the flesh," we recognize our brother in all +the families of the earth, and our General infused into the breasts of his +followers the sacred conviction that the Salvationist's country is the +world. + +What was it? What is it? Those ties created by a spiritual ideal. Our love +for God demonstrated by our sacrifice for man. + +My father, in a private audience with the late King Edward, said: "Your +Majesty, some men's passion is gold; some men's passion is art; some men's +passion IB fame; my passion is man!" + +This was in our Founder's breast the white flame which ignited like sparks +in the hearts of all his followers. + + _Man is our life's passion._ + +It is for man we have laid our lives upon the altar. It is for man we have +entered into a contract with our God which signs away our claim to any and +all selfish ends. It is for man we have sworn to our own hurt, and--my God +thou knowest-when the hurt came, hard and hot and fast, it was for man we +held tenaciously to the bargain. + +After the torpedoing of the _Aboukir_ two sailors found themselves +clinging to a spar which was not sufficiently buoyant to keep them both +afloat. Harry, a Salvationist, grasped the situation and said to his mate: +"Tom, for me to die will mean to go home to mother. I don't think it's +quite the same for you, so you hold to the spar and I will go down; but +promise me if you are picked up you will make my God your God and my +people your people." Tom was rescued and told to a weeping audience in a +Salvation Army hall the act of self-sacrifice which had saved his life, +and testified to keeping his promise to the boy who had died for him. + +When the _Empress of Ireland_ went down with a hundred and thirty +Salvation Army officers on board, one hundred and nine officers were +drowned, and not one body that was picked up had on a life-belt. The few +survivors told how the Salvationists, finding there were not enough life- +preservers for all, took off their own belts and strapped them upon even +strong men, saying, "I can die better than you can;" and from the deck of +that sinking boat they flung their battle-cry around the world-- +_Others!_ + +_Man!_ Sometimes I think God has given us special eyesight with which +to look upon him, We look through the exterior, look through the shell, +look through the coat, and find the man. We look through the ofttimes +repulsive wrappings, through the dark, objectionable coating collected +upon the downward travel of misspent years, through the artificial veneer +of empty seeming-through to the _man_. + +He that was made after God's image. + +He that is greater than firmaments, greater than suns, greater than +worlds. + +Man, for whom worlds were created, for whom Heavens were canopied, for +whom suns were set ablaze. He in whose being there gleams that immortal +spark we call the soul. And when this war came, it was natural for us to +look to the man-the man under the shabby clothes, enlisting in the great +armies of freedom; the man going down the street under the spick and span +uniform; the man behind the gun, standing in the jaws of death hurling +back world autocracy; the man, the son of liberty, discharging his +obligations to them that are bound; the man, each one of them, although so +young, who when the fates of the world swung in the balances proved to be +_the man of the hour;_ the man, each one of them, fighting not only +for today but for tomorrow, and deciding the world's future; the man who +gladly died that freedom might not be dead; the man dear to a hundred +million throbbing hearts; the man God loved so much that to save him He +gave His only Son to the unparalleled sacrifice of Calvary, with its +measureless ocean of torment heaving up against His Heart in one foaming, +wrathful, omnipotent surge. + +Wherein is price? What constitutes cost, when the question is _THE +MAN_? + + + + +Preface by the Writer + + + +I wish I could give you a picture of Commander Evangeline Booth as I saw +her first, who has been the Source, the Inspiration, the Guide of this +story. + +I went to the first conference about this book in curiosity and some +doubt, not knowing whether it was my work; not altogether sure whether I +cared to attempt it. She took my hand and spoke to me. I looked in her +face and saw the shining glory of her great spirit through those +wonderful, beautiful, wise, keen eyes, and all doubts vanished. I studied +the sincerity and beauty of her vivid face as we talked together, and +heard the thrilling tale she was giving me to tell because she could not +take the time from living it to write it, and I trembled lest she would +not find me worthy for so great a task. I knew that I was being honored +beyond women to have been selected as an instrument through whom the great +story of the Salvation Army in the War might go forth to the world. That I +wanted to do it more than any work that had ever come to my hand, I was +certain at once; and that my whole soul was enmeshed in the wonder of it. +It gripped me from the start. I was over-joyed to find that we were in +absolute sympathy from the first. + +One sentence from that earliest talk we had together stands clear in my +memory, and it has perhaps unconsciously shaped the theme which I hope +will be found running through all the book: + +"Our people," said she, flinging out her hands in a lovely embracing +movement, as if she saw before her at that moment those devoted workers of +hers who follow where she leads unquestioningly, and stay not for fire or +foe, or weariness, or peril of any sort: + +"Our people know that Christ is a living presence, that they can reach out +and feel He is near: that is why they can live so splendidly and die so +heroically!" + +As she spoke a light shone in her face that reminded me of the light that +we read was on Moses' face after he had spent those days in the mountain +with God; and somewhere back in my soul something was repeating the words: +"And they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus." + +That seems to me to be the whole secret of the wonderful lives and +wonderful work of the Salvation Army. They have become acquainted with +Jesus Christ, whom to know is life eternal; they feel His presence +constantly with them and they live their lives "as seeing Him who is +invisible." They are a living miracle for the confounding of all who doubt +that there is a God whom mortals may know face to face while they are yet +upon the earth. + +The one thing that these people seem to feel is really worth while is +bringing other people to know their Christ. All other things in life are +merely subservient to this, or tributary to it. All their education, +culture and refinement, their amazing organization, their rare business +ability, are just so many tools that they use for the uplift of others. In +fact, the word "OTHERS" appears here and there, printed on small white +cards and tacked up over a desk, or in a hallway near the elevator, +anywhere, everywhere all over the great building of the New York +Headquarters, a quiet, unobtrusive, yet startling reminder of a world of +real things in the midst of the busy rush of life. + +Yet they do not obtrude their religion. Rather it is a secret joy that +shines unaware through their eyes, and seems to flood their whole being +with happiness so that others can but see. It is there, ready, when the +time comes to give comfort, or advice, or to tell the message of the +gospel in clear ringing sentences in one of their meetings; but it speaks +as well through a smile, or a ripple of song, or a bright funny story, or +something good to eat when one is hungry, as it does through actual +preaching. It is the living Christ, as if He were on earth again living in +them. And when one comes to know them well one knows that He is! + +"Go straight for the salvation of souls: never rest satisfied unless this +end is achieved!" is part of the commission that the Commander gives to +her envoys. It is worth while stopping to think what would be the effect +on the world if every one who has named the name of Christ should accept +that commission and go forth to fulfill it. + +And you who have been accustomed to drop your pennies in the tambourine of +the Salvation Army lassies at the street corners, and look upon her as a +representative of a lower class who are doing good "in their way," prepare +to realize that you have made a mistake. The Salvation Army is not an +organization composed of a lot of ignorant, illiterate, reformed criminals +picked out of the slums. There may be among them many of that class who by +the army's efforts have been saved from a life of sin and shame, and +lifted up to be useful citizens; but great numbers of them, the leaders +and officers, are refined, educated men and women who have put Christ and +His Kingdom first in their hearts and lives. Their young people will +compare in every way with the best of the young people of any of our +religious denominations. + +After the privilege of close association with them for some time I have +come to feel that the most noticeable and lovely thing about the girls is +the way they wear their womanhood, as if it were a flower, or a rare +jewel. One of these girls, who, by the way, had been nine months in +France, all of it under shell fire, said to me: + +"I used to wish I had been born a boy, they are not hampered so much as +women are; but after I went to France and saw what a good woman meant to +those boys in the trenches I changed my mind, and I'm glad I was born a +woman. It means a great deal to be a woman." + +And so there is no coquetry about these girls, no little personal vanity +such as girls who are thinking of themselves often have. They take great +care to be neat and sweet and serviceable, but as they are not thinking of +themselves, but only how they may serve, they are blest with that +loveliest of all adorning, a meek and quiet spirit and a joy of living and +content that only forgetfulness of self and communion with Jesus Christ +can bring. + +I feel as if I would like to thank every one of them, men and women and +young girls, who have so kindly and generously and wholeheartedly given me +of their time and experiences and put at my disposal their correspondence +to enrich this story, and have helped me to go over the ground of the +great American drives in the war and see what they saw, hear what they +heard, and feel as they felt. It has been one of the greatest experiences +of my life. + +And she, their God-given leader, that wonderful woman whose wise hand +guides every detail of this marvellous organization in America, and whose +well furnished mind is ever thinking out new ways to serve her Master, +Christ; what shall I say of her whom I have come to know and love so well? + +Her exceptional ability as a public speaker is of the widest fame, while +comparatively few, beyond those of her most trusted Officers, are brought +into admiring touch with her brilliant executive powers. All these, +however, unite in most unstinted praise and declare that functioning in +this sphere, the Commander even excels her platform triumphs. But one must +know her well and watch her every day to understand her depth of insight +into character, her wideness of vision, her skill of making adverse +circumstances serve her ends. Born with an innate genius for leadership, +swallowed up in her work, wholly consecrated to God and His service, she +looks upon men, as it were, with the eyes of the God she loves, and sees +the best in everybody. She sees their faults also, but she sees the good, +and is able to take that good and put it to account, while helping them +out of their faults. Those whom she has so helped would kiss the hem of +her garment as she passes. It is easy to see why she is a leader of men. +It is easy to see who has made the Army here in America. It is easy to see +who has inspired the brave men and wonderful women who went to France and +labored. + +She would not have me say these things of her, for she is humble, as such +a great leader should be, knowing all her gifts and attainments to be but +the glory of her Lord; and this is her book. Only in this chapter can I +speak and say what I will, for it is not my book. But here, too, I waive +my privilege and bow to my Commander. + +[Grace Livingston Hill] + + + + +Contents + + + + + I. The Story + II. The Gondrecourt Area + III. The Toul Sector + IV. The Montdidier Sector + V. The Toul Sector Again + VI. The Baccarat Sector + VII. The Chateau-Thierry-Soissons Drive +VIII. The Saint Mihiel Drive + IX. The Argonne Drive + X. The Armistice + XI. Homecoming + XII. Letters of Appreciation + + + + +Illustrations + + + +General Bramwell Booth. +Commander Evangeline Booth. +Lieutenant Colonel William S. Barker. +Introduced to French Rain and French Mud. +She Called the Little Company of Workers Together and Gave Them a Charge. +The Lassie Who Fried the First Doughnut in France. +"Tin Hat for a Halo! Ah! She Wears It Well!". +The Patient Officers Who Were Seeing to All These Details Worked Almost + Day and Night. +Here During the Day They Worked in Dugouts Far Below the Shell-tortured + Earth. +They Came To Get Their Coats Mended and Their Buttons Sewed On. +The Entrance to the Old Wine Cellar in Mandres. +The Salvation Army Was Told that Ansauville Was Too Far Front for Any + Women To Be Allowed To Go. +L'Hermitage, Nestled in the Heart of a Deep Woods. +L'Hermitage, Inside the Tent. +"Ma". +They Had a Pie-baking Contest in Gondrecourt One Day. +A Letter of Inspiration from the Commander. +The Salvation Army Boy Truck Driver. +The Centuries-old Gray Cemetery in Treveray. +Colonel Barker Placing the Commander's Flowers on Lieutenant Quentin + Roosevelt's Grave. +The Salvation Army Boy Who Drove the Famous Doughnut Truck. +Bullionville, Promptly Dubbed by the American Boy "Souptown". +Here They Found a Whole Little Village of German Dugouts. +The Girls Who Came Down to Help in the St. Mihiel Drive. +The Wrecked House in Neuvilly Where the Lassies Went to Sleep in the Cellar. +The Wrecked Church in Neuvilly Where the Memorable Meeting Was Held. +Right in the Midst of the Busy Hurrying Throng of Union Square. +"Smiling Billy". +Thomas Estill. +The Hut at Camp Lewis. + + + + + +The War Romance of the Salvation Army + + + + +I. + +The Story + + + +Into the heavy shadows that swathe the feet of the tall buildings in West +Fourteenth Street, New York, late in the evening there slipped a dark +form. It was so carefully wrapped in a black cloak that it was difficult +to tell among the other shadows whether it was man or woman, and +immediately it became a part of the darkness that hovered close to the +entrances along the way. It slid almost imperceptibly from shadow to +shadow until it crouched flatly against the wall by the steps of an open +door out of which streamed a wide band of light that flung itself across +the pavement. + +Down the street came two girls in poke bonnets and hurried in at the open +door. The figure drew back and was motionless as they passed, then with a +swift furtive glance in either direction a head came cautiously out from +the shadow and darted a look after the two lassies, watched till they were +out of sight, and a form slid into the doorway, winding about the turning +like a serpent, as if the way were well planned, and slipped out of sight +in a dark corner under the stairway. + +Half an hour or perhaps an hour passed, and one or two hurrying forms came +in at the door and sped up the stairs from some errand of mercy; then the +night watchman came and fastened the door and went away again, out +somewhere through a back room. + +The interloper was instantly on the alert, darting out of its hiding +place, and slipping noiselessly up the stairs as quietly as the shadow it +imitated; pausing to listen with anxious mien, stepping as a cloud might +have stepped with no creak of stairway or sound of going at all. + +Up, up, up and up again, it darted, till it came to the very top, pausing +to look sharply at a gleam of light under a door of some student not yet +asleep. + +From under the dark cloak slid a hand with something in it. Silently it +worked, swiftly, pouring a few drops here, a few drops there, of some +colorless, odorless matter, smearing a spot on the stair railing, another +across from it on the wall, a little on the floor beyond, a touch on the +window seat at the end of the hall, some more on down the stairs. + +On rubbered feet the fiend crept down; halting, listening, ever working +rapidly, from floor to floor and back to the entrance way again. At last +with a cautious glance around, a pause to rub a match skilfully over the +woolen cloak, and to light a fuse in a hidden corner, he vanished out upon +the street like the passing of a wraith, and was gone in the darkness. + +Down in the dark corner the little spark brooded and smouldered. The +watchman passed that way but it gave no sign. All was still in the great +building, as the smouldering spark crept on and on over its little thread +of existence to the climax. + +But suddenly, it sprang to life! A flame leaped up like a great tongue +licking its lips before the feast it was about to devour; and then it +sprang as if it were human, to another spot not far away; and then to +another, and on, and on up the stair rail, across to the wall, leaping, +roaring, almost shouting as if in fiendish glee. It flew to the top of the +house and down again in a leap and the whole building was enveloped in a +sheet of flame! + +Some one gave the cry of FIRE! The night watchman darted to his box and +sent in the alarm. Frightened girls in night attire crowded to their doors +and gasping fell back for an instant in horror; then bravely obedient to +their training dashed forth into the flame. Young men on other floors +without a thought for themselves dropped into order automatically and +worked like madmen to save everyone. The fire engines throbbed up almost +immediately, but the building was doomed from the start and went like +tinder. Only the fire drill in which they had constant almost daily +practice saved those brave girls and boys from an awful death. Out upon +the fire escapes in the bitter winter wind the girls crept down to safety, +and one by one the young men followed. The young man who was fire sergeant +counted his men and found them all present but one cadet. He darted back +to find him, and that moment with a last roar of triumph the flames gave a +final leap and the building collapsed, burying in a fiery grave two fine +young heroes. Afterward they said the building had been "smeared" or it +never could have gone in a breath as it did. The miracle was that no more +lives were lost. + +So that was how the burning of the Salvation Army Training School +occurred. + +The significant fact in the affair was that there had been sleeping in +that building directly over the place where the fire started several of +the lassies who were to sail for France in a day or two with the largest +party of war workers that had yet been sent out. Their trunks were packed, +and they were all ready to go. The object was all too evident. + +There was also proof that the intention had been to destroy as well the +great fireproof Salvation Army National Headquarters building adjoining +the Training School. + +A few days later a detective taking lunch in a small German restaurant on +a side street overheard a conversation: + +"Well, if we can't burn them out we'll blow up the building, and get that +damn Commander, anyhow!" + +Yet when this was told her the Commander declined the bodyguard offered +her by the Civic Authorities, to go with her even to her country home and +protect her while the war lasted! She is naturally a soldier. + +The Commander had stayed late at the Headquarters one evening to finish +some important bit of work, and had given orders that she should not be +interrupted. The great building was almost empty save for the night +watchman, the elevator man, and one or two others. + +She was hard at work when her secretary appeared with an air of reluctance +to tell her that the elevator man said there were three ladies waiting +downstairs to see her on some very important business. He had told them +that she could not be disturbed but they insisted that they must see her, +that she would wish it if she knew their business. He had come up to find +out what he should answer them. + +The Commander said she knew nothing about them and could not be +interrupted now. They must be told to come again the next day. + +The elevator man returned in a few minutes to say that the ladies +insisted, and said they had a great gift for the Salvation Army, but must +see the Commander at once and alone or the gift would be lost. + +Quickly interested the Commander gave orders that they should be brought +up to her office, but just as they were about to enter, the secretary came +in again with great excitement, begging that she would not see the +visitors, as one of the men from downstairs had 'phoned up to her that he +did not like the appearance of the strangers; they seemed to be trying to +talk in high strained voices, and they had very large feet. Maybe they +were not women at all. + +The Commander laughed at the idea, but finally yielded when another of her +staff entered and begged her not to see strangers alone so late at night; +and the callers were informed that they would have to return in the +morning if they wished an interview. + +Immediately they became anything but ladylike in their manner, declaring +that the Salvation Army did not deserve a gift and should have nothing +from them. The elevator man's suspicions were aroused. The ladies were +attired in long automobile cloaks, and close caps with large veils, and he +studied them carefully as he carried them down to the street floor once +more, following them to the outer door. He was surprised to find that no +automobile awaited them outside. As they turned to walk down the street, +he was sure he caught a glimpse of a trouser leg from beneath one of the +long cloaks, and with a stride he covered the space between the door and +his elevator where was a telephone, and called up the police station. In a +few moments more the three "ladies" found themselves in custody, and +proved to be three men well armed. + +But when the Commander was told the truth about them she surprisingly +said: "I'm sorry I didn't see them. I'm sure they would have done me no +harm and I might have done them some good." + +But if she is courageous, she is also wise as a serpent, and knows when to +keep her own counsel. + +During the early days of the war when there were many important matters to +be decided and the Commander was needed everywhere, she came straight from +a conference in Washington to a large hotel in one of the great western +cities where she had an appointment to speak that night. At the revolving +door of the hotel stood a portly servitor in house uniform who was most +kind and noticeably attentive to her whenever she entered or went out, and +was constantly giving her some pointed little attention to draw her +notice. Finally, she stopped for a moment to thank him, and he immediately +became most flattering, telling her he knew all about the Salvation Army, +that he had a brother in its ranks, was deeply interested in their work in +France, and most proud of what they were doing. He told her he had lived +in Washington and said he supposed she often went there. She replied +pleasantly that she had but just come from there, but some keen intuition +began to warn this wise-hearted woman and when the next question, though +spoken most casually, was: "Where are the Salvation Army workers now in +France?" she replied evasively: + +"Oh, wherever they are most needed," and passed on with a friend. + +"I believe that man is a spy!" she said to her friend with conviction in +her voice. + +"Nonsense!" the friend replied; "you are growing nervous. That man has +been in this hotel for several years." + +But that very night the man, with five others, was arrested, and proved to +be a spy hunting information about the location of the American troops in +France. + +Now these incidents do not belong in just this spot in the book, but they +are placed here of intention that the reader may have a certain viewpoint +from which to take the story. For well does the world of evil realize what +a strong force of opponents to their dark deeds is found in this great +Christian organization. Sometimes one is able the better to judge a man, +his character and strength, when one knows who are his enemies. + + * * * * * + +It was the beginning of the dark days of 1917. + +The Commander sat in her quiet office, that office through which, except +on occasions like this when she locked the doors for a few minutes' +special work, there marched an unbroken procession of men and affairs, +affecting both souls and nations. + +Before her on the broad desk lay the notes of a new address which she was +preparing to deliver that evening, but her eyes were looking out of the +wide window, across the clustering roofs of the great city to the white +horizon line, and afar over the great water to the terrible scene of the +Strife of Nations. + +For a long time her thoughts had been turning that way, for she had many +beloved comrades in that fight, both warring and ministering to the +fighters, and she had often longed to go herself, had not her work held +her here. But now at last the call had come! America had entered the great +war, and in a few days her sons would be marching from all over the land +and embarking for over the seas to fling their young lives into that +inferno; and behind them would stalk, as always in the wake of War, Pain +and Sorrow and Sin! Especially Sin. She shuddered as she thought of it +all. The many subtle temptations to one who is lonely and in a foreign +land. + +Her eyes left the far horizon and hovered over the huddling roofs that +represented so many hundreds of thousands of homes. So many mothers to +give up their sons; so many wives to be bereft; so many men and boys to be +sent forth to suffer and be tried; so many hearts already overburdened to +be bowed beneath a heavier load! Oh, her people! Her beloved people, whose +sorrows and burdens and sins she bore in her heart and carried to the feet +of the Master every day! And now this war! + +And those young men, hardly more than children, some of them! With her +quick insight and deep knowledge of the world, she visualized the way of +fire down which they must walk, and her soul was stricken with the thought +of it! It was her work and the work of her chosen Army to help and save, +but what could she do in such a momentous crisis as this? She had no money +for new work. Opportunities had opened up so fast. The Treasury was +already overtaxed with the needs on this side of the water. There were +enterprises started that could not be given up without losing precious +souls who were on the way toward becoming redeemed men and women, fit +citizens of this world and the next. There was no surplus, ever! The +multifarious efforts to meet the needs of the poorest of the cities' poor, +alone, kept everyone on the strain. There seemed no possibility of doing +more. Besides, how could they spare the workers to meet the new demand +without taking them from places where they were greatly needed at home? +And other perplexities darkened the way. There were those sitting in high +places of authority who had strongly advised the Salvation Army to remain +at home and go on with their street meetings, telling them that the +battlefield was no place for them, they would only be in the way. They +were not adapted to a thing like war. But well she knew the capacity of +the Salvation Army to adapt itself to whatever need or circumstance +presented. The same standard they had borne into the most wretched places +of earth in times of peace would do in times of war. + +Out there across the waters the Salvation Brothers and Sisters were +ministering to the British armies at the front, and now that the American +army was going, too, duty seemed very clear; the call was most imperative! + +The written pages on her desk loudly demanded attention and the Commander +tried to bring her thoughts back to them once more, but again and again +the call sounded in her heart. + +She lifted her eyes to the wall across the room from her desk where hung +the life-like portrait of her Christian-Warrior father, the grand old +keen-eyed, wise-hearted General, founder of the movement. Like her father +she knew they must go. There was no question about it. No hindrance should +stop them. They MUST GO! The warrior blood ran in her veins. In this the +world's greatest calamity they must fulfill the mission for which he lived +and died. + +"Go!" Those pictured eyes seemed to speak to her, just as they used to +command her when he was here: "You must go and bear the standard of the +Cross to the front. Those boys are going over there, many of them to die, +and some are telling them that if they make the supreme sacrifice in this +their country's hour of need it will be all right with them when they go +into the world beyond. But when they get over there under shell fire they +will know that it is not so, and they will need Christ, the only atonement +for sin. You must go and take the Christ to them." + +Then the Commander bowed her head, accepting the commission; and there in +the quiet room perhaps the Master Himself stood beside her and gave her +his charge--just as she would later charge those whom she would send +across the water--telling her that He was depending upon the Salvation +Army to bear His standard to the war. + +Perhaps it was at this same high conference with her Lord that she settled +it in her heart that Lieutenant-Colonel William S. Barker was to be the +pioneer to blaze the way for the work in France. + +However that may be he was an out-and-out Salvationist, of long and varied +experience. He was chosen equally for his proved consecration to service, +for his unselfishness, for his exceptional and remarkable natural courage +by which he was afraid of nothing, and for his unwavering persistence in +plans once made in spite of all difficulties. The Commander once said of +him: "If you want to see him at his best you must put him face to face +with a stone wall and tell him he must get on the other side of it. No +matter what the cost or toil, whether hated or loved, he would get there!" + +Thus carefully, prayerfully, were each one of the other workers selected; +each new selection born from the struggle of her soul in prayer to God +that there might be no mistakes, no unwise choices, no messengers sent +forth who went for their own ends and not for the glory of God. Here lies +the secret which makes the world wonder to-day why the Salvation Army +workers are called "the real thing" by the soldiers. They were hand-picked +by their leader on the mount, face to face with God. + +She took no casual comer, even with offers of money to back them, and +there were some of immense wealth who pleaded to be of the little band. +She sent only those whom she knew and had tried. Many of them had been +born and reared in the Salvation Army, with Christlike fathers and mothers +who had made their homes a little piece of heaven below. All of them were +consecrated, and none went without the urgent answering call in their own +hearts. + +It was early in June, 1917, when Colonel Barker sailed to France with his +commission to look the field over and report upon any and every +opportunity for the Salvation Army to serve the American troops. + +In order to pave his way before reaching France, Colonel Barker secured a +letter of introduction from Secretary-to-the-President Tumulty, to the +American Ambassador in France, Honorable William G. Sharp. + +In connection with this letter a curious and interesting incident +occurred. When Colonel Barker entered the Secretary's office, he noticed +him sitting at the other end of the room talking with a gentleman. He was +about to take a seat near the door when Mr. Tumulty beckoned to him to +come to the desk. When he was seated, without looking directly at the +other gentleman, the Colonel began to state his mission to Mr. Tumulty. +Before he had finished the stranger spoke up to Mr. Tumulty: "Give the +Colonel what he wants and make it a good one!" And lo! he was not a +stranger, but a man whose reform had made no small sensation in New York +circles several years before, a former attorney who through his wicked +life had been despaired of and forsaken by his wealthy relatives, who had +sunk to the lowest depths of sin and poverty and been rescued by the +Salvation Army. + +Continuing to Mr. Tumulty, he said: "You know what the Salvation Army has +done for me; now do what you can for the Salvation Army." + +Mr. Tumulty gave him a most kind letter of introduction to the American +Ambassador. + +On his arrival in Liverpool Colonel Barker availed himself of the +opportunity to see the very splendid work being done by the Salvation Army +with the British troops, both in France and in England, visiting many +Salvation Army huts and hostels. He also put the Commander's plans for +France before General Bramwell Booth in London. + +As early as possible Colonel Barker presented his letter of introduction +to the American Ambassador, who in turn provided him with a letter of +introduction to General Pershing which insured a cordial reception by him. +Mr. Sharp informed Colonel Barker that he understood the policy of the +American army was to grant a monopoly of all welfare work to the Y.M.C.A. +He feared the Salvation Army would not be welcome, but assured him that +anything he could properly do to assist the Salvation Army would be most +gladly done. In this connection he stated that he had known of and been +interested in the work of the Salvation Army for many years, that several +men of his acquaintance had been converted through their activities and +been reformed from dissolute, worthless characters to kind husbands and +fathers and good business men; and that he believed in the Salvation Army +work as a consequence. + +On many occasions during the subsequent months, Mr. Sharp was never too +busy to see the Salvation Army representatives, and has rendered valuable +assistance in facilitating the forwarding of additional workers by his +influence with the State Department. + +It appeared that among military officers a kind feeling existed toward the +Salvation Army, though it was generally thought that there was no opening +for their service. Their conception of the Salvation Army was that of +street corner meetings and public charity. The officers at that time could +not see that the soldiers needed charity or that they would be interested +in religion. They could see how a reading-room, game-room and +entertainments might be helpful, but anything further than that they did +not consider necessary. + +Colonel Barker presented his letter of introduction to General Pershing, +and on behalf of Commander Booth offered the services of the Salvation +Army in any form which might be desired. + +General Pershing, who received the Colonel with exceptional cordiality, +suggested that he go out to the camps, look the field over, and report to +him. Calling in his chief of staff he gave instructions that a side car +should be placed at Colonel Barker's disposal to go out to the camps; and +also that a letter of introduction to the General commanding the First +Division should be given to him, asking that everything should be done to +help him. + +The first destination was Gondrecourt, where the First Division +Headquarters was established. + + + + +II. + +The Gondrecourt Area + + + +The advance guard of the American Expeditionary Forces had landed in +France, and other detachments were arriving almost daily. They were +received by the French with open arms and a big parade as soon as they +landed. Flowers were tossed in their path and garlands were flung about +them. They were lauded and praised on every hand. On the crest of this +wave of enthusiasm they could have swept joyously into battle and never +lost their smiles. + +But instead of going to the front at once they were billeted in little +French villages and introduced to French rain and French mud. + +When one discovers that the houses are built of stone, stuck together +mainly by this mud of the country, and remembers how many years they have +stood, one gets a passing idea of the nature of this mud about which the +soldiers have written home so often. It is more like Portland cement +than anything else, and it is most penetrative and hard to get rid of; it +gets in the hair, down the neck, into the shoes and it sticks. If the +soldier wears hip-boots in the trenches he must take them off every little +while and empty the mud out of them which somehow manages to get into even +hip-boots. It is said that one reason the soldiers were obliged to wear +the wrapped leggings was, not that they would keep the water out, but that +they would strain the mud and at least keep the feet comparatively clean. + +[Illustration: Lieutenant-Colonel William S. Barker Director of War Work +in France] + +[Illustration: "Introduced to French Rain and French Mud"] + +There were sixteen of these camps at this time and probably twelve or +thirteen thousand soldiers were already established in them. + +There was no great cantonment as at the camps on this side of the water, +nor yet a city of tents, as one might have expected. The forming of a camp +meant the taking over of all available buildings in the little French +peasant villages. The space was measured up by the town mayor and the +battalion leader and the proper number of men assigned to each building. +In this way a single division covered a territory of about thirty +kilometers. This system made a camp of any size available in very short +order and also fooled the Huns, who were on the lookout for American +camps. + +These villages were the usual farming villages, typical of eastern France. +They are not like American villages, but a collection of farm yards, the +houses huddled together years ago for protection against roving bands of +marauders. The farmer, instead of living upon his land, lives in the +village, and there he has his barn for his cattle, his manure pile is at +his front door, the drainage from it seeps back under the house at will, +his chickens and pigs running around the streets. + +These houses were built some five or eight hundred years ago, some a +thousand or twelve hundred years. One house in the town aroused much +curiosity because it was called the "new" house. It looked just like all +the others. One who was curious asked why it should have received this +appellative and was told because it was the last one that was built--only +two hundred and fifty years ago. + +There is a narrow hall or court running through these houses which is all +that separates the family from the horses and pigs and cows which abide +under the same roof. + +The whole place smells alike. There is no heat anywhere, save from a +fireplace in the kitchen. There is a community bakehouse. + +The soldiers were quartered in the barns and outhouses, the officers were +quartered in the homes of these French peasants. There were no comforts +for either soldier or officer. It rained almost continuously and at night +it was cold. No dining-rooms could be provided where the men could eat and +they lined up on the street, got their chow and ate it standing in the +rain or under whatever cover they could find. Few of them could understand +any French, and all the conditions surrounding their presence in France +were most trying to them. They were drilled from morning to night. They +were covered with mud. The great fight in which they had come to +participate was still afar off. No wonder their hearts grew heavy with a +great longing for home. Gloom sat upon their faces and depression grew +with every passing hour. + +Into these villages one after another came the little military side-car +with its pioneer Salvationists, investigating conditions and inquiring the +greatest immediate need of the men. + +All the soldiers were homesick, and wherever the little car stopped the +Salvation Army uniform attracted immediate and friendly attention. The +boys expressed the liveliest interest in the possibility of the Salvation +Army being with them in France. These troops composed the regular army and +were old-timers. They showed at once their respect for and their belief in +the Salvation Army. One poor fellow, when he saw the uniform, exclaimed: +"The Salvation Army! I believe they'll be waiting for us when we get to +hell to try and save us!" + +It appeared that the pay of the American soldier was so much greater than +that of the French soldier that he had too much money at his disposal; and +this money was a menace both to him and to the French population. If some +means could be provided for transferring the soldier's money home, it +would help out in the one direction which was most important at that time. + +It will be remembered that the French habit of drinking wine was ever +before the American soldier, and with 165 francs a month in his pocket, he +became an object of interest to the French tradespeople, who encouraged +him to spend his money in drink, and who also raised the price on other +commodities to a point where the French population found it made living +for them most difficult. + +The Salvation Army authorities in New York were all prepared to meet this +need. The Organization has one thousand posts throughout the United States +commanded by officers who would become responsible to get the soldier's +money to his family or relatives in the United States. A simple money- +order blank issued in France could be sent to the National Headquarters of +the Salvation Army in New York and from there to the officer commanding +the corps in any part of the United States, who would deliver the money in +person. + +In this way the friends and relatives of the soldier in France would be +comforted in the knowledge that the Salvation Army was in touch with their +boy; and if need existed in the family at home it would be discovered +through the visit of the Salvation Army officer in the homeland and +immediate steps taken to alleviate it. + +Perhaps this has done more than anything else to bring the blessing of +parents and relatives upon the organization, for tens of thousands of +dollars that would have been spent in gambling and drink have been sent +home to widowed mothers and young wives. + +This suggestion appealed very strongly to the military general, who said +that if the Salvation Army got into operation it could count upon any +assistance which he could give it, and if they conducted meetings he would +see that his regimental band was instructed to attend these meetings and +furnish the music. + +Several chaplains, both Protestant and Catholic, expressed themselves as +being glad to welcome the Salvation Army among them. + +Among the Regular Army officers there was rather a pessimistic attitude. +It was in nowise hostile, but rather doubtful. + +One general said that he did not see that the Salvation Army could do any +good. His idea of the Salvation Army being associated altogether with the +slums and men who were down and out. But on the other hand, he said that +he did not see that the Salvation Army could do any harm, even if they did +not do any good, and as far as he was concerned he was agreeable to their +coming in to work in the First Division; and he would so report to General +Pershing. + +St. Nazaire, the base, was being used for the reception of the troops as +they reached the shores of France. Here was a new situation. The men had +been cooped up on transports for several days and on their landing at St. +Nazaire they were placed in a rest camp with the opportunity to visit the +city. Here they were a prey to immoral women and the officer commanding +the base was greatly concerned about the matter and eagerly welcomed the +idea of having the Salvation Army establish good women in St. Nazaire who +would cope with the problem. + +The report given to General Pershing resulted in an official authorization +permitting the Salvation Army to open their work with the American +Expeditionary Forces, and a suggestion that they go at once to the +American Training Area and see what they could do to alleviate the +terrible epidemic of homesickness that had broken out among the soldiers. + +In the meantime, back in New York, the Commander had not been idle. Daily +before the throne she had laid the great concerns of her Army, and daily +she had been preparing her first little company of workers to go when the +need should call. + +There was no money as yet, but the Commander was not to be daunted, and so +when the report came from over the water, she borrowed from the banks +twenty-five thousand dollars. + +She called the little company of pioneer workers together in a quiet place +before they left and gave them such a charge as would make an angel search +his heart. Before the Most High God she called upon them to tell her if +any of them had in his or her heart any motive or ambition in going other +than to serve the Lord Christ. She looked down into the eyes of the young +maidens and bade them put utterly away from them the arts and coquetries +of youth, and remember that they were sent forth to help and save and love +the souls of men as God loved them; and that self must be forgotten, or +their work would be in vain. She commanded them if even at this last hour +any faltered or felt himself unfit for the God-given task, that he would +tell her even then before it was too late. She begged them to remember +that they held in their hands the honor of the Salvation Army, and the +glory of Jesus Christ their Saviour as they went out to serve the troops. +They were to be living examples of Christ's love, and they were to be +willing to lay down their lives if need be for His sake. + +There were tears in the eyes of some of those strong men that day as they +listened, and the look of exaltation on the faces of the women was like a +reflection from above. So must have looked the disciples of old when Jesus +gave them the commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel. +They were filled with His Spirit, and there was a look of utter joy and +self-forgetfulness as they knelt with their leader to pray, in words which +carried them all to the very feet of God and laid their lives a willing +sacrifice to Him who had done so much for them. Still kneeling, with bowed +heads, they sang, and their words were but a prayer. It is a way these +wonderful people have of bursting into song upon their knees with their +eyes closed and faces illumined by a light of another world, their whole +souls in the words they are singing--"singing as unto the Lord!" It +reminds one of the days of old when the children of Israel did everything +with songs and prayers and rejoicing, and the whole of life was carried on +as if in the visible presence of God, instead of utterly ignoring Him as +most of us do now. + +The song this time was just a few lines of consecration: + + "Oh, for a heart whiter than snow! + Saviour Divine, to whom else can I go? + Thou who hast died, loving me so, + Give me a heart that is whiter than snow!" + +The dramatic beauty of the scene, the sweet, holy abandonment of that +prayer-song with its tender, appealing melody, would have held a throng of +thousands in awed wonder. But there was no audience, unless, perchance, +the angels gathered around the little company, rejoicing that in this +world of sin and war there were these who had so given themselves to God; +but from that glory-touched room there presently went forth men and women +with the spirit in their hearts that was to thrill like an electric wire +every life with which it came in contact, and show the whole world what +God can do with lives that are wholly surrendered to Him. + +[Illustration: She called the little company of workers together and gave +them such a charge as would make an angel search his heart] + +[Illustration: The lassie who fried the first doughnut in France] + +It wtas a bright, sunny afternoon, August 12th, when this first party of +American Salvation Army workers set sail for France. + +No doubt there was many a smile of contempt from the bystanders as they +saw the little group of blue uniforms with the gold-lettered scarlet +hatbands, and noticed the four poke bonnets among the number. What did the +tambourine lassies know of REAL warfare? To those who reckoned the +Salvation Army in terms of bands on the street corner, and shivering forms +guarding Christmas kettles, it must have seemed the utmost audacity for +this "play army" to go to the front. + +When they arrived at Bordeaux on August 21st they went at once to Paris to +be fitted out with French uniforms, as General Pershing had given them all +the rank of military privates, and ordered that they should wear the +regulation khaki uniforms with the addition of the red Salvation Army +shield on the hats, red epaulets, and with skirts for the women. + +A cabled message had reached France from the Commander saying that funds +to the extent of twenty-five thousand dollars had been arranged for, and +would be supplied as needed, and that a party of eleven officers were +being dispatched at once. After that matters began to move rapidly. + +A portable tent, 25 feet by 100 feet, was purchased and shipped to +Demange;--and a touring car was bought with part of the money advanced. + +Purchasing an automobile in France is not a matter merely of money. It is +a matter for Governmental sanction, long delay, red tape--amazing good +luck. + +At the start the whole Salvation Army transportation system consisted of +this one first huge limousine, heartlessly overdriven and overworked. For +many weeks it was Colonel Barker's office and bedroom. It carried all of +the Salvation Army workers to and from their stations, hauled all of the +supplies on its roof, inside, on its fenders, and later also on a trailer. +It ran day and night almost without end, two drivers alternating. It was a +sort of super-car, still in the service, to which Salvationists still +refer with an affectionate amazement when they consider its terrific +accomplishments. It hauled all of the lumber for the first huts and a not +uncommon sight was to see it tearing along the road at forty miles an +hour, loaded inside and on top with supplies, several passengers clinging +to its fenders, and a load of lumber or trunks trailing behind. For a long +time Colonel Barker had no home aside from this car. He slept wherever it +happened to be for the night--often in it, while still driven. One night +he and a Salvation Army officer were lost in a strange woods in the car +until four in the morning. They were without lights and there were no real +roads. + +Later, of course, after long waiting, other trucks were bought and to-day +there are about fifty automobiles in this service. Chauffeurs had to be +developed out of men who had never driven before. They were even taken +from huts and detailed to this work. + +In this first touring car Colonel Barker with one of the newly arrived +adjutants for driver, started to Demange. + +Twenty kilometers outside of Paris the car had a breakdown. The two +clambered out and reconnoitered for help. There was nothing for it but to +take the car back to Paris. A man was found on the road who was willing to +take it in tow, but they had no rope for a tow line. Over in the field by +the roadside the sharp eyes of the adjutant discovered some old rusty +wire. He pulled it out from the tangle of long grass, and behold it was a +part of old barbed-wire entanglements! + +In great surprise they followed it up behind the camouflage and found +themselves in the old trenches of 1914. They walked in the trenches and +entered some of the dugouts where the soldiers had lived in the memorable +days of the Marne fight. As they looked a little farther up the hillside +they were startled to see great pieces of heavy field artillery, their +long barrels sticking out from pits and pointing at them. They went closer +to examine, and found the guns were made of wood painted black. The +barrels were perfectly made, even to the breech blocks mounted on wheels, +the tires of which were made of tin. They were a perfect imitation of a +heavy ordnance piece in every detail. Curious, wondering what it could +mean, the two explorers looked about them and saw an old Frenchman coming +toward them. He proved to be the keeper of the place, and he told them the +story. These were the guns that saved Paris in 1914. + +The Boche had been coming on twenty kilometers one day, nineteen the next, +fourteen the next, and were daily drawing nearer to the great city. They +were so confident that they had even announced the day they would sweep +through the gates of Paris. The French had no guns heavy enough to stop +that mad rush, and so they mounted these guns of wood, cut away the woods +all about them and for three hundred meters in front, and waited with +their pitifully thin, ill-equipped line to defend the trenches. + +Then the German airplanes came and took pictures of them, and returned to +their lines to make plans for the next day; but when the pictures were +developed and enlarged they saw to their horror that the French had +brought heavy guns to their front and were preparing to blow them out of +France. They decided to delay their advance and wait until they could +bring up artillery heavier than the French had, and while they waited the +Germans broke into the French wine cellars and stole the "vin blanche" and +"vin rouge." The French call this "light" wine and say it takes the place +of water, which is only fit for washing; but it proved to be too heavy for +the Germans that day. They drank freely, not even waiting to unseal the +bottles of rare old vintage, but knocked the necks off the bottles against +the stone walls and drank. They were all drunk and in no condition to +conquer France when their artillery came up, and so the wooden French guns +and the French wine saved Paris. + +When the two men finally arrived in Demange the Military General greeted +them gladly and invited them to dine with him. + +He had for a cook a famous French chef who provided delicious meals, but +for dessert the chef had attempted to make an American apple pie, which +was a dismal failure. The colonel said to the general: "Just wait till our +Salvation Army women get here and I will see that they make you a pie that +is a pie." + +The General and the members of his staff said they would remember that +promise and hold him to it. + +The pleasure which the thought of that pie aroused furnished a suggestion +for work later on. + +Within two or three days the hut had arrived. The question of a lot upon +which to place it was most important. The billeting officers stated that +none could be had within the town and insisted that the hut would have to +be placed in an inaccessible spot on the outskirts of the town, but +Colonel Barker asked the General if he would mind his looking about +himself and he readily assented. The indomitable Barker, true to the +"never-say-die" slogan of the Salvation Army, went out and found a +splendid lot on the main street in the heart of the town, which was being +partly used by its owner as a vegetable garden. He quickly secured the +services of a French interpreter and struck a bargain with the owner to +rent the lot for the sum of sixteen dollars a year, and on his return with +the information that this lot had been secured the General was greatly +impressed. + +A wire had been sent to Paris instructing the men of the party to come +down immediately. A couple of tents were secured to provide temporary +sleeping accommodation and the men lined up in the chow line with the +doughboys at meal-time. + +The six Salvationists pulled off their coats at once and went to work, +much to the amusement of a few curious soldiers who stood idly watching +them. + +They discovered right at the start that the building materials which had +been sent ahead of them had been dumped on the wrong lot, and the first +thing they had to do was to move them all to the proper site. This was no +easy task for men who had but recently left office chairs and clerical +work. Unaccustomed muscles cried out in protest and weary backs ached and +complained, but the men stubbornly marched back and forth carrying big +timbers, and attracting not a little attention from soldiers who wondered +what in the world the Salvation Army could be up to over in France. Some +of them were suspicious. Had they come to try and stuff religion down +their throats? If so, they would soon find out their mistake. So, half in +belligerence, half in amusement, the soldiers watched their progress. It +was a big joke to them, who had come here for _serious_ business and +longed to be at it. + +Steadily, quietly, the work went on. They laid the timbers and erected the +framework of their hut, keeping at it when the rain fell and soaked them +to the skin. They were a bit awkward at it at first, perhaps, for it was +new work to them, and they had but few tools. The hut was twenty-five feet +wide and a hundred feet long. The walls went up presently, and the roof +went on. One or two soldiers were getting interested and offered to help a +bit; but for the most part they stood apart suspiciously, while the +Salvation Army worked cheerily on and finished the building with their own +hands. + +Colonel Barker meanwhile had gone back to Paris for supplies and to bring +the women overland in the automobile, because he was somewhat fearful lest +they might be held up if they attempted to go out by train. The idea of +women in the camps was so new to our American soldiers, and so distasteful +to the French, that they presented quite a problem until their work fully +justified their presence. + +It got about that some real American girls were coming. The boys began to +grow curious. When the big French limousine carrying them arrived in the +camp it was greeted by some of the soldiers with the greatest enthusiasm +while others looked on in critical silence. But very soon their influence +was felt, for a commanding officer stated that his men were more contented +and more easily handled since the unprecedented innovation of women in the +camp than they had been within the experience of the old Regular Army +officers. Profanity practically ceased in the vicinity of the hut and was +never indulged in in the presence of the Salvationists. + +While the hut was being erected meetings were conducted in the open air +which were attended by great throngs, and after every meeting from one to +four or five boys asked for the privilege of going into the tent at the +back and being prayed with, and many conversions resulted from these first +open-air meetings. Boys walked in from other camps from a distance as far +away as five miles to attend these meetings and many were converted. The +hut was finally completed and equipped and was to be formally opened on +Sunday evening. + +In the meantime the Y.M.C.A. was getting busy also establishing its work +in the camps; therefore, the Salvation Army tried to place their huts in +towns where the Y. was not operating, so that they might be able to reach +those who had the greatest need of them. + +Officers had been appointed to take charge of the Demange hut and +immediately further operations in other towns were being arranged. + +A Y.M.C.A. hut, however, followed quickly on the heels of the Salvation +Army at Demange and the night of the opening of the Salvation Army hut +someone came to ask if they would come over to the Y. and help in a +meeting. Sure, they would help! So the Staff-Captain took a cornetist and +two of the lassies and went over to the Y.M.C.A. hut. + +It was early dusk and a crowd was gathered about where a rope ring fenced +off the place in which a boxing match had been held the day before, across +the road from the hut. The band had been stationed there giving a concert +which was just finished, and the men were sitting in a circle on the +ground about the ring. + +The Salvationists stood at the door of the hut and looked across to the +crowd. + +"How about holding our meeting over there?" asked the Staff-Captain of the +man in charge. + +"All right. Hold it wherever you like." + +So a few willing hands brought out the piano, and the four Salvationists +made their way across to the ring. The soldiers raised a loud cheer and +hurrah to see the women stoop and slip under the rope, and a spirit of +sympathy seemed to be established at once. + +There were a thousand men gathered about and the cornet began where the +band had left off, thrilling out between the roar of guns. + +Up above were the airplanes throbbing back and forth, and signal lights +were flashing. It was a strange place for a meeting. The men gathered +closer to see what was going on. + +The sound of an old familiar hymn floated out on the evening, bringing a +sudden memory of home and days when one was a little boy and went to +Sunday school; when there was no war, and no one dreamed that the sons +would have to go forth from their own land to fight. A sudden hush stole +over the men and they sat enthralled watching the little band of singers +in the changing flicker of light and darkness. Women's voices! Young and +fresh, too, not old ones. How they thrilled with the sweetness of it: + + "Nearer, my God, to Thee, + Nearer to Thee, + E'en though it be a cross + That raiseth me." + +A cross! Was it possible that God was leading them to Him through all this +awfulness? But the thought only hovered above them and hushed their hearts +into attention as they gruffly joined their young voices in the melody. +Another song followed, and a prayer that seemed to bring the great God +right down in their midst and make Him a beloved comrade. They had not got +over the wonder of it when a new note sounded on piano and cornet and +every voice broke forth in the words: + + "When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound + And time shall be no more--" + +How soon would that trumpet sound for many of them! Time should be no +more! What a startling thought! + +Following close upon the song came the sweet voice of a young girl +speaking. They looked up in wonder, listening with all their souls. It +was like having an angel drop down among them to see her there, and hear +her clear, unafraid voice. The first thing that struck them was her +intense earnestness, as if she had a message of great moment to bring to +them. + +Her words searched their hearts and found out the weak places; those fears +and misgivings that they had known were there from the beginning, and had +been trying hard to hide from themselves because they saw no cure for +them. With one clear-cut sentence she tore away all camouflage and set +them face to face with the facts. They were in a desperate strait and they +knew it. Back there in the States they had known it. Down in the camps +they had felt it, and had made various attempts to find something strong +and true to help them, but no one had seemed to understand. Even when they +went to church there had been so much talk about the "supreme sacrifice" +and the glory of dying for one's country, that they had a vague feeling +that even the minister did not believe in his religion any more. And so +they had whistled and tried to be jolly and forget. They were all in the +same boat, and this was a job that had to be done, they couldn't get out +of it; best not think about the future! So they had lulled their +consciences to sleep. But it was there, back in their minds all the time, +a looming big awful question about the hereafter; and when the great guns +boomed afar as a few were doing tonight and they thought how soon they +might be called to go over the top, they would have been fools not to have +recognized it. + +But here at last was someone else who understood! + +She was telling the old, old story of Jesus and His love, and every man of +them as he listened felt it was true. It had been like a vague tale of +childhood before; something that one outgrows and smiles at; but now it +suddenly seemed so simple, so perfect, so fitted to their desperate need. +Just the old story that everybody has sinned, and broken God's law: that +God in His love provided a way of escape in the death of His Son Jesus on +the Cross, from penalty for sin for all who would accept it; that He gave +every one of us free wills; and it was up to us whether we would accept it +or not. + +There were men in that company who had come from college classes where +they had been taught the foolishness of blood atonement, and who had often +smiled disdainfully at the Bible; there were boys from cultured, refined +homes where Jesus Christ had always been ignored; there were boys who had +repudiated the God their mothers trusted in; and there were boys of lower +degree whose lips were foul with blasphemy and whose hearts were scarred +with sin; but all listened, now, in a new way. It was somehow different +over here, with the thunder of artillery in the near distance, the +hovering presence of death not far away, the flashing of signal lights, +the hum of the airplanes, the whole background of war. The message of the +gospel took on a reality it had never worn before. When this simple girl +asked if they would not take Jesus tonight as their Saviour, there were +many who raised their hands in the darkness and many more hearts were +bowed whose owners could not quite bring themselves to raise their hands. + +Then a lassie's voice began to sing, all alone: + + "I grieved my Lord from day to day, + I scorned His love, so full and free, + And though I wandered far away, + My Mother's prayers have followed me. + I'm coming home, I'm coming home, + To live my wasted life anew, + For Mother's prayers have followed me, + Have followed me, the whole world through. + + "O'er desert wild, o'er mountain high, + A wanderer I chose to be--- + A wretched soul condemned to die; + Still Mother's prayers have followed me. + + "He turned my darkness into light, + This blessed Christ of Calvary; + I'll praise His name both day and night, + That Mother's prayers have followed me! + I'm coming home, I'm coming home---" + +Only the last great day will reveal how many hearts echoed those words; +but the voices were all husky with emotion as they tried to join in the +closing hymn that followed. + +There were those who lingered about the speakers and wanted to inquire the +way of salvation, and some knelt in a quiet corner and gave themselves to +Christ. Over all of them there was a hushed thoughtfulness. When the +workers started back to their own hut the crowd went with them, talking +eagerly as they went, hovering about wistfully as if here were the first +real thing they had found since coming away from home. + +Over at the Salvation Army hut another service had been going forward with +equal interest, the dedication of the new building. The place was crowded +to its utmost capacity, and crowds were standing outside and peering in at +the windows. Some of the French people of the neighborhood, women and +children and old men, had drifted over, and were listening to the singing +in open-eyed wonderment. Among them one of the Salvation Army workers had +distributed copies of the French "War Cry" with stories of Christ in their +own language, and it began to dawn upon them that these people believed in +the same Jesus that was worshipped in their French churches; yet they +never had seen services like these. The joyous music thrilled them. + +Before they slept that night the majority of the soldiers in that vicinity +had lost most of their prejudice against the little band of unselfish +workers that had dropped so quietly down into their midst. Word was +beginning to filter out from camp to camp that they were a good sort, that +they sold their goods at cost and a fellow could even "jawbone" when he +was "broke." + +Salvation Army huts gave the soldiers "jawbone," this being the soldier's +name for credit. No accounts were kept of the amount allowed to each +soldier. When a soldier came to the canteen and asked for "jawbone," he +was asked how much he had already been allowed. If the amount owed by him +already was large, he was cautioned not to go too deeply into his next pay +check; but never was a man refused anything within reason. Frequently one +hut would have many thousands of francs outstanding by the end of a month. +But, although there was no check against them, soldiers always squared +their accounts at pay-day and very little indeed was lost. + +One man came in and threw 300 francs on the counter, saying: "I owe you +285 francs. Put the change in the coffee fund." + +One Salvation Army Ensign frequently loaned sums of money out of his own +pocket to soldiers, asking that, when they were in a position to return +it, they hand it in to any Salvation Army hut, saying that it was for him. +He says that he has never lost by doing this. + +One day as he was driving from Havre to Paris he met six American soldiers +whose big truck had broken down. They asked him where there was a +Salvation Army hut; but there was none in that particular section. They +had no food, no money, and no place to sleep. He handed them seventy +francs and told them to leave it at any Salvation Army hut for him when +they were able. Five months passed and then the money was turned in to a +Salvation Army hut and forwarded to him. With it was a note stating that +the men had been with the French troops and had not been able to reach a +Salvation Army establishment. They were very grateful for the trust +reposed in them by the Salvationist. Undoubtedly there are many such +instances. + +The Salvation Army officer who with his wife was put in charge of the hut +at Demange, soon became one of the most popular men in camp. His generous +spirit, no less than his rough-and-ready good nature, manful, soldier-like +disposition, coupled with a sturdy self-respect and a ready humor, made +him blood brother to those hard-bitten old regulars and National Guardsmen +of the first American Expeditionary Force. + +The Salvation Army quickly became popular. Meetings were held almost every +night at that time with an average attendance of not less than five +hundred. Meetings as a rule were confined to wonderful song services and +brief, snappy talks. At first there were very few conversions, but there +have been more since the great drives in which the Americans have taken so +large a share. The Masons, the Moose and a Jewish fraternity used the hut +for fraternal gatherings. Catholic priests held mass in it upon various +occasions. The school for officers and the school for "non-coms" met in +it. The band practiced in it every morning. Because of its popularity +among the men it was known among the officers as "the soldiers' hut." +General Duncan once addressed his staff officers in it upon some important +matters. + +It rained every day for three months. The hut was on rather low ground and +in back of it ran the river, considerably swollen by the rains. One night +the river rose suddenly, carried away one tent and flooded the other two +and the hut. The Salvation Army men spent a wild, wet, sleepless night +trying to salvage their scanty personal belongings and their stock of +supplies. When the river retreated it left the hut floor covered with +slimy black mud which the two men had to shovel out. This was a back- +breaking task occupying the better part of two days. + +The first snow fell on the bitterest night of the year. It was preceded by +the rain and was damp and heavy. The soldiers suffered terribly, +especially the men on guard duty who had perforce to endure the full blast +of the storm. During the earlier hours of the night the girls served all +comers with steaming coffee and filled the canteens of the men on guard +(free). When they saw how severe the night would be they remained up to +keep a supply of coffee ready for the Salvation Army men who went the +rounds through the storm every half hour, serving the sentries with the +warming fluid. + +That first Expeditionary Force wanted for many things, and endured +hardships unthought of by troops arriving later, after the war industries +at home had swung into full production. It was almost impossible to secure +stoves, and firewood was scarce. For every load that went to the Salvation +Army Hut, men of the American Expeditionary Force had to do without, and +yet wood was always supplied to the Salvationists (it could not be +bought). + +At St. Joire, the wood pile had entirely given out and it looked as if +there was to be no heat at the Salvation Army hut that night. The sergeant +promised them half a load, but the wood wagon lost a wheel about a hundred +yards out of town. + +"Never mind," said the sergeant to the girls, "the boys will see that you +get some to-night." + +So he requested every man going up to the Salvation Army hut that evening +to carry a stick of wood with him ("a stick" may weigh anywhere from 10 to +100 pounds). By eight o'clock there was over a wagon load and a half +stacked in back of the hut. + +Two small stoves cast circles of heat in the big hut at Demange. Around +them the men crowded with their wet garments steaming so profusely that +the hut often took on the appearance of a steam-room in a Turkish bath. +The rest of the hut was cold; but compared to the weather outside, it was +heaven-like. For all of its size, the hut was frail, and the winter wind +blew coldly through its many cracks; but compared with the soldier's +billets, it was a cozy palace. The Salvationists spent hours each week +sitting on the roof in the driving rain patching leaks with tar-paper and +tacks. + +The life was a hard one for the girls. They nearly froze during the days, +and at nights they usually shivered themselves to sleep, only sleeping +when sheer exhaustion overcame them. There were no baths at all. The +experience was most trying for women and only the spirit of the great +enterprise in which they were engaged carried them through the winter. +Even soldiers were at times seen weeping with cold and misery. + +One night the gasoline tank which supplied light to the hut exploded and +set the place on fire. A whole regiment turned out of their blankets to +put out the blaze. This meant more hours for those in charge repairing the +roof in the snow. They also had to cut all of the wood for the hut. Later +details were supplied to every hut by the military authorities to cut +wood, sweep and clean up, carry water, etc. Soldiers used the hut for a +mess hall. There was no other place where they could eat with any degree +of comfort. + +By this time the fact that the Salvation Army was established at Demange +was becoming known throughout the division. + +One of the towns where there had been no arrangements made for welfare +workers at all was Montiers-sur-Saulx, where the First Ammunition Train +was established, and here the officer temporarily commanding the +ammunition train gave a most hearty welcome to the Salvation Army. + +Two large circus tents had been sent on from New York and one of these was +to be erected until a wooden building could be secured. + +The touring car went back to Demange, picked up a Staff-Captain, a +Captain, five white tents, the largest one thirty by sixty feet, the +others smaller, carried them across the country and dropped them down at +the roadside of the public square in Montiers. + +There stood the Salvationists in the road wondering what to do next. + +Then a hearty voice called out: "Are you locating with us?" and the +military officer of the day advanced to meet them with a hand-shake and +many expressions of his appreciation of the Salvation Army. + +"We are going to stay here if you will have us," said the Staff-Captain. + +"Have you! Well, I should say we would have you! Wait a minute and I'll +have a detail put your baggage under cover for the night. Then we'll see +about dinner and a billet." + +Thus auspiciously did the work open in Montiers. + +In a few minutes they were taken to a French cafe and a comfortable place +found for them to spend the night. + +Soon after the rising of the sun the next morning they were up and about +hunting a place for the tents which were to serve for a recreation centre +for the boys. The American Major in charge of the town personally assisted +them to find a good location, and offered his aid in any way needed. + +Before nightfall the five white tents were up, standing straight and true +with military precision, and the two officers with just pride in their +hard day's work, and a secret assurance that it would stand the hearty +approval of the commanding officer whom they had not as yet met, went off +to their suppers, for which they had a more than usually hearty appetite. + +Suddenly the door of the dining-room swung open and a gruff voice +demanded: "Who put up those tents?" The Salvation Army Staff-Captain stood +forth saluting respectfully and responded: "I, sir." "Well," said the +Colonel, "they look mighty fine up on that hill--mighty fine! Splendid +location for them--splendid! But the enemy can spot them for a hundred +miles, so I expect you had better get them down or camouflage them with +green boughs and paint by tomorrow night at the latest. Good evening to +you, sir!" + +The Staff-Captain and his helper suddenly lost their fine appetites and +felt very tired. Camouflage! How did they do that at a moment's notice? +They left their unfinished dinner and hurried out in search of help. + +The first soldier the Staff-Captain questioned reassured him. + +"Aw, that's dead easy! Go over the hill into the woods and cut some +branches, enough to cover your tents; or easier yet, get some green and +yellow paint and splash over them. The worse they look the better they +are!" + +So the weary workers hunted the town over for paint, and found only enough +for the big tent, upon which they worked hard all the next morning. Then +they had to go to the woods for branches for the rest. Scratched and +bleeding and streaked with perspiration and dirt, they finished their work +at last, and the white tents had disappeared into the green and the yellow +and the brown of the hillside. Their beautiful military whiteness was +gone, but they were hidden safe from the enemy and the work might now go +forward. + +Then the girls arrived and things began to look a bit more cheerful. + +"But where is the cook stove?" asked one of the lassies after they had set +up their two folding cots in one of the smaller tents and made themselves +at home. + +Dismay descended upon the face of the weary Staff-Captain. + +"Why," he answered apologetically, "we forgot all about that!" and he +hurried out to find a stove. + +A thorough search of the surrounding country, however, disclosed the fact +that there was not a stove nor a field range to be had--no, not even from +the commissary. There was nothing for it but to set to work and contrive a +fireplace out of field stone and clay, with a bit of sheet iron for a +roof, and two or three lengths of old sewer pipe carefully wired together +for a stovepipe. It took days of hard work, and it smoked woefully except +when the wind was exactly west, but the girls made fudge enough on it for +the entire personnel of the Ammunition train to celebrate when it was +finished. + +When the girls first arrived in Montiers the Salvation Army Staff-Captain +was rather at a loss to know what to do with them until the hut was built. +They were invited to chow with the soldiers, and to eat in an old French +barn used as a kitchen, in front of which the men lined up at the open +doorways for mess. It was a very dirty barn indeed, with heavy cobwebs +hanging in weird festoons from the ceiling and straw and manure all over +the floor; quite too barnlike for a dining-hall for delicately reared +women. The Staff-Captain hesitated about bringing them there, but the +Mess-Sergeant offered to clean up a corner for them and give them a +comfortable table. + +"I don't know about bringing my girls in here with the men," said the +Staff-Captain still hesitating. "You know the men are pretty rough in +their talk, and they're always cussing!" + +"Leave that to me!" said the Mess-Sergeant. "It'll be all right!" + +There was an old dirty French wagon in the barnyard where they kept the +bread. It was not an inviting prospect and the Staff-Captain looked about +him dubiously and went away with many misgivings, but there seemed to be +nothing else to be done. + +The boys did their best to fix things up nicely. When meal time arrived +and the girls appeared they found their table neatly spread with a dish +towel for a tablecloth. It purported to be clean, but there are degrees of +cleanliness in the army and there might have been a difference of opinion. +However, the girls realized that there had been a strenuous attempt to do +honor to them and they sat down on the coffee kegs that had been provided +_en lieu_ of chairs with smiling appreciation. + +The Staff-Captain's anxiety began to relax as he noticed the quiet +respectful attitude of the men when they passed by the doorway and looked +eagerly over at the corner where the girls were sitting. It was great to +have American women sitting down to dinner with them, as it were. Not a +"cuss word" broke the harmony of the occasion. The best cuts of meat, the +largest pieces of pie, were given to the girls, and everybody united to +make them feel how welcome they were. + +Then into the midst of the pleasant scene there entered one who had been +away for a few hours and had not yet been made acquainted with the new +order of things at chow; and he entered with an oath upon his lips. + +He was a great big fellow, but the strong arm of the Mess-Sergeant flashed +out from the shoulder instantly, the sturdy fist of the Mess-Sergeant was +planted most unexpectedly in the newcomer's face, and he found himself +sprawling on the other side of the road with all his comrades glaring at +him in silent wrath. That was the beginning of a new order of things at +the mess. + +The Colonel in charge of the regiment had gone away, and the commanding +Major, wishing to make things pleasant for the Salvationists, sent for the +Staff-Captain and invited them all to his mess at the chateau; telling him +that if he needed anything at any time, horses or supplies, or anything in +his power to give, to let him know at once and it should be supplied. + +The Staff-Captain thanked him, but told him that he thought they would +stay with the boys. + +The boys, of course, heard of this and the Salvation Army people had +another bond between them and the soldiers. The boys felt that the +Salvationists were their very own. Nothing could have more endeared them +to the boys than to share their life and hardships. + +The Salvation Army had not been with the soldiers many hours before they +discovered that the disease of homesickness which they had been sent to +succor was growing more and more malignant and spreading fast. + +The training under French officers was very severe. Trench feet with all +its attendant suffering was added to the other discomforts. Was it any +wonder that homesickness seized hold of every soldier there? + +It had been raining steadily for thirty-six days, making swamps and pools +everywhere. Depression like a great heavy blanket hung over the whole +area. + +The Salvation Army lassies at Montiers were in consultation. Their +supplies were all gone, and the state of the roads on account of the rain +was such that all transportation was held up. They had been waiting, +hoping against hope, that a new load of supplies would arrive, but there +seemed no immediate promise of that. + +"We ought to have something more than just chocolate to sell to the +soldiers, anyway," declared one lassie, who was a wonderful cook, looking +across the big tent to the drooping shoulders and discouraged faces of the +boys who were hovering about the Victrola, trying to extract a little +comfort from the records. "We ought to be able to give them some real home +cooking!" + +They all agreed to this, but the difficulties in the way were great. Flour +was obtainable only in small quantities. Now and then they could get a +sack of flour or a bag of sugar, but not often. Lard also was a scarce +article. Besides, there were no stoves, and no equipment had as yet been +issued for ovens. All about them were apple orchards and they might have +baked some pies if there had been ovens, but at present that was out of +the question. After a long discussion one of the girls suggested +doughnuts, and even that had its difficulties, although it really was the +only thing possible at the time. For one thing they had no rolling-pin and +no cake-cutter in the outfit. Nevertheless, they bravely went to work. The +little tent intended for such things had blown down, so the lassie had to +stand out in the rain to prepare the dough. + +The first doughnuts were patted out, until someone found an empty grape- +juice bottle and used that for a rolling-pin. As they had no cutter they +used a knife, and twisted them, making them in shape like a cruller. They +were cooked over a wood fire that had to be continually stuffed with fuel +to keep the fat hot enough to fry. The pan they used was only large enough +to cook seven at once, but that first day they made one hundred and fifty +big fat sugary doughnuts, and when the luscious fragrance began to float +out on the air and word went forth that they had real "honest-to-goodness" +home doughnuts at the Salvation Army hut, the line formed away out into +the road and stood patiently for hours in the rain waiting for a taste of +the dainties. As there were eight hundred men in the outfit and only a +hundred and fifty doughnuts that first day, naturally a good many were +disappointed, but those who got them were appreciative. One boy as he took +the first sugary bite exclaimed: "Gee! If this is war, let it continue!" + +The next day the girls managed to make three hundred, but one of them was +not satisfied with a doughnut that had no hole in it, and while she worked +she thought, until a bright idea came to her. The top of the baking-powder +can! Of course! Why hadn't they thought of that before? But how could they +get the hole? There seemed nothing just right to cut it. Then, the very +next morning the inside tube to the coffee percolator that somebody had +brought along came loose, and the lassie stood in triumph with it in her +hand, calling to them all to see what a wonderful hole it would make in +the doughnut. And so the doughnut came into its own, hole and all. + +That was at Montiers, the home of the doughnut. + +One of the older Salvation Army workers remarked jocularly that the +Salvation Army had to go to France and get linked up with the doughnut +before America recognized it; but it was the same old Salvation Army and +the same old doughnut that it had always been. He averred that it wasn't +the doughnut at all that made the Salvation Army famous, but the wonderful +girls that the Salvation Army brought over there; the girls that lay awake +at night after a long hard day's work scheming to make the way of the +doughboy easier; scheming how to take the cold out of the snow and the wet +out of the rain and the stickiness out of the mud. The girls that prayed +over the doughnuts, and then got the maximum of grace out of the minimum +of grease. + +The young Adjutant lassie who fried the first doughnut in France says that +invariably the boys would begin to talk about home and mother while they +were eating the doughnuts. Through the hole in the doughnut they seemed to +see their mother's face, and as the doughnut disappeared it grew bigger +and clearer. + +The young Ensign lassie who had originated and _made_ the first +doughnut in France contrived to make many pies on a very tiny French stove +with an oven only large enough to hold two pies at a time. Meanwhile, +frying doughnuts on the top of the stove. + +It wasn't long before the record for the doughnut makers had been brought +up to five thousand a day, and some of the unresting workers developed +"doughnut wrist" from sticking to the job too long at a time. + +It was the original thought that pie would be the greatest attraction, but +it was difficult to secure stoves with ovens adequate for baking pies, and +after the ensign's experiment with doughnuts it was found that they could +more easily be made and were quite as acceptable to the American boy. + +Meantime, the pie was coming into its own, back in Demange also. + +It was only a little stove, and only room to bake one pie at a time, but +it was a savory smell that floated out on the air, and it was a long line +of hungry soldiers that hurried for their mess kits and stood hours +waiting for more pies to bake; and the fame of the Salvation Army began to +spread far and wide. Then one day the "Stars and Stripes," the organ of +the American Army, printed the following poem about the lassie who labored +so far forward that she had to wear a tin hat: + + "Home is where the heart is"-- + Thus the poet sang; + But "home is where the pie is" + For the doughboy gang! + Crullers in the craters, + Pastry in abris-- + This Salvation Army lass + Sure knows how to please! + + Tin hat for a halo! + Ah! She wears it well! + Making pies for homesick lads + Sure is "beating hell!" + In a region blasted + By fire and flame and sword, + This Salvation Army lass + Battles for the Lord! + + Call me sacrilegious + And irreverent, too; + Pies? They link us up with home + As naught else can do! + "Home is, where the heart is"-- + True, the poet sang; + But "home is where the pie is"-- + To the Yankee gang! + +It was no easy task to open up a chain of huts, for there was an amazing +variety of details to be attended to, any one of which might delay the +work. A hundred and one unexpected situations would develop during the +course of a single day which must be dealt with quickly and intelligently. +The fact that the Salvation Army section of the American Expeditionary +Force is militarized and strictly accountable for all of its action to the +United States military authorities is complicated in many places by the +further fact that the French civil and military authorities must also be +taken into consideration and consulted at every step. Nevertheless, in +spite of all difficulties the work went steadily forward. The patient +officers who were seeing to all these details worked almost night and day +to place the huts and workers where they would do the most good to the +greatest number; and steadily the Salvation Army grew in favor with the +soldiers. + +It was extremely difficult to obtain materials for the erection of huts-- +in many cases almost impossible. Once when Colonel Barker found troops +moving, he discovered the village for which they were bound, rushed ahead +in his automobile, and commandeered an old French barracks which would +otherwise have been occupied by the American soldiers. When the soldiers +arrived they were overjoyed to find the Salvation Army awaiting them with +hot food. They were soaked through by the rain, and never was hot coffee +more welcome. There was a little argument about the commandeered barracks. +It was to have been used as headquarters, but when the commanding officer +went out into the rain and saw for himself what service it was performing +for his men, and how overjoyed they were by the entertainment he said: +"We'll leave it to the men, whether they will be billeted here or let the +Salvation Army have the place." The men with one accord voted to give it +to the Salvation Army. + +In one town, after an animated discussion with a crowd of enlisted men, a +sergeant came to the Salvation Army Major as he worked away with his +hammer putting up a hut and said: "Captain, would it make you mad if we +offered our services to help?" + +[Illustration: "Tin hat for a halo! Ah! She wears it well!"] + +[Illustration: The patient officers who were seeing to all these details +worked out almost day and night] + +After that the work went on in record time. In less than a week the hut +was finished and ready for business. Two self-appointed details of +soldiers from the regulars employed all their spare time in a friendly +rivalry to see which could accomplish the most work. When it was dedicated +the popularity of the hut was well assured. Later, in another location, a +hut 125 feet by 27 feet was put up with the assistance of soldiers in six +hours and twenty minutes. + +More men and women had arrived from America, and the work began to assume +business-like proportions. There were huts scattered all through the +American training area. + +As other huts were established the making of pies and doughnuts became a +regular part of the daily routine of the hut. It was found that a canteen +where candy and articles needed by the soldiers could be obtained at +moderate prices would fill a very pressing need and this was made a part +of their regular operation. + +The purchase of an adequate quantity of supplies was a great problem. It +was necessary to make frequent trips to Paris, to establish connections +with supply houses there, and to attend to the shipping of the supplies +out to the camps. At first it was impossible to purchase any quantity of +supplies from any house. The demand for everything was so great that +wholesale dealers were most independent. Three hundred dollars' worth of +supplies was the most that could be purchased from any one house, but in +course of time, confidence and friendly relations being established, it +became possible to purchase as much as ten thousand dollars' worth at one +time from one dealer. + +The first twenty-five thousand dollars, of course, was soon gone, but +another fifty thousand dollars arrived from Headquarters in New York, and +after a little while another fifty thousand; which hundred thousand +dollars was loaned by General Bramwell Booth from the International +Treasury. The money was not only borrowed, but the Commander had promised +to pay it back in twelve months (which guarantee it is pleasant to state +was made good long before the promised time), for the Commander had said: +"It is only a question of our getting to work in France, and the American +public will see that we have all the money we want." + +So it has proved. + +In the meantime another hut was established at Houdelainecourt. + +The American boys were drilling from early morning until dark; the weather +was wet and cold; the roads were seas of mud and the German planes came +over the valleys almost nightly to seek out the position of the American +troops and occasionally to drop bombs. It was necessary that all tents +should be camouflaged, windows darkened so that lights would not show at +night, and every means used to keep the fact of the Americans' presence +from the German observers and spies. + +Another party of Salvation Army officers, men and women, arrived from New +York on September 23rd, and these were quickly sent out to Demange which +for the time being was used as the general base of supplies, but later a +house was secured at Ligny-en-Barrios, and this was for many months the +Headquarters. + +One interesting incident occurred here in connection with this house. One +of its greatest attractions had been that it was one of the few houses +containing a bathroom, but when the new tenants arrived they found that +the anticipated bathtub had been taken out with all its fittings and +carefully stowed away in the cellar. It was too precious for the common +use of tenants. + +All Salvation Army graduates from the training school have a Red Cross +diploma, and many are experienced nurses. + +A Salvation Army woman Envoy sailed for France with a party of +Salvationists about the time that the epidemic of influenza broke out all +over the world. Even before the steamer reached the quarantine station in +New York harbor a number of cases of Spanish influenza had developed among +the several companies of soldiers who were aboard, a number of whom were +removed from the ship. So anxious were others of these American fighting +men to reach Prance that they hid away until the steamer had left port. + +Land was hardly out of sight before more cases of the disease were +reported--so many, in fact, that special hospital accommodations had to be +immediately arranged. The ship's captain after consulting with the +American military officers, requested the Salvation Army Envoy to take +entire responsibility for the hospital, which responsibility, after some +hesitation, she accepted. Under her were two nurses, three dieticians +(Y.M.C.A. and Red Cross), a medical corps sergeant (U.S.A.), and twenty- +four orderlies. She took charge on the fourth day of a thirteen day +voyage, working in the sick bay from 12 noon to 8 P.M., and from 12 +midnight to 8 A.M. every day. She had with her a mandolin and a guitar +with which, in addition to her sixteen hours of duty in the sick bay, she +every day spent some time (usually an hour or two) on deck singing and +playing for the soldiers who were much depressed by the epidemic. To them +she was a very angel of good cheer and comfort. + +Many amusing incidents occurred on the voyage. + +Stormy weather had added to the discomforts of the trip and most of the +passengers suffered from seasickness during the greater part of the +voyage. + +On board there was also a woman of middle age who could not be persuaded +to keep her cabin porthole closed at night. Again and again a ray of light +was projected through it upon the surface of the water and the quarter- +master, whose duty it was to see that no lights were shown, was at his +wit's end. His difficulty was the greater because he could speak no +English, and she no French. Finally, a passenger took pity on the man, +and, as the light was really a grave danger to the ship's safety, promised +to speak to the woman, who insisted that she was not afraid of submarines +and that it was foolish to think they could see her light. + +"Madam," he said, "the quartermaster here tells me that the sea in this +locality is infested with flying fish, who, like moths, fly straight for +any light, and he is afraid that if you leave your porthole open they will +dive in upon you during the night." + +If he had said that the sea was infested with flying mice, his statement +could not have been more effective. Thereafter the porthole stayed closed. + +When the first man died on board, the Captain commanding the soldiers and +the ship's Captain requested a Salvation Army Adjutant to conduct the +funeral service. + +At 4.30 P.M. the ship's propeller ceased to turn and the steamer came up +into the wind. The United States destroyer acting as convoy also came to a +halt. The French flag on the steamer and the American flag on the +destroyer were at half-mast. Thirty-two men from the dead man's company +lined up on the after-deck. The coffin (a rough pine box), heavily +weighted at one end, lay across the rail over the stern. Here a chute had +been rigged so that the coffin might not foul the ship's screws. The flags +remained at half-mast for half an hour. The Salvation Army Adjutant read +the burial service and prayed. Passengers on the promenade deck looked on. +Then a bugler played taps. Every soldier stood facing the stern with hat +off and held across the breast. As the coffin slipped down the chute and +splashed into the sea a firing squad fired a single rattling volley. The +ship came about and, with a shudder of starting engines, continued her +voyage, the destroyer doing likewise. + +During the passage the Adjutant conducted six such funerals, two more +being conducted by a Catholic priest. Four more bodies of men who died as +they neared port were landed and buried ashore. + +In the hospital the Envoy was undoubtedly the means of saving several +lives by her endless toil and by the encouragement of her cheerful face in +that depressing place. The sick men called her "Mother" and no mother +could have been more tender than she. + +"You look so much like mother," said one boy just before he died. "Won't +you please kiss me?" + +Another lad, with a great, convulsive effort, drew her hand to his lips +and kissed her just as he passed away. + +All of the American officers and two French officers attended the funerals +in full dress uniform and ten sailors of the French navy were also +present. + +The night before the ship docked at Bordeaux a letter signed by the +Captain of the ship and the American officers was handed to the Envoy +lady. It contained a warm statement of their appreciation of her service. +Officers of the Aviation Corps who were aboard the ship arranged a banquet +to be held in her honor when they should reach port; but she told them +that she was under orders even as they were and that she must report to +Paris Headquarters at once. And so the banquet did not take place. + +As she left the ship, the soldiers were lined up on the wharf ready to +march. When she came down the gangplank and walked past them to the +street, they cheered her and shouted: "Good-bye, mother! Good luck!" + +As the fame of the doughnuts and pies spread through the camps a new +distress loomed ahead for the Salvation Army. Where were the flour and the +sugar and the lard and the other ingredients to come from wherewith to +concoct these delicacies for the homesick soldiers? + +It was of no use to go to the French for white flour, for they did not +have it. They had been using war bread, dark mixtures with barley flour +and other things, for a long time. Besides, the French had a fixed idea +that everyone who came from America was made of money. Wood was thirty- +five dollars a load (about a cord) and had to be cut and hauled by the +purchaser at that. There was a story current throughout the camps that +some Frenchmen were talking together among themselves, and one asked the +rest where in the world they were going to get the money to rebuild their +towns. "Oh," replied another; "haven't we the only battlefields in the +world? All the Americans will want to come over after the war to see them +and we will charge them enough for the sight to rebuild our villages!" + +But even at any price the French did not have the materials to sell. There +was only one place where things of that sort could be had and that was +from the Americans, and the question was, would the commissary allow them +to buy in large enough quantities to be of any use? The Salvation Army +officers as they went about their work, were puzzling their brains how to +get around the American commissary and get what they wanted. + +Meantime, the American Army had slipped quietly into Montiers in the night +and been billeted around in barns and houses and outhouses, and anywhere +they could be stowed, and were keeping out of sight. For the German High +Council had declared: "As soon as the American Army goes into camp we will +blow them off the map." Day after day the Germans lay low and watched. +Their airplanes flew over and kept close guard, but they could find no +sign of a camp anywhere. No tents were in sight, though they searched the +landscape carefully; and day after day, for want of something better to do +they bombarded Bar-le-Duc. Every day some new ravishment of the beautiful +city was wrought, new victims buried under ruins, new terror and +destruction, until the whole region was in panic and dismay. + +Now Bar-le-Duc, as everyone knows, is the home of the famous Bar-le-Duc +jam that brings such high prices the world over, and there were great +quantities stored up and waiting to be sold at a high price to Americans +after the war. But when the bombardment continued, and it became evident +that the whole would either be destroyed or fall into the hands of the +Germans, the owners were frightened. Houses were blown up, burying whole +families. Victims were being taken hourly from the ruins, injured or +dying. + +A Salvation Army Adjutant ran up there one day with his truck and found an +awful state of things. The whole place was full of refugees, families +bereft of their homes, everybody that could trying to get out of the city. +Just by accident he found out that the merchants were willing to sell +their jam at a very reasonable price, and so he bought tons and tons of +Bar-le-Duc jam. That would help out a lot and go well on bread, for of +course there was no butter. Also it would make wonderful pies and tarts if +one only had the flour and other ingredients. + +As he drove into Montiers he was still thinking about it, and there on the +table in the Salvation Army hut stood as pretty a chocolate cake as one +would care to see. A bright idea came to the Adjutant: + +"Let me have that cake," said he to the lassie who had baked it, "and I'll +take it to the General and see what I can do." + +It turned out that the cake was promised, but the lassie said she would +bake another and have it ready for him on his return trip; so in a few +days when he came back there was the cake. + +Ah! That was a wonderful cake! + +The lassie had baked it in the covers of lard tins, fourteen inches across +and five layers high! There was a layer of cake, thickly spread with rich +chocolate frosting, another layer of cake, overlaid with the translucent +Bar-le-Duc jam, a third layer of cake with chocolate, another layer spread +with Bar-le-Duc jam, then cake again, the whole covered smoothly over with +thick dark chocolate, top and sides, down to the very base, without a +ripple in it. It was a wonder of a cake! + +With shining eyes and eager look the Adjutant took that beautiful cake, +took also twelve hundred great brown sugary doughnuts, and a dozen +fragrant apple pies just out of the oven, stowed them carefully away in +his truck, and rustled off to the Officers' Headquarters. Arrived there he +took his cake in hand and asked to see the General. An officer with his +eye on the cake said the General was busy just now but he would carry the +cake to him. But the Adjutant declined this offer firmly, saying: "The +ladies of Montiers-sur-Saulx sent this cake to the General, and I must put +it into his hands" + +He was finally led to the General's room and, uncovering the great cake, +he said: + +"The Salvation Army ladies of Montiers-sur-Saulx have sent this cake to +you as a sample of what they will do for the soldiers if we can get flour +and sugar and lard." + +The General, greatly pleased, took the cake and sent for a knife, while +his officers stood about looking on with much interest. It appeared as if +every one were to have a taste of the cake. But when the General had cut a +generous slice, held it up, observing its cunning workmanship, its +translucent, delectable interior, he turned with a gleam in his eye, +looked about the room and said: "Gentlemen, this cake will not be served +till the evening's mess, and I pity the gentlemen who do not eat with the +officer's mess, but they will have to go elsewhere for their cake." + +The Adjutant went out with his pies and doughnuts and distributed them +here and there where they would do the most good, getting on the right +side of the Top Sergeant, for he had discovered some time ago that even +with the General as an ally one must be on the right side of the "old +Sarge" if one wanted anything. While he was still talking with the +officers he was handed an order from the General that he should be +supplied with all that he needed, and when he finally came out of +Headquarters he found that seven tons of material were being loaded on his +car. After that the Salvation Army never had any trouble in getting all +the material they needed. + +After the tents in Montiers were all settled and the work fully started, +the Staff-Captain and his helpers settled down to a pleasant little +schedule of sixteen hours a day work and called it ease; but that was not +to he enjoyed for long. At the end of a week the Salvation Army Colonel +swooped down upon them again with orders to erect a hut at once as the +tents were only a makeshift and winter was coming on. He brought materials +and selected a site on a desirable corner. + +Now the corner was literally covered with fallen walls of a former +building and wreckage from the last year's raid, and the patient workers +looked aghast at the task before them. But the Colonel would listen to no +arguments. "Don't talk about difficulties," he said, brushing aside a plea +for another lot, not quite so desirable perhaps, but much easier to clear. +"Don't talk about difficulties; get busy and have the job over with!" + +One big reason why the Salvation Army is able to carry on the great +machinery of its vast organization is that its people are trained to obey +without murmuring. Cheerfully and laboriously the men set to work. Winter +rains were setting in, with a chill and intensity never to be forgotten by +an American soldier. But wet to the skin day after day all day long the +Salvationists worked against time, trying to finish the hut before the +snow should arrive. And at last the hut was finished and ready for +occupancy. Such tireless devotion, such patient, cheerful toil for their +sake was not to be passed by nor forgotten by the soldiers who watched and +helped when they could. Day after day the bonds between them and the +Salvation Army grew stronger. Here were men who did not have to, and yet +who for the sake of helping them, came and lived under the same conditions +that they did, working even longer hours than they, eating the same food, +enduring the same privations, and whose only pay was their expenses. At +the first the Salvationists took their places in the chow line with the +rest, then little by little men near the head of the line would give up +their places to them, quietly stepping to the rear of the line themselves. +Finally, no matter how long the line was the men with one consent insisted +that their unselfish friends should take the very head of the line +whenever they came and always be served first. + +One day one of the Salvation Army men swathed in a big raincoat was +sitting in a Ford by the roadside in front of a Salvation Army hut, +waiting for his Colonel, when two soldiers stopped behind him to light +their cigarettes. It was just after sundown, and the man in the car must +have seemed like any soldier to the two as they chatted. + +"Bunch of grafters, these Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army outfits!" grumbled +one as he struck a match. "What good are the 'Sallies' in a soldier camp?" + +"Well, Buddy," said the other somewhat excitedly, "there's a whole lot of +us think the Salvation Army is about it in this man's outfit. For a rookie +you sure are picking one good way to make yourself unpopular _tout de +suite!_ Better lay off that kind of talk until you kind of find out +what's what. I didn't have much use for them myself back in the States, +but here in France they're real folks, believe me!" + +So the feeling had grown everywhere as the huts multiplied. And the huts +proved altogether too small for the religious meetings, so that as long as +the weather permitted the services had to be held in the open air. It was +no unusual thing to see a thousand men gathered in the twilight around two +or three Salvation Army lassies, singing in sweet wonderful volume the +old, old hymns. The soldiers were no longer amused spectators, bent on +mischief; they were enthusiastic allies of the organization that was +theirs. The meeting was theirs. + +"We never forced a meeting on them," said one of the girls. "We just let +it grow. Sometimes it would begin with popular songs, but before long the +boys would ask for hymns, the old favorites, first one, then another, +always remembering to call for 'Tell Mother I'll Be There.'" + +Almost without exception the boys entered heartily into everything that +went on in the organization. The songs were perhaps at first only a +reminder of home, but scon they came to have a personal significance to +many. The Salvation Army did not hare movies and theatrical singers as did +the other organizations, but they did not seem to need them. The men liked +the Gospel meetings and came to them better than to anything else. Often +they would come to the hut and start the singing themselves, which would +presently grow into a meeting of evident intention. The Staff-Captain did +not long have opportunity to enjoy the new hut which he had labored so +hard to finish at Montiers, for soon orders arrived for him to move on to +Houdelainecourt to help put up the hut there, and leave Montiers in charge +of a Salvation Army Major. The Salvation Army was with the Eighteenth +Infantry at Houdelainecourt. + +It was an old tent that sheltered the canteen, and it had the reputation +of having gone up and down five times. When first they put it up it blew +down. It was located where two roads met and the winds swept down in every +direction. Then they put it up and took it down to camouflage it. They got +it up again and had to take it down to camouflage it some more. The +regular division helped with this, and it was some camouflage when it was +done, for the boys had put their initials all over it, and then, had +painted Christmas trees everywhere, and on the trees they had put the +presents they knew they never would get, and so in all the richness of its +record of homesickness the old tent went up again. They kept warm here by +means of a candle under an upturned tin pail. The tent blew down again in +a big storm soon after that and had to be put up once more, and then there +came a big rain and flooded everything in the neighborhood. It blew down +and drowned out the Y.M.C.A. and everything else, and only the old tent +stood for awhile. But at last the storm was too much for it, too, and it +succumbed again. + +After that the Salvation Army put up a hut for their work. A number of +soldiers assisted. They put up a stove, brought their piano and +phonograph, and made the place look cheerful. Then they got the regimental +band and had an opening, the first big thing that was recognized by the +military authorities. The Salvation Army Staff-Captain in charge of that +zone took a long board and set candles on it and put it above the platform +like a big chandelier. The Brigade Commander was there, and a Captain came +to represent the Colonel. A chaplain spoke. The lassies who took part in +the entertainment were the first girls the soldiers had seen for many +months. + +Long before the hour announced for the service the soldier boys had +crowded the hutment to its greatest capacity. Game and reading tables had +been moved to the rear and extra benches brought in. The men stood three +deep upon the tables and filled every seat and every inch of standing +room. When there was no more room on the floor, they climbed to the roof +and lined the rafters. There was no air and the Adjutant came to say there +was too much light, but none of these things damped the enthusiasm. + +With the aid of the regimental chaplain, the Staff-Captain had arranged a +suitable program for the occasion, the regimental band furnishing the +music. + +When the General entered the hutment all of the men stood and uncovered +and the band stopped abruptly in the middle of a strain. "That's the worst +thing I ever did--stopping the music," he exclaimed ruefully. He refused +to occupy the chair which had been prepared for him, saying: "No, I want +to stand so that I can look at these men." + +The records of the work in that hut would be precious reading for the +fathers and mothers of those boys, for the Fighting Eighteenth Infantry +are mostly gone, having laid their young lives on the altar with so many +others. Here is a bit from one lassie's letter, giving a picture of one of +her days in the hut: + + "Well, I must tell you how the days are spent. We open the hut at 7; it +is cleaned by some of the boys; then at 8 we commence to serve cocoa and +coffee and make pies and doughnuts, cup cakes and fry eggs and make all +kinds of eats until it is all you see. Well, can you think of two women +cooking in one day 2500 doughnuts, 8 dozen cup cakes, 50 pies, 800 +pancakes and 225 gallons of cocoa, and one other girl serving it? That is +a day's work in my last hut. Then meeting at night, and it lasts two +hours." + + A lieutenant came into the canteen to buy something and said to one of +the girls: "Will you please tell me something? Don't you ever rest?" That +is how both the men and officers appreciated the work of these tireless +girls. + +Men often walked miles to look at an American woman. Once acquainted with +the Salvation Army lassies they came to them with many and strange +requests. Having picked a quart or so of wild berries and purchased from a +farmer a pint of cream they would come to ask a girl to make a strawberry +shortcake for them. They would buy a whole dozen of eggs apiece, and +having begged a Salvation Army girl to fry them would eat the whole dozen +at a sitting. They would ask the girls to write their love letters, or to +write assuring some mother or sweetheart that they were behaving +themselves. + +Soldiers going into action have left thousands of dollars in cash and in +valuables in the care of Salvation Army officers to be forwarded to +persons designated in case they are killed in action or taken prisoner. In +such cases it is very seldom that a receipt is given for either money or +valuables., so deeply do the soldiers trust the Salvation Army. + +One of the girl Captains wears a plain silver ring, whose intrinsic value +is about thirty cents, but whose moral value is beyond estimate. The ring +is not the Captain's. It belongs to a soldier, who, before the war, had +been a hard drinker and had continued his habits after enlisting. He came +under the influence of the Salvation Army and swore that he would drink no +more. But time after time he fell, each time becoming more desperate and +more discouraged. Each time the young lassie-Captain dealt with him. After +the last of his failures, while she was encouraging him to make another +try, he detached the ring from the cord from which it had dangled around +his neck and thrust it at her. + +"It was my mother's," he explained. "If you will wear it for me, I shall +always think of it when the temptation comes to drink, and the fact that +someone really cares enough about my worthless hide to take all of the +trouble you have taken on my behalf, will help me to resist it." + +"No one will misunderstand" he cried, seeing that the lassie was about to +decline, "not even me. I shall tell no one. And it would help." + +"Very well," agreed the girl, looking steadily at him for a moment, "but +the first time that you take a drink, off will come the ring! And you must +promise that you will tell me if you do take that drink." + +The soldier promised. The lassie still wears the ring. The soldier is +still sober. Also he has written to his wife for the first time in five +years and she has expressed her delight at the good news. + +On more than one occasion American aviators have flown from their camps +many miles to villages where there were Salvation lassies and have +returned with a load of doughnuts. On one occasion a bird-man dropped a +note down in front of the hut where two sisters were stationed, circling +around at a low elevation until certain that the girls had picked up the +note, which stated that he would return the following afternoon for a mess +of doughnuts for his comrades. When he returned, the doughnuts were ready +for him. + +The Adjutant of the aerial forces attached to the American Fifth Army +around Montfaucon on the edge of the Argonne Forest, before that forest +was finally captured at the point of American bayonets, drove almost +seventy miles to the Salvation Army Headquarters at Ligny for supplies for +his men. He was given an automobile load of chocolate, candies, cakes, +cookies, soap, toilet articles, and other comforts, without charge. He +said that he _knew_ that the Salvation Army would have what he +wanted. + +The two lassies who were in Bure had a desperate time of it. Things were +most primitive. They had no store, just an old travelling field range, and +for a canteen one end of Battery F's kitchen. They were then attached to +the Sixth Field Artillery. This was the regiment that fired the first shot +into Germany. + +The smoke in that kitchen was awful and continuous from the old field +range. The girls often made doughnuts out-of-doors, and they got +chilblains from standing in the snow. All the company had chilblains, too, +and it was a sorry crowd. Then the girls got the mumps. It was so cold +here, especially at night, they often had to sleep with their clothes on. +There was only one way they could have meetings in that place and that was +while the men were lined up for chow near to the canteen. They would start +to sing in the gloomy, cold room, the men and girls all with their +overcoats on, and fingers so cold that they could hardly play the +concertina, for there was no fire in the big room save from the range at +one end where they cooked. Then the girls would talk to them while they +were eating. Perhaps they did not call these meetings, but they were a +mighty happy time to the men, and they liked it. + +A minister who had taken six months' leave of absence from his church to +do Y.M.C.A. work in France asked one of the boys why he liked the +Salvation Army girls and he said: "Because they always take time to cheer +us up. It's true they do knock us mighty hard about our sins, but while it +hurts they always show us a way out." The minister told some one that if +he had his work to do over again he would plan it along the lines of the +Salvation Army work. + +You may hear it urged that one reason the boys liked the Salvation Army +people so much was because they did not preach, but it is not so. They +preached early and often, but the boys liked it because it was done so +simply, so consistently and so unselfishly, that they did not recognize it +as preaching. + +In Menaucourt as Christmas was coming on some United States officers +raised money to give the little refugee children a Christmas treat. There +was to be a tree with presents, and good things to eat, and an +entertainment with recitations from the children. The school-teacher was +teaching the children their pieces, and there was a general air of +delightful excitement everywhere. It was expected that the affair was to +be held in the Catholic church at first, but the priest protested that +this was unseemly, so they were at a loss what to do. The school-house was +not large enough. + +The Salvation Army Staff-Captain found this out and suggested to the +officers that the Salvation Army hut was the very place for such a +gathering. So the tree was set up, and the officers went to town and +bought presents and decorations. They covered the old hut with boughs and +flags and transformed it into a wonderland for the children. The officers +were struggling helplessly with the decorations of the tree when the +Salvation Army man happened in and they asked him to help. + +"Why, sure!" he said heartily. "That's my regular work!" So they eagerly +put it into his hands and departed. The Staff-Captain worked so hard at it +and grew go interested in it that he forgot to go for his chow at lunch- +time, and when supper-time came the hall was so crowded and there was so +much still to be done that he could not get away to get his supper. But it +was a grand and glorious time. The place was packed. There were two +American Colonels, a French Colonel, and several French officers. The +soldiers crowded in and they had to send them out again, poor fellows, to +make room for the children, but they hung around the doors and windows +eager to see it all. + +The regimental band played, there were recitations in French and a good +time generally. + +The seats were facing the canteen where the supplies were all stocked +neatly, boxes of candy and cakes and good things. The Colonel in charge of +the regiment looked over to them wistfully and said to the Staff-Captain: +"Are you going to sell all those things?" The Staff-Captain, with quick +appreciation, said: "No, Colonel, Christmas comes but once a year and +there's a present up there for you." And the Colonel seemed as pleased as +the children when the Staff-Captain handed him a big box of candy all tied +up in Christmas ribbons. + +In the huts, phonographs are never silent as long as there is a single +soldier in the place. One night two of the Salvation Army girls, who slept +in the back room of a certain hut, had closed up for the night and +retired. They were awakened by the sound of the phonograph, and wondered +how anyone got into the hut and who it might happen to be. They were a +little bit nervous, but went to investigate. They found that a soldier on +guard had raised a window, and although this did not allow him room to +enter the hut, he was able to reach the table where the phonograph stood. +He had turned the talking machine around so that it faced the window, and, +placing a record in position, had started it going. He was leaning up +against the outer wall of the hut, smoking a cigarette in the moonlight, +and enjoying his concert. The girls returned to bed without disturbing the +audience. + +One of the most popular French confections sold in the huts was a variety +of biscuits known under the trade name of "Boudoir Biscuits" One day a +soldier entered a hut and said: "Say, miss, I want some of them there-them +there--Dang me if I can remember them French names!--them there (suddenly +a great light dawned)--some of them there bedroom cookies." And the lassie +got what he wanted. + +The Salvation Army men who worked among the soldiers in advanced positions +from which all women are barred are among the heroes of the war. Here +during the day they labored in dugouts far below the shell-tortured earth, +often going out at night to help bring in the wounded; always in danger +from shells and gas; some with the ammunition trains; others driving +supply trucks; still others attached to units and accompanying the +fighting men wherever they went, even to the active combat of the firing +trench and the attack. These are unofficial chaplains. Such a one was "La +Petit Major," as the soldiers called him, because of his smallness of +stature. + +The Little Major commenced his service in the field with the Twenty-sixth +Infantry, First Division, at Menaucourt. Soon he was transferred to +command the hut at Boviolles. At this place was the battalion of the +Twenty-sixth Infantry, commanded by Major Theodore Roosevelt. His brother, +Captain Archie Roosevelt, commanded a company in this battalion. He was +for the greater part of the time alone in the work at Boviolles. + +By his consistent life and character and his willingness to serve both men +and officers, he won their esteem. + +When they left the training area for the trenches the Major was requested +to go with them. He turned the key in the canteen door and went off with +them across France and never came back, establishing himself in the front- +line trenches with the men and acting as unofficial chaplain to the +battalion. + +There is an interesting incident in connection with his introduction to +Major Roosevelt's notice. + +For some reason the Salvation Army had been made to feel that they were +not welcome with that division. But the Little Major did not give up like +that, and he lingered about feeling that somehow there was yet to be a +work for him there. + +A young private from a far Western state, a fellow who, according to all +reports, had never been of any account at home, was convicted of a most +horrible murder and condemned to die by hanging because the commanding +officer said that shooting was too good for him. + +He accepted his fate with sullen ugliness. He would not speak to anyone +and he was so violent that they had to put him in chains. No one could do +anything with him. He had to be watched day and night; and it was awful to +see him die this way with his sin unconfessed. Many attempts were made to +break through his silence, but all to no effect. Several chaplains visited +him, but he would have nothing to do with them. + +On the morning of his execution, to the surprise of everybody he said that +he had heard that there was a Salvation Army man around, and he would like +to see him. The authorities sent and searched everywhere for the Little +Major, and some thought he must have left, but they found him at last and +he came at once to the desperate man. + +The criminal sat crouched on his hard bench, chained hand and foot. He did +not look up. He was a dreadful sight, his brutal face haggard, unshaven, +his eyes bloodshot, his whole appearance almost like some low animal. +Through the shadowy prison darkness the Little Major crept to those +chains, those symbols of the man's degradation; and still the man did not +look up. + +"You must be in great trouble, brother. Can I help you any?" asked the +Little Major with a wonderful Christ-like compassion in his voice. + +The man lifted his bleared eyes under the shock of unkempt hair, and +spoke, startled: + +"You call me brother! You know what I'm here for and you call me brother! +Why?" + +The Little Major's voice was steady and sweet as he replied without +hesitation: + +"Because I know a great deal about the suffering of Christ on the Cross, +all because He loved you so! Because I know He said He was wounded for +your transgressions, He was bruised for your iniquities! Because I know He +said, 'Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow, +though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool!' So why shouldn't I +call you brother?" + +"Oh," said the man with a groan of agony and big tears rolling down his +face. "Could I be made a better man?" + +Then they went down on their knees together beside the hard bench, the man +in chains and the man of God, and the Little Major prayed such a wonderful +prayer, taking the poor soul right to the foot of the Throne; and in a few +minutes the man was confessing his sin to God. Then he suddenly looked up +and exclaimed: + +"It's true, what you said! Christ has pardoned me! Now I can die like a +man!" + +With that great pardon written across his heart he actually went to his +death with a smile upon his face. When the Chaplain asked him if he had +anything to say he publicly thanked the military authorities and the +Salvation Army for what they had done for him. + +The Colonel, greatly surprised at the change in the man, sent to find out +how it came about and later sent to thank the Little Major. Two days later +Major Roosevelt came in person to thank him: + +"I knew that someone who knew how to deal with men had got hold of him," +he said, "but I almost doubted the evidence of my own eyes when I saw how +cheerfully he went to his death, it all seemed too wonderful!" + +The little Major was with this battalion in all of its engagements, and on +several occasions went over the top with the men and devoted himself to +first aid to the wounded and to bringing the men back to the dressing +station on stretchers. Between the times of active engagements, the Major +gave himself to supplying the needs of the men and made daily trips out of +the trenches to obtain newspapers, writing material, and to perform +errands which they could not do for themselves. + +One of the lieutenants said of him: "He is worth more than all the +chaplains that were ever made in the United States Army. He will walk +miles to get the most trivial article for either man or officer. The men +know that he loves them or he would not go into the trenches with them, +for he does not have to go. You can tell the world for me that he is a +real man!" + +One of the fellows said of him he had seen him take off his shoes and +bring away pieces of flesh from the awful blisters got from much tramping. + +The men soon learned to love their gray haired Salvation Army comrade. +When an enemy attack was to be met with cold steel he was the first to +follow the company officers "over the top," to cheer and encourage the +onrushing Americans in the anxious semi-calm which follows the lifting of +a barrage. A non-combatant, unarmed and fifty-three years of age, he was +always in the van of the fierce onslaught with which our men repulsed the +enemy, ready to pray with the dying or help bring in the wounded, and +always fearless no matter what the conditions. By his unfearing heroism as +well as his willingness to share the hardships and dangers of the men, he +so won their confidence that it was frequently said that they would not go +into battle except the Major was with them. The men would crouch around +him with an almost fantastic confidence that where he was no harm could +come. Knowing that many earnest Christian people were praying for his +safety and having seen how safely he and those with him had come through +dangers, they thought his very presence was a protection. Who shall say +that God did not stay on the battlefield living and speaking through the +Little Major? + +When the first division was moved from the Montdidier Sector he travelled +with the men as far as they went by train. When they detrained and marched +he marched with them, carrying his seventy pound pack as any soldier did. +He was by the side of Captain Archie Roosevelt when he received a very +dangerous wound from an exploding shell, and was in the battle of Cantigny +in the Montdidier Sector, where his company lost only two men killed and +four wounded, while other companies' losses were much more severe. + +Protestant, Catholic and Jew were all his friends. One Catholic boy came +crawling along in the waist-deep trench one day to tell the Major about +his spiritual worries. After a brief talk the Major asked him if he had +his prayer book. The boy said yes. "Then take it out and read it," said +the Major. "God is here!" And there in the narrow trench with lowered +heads so that the snipers could not see them, they knelt together and read +from the Catholic prayer book. + +In one American attack the Little Major followed the Lieutenant over the +top just as the barrage was lifted. The Lieutenant looking back saw him +struggling over the crest of the parapet, laughed and shouted: "Go back, +Major, you haven't even a pistol!" But the Major did not go back. He went +with the boys. "I have no hesitancy in laying down my life," he once said, +"if it will help or encourage anyone else to live in a better or cleaner +way." + +He was always striving for the salvation of his boys, and in his meetings +men would push their way to the front and openly kneel before their +comrades registering their determination to live in accordance with the +teachings of Jesus. One tells of seeing him kneel beside an empty crate +with three soldiers praying for their souls. + +It was because of all these things that the men believed in him and in his +God. He used to say to the men in the meetings, "We are not afraid because +we have a sense of the presence of God right here with us!" + +One night the battalion was "in" after a heavy day's work strengthening +the defenses and trying to drain the trenches, and the men were asleep in +the dugouts. The Major lay in his little chicken-wire bunk, just drowsing +off, while the water seeped and dripped from the earthen roof, and the +rats splashed about on the water covered floor. + +Across from him in a bunk on the other side of the dugout tossed a boy in +his damp blankets who had just come to the front. He was only eighteen and +it was his first night in the line. It had been a hard day for him. The +shells screamed overhead and finally one landed close somewhere and rocked +the dugout with its explosion. The old-timers slept undisturbed, but the +boy started up with a scream and a groan, his nerves a-quiver, and cried +out: "Oh, Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" + +The Little Major was out and over to him in a flash, and gathered the boy +into his arms, soothing him as a mother might have done, until he was +calmed and strengthened; and there amid the roaring of guns, the screaming +of shells, the dripping of water and splashing of rats, the youngest of +the battalion found Christ. + +An old soldier came down from the front and a Salvationist asked him if he +knew the Little Major. + +"Well, you just bet I know the Major--sure thing!" And the Major is always +on hand with a laugh and his fun-making. In the trenches or in the towns, +where the shells are flying, the Little Major is with his boys. No words +of mine could express the admiration the boys have for him. The boys love +him. He calls them "Buddie." They salute and are ready to do or die. The +last time I saw him he had hiked in from the trenches with the boys. He +carried a heavy "war baby" on his back and a tin hat on his head. He was +tired and footsore, but there was that laugh, and before he got his pack +off he jabbed me in the ribs. "No, sir, we can't get along without our +Major!" So says "Buddie." + + A request came from a chaplain to open Salvation Army work near his +division. The Brigade Commander was most favorable to the suggestion until +he learned that the Salvation Army would have women there and that +religious meetings would be conducted. As this was explained the General's +manner changed and he declared he did not know that the work was to be +carried on in this way; that he did not favor the women in camps, or any +religion, but thought it would make the soldier soft, and the business of +the soldier was to kill, to kill in as brutal a manner as possible; and to +kill as many of the enemy as possible; and he did not propose to have any +work conducted in the camps or any influence on his soldiers that would +tend to soften them. + +He ordered them, therefore, not to extend the work of the Salvation Army +within his brigade. It was explained to him that Demange was now within +the territory named. He appeared to be put out that the Salvation Army was +already established in his district, but said that if they behaved +themselves they could go on, but that they must not extend. + +He reported the matter to the Divisional Headquarters and an investigation +of the Salvation Army activities was ordered. A major who was a Jew was +appointed to look into the matter. During the next two weeks he talked +with the men and officers and attended Salvation Army meetings. The +leaders, of course, knew nothing about this, but they could not have +planned their meetings better if they had known. It seemed as though God +was in it all. At the end of two weeks there came a written communication +from the General stating that after a thorough examination of the +Salvation Army work he withdrew his objections and the Salvation Army was +free to extend operations anywhere within his brigade. + +The Salvation Army hut was a scene of constant activity. + +At one place in a single day there was early mass, said by the Catholic +chaplain, later preaching by a Protestant chaplain, then a Jewish service, +followed by a company meeting where the use of gas masks was explained. +All this, besides the regular uses of the hut, which included a library, +piano, phonograph, games, magazines, pies, doughnuts and coffee; the pie +line being followed by a regular Salvation Army meeting where men raised +their hands to be prayed for, and many found Christ as their Saviour. + +It was in an old French barracks that they located the Salvation Army +canteen in Treveray. One corner was boarded off for a bedroom for the +girls. There were windows but not of glass, for they would have soon been +shattered, and, too, they would have let too much light through. They were +canvas well camouflaged with paint so that the enemy shells would not be +attracted at night, and, of course, one could not see through them. + +Inside the improvised bedroom were three little folding army cots, a board +table, a barrack bag and some boxes. This was the only place where the +girls could be by themselves. On rainy days the furniture was supplemented +by a dishpan on one cot, a frying-pan on another, and a lard tin on the +third, to catch the drops from the holes in the roof. The opposite corner +of the barracks was boarded off for a living-room. In this was a field +range and one or two tables and benches. + +The rest of the hut was laid out with square bare board tables. The +canteen was at one end. The piano was at one side and the graphophone at +the other. Sometimes in places like this, the hut would be too near the +front for it to be thought advisable to have a piano. It was too liable to +be shattered by a chance shell and the management thought it unwise to put +so much money into what might in a moment be reduced to worthless +splinters. Then the boys would come into the hut, look around +disappointedly and say: "No piano?" + +The cheerful woman behind the counter would say sympathetically: "No, +boys, no piano. Too many shells around here for a piano." + +The boys would droop around silently for a minute or two and then go off. +In a little while back they would come with grim satisfaction on their +faces bearing a piano. + +"Don't ask us where we got it," they would answer with a twinkle in reply +to the pleased inquiry. "This is war! We salvaged it!" + +Around the room on the tables were plenty of magazines, books and games. +Checkers was a favorite game. No card playing, no shooting crap. The +canteen contained chocolate, candy, writing materials, postage stamps, +towels, shaving materials, talcum powder, soap, shoestrings, handkerchiefs +in little sealed packets, buttons, cootie medicine and other like +articles. The Salvation Army did not sell nor give away either tobacco or +cigarettes. In a few cases where such were sent to them for distribution +they were handed over to the doctors for the badly wounded in the +hospitals or the very sick men accustomed to their use, who were almost +insane with their nerves. They also procured them from the Red Cross for +wounded men, sometimes, who were fretting for them, but they never were a +part of their supplies and far from the policy of the Salyation Army. +Furthermore, the Salvation Army sent no men to France to work for them who +smoked or used tobacco in any form, or drank intoxicating liquors. No man +can hold a commission in the Salvation Army and use tobacco! It is a +remarkable fact that the boys themselves did not want the Salvation Army +lassies to deal in cigarettes because they knew it would be going against +their principles to do so. + +Occasionally a stranger would come into the canteen and ask for a package +of cigarettes. Then some soldier would remark witheringly: "Say, where do +you come from? Don't you know the Salvation Army don't handle tobacco?" + +The men were always deeply grateful to get talcum powder for use after +shaving. It seemed somehow to help to keep up the morale of the army, that +talcum powder, a little bit of the soothing refinement of the home that +seemed so far away. + +To this hut whenever they were at liberty came Jew and Gentile, Protestant +and Catholic, rich and poor. War is a great leveler and had swept away all +differences. They were a great brotherhood of Americans now, ready, if +necessary, to die for the right. + +To one of the huts came a request from the chaplain of a regiment which +was about to move from its temporary billet in the next village. The men +had not been so fortunate as to be stationed at a town where there was a +Salvation Army hut and it had been over four months since they had tasted +anything like cake or pie. Would the Salvation Army lassies be so good as +to let them have a few doughnuts before they moved that night? If so the +chaplain would call for them at five o'clock. + +The lassies worked with all their might and fried thirty-five hundred +doughnuts. But something happened to the ambulance that was to take them +to the boys, and over an hour was lost in repairs. Back at the camp the +boys had given up all hope. They were to march at eight o'clock and +nothing had been heard of the doughnuts. Suddenly the truck dashed into +view, but the boys eyed it glumly, thinking it was likely empty after all +this time. However, the chaplain held up both hands full of golden brown +beauties, and with a wild shout of joy the men sprang to "attention" as +the ambulance drew up, and more soldiers crowded around. The villagers +rushed to their doors to see what could be happening now to those crazy +American soldiers. + +When the chaplain stood up in the car flinging doughnuts to them and +shouting that there were thousands, enough for everybody, the enthusiasm +of the soldiers knew no bounds. The girls had come along and now they +began to hand out the doughnuts, and the crowd cheered and shouted as they +filed up to receive them. And when it came time for the girls to return to +their own village the soldiers crowded up once more to say good-bye, and +give them three cheers and a "tiger." + +These same girls a few days before had fed seven hundred weary doughboys +on their march to the front with coffee, hot biscuits and jam. + +In one of the Salvation Army huts one night the usual noisy cheerfulness +was in the air, but apart from the rest sat a boy with a letter open on +the table before him and a dreamy smile of tender memories upon his face. +Nobody noticed that far-away look in his eyes until the lassie in charge +of the hut, standing in the doorway surveying her noisy family, searched +him out with her discerning eyes, and presently happened down his way and +inquired if he had a letter. The boy looked up with a wonderful smile such +as she had never seen on his face before, and answered: + +"Yes, it's from mother!" Then impulsively, "She's the nearest thing to God +I know!" + +Mother seemed to be the nearest thought to the heart of the boys over +there. They loved the songs best that spoke about mother. One boy bought a +can of beans at the canteen, and when remonstrated with by the lassie who +sold them, on the ground that he was always complaining of having to eat +so many beans, he replied: "Aw, well, this is different. These beans are +the kind that mother used to buy." + +In the dark hours of the early morning a boy who belonged to the +ammunition train sat by one of the little wooden tables in the hut, just +after he had returned from his first barrage, and pencilled on its top the +following words: + + Mother o' mine, what the words mean to me + Is more than tongue can say; + For one view to-night of your loving face, + What a price I would gladly pay! + The wonderful face . . . + . . . smiling still despite loads of care, + Tis crowned by a silvering sheen. + Your picture I carry next to my heart; + With it no harm can befall. + It has helped me to smile through many a care, + Since I heeded my country's call. + O mother who nursed me as a babe + And prayed for me as a boy, + Can I not show, now at man's estate, + That you are my pride and joy? + Good night! God guard you, way over the ocean blue, + Your boy loves you and his dreams are bright, + For he's dreaming of home and you. + +One of the letters that was written home for "Mother's Day" in response to +a suggestion on the walls of the Salvation Army hut was as follows: + + +Dearest Little Mother of Mine: + +They started a campaign to write to mother on this day, and, believe me, I +didn't have to be urged very hard. If I wrote you every time I think of +you this war would go hang as far as I am concerned, for I think of you +always and there are hundreds of things that serve as an eternal reminder. + +Near our billet is one lone, scrubby little lilac bush that has a dozen +blossoms, and it doesn't take much mental work to connect lilacs with +mother. Then, too, the distant whistle of a train 'way down the valley +reminds me of how you would listen for the whistle of the Montreal train +on Saturday morning and then fix up a big feed for your boy to offset a +week of boarding-house grub. Those and many other things remind me many +times a day of the one who bid me good-by with a smile and saved her tears +'till she was home alone; who knit helmets, wristlets and sweaters to keep +out the cold when she should have been sleeping; who (I'll bet a hat) +didn't sleep one of the thirteen nights I was on the ocean, and who writes +me cheerful, newsy letters when all others fail. + +And I appreciate all those things too, although I'm not much on showing +affection. I haven't always been as good to you as I ought, but I'm going +to make up by being the soldier and the man "me mudder" thinks I am. + +And when I come back home, all full of prunes and glory, we're going to +have the grandest time you ever dreamed of. We'll go joy riding, eat +strawberry shortcake and pumpkin pie, and have all the lilacs in the +U.S.A. Wait till I walk down Main Street with you on my arm all fixed up +in a swell dress and a new bonnet and me with a span new uniform, with +sergeant-major's chevrons, about steen service stripes, a Mex. campaign +badge and a Croix de Guerre (maybe), then you'll be glad your boy went to +be a soldier. + +I was on the road all of night before last and on guard last night and I'm +a wee bit tired so I'm making this kinder short; but it's a little +reminder that the boy who is 5,000 miles away is thinking, "I love you my +ma," same as I always did. + +And, by gosh, don't forget about that pumpkin pie! + +Good-night, mother of mine; your soldier boy loves you a whole dollar's +worth. + + [Illustraion: "Here during the day they worked in dugouts far below the +shell-tortured earth"] + +[Illustration: They came to get their coats mended and their buttons sewed +on] + +[Illustration: "L'Hermitage, nestled in the heart of a deep woods, was no +quiet refuge"] + +[Illustraion: L'Hermitage, inside the tent. Several of these boys were +killed a few days after the picture was taken] + +The Salvation Army hut was home to the boys over there. They came to it in +sorrow or joy. They came to ask to scrape out the bowl where the cake +batter had been stirred because mother used to let them do it; they came +to get their coats mended and have their buttons sewed on. Sometimes it +seemed to the long-suffering, smiling woman who sewed them on, as if they +just ripped them off so she could sew them on again; if so, she did not +mind. They came to mourn when they received no word from home; and when +the mail came in and they were fortunate they came first to the hut waving +their letter to tell of their good luck before they even opened it to read +it. It is remarkable how they pinned their whole life on what these +consecrated American women said to them over there. It is wonderful how +they opened their hearts to them on religious subjects, and how they +flocked to the religious meetings, seeming to really be hungry for them. + +Word about these wonderful meetings that the soldiers were attending in +such numbers got to the ears of another commanding officer, and one day +there came a summons for the Salvation Army Major in charge at Gondrecourt +to appear before him. An officer on a motor cycle with a side car brought +the summons, and the Major felt that it practically amounted to an arrest. +There was nothing to do but obey, so he climbed into the side car and was +whirled away to Headquarters. + +The Major-General received him at once and in brusque tones informed him +most emphatically: + +"We want you to get out! We don't want you nor your meetings! We are here +to teach men to fight and your religion says you must not kill. Look out +there!" pointing through the doorway, "we have set up dummies and teach +our men to run their bayonets through them. You teach them the opposite of +that. You will unfit my men for warfare!" + +The Salvationist looked through the door at the line of straw dummies +hanging in a row, and then he looked back and faced the Major-General for +a full minute before he said anything. + +Tall and strong, with soldierly bearing, with ruddy health in the glow of +his cheeks, and fire in his keen blue eyes, the Salvationist looked +steadily at the Major-General and his indignation grew. Then the good old +Scotch burr on his tongue rolled broadly out in protest: + +"On my way up here in your automobile"--every word was slow and calm and +deliberate, tinged with a fine righteous sarcasm--"I saw three men +entering your Guard House who were not capable of directing their own +steps. They had been off on leave down to the town and had come home +drunk. They were going into the Guard House to sleep it off. When they +come out to-morrow or the next day with their limbs trembling, and their +eyes bloodshot and their heads aching, do you think they will be fit for +warfare? + +"You have men down there in your Guard House who are loathsome with vile +diseases, who are shaken with self-indulgence, and weakened with all kinds +of excesses. Are they fit for warfare? + +"Now, look at me!" + +He drew himself up in all the strength of his six feet, broad shoulders, +expanded chest, complexion like a baby, muscles like iron, and compelled +the gaze of the officer. + +"Can you find any man--" The Salvationist said "mon" and the soft Scotch +sound of it sent a thrill down the Major-General's back in spite of his +opposition. "Can you find any mon at fifty-five years who can follow these +in your regiment, who can beat me at any game whatever?" + +The officer looked, and listened, and was ashamed. + +The Major rose in his righteous wrath and spoke mighty truths clothed in +simple words, and as he talked the tears unbidden rolled down the Major- +General's face and dropped upon his table. + +"And do you know," said the Salvationist, afterward telling a friend in +earnest confidence, "do you _know_, before I left we _had prayer +together!_ And he became one of the best friends we have!" + +Before he left, also, the Major-General signed the authority which gave +him charge of the Guard Houses, so that he might talk to the men or hold +meetings with them whenever he liked. This was the means of opening up a +new avenue of work among the men. + +The Scotch Major had a string of hospitals that he visited in addition to +his other regular duties. He knew that the men who are gassed lose all +their possessions when their clothes are ripped off from them. So this +Salvationist made a delightful all-the-year-round Santa Claus out of +himself: dressing up in old clothes, because of the mud and dirt through +which he must pass, he would sling a pack on his back that would put to +shame the one Old Santa used to carry. Shaving things and soap and +toothbrushes, handkerchiefs and chocolate and writing materials. How they +welcomed him wherever he came! Sick men, Protestants, Jews, Catholics. He +talked and prayed with them all, and no one turned away from his kindly +messages. + +Six miles from Neufchauteul is Bazoilles, a mighty city of hospital tents +and buildings, acres and acres of them, lying in the valley. Whenever this +man heard the rumbling of guns and knew that something was doing, he took +his pack and started down to go the rounds, for there were always men +there needing him. + +Then he would hold meetings in the wards, blessed meetings that the +wounded men enjoyed and begged for. They all joined in the singing, even +those who could not sing very well. And once it was a blind boy who asked +them to sing "Lead Kindly Light Amid the Encircling Gloom, Lead Thou Me +On." + +One Sunday afternoon two Salvation Army lassies had come with their Major +to hold their usual service in the hospital, but there were so many +wounded coming in and the place was so busy that it seemed as if perhaps +they ought to give up the service. The nurses were heavy-eyed with fatigue +and the doctors were almost worked to death. But when this was suggested +with one accord both doctors and nurses were against it. "The boys would +miss it so," they said, "and we would miss it, too. It rests us to hear +you sing." + +After the Bible reading and prayer a lassie sang: "There Is Sunshine in My +Heart To-day," and then came a talk that spoke of a spiritual sunshine +that would last all the year. The song and talk drifted out to another +little ward where a doctor sat beside a boy, and both listened. As the +physician rose to go the wounded boy asked if he might write a letter. + +The next day the doctor happened to meet the lassie who sang and told her +he had a letter that had been handed to him for censorship that he thought +she would like to see. He said the writer had asked him to show it to her. +This was the letter: + + Dear Mother: You will be surprised to hear that I am in the hospital, but +I am getting well quickly and am having a good time. But best of all, some +Salvation Army people came and sang and talked about sunshine, and while +they were talking the sunshine came in through my window--not into my room +alone, but into my heart and life as well, where it is going to stay. I +know how happy this will make you. + + The hospital work was a large feature of the service performed by the +Salvation Army. In every area this testimony comes from both doctors, +nurses and wounded men. Yet it was nothing less than a pleasure for the +workers to serve those patient, cheerful sufferers. + +A lassie entered a ward one day and found the men with combs and tissue +paper performing an orchestra selection. They apologized for the noise, +declaring that they were all crazy about music and that was the only way +they could get it. + +"How would you like a phonograph?" she asked. + +"Oh, Boy! If we only had one! I'll tell the world we'd like it," one +declared wistfully. + +The phonograph was soon forthcoming and brought much pleasure. + +A lassie offered to write a letter for a boy whose foot had just been +amputated and whose right arm was bound in splints. He accepted her offer +eagerly, but said: + +"But when you write promise me you won't tell mother about my foot. She +worries! She wouldn't understand how well off I really am. Maybe you had +better let me try to write a bit myself for you to enclose. I guess I +could manage that." So, with his left hand, he wrote the following: + + +Dearest Mother:--I am laid up in the hospital here with a very badly +sprained ankle and some bruises, and will be here two or three weeks. Do +not worry, I am getting along fine. Your loving Son. + + +Two automobiles, an open car and a limousine, were maintained in Paris +for the sole purpose of providing outings for wounded men who were able to +take a little drive. It was said by the doctors and nurses that nothing +helped a rapid recovery like these little excursions out into an every-day +beautiful world. + +A boy on one of the hospital cots called to a passing lassie: + +"I am going to die, I know I am, and I'm a Catholic. Can you pray for me, +Salvation Army girl, like you prayed for that fellow over there?" + +The young lassie assured him that he was not going to die yet, but she +knelt by his cot and prayed for him, and soothed him into a sleep from +which he awoke refreshed to find that she was right, he was not going to +die yet, but live, perhaps, to be a different lad. + +A sixteen-year-old boy who at the first declaration of war had run away +from home and enlisted was wounded so badly that he was ordered to go back +to the evacuation hospital. He was determined that he could yet fight, and +was almost crying because he had to leave his comrades, but on the way +back he discovered the entrance to a German dugout and thought he heard +someone down in there moving. + +"Come out," he shouted, "or I'll throw in a hand grenade!" + +A few minutes later he reached the evacuation hospital with thirty +prisoners of war, his useless arm hanging by his side. That is the kind of +stuff our American boys are made of, and those are the boys who are +praising the Salvation Army! + +It was sunset at the Gondrecourt Officers' Training Camp. On the big +parade ground in back of the Salvation Army huts three companies were +lined up for "Colors." The sun was sinking into a black mass of storm +clouds, painting the Western sky a dull blood red with here and there a +thread of gleaming gold etched on the rim of a cloud. Three French +children trudged sturdily, wearily, back from the distant fields where +they had toiled all day. The elder girl pushed a wheelbarrow heavily laden +with plunder from the fields. All bore farming implements, the size of +which dwarfed them by comparison. They had almost reached the end of the +drill ground when the military band blared out the opening notes of the +"Star Spangled Banner," and the flag slipped slowly from its high staff. +Instantly the farming tools were dropped and the three childish figures +swung swiftly to "attention," hands raised rigidly to the stiff French +salute. So they stood until the last note had died. Then on they tramped, +their backs all bent and weary, over the hill and down into the grey, +evening-shadowed village of the valley. + +In a shell-marred little village at the American front, the Salvation Army +once brought the United States Army to a standstill. Several hundred +artillerymen had gathered for the regular Wednesday night religious +service, held in the hutment, conducted by that organization at this +point, and, in closing, sang vigorously three verses of "The Star Spangled +Banner." A Major who was passing came immediately to attention, his +example being followed by all of the men and officers within hearing, and +also by a scattering of French soldiers who were just emerging from the +Catholic church. By the time the second verse was well under way three +companies of infantry, marching from a rest camp toward the front, had +also come to a rigid salute, blocking the road to a quartermaster's supply +train, who had, perforce, to follow suit. The "Star Spangled Banner" has a +deeper meaning to the man who has done a few turns in the trenches. + +They had a pie-baking contest in Gondrecourt one day, where the renowned +"Aunt Mary" was located, with her sweet face and sweeter heart. + +One of the other huts had baked two hundred and thirty-five pies in a day. +The people in Gondrecourt believed they could do better than that, so they +made their preparations and set to work. + +The soldiers were all interested, of course. Who was to eat those pies? +The more pies the merrier! The engineers had constructed a rack to hold +them, so that they might be easily counted without confusion. The soldiers +had appointed a committee to do the counting with a representative from +the cooks to be sure that everything went right. Even the officers and +chaplain took an interest in it. + +This hut was in one of the largest American sectors. It was so well +patronized that they used on an average fifty gallons of coffee every +evening and seventy-five or more gallons of lemonade every afternoon. You +can imagine the pies and doughnuts that would find a welcome here. One day +they made twenty-seven hundred sugar cookies, and another day they fried +eighteen hundred and thirty-six doughnuts, at the same time baking cake +and pies; but this time they were going to try to bake three hundred pies +between the rising and setting of the sun. + +An army field oven only holds nine pies at a time, so every minute of the +day had to be utilized. The fires were started very early in the morning +and everything was ready for the girls to begin when the sun peeped over +the edge of the great battlefield. They sprang at their task as though it +were a delightful game of tennis, and not as though they had worked hard +and late on the day before, and the many days before that. + +It was very hot in the little kitchen as the sun waxed high. An army range +never tries to conserve its heat for the benefit of the cooks. In fact +that kitchen was often used for a Turkish bath by some poor wet soldiers +who were chilled to the bone. + +But the heat did not delay the workers. They flew at their task with +fingers that seemed to have somehow borrowed an extra nimbleness. All day +long they worked, and the pies were marshalled out of the oven by nines, +flaky and fragrant and baked just right. The rack grew fuller and fuller, +and the soldiers watched with eager eyes and watering mouths. Now and then +one of the soldiers' cooks would put his head in at the door, ask how the +score stood, and shake his head in wonder. On and on they worked, mixing, +rolling, filling, putting the little twists and cuts on the upper crust, +and slipping in the oven and out again! Mixing, rolling, filling and +baking without any let-up, until the sun with a twinkle of glowing +appreciation slipped regretfully down behind the hills of France again as +if he were sorry to leave the fun, and the time was up. The committee gave +a last careful glance over the filled racks and announced the final score, +three hundred and sixteen pies, in shining, delectable rows! + +By seven o'clock that evening the pie line was several hundred yards long. +It was eleven o'clock when the last quarter of a pie went over the +counter, with its accompanying mug of coffee. Think what it was just to +have to cut and serve that pie, and make that coffee, after a long day's +work of baking! + +One of the officers receiving his change after having paid for his pie +looked at it surprisedly: + +"And you mean to tell me that you girls work so hard for such a small +return? I don't see where you make any profit at all." + +"We don't work for profit, Captain," answered the lassie. "I don't think +any amount of money would persuade us to keep going as we have to here at +times." + +"You mean you sort of work for the joy of working?" he asked, puzzled. + +"I don't know what you mean," responded the lassie pleasantly, "but when +we are tired we look at the boys drilling in the sun and working early and +late. They are splendid and we feel we must do our part as unreservedly as +they do theirs." + +"No wonder my men have so many good things to say about the Salvation +Army!" said the Captain, turning to his companions. But as he went out +into the night his voice floated back in a puzzled sort of half- +conviction, as if he were thinking out something more than had been +spoken: + +"It takes more than patriotism to keep refined women working like that!" + +These same girls were commissioned also to make frequent visits to the +hospitals and talk with the sick soldiers. Often they read the Bible to +them, and many a man through these little talks has found the way of +eternal life. This in addition to their other work. + +One night after a meeting in the hut a lad wanted to come into the room at +the back and speak to one of the women about his soul. They knelt and +prayed together, and the boy when he rose had a light of real happiness on +his face. But suddenly the happiness faded and he exclaimed: + +"But I can't read!" + +"Read? What do you mean?" asked the lassie. + +"My Bible. Nobody never learned me to read, and I can't read my Bible like +you said in the meeting I should." + +The lassie thought for a minute, and then suggested that he come to the +hut every morning just before first call and she would teach him a verse +of scripture and read him a chapter. This meant that the lassie must rise +that much earlier, but what of that for a servant of the King? + +Just a month this program was carried out, and then came marching orders +for the boy, but by this time he had a rich store of God's word safe in +his heart from the verses he had memorized. The last night when he came to +say good-bye he said to his teacher: + +"Your kindness has meant a lot of trouble for you, miss, but for me it has +meant life! Before, I was afraid to fight; but now I don't even fear +death. I know now that it can only mean a new life. Thank God for your +goodness to me!" + +There was one soldier who went by the name of Scoop. He had been a +reporter back in the States and learned to love drink. When he joined the +army he did not give up his old habits. Whenever anybody remonstrated with +him he invariably replied gaily, "I'm out to enjoy life." On pay-days +Scoop celebrated by drinking more than ever. + +One day he happened into the Salvation Army hut. Whether the pie or the +doughnuts or the homeyness of the place first attracted him no one knows. +He said it was the pie. Something held him there. He came every night. The +spirit of the Lord that lived and breathed in those consecrated men and +girls began to work in his heart and conscience, and speak to him of +better things that might even be for him. + +When he felt the desire for drink or gambling coming on he gave his money +to the girls to keep for him. + +On the last pay-day before he was sent to another location he took a +paint-brush and some paint and made a little sign which he set up in a +prominent place in the hut, his silent testimony to what they had done for +him: "FOR THE FIRST TIME ON PAY-DAY SCOOP IS SOBER!" + +One morning a lassie was frying some doughnuts in the Gondrecourt hut, +another was rolling and cutting, and both were very busy when a soldier +came in with the mail. The girls went on with their work, though one could +easily see that they were eager for letters. One was handed to the lassie +who was frying the doughnuts. When she opened it she found it was an +official dispatch. The others saw the change of her expression and asked +what was the matter, but she made no reply while tears started down her +cheeks. She, however, went on frying doughnuts. The others asked again +what was the trouble and for answer the girl handed them the open +dispatch, which stated briefly that one of her three brothers, who were +all in the service, had been killed in action on the previous day. The +others sympathetically tried to draw her away from her work, but she said: +"No, nothing will help me to bear my sorrow like doing something for +others." This is the spirit of the Salvation Army workers. Personal +sorrows, personal feelings, personal difficulties, hardships, dangers, are +not allowed to interrupt their labors of love. Fortunately, it was later +discovered that this message about her brother was unfounded. + +A boy told this lassie one day that the next day was his birthday, and she +saw the homesickness and yearning in his eyes as he spoke. Immediately she +told him she would have a birthday party for him and bake a cake for it. + +She found some tiny candles in the village and placed nineteen upon the +pretty frosted cake. They had to use a white bed-quilt for a tablecloth, +and none of the cups and saucers matched, but the table looked very pretty +when it was set, with little white paper baskets of almonds which the +girls had made at each place, and all the candles lit on the white cake in +the middle. The boy brought three of his comrades, and there were the +Salvation Army Major in charge and the lassies. They had a beautiful time. +Of course it was quite a little extra work for the lassie, but when +someone asked her why she took so much trouble she had a faraway look in +her eyes, and said she guessed it was for the sake of the boy's mother, +and those who heard remembered that her own three brothers were in United +States uniform somewhere facing the enemy. + +There are several instances in which American soldiers coming from British +and French Sectors, where they had been brigaded with armies of those +nations, have upon entering a Salvation Army hut for the first time +without noticing the sign over the door started to talk to the girls in +French--very fragmentary French at that. When they found the girls to be +Americans they were almost beside themselves with mingled feelings of +bashfulness and delight. Most of the soldiers exhibit the former trait. + +One boy approached one of our men officers. + +"Can them girls speak American?" he asked, pointing at the girls. + +On being assured that they could, he said: "Will they mind if I go up and +speak to them? I ain't talked to an American woman in seven months." + +Two soldiers were walking along the dusty roadway. + +First soldier: "Let's go to the Salvation Army hut." + +Second soldier: "No, I don't want to." + +First soldier: "They've got a piano and a phonograph and lots of records." + +Second soldier: "No, I don't want to." + +First soldier: "They've got books and _beaucoup_ games." + +Second soldier: "No, I don't want to." + +First soldier: "Two American ladies there!" + +Second soldier: "No, I don't want to." + +First soldier: "They've got swell coffee and doughnuts!" + +Second soldier (angrily): "No! I said NO!" + +First soldier: "Aw, come on. They got real homemade pie!" + +Second soldier: "I don't care!" + +First soldier: "They cut their own wood and do their own work!" + +Second soldier: "Well, that's different! Why didn't you say that right +off, you bonehead? Come on. Where is it?" + +And they entered the Salvation Army hut smiling. + +One dear Salvation Army lady had a little hand sewing machine which she +took about with her and wherever she landed she would sit down on an +orange crate, put her machine on another and set up a tailor shop: sewing +up rips; refitting coats that were too large; letting out a seam that was +too tight; and helping the boys to be tidy and comfortable again. A good +many of our boys lost their coats in the Soissons fight, and when they got +new ones they didn't always fit, so this little sewing machine that went +to war came in very handy. Sometimes the owner would rip off the collar or +rip out the sleeves, or almost rip up the whole coat and with her mouthful +of pins skillfully put it together again until it looked as if it belonged +to the laddie who owned it. Then with some clever chalk marks replacing +the pins she would run it through her little machine, and off went another +boy well-clothed. One week she altered more than thirty-three coats in +this way. The soldiers called her "mother" and loved to sit about and talk +with her while she worked. + + The men went in battalions to the Luneville Sector for Trench Training +facing the enemy. Of course, the Salvation Army sent a detachment also. + +Over here they had to give up huts. No huts at all were allowed so near +the front. No light of fire or even stove, no lights of any kind or +everything would be destroyed by shell fire at once. An order went out +that all huts near the front must be under ground. Yet neither did this +daunt the faithful men and women whom God Himself had sent to help those +boys at the front. + +The work was extended to other camps in the Gondrecourt area and finally +the time came for the troops to move up to the front to occupy part of a +sector. + + + + +III. + +The Toul Sector + + + +Headquarters of the First Division were established at Menil-la-Tour and +that of the First Brigade at Ansauville. Information came on leaving the +Gondrecourt Area, that the district would be abandoned to the French, so +the wooden hut at Montiers was moved and set up again at Sanzey, which +then became the Headquarters of the First Ammunition Train. Huts were +established at Menil-la-Tour and other points in the Toul Sector. + +It took three days to erect the hut at Sanzey, but within an hour the +field range was set up, and a piece of tarpaulin stretched over it to keep +the rain off the girls and the doughnuts. + +Hour after hour the girls stood there making doughnuts, and hour after +hour the line moved slowly along waiting patiently for doughnuts. The +Adjutant went away a little while and returned to find some of the same +boys standing in line as when he left. Some had been standing five hours! +It was the only pastime they had, just as soon as they were off duty, to +line up again for doughnuts. + +The hut at Sanzey was used mostly by men of an Ammunition Train. As in +other places where the Salvation Army huts catered to the American troops, +an all-night service of hot coffee or chocolate and doughnuts or cookies +was provided for the men as they returned from their dangerous nightly +trips to the front. When men were killed their comrades usually brought +them back and laid them in this hut until they could be buried. One night +a man was killed and brought back in this fashion. The chaplain was +holding a service over his body in the hut. The Salvation Army man was +talking to the man who had been the dead lad's "buddie." "I wish it was me +instead of him, Cap," said this soldier, "he was his mother's oldest son +and she will take it hard." + +The Salvation Army was told that Ansauville was too far front for any +women to be allowed to go. They felt, however, that it was advisable for +women to be there and determined to bring it about if possible. On +scouting the town there was found no suitable place in any of the +buildings except one that was occupied as the General's garage. The +Salvation Army was not permitted to erect any additional buildings as it +was feared they would attract the fire of the Germans, for Ansauville was +well within the range of the German guns. + +After deciding that the General's garage was the only logical place for +them the Salvation Army representative called upon the General, who asked +him where he would propose establishing a hut. The Salvationist told him +the only suitable place in the town was that used by him as a garage. He +immediately gave most gracious and courteous consent and ordered his aide +to find another garage. + +The place in question was an old frame barn with a lofty roof which had +already been partly shot away and was open to the sky. They were not +permitted to repair the roof because the German airplane observers would +notice it and know that some activity was going on there which would call +for renewed shell fire. However, the top of one of the circus tents was +easily run up in the barn so as to form a ceiling. + +Ansauville was between Mandres and Menil-la-Tour, not far from advanced +positions in the Toul Sector. Five hundred French soldiers had been +severely gassed there the night before the Staff-Captain and his helper +arrived, and every day people were killed on the streets by falling +shells. There was not a house in the village that had not suffered in some +way from shell fire; very few had a door or a window left, and many were +utterly demolished. + +Approaching the town the roads were camouflaged with burlap curtains +hanging on wires every little way, so that it was impossible to see down +the streets very far in either direction. There were signs here and there: +"ATTENTION! THE ENEMY SEES YOU!" + +About midnight the Staff-Captain and his officer arrived and after some +difficulty found the old barn that the Colonel had told them was to be +their hut, but to their dismay there were half a dozen cars parked inside, +including the Commanding General's, and it looked as if it were being used +for the Staff Garage. Looking up they could see the stars peeping through +the shell holes in the tiled roof. It was the first time either of them +had been in a shelled town and the experience was somewhat awe-inspiring. +Moreover they were both hungry and sleepy and the situation was by no +means a cheerful one. They had a large tent and a load of supplies with +them and were at a loss where to bestow them. + +In the midst of their perturbation a courier arrived with a side car and +dismounted. He stumbled in on them and peered at them through the +darkness. + +"As I live, it's the Salvation Army!" he cried joyfully, shaking hands +with both of them at once. "All of the boys have been asking when you were +coming. Are you looking for a place to chow and sleep? There's no place in +town for a billet, but we have a kitchen down the street. We can give you +some chow, and it's warm there. You can roll up in your blankets and sleep +by the stove till morning. Come with me." + +The cook awakened them in the morning with his clatter of pots and pans in +preparation for breakfast. They arose and began to roll up their blanket +packs. + +"Don't worry about getting up yet," said the chief cook kindly. "Sleep a +little longer. You are not in my way." But the two men thanked him and +declined to rest longer. + +"Where are you going to chow?" asked the chief cook. + +The Salvationists allowed that they didn't know. + +"Well, you boys line up with this outfit, see?" insisted the chief cook. +"We eat three times a day and you're welcome to everything we have!" + +This settled the question of board, and after a good breakfast the two +started out to report to the General in command. + +He greeted them most kindly and made them feel welcome at once. + +When they asked about the barn he smiled pleasantly: + +"That Colonel of yours is a fine fellow," he said. "He told me that there +was only one place in this town that would do for your hut and that was my +garage. He said he was afraid he would have to ask me to move my car. Just +as though my car were of more importance than the souls of my men! +Gentlemen, you can have anything you want that is mine to give. The barn +is yours! And if there's anything I can do, command me!" + +It was a very dirty stable and needed a deal of cleaning, but the strong +workers bent to their task with willing hands, and soon had it in fine +order. There was no possibility of mending the roof, but they camouflaged +the old tent top and ran it up inside, and it kept the rain and snow off +beautifully. Of course, it was no protection against shells, but when they +commenced to arrive everybody departed in a hurry to the nearby dugouts, +returning quietly when the firing had ceased. The nights were so cold that +they had to sleep with all their clothes on, even their overcoats. Often +in the mornings their shoes were frozen too stiff to put on until they +were thawed over a candle. One soldier broke his shoe in two trying to +bend it one morning. Sometimes the men would sleep with their shoes inside +their shirts to keep the damp leather from freezing. Two yards from the +stove the milk froze! + +A field range had been secured and the chimney extended up from the roof +for a distance of forty or fifty feet. It smoked terribly, but on this +range was cooked many a savory meal and tens of thousands of doughnuts. + +Among the doughboys who loved to help around the Salvation Army hut was a +quiet fellow who never talked much about himself, yet everybody liked him +and trusted him. No one knew much about him, or where he came from, and he +never told about his folks at home as some did. But he used to come in +from the trenches during the day and do anything he could to be useful +around the hut, which was run by two sisters. Even when he had to stand +watch at night he would come back in the daytime and help. They could not +persuade him to sleep when he ought. Other fellows came and went, talked +about their troubles and their joys, got their bit of sympathy or cheer +and went their way, but this fellow came every day and worked silently, +always on the job. They made him their chief doughnut dipper and he seemed +to love the work and did it well. + +Then one day his company moved, and he came no more. The girls often asked +if anyone knew anything about him, but no one did. Once in a while a brief +note would come from him up at the front in the trenches a few miles to +the north, but never more than a word of greeting. + +One morning the girls were making doughnuts, hard at work, and suddenly +the former chief doughnut dipper stumbled into the hut. He looked tired +and dusty and it was evident by the way he walked that he was footsore. + +"Gee! It's good to see you," he said, sinking down in his old place by the +stove. + +They gave him a cup of steaming coffee and all the doughnuts he could eat +and waited for his story, but he did not begin. + +"Well, how are you?" asked one of the girls, hoping to start him. + +"Oh, all right, thanks," he said meekly. + +"Where is your company?" + +"Up the line in some woods." + +"How far is it?" + +"About ten miles." + +The girls felt they were not getting on very fast in acquiring +information. + +"Did you walk all that way in the dust and sun?" + +"Most of it. Sometimes I was in the fields." + +"Were you on watch last night?" + +"Ye-ah." + +"Then you didn't have any sleep?" + +"No." + +"Why did you come over here then?" + +"I wanted to see you." There was a sound of a deep hunger in his voice. + +"Well, we're awfully glad to see you, surely. Is there anything we can do +for you?" + +"No, Just let me look at you"-there was frank honesty in his eyes, a deep +undertone of reverence in his voice, not even a hint of gallantry or +flattery, only a loyal homage. + +"Just let me look at you--and----" he hesitated. + +"And what?" "And cook some doughnuts." + +"Why, of course!" said the girls cheerily, "but you must lie down and +sleep awhile first. We'll fix a place for you." + +"I don't want to lie down," said the soldier determinedly, "I don't want +to waste the time." + +"But it wouldn't be wasted. You need the sleep." + +"No, that isn't what I need. I want to look at you," he reiterated. "I've +got a wife and a little baby at home, and I love them. I like to be here +because seeing you takes me back to them. This morning I knew I ought to +sleep, but I just couldn't go over the top tonight without seeing you +again. That's why I want to see you and fry a few doughnuts for you. It +takes me back to them." + +He finished with a far-away look in his eyes. He was not thinking what +impression his words would make, his thoughts were with his wife and +little baby. + +He worked around for a couple of hours, saying very little, but seeming +quite content. Then he looked at his watch and said it was time to go, as +it was quite a walk back to his company. Just so quietly he took his leave +and went out to take his chance with Death. + +The two girls thought much about him that night as they went about their +work, and later lay down and tried to sleep, and their prayers went up for +the faithful soul who was doing his duty out there under fire, and for the +anxious wife and little one who waited to know the outcome. Sleep did not +come soon to their eyes, as they lay in the darkness and prayed. + +"The next day about noon as the girls were dipping doughnuts the chief +doughnut dipper stumbled once more into the hut, tired, dirty, dusty and +worn, but with his eyes sparkling: + +"Just thought I ought to come back and tell you I'm all right," he said. +"I was afraid you'd be worried. My wife and baby would, anyway." + +The girls received him with exultant smiles. "You go out there under the +trees and go to sleep!" they ordered him. + +"All right, I will," he said. "I feel like sleeping now. Say, you don't +think I'm crazy, do you? I just had to see you! It took me back to them!" + +It was one of those chill rainy nights which have caused the winter of +1917-1918 to be remembered with shudders by the men of the earlier +American Expeditionary Forces. A large part of the American forces were +billeted in the weathered, age-old little villages of the Gondrecourt +area. They slept in barns, haylofts, cowsheds and even in pig sties. The +roads were mere ditches running knee deep in sticky, clogging mud. Shoes, +soaked through from the muddy road, froze as the men slept and in the +morning had to be thawed out over a candle before they could be drawn on. +Frequently men were late at roll-call simply because their shoes were +frozen so stiff that they were unable to don them, and their leggings so +icy that they could not be wound. After sundown there were no lights, +because lights invited air-raids and might well expose the position of +troops to the enemy observers. Only in towns where there were Salvation +Army or Y.M.C.A. huts could men find any artificial warmth, during the day +or night, and only in these places were there any lights after nightfall. +Such huts afforded absolutely the only available recreation facilities. +But in countless villages where Americans were billeted there was not even +this small comfort to be had. + +On this particular night, in such a village, an eighteen-year-old boy sat +in the orderly room of a regimental headquarters, which was housed in a +once pretentious but now sadly decrepit house. Rain leaked through the +tiled roof and dribbled down into the room. Windows were long ago +shattered and through cracks in the rude board barricades which had +replaced the glass a rising wind was driving the rain. The boy sat at a +rough wooden table waiting orders. Two weeks previously a letter had come, +saying that his mother was seriously ill. Since that he had had no further +word. He was desperately homesick. There had been as yet none of the +danger and none of the thrill which seems to settle a man down, to the +serious business of war. + +A passing soldier had just told him that in a village some twelve +kilometers distant two Salvation Army women were operating a hut. He +longed desperately for the comfort of a woman of his own people and, +sitting in the drafty, damp room, he wished that these two Salvationists +were not so far away--that he could talk with them and confide in them. At +last the wish grew so strong that he could no longer resist it. + +He got up quietly, and silently slipped out into the rainy night. The +darkness was so thick that he could not see objects six feet away. Walking +through the mud was out of the question. He stumbled down, the street, +once falling headlong into a muddy puddle, finally reaching the horse- +lines, where, saying that he had an errand for the Colonel, he saddled a +horse and slopped off into the night. + +For a while he kept to the road, his horse occasionally taking fright, as +a truck passed clanking slowly in the opposite direction, or a staff car +turned out to pass him like a fleeting, ghostly shadow. By following the +trees which lined the road at regular intervals he was fairly sure to keep +the road. He was very tired and soon began to feel sleepy, but the driving +storm, which by this time had assumed the proportions of a tempest, stung +him to wakefulness. Once, at a cross-roads a Military Police stopped and +questioned him and gave him directions upon his saying that he was +carrying dispatches. + +He went on. He dozed, only to be sharply awakened by a truck which almost +ran him down. He must be more careful, he thought to himself, feeling +utterly alone and miserable. But in spite of his resolution his eyes soon +closed again. He was awakened, this time by his horse stumbling over some +unseen obstacle. He could see nothing in any direction. The blackness and +rain shut him in like a fog. He turned at right angles to find the trees +which lined the road, but there were no trees. He swung his horse around +and went in the other direction, but he found no trees--only an +impenetrable darkness which pressed in upon him with a heaviness which +might almost have been weighed. He was lost--utterly lost. + +He guided his steed in futile circles, hoping to regain the road, but all +to no avail. Fear of the night fell upon him. He was wet to the skin and +chilled to the bone. He shivered with cold and with fright. Dropping from +his horse he pulled from his pocket an electric flashlight and began +throwing its slender beam in widening arcs over the ground. The light +revealed a stubble field. Surely there must be a path which would lead to +the road, thought the boy. Backward and forward over the field he waved +the light. His hands trembled so that he could not hold the switch steady, +and the lamp blinked on and off. + +On the storm-swept, night-hidden hillside which overhung the field was +established an anti-aircraft battery. + +The sound detectors had just registered the intermittent hum of an enemy +plane. It was unusual that an enemy aviator should fight his way over the +lines in the face of such a storm, but such things had occurred before and +the Captain in charge of the battery searched the tempestuous skies for +the intruder, waiting for the sound to grow until he should know that the +searchlights had at least a chance of locating the venturesome plane +instead of merely giving away their position. + +Suddenly, cutting the night in the field below, a tiny ray of light cut +the darkness, sweeping back and forward, flashing on and off. For a moment +the officer watched it, then, with a muttered curse, he raced down the +hillside followed by one of his men. The noise of the storm hid their +approach. The boy collapsed into a trembling heap, as the officer grasped +him and wrested the flash-light from his chilled fingers. He made no +protest as they led him down into a dark, deserted village. He followed +his captors into a candle-lighted room where sat a staff officer. + +Briefly the Captain explained the situation. + +"Caught him in the act of signaling to an enemy plane, sir," he said. + +The boy was too cold to venture a protest. + +"Bring him to me again in the morning," said the Colonel, shrugging his +shoulders. "Hold on, though! What are you going to do with him? He will +die unless you get him warmed up." + +"Don't know what to do with him, sir, unless I take him down to the +Salvation Army... they have a fire there." + +"Very good, Captain, see that he is properly guarded and if they will have +him, leave him there for the night." And so it came to pass that the boy +reached his destination. It was past closing time--long past; but the +motherly Salvationist in charge knew just what to do. Within ten minutes, +wrapped in a warm blanket, the boy sat with his feet in a pan of hot +water, with the Salvation Army woman feeding him steaming lemonade. +Between gulps, he told his story and was comforted. Soon he was snugly +tucked into an army cot, and still grasping the Salvationist's hand, was +sleeping peacefully. + +The next day a little investigation assured the Colonel that the boy's +story was a true one, and with a reprimand for leaving his post without +orders he was allowed to return. The delay, however, had absented him, of +course, from morning roll-call, and he was sentenced to thirty days +repairing wire on the front-line trenches, which was often equivalent to a +death sentence, for as many men were shot during the performance of this +duty as came in safely. + +He had done fifteen days of his time at this sentence when the Salvation +Army woman from the Ansauville hut which the boy had visited that rainy +night happened over to his Officers' Headquarters, and by chance learned +of his unhappy fate. It took but a few words from her to his commanding +officer to set matters right; his sentence was revoked, and he was +pardoned. + +Ansauville was a point of peculiar importance in that all the troops +passing into or out from the sector stopped there. It was here that cocoa +and coffee were first provided for the troops. Afterwards it came to be +the habit to serve them with the doughnuts and pie. It was when the +Twenty-sixth Division came into the line. They had marched for hours and +had been without any warm meal for a long time. Detachments of them +reached Ansauville at night, wet and cold, too late to secure supper that +night, and hearing they were coming, the lassies put on great boilers of +coffee and cocoa, and as the men arrived they were given to them freely. + +A hut was established at Mandres. This was some distance in advance of +Ansauville and lay in the valley. At first a wooden building was secured. +It had nothing but a dirt floor but lumber was hauled from Newchateau by +truck--a distance of sixty miles, and the place was made comfortable. + +For some little time the boys enjoyed this hut, but on one occasion the +Germans sent over a heavy barrage; they hit the hut, destroying one end of +it, scattering the supplies, ruining the victrola, and after that the +military authorities ordered that the men should not assemble in such +numbers. + +When this order was given, the Salvation Army had no intention of +discontinuing work at Mandres and so found a cellar under a partially +destroyed building. This cellar was vaulted and had been used for storing +wine. It was wet and in bad condition, but with some labor it was made fit +to receive the men; and tables and benches were placed there, the canteen +established and a range set up. It was at this place that a very wonderful +work was carried on. The Salvation Army Ensign who had charge, for a time, +scoured the country for miles around to purchase eggs, which he +transferred to his hut in an old baby carriage. The eggs were supplied to +the men at cost and they fried them themselves on the range, which was +close at hand. This was considered by the military authorities too far +front for women to come and only men were allowed here. + +The Ensign also mixed batter for pan cakes and established quite a +reputation as a pan-cake maker. Here was a place where the soldiers felt +at home. They could come in at any time and on the fire cook what they +pleased. + +They could purchase at the canteen such articles as were for sale and it +was home to them. Very wonderful meetings were held in this spot and many +men found Christ at the penitent-form, which was an old bench placed in +front of the canteen. + +On the wharf in New York when the soldiers were returning home some +soldiers were talking about the Salvation Army. "Did you ever go to one of +their meetings?" asked one. "I sure did!" answered a big fine fellow--a +college man, by the way, from one of the well known New England +universities. "I sure did!--and it was the most impressive service I ever +attended. It was down in an old wine cellar, and the house over it +_wasn't_ because it had been blown away. The meeting was led by a +little Swede, and he gave a very impressive address, and followed it by a +wonderful prayer. And it wasn't because it was so learned either, for the +man was no college chap, but it stirred me deeply. I used to be a good +deal of a barbarian before I went to France, but that meeting made a big +change in me. Things are going to be different now. + +"The place was lit by a candle or two and the guns were roaring overhead, +but the room was packed and a great many men stood up for prayers. Oh, +I'll never forget that meeting!" + +That meeting was in the old wine cellar in Mandres. + +The town of Mandres was shelled daily and it was an exceptional day that +passed without from one to ten men being killed as a result of this +shelling. + +Here are some extracts from letters written by the Ensign from the old +wine cellar in Mandres: + + "Somewhere in France," May 15, 1918. + +I am still busy in my old wine-cellar in France. I must give you an idea +of my daily routine: Get up early and, go to my cellar. Get wood and make +fire; go for some water to put on stove. Take my mess kit, helmet, gas +mask and cane, walk about one block to the part of the church standing by +the artillery kitchen and get my hand-out mess, go back to my cellar and +have my breakfast, see to the fire, fuel, clean and light the lamps, dip +and carry out some water and mud (but have now found a place to drain off +the water by cutting through the heavy stone wall and digging a ditch +underneath). I dig whenever I have time. Then the boys begin to come in- +some right from the trenches, others who are resting up after a siege in +the trenches. They are all covered with mud when they come in and have to +talk, stand and even sleep in mud. Then I must have the cocoa and coffee +ready and serve also the candy, figs, nuts, gum, chocolate, shaving- +sticks, razors, watches, knives, gun oil, paper, envelopes, etc. I mostly +wear my rubber boots and stand in a little boot "slouched" down so I can +stand straight. Almost every evening we have a little "sing-song" or +regular service, and on Sunday two or three services. + +Our wine-cellar is supposed to be bomb-proof. First the roof, the ceiling, +the floor, then the three-feet stone and concrete under the floor and +along the wine-cellar. I am all alone for all this business. Sometimes the +boys help me to cut wood and keep the fire and carry water, but the +companies are changed so often that they go and come every five days, and +when they come from the trenches they are so tired and sleepy they need +all the rest they can get. Yesterday I had to change the stove and +stovepipes because it smoked so bad that it almost smoked us out. So I had +to run through the ruins and find old stovepipes. I could not find enough +elbows, so I had to make some with the help of an old knife. We ran the +pipes through the low window bars and up the side of the house to the top, +and plastered up poor joints with mud, but it burns better and does not +smoke. The boys claim I make the best coffee they have had in France, and +also cocoa. I am glad I know something of cooking. You see, they don't +permit girls so near the trenches and in the shell fire. + +My dear Major: + +Grace, love and peace unto you! Many thanks for the beautiful letter I +received from you full of love, Christian admonition and encouragement. +Such letters are much Appreciated over here. + +I have been very busy. The last week, in addition to running the ordinary +business, I have used the pick and shovel and wheelbarrow in lowering our +wine-cellar floor (now used as a Salvation Army rest room), so we can walk +straight in. I have also done some white-washing to brighten things up and +have some flowers in bowls, large French wine bottles and big brass +shells, which makes a great improvement. I now expect to pick up pieces +and erect a range, so we can cook and make things faster. I secured two +hams and am having them cooked, and expect to serve ham sandwiches by +Decoration Day, two days hence, when there is to be a great time in +decorating the graves of our heroes. I am also trying to get some lemons +so that I can make lemonade for the boys besides the coffee and cocoa. You +can get an idea of the immensity of our business when I tell you I got +999.25 francs worth of butter-scotch candy alone with the last lot of +goods, besides a dozen other kinds of candy, nuts, toilet articles, etc., +and this will be sold and given out in a very few days. + +We had very good meetings last Sunday. I spoke at night. A glorious time +we had, indeed. Praise God for the opportunity of working among the New +England braves! + + At Menil-la-Tours the French forbade any huts at all to be put up at +first, but finally they gave permission for one hut. The Staff-Captain +wanted to put up two, but as that wasn't allowed he got around the order +by building five rooms on each side of the one big hut and so had plenty +of room. It is pretty hard to get ahead of a Salvation Army worker when he +has a purpose in view. Not that they are stubborn, simply that they know +how to accomplish their purpose in the nicest way possible and please +everybody. + +There were some American railroad engineers here, working all night taking +stuff to the front. They came over and asked if they could help out, and +so instead of taking their day for sleep they spent most of it putting tar +paper on the roof of the Salvation Army hut. + +It was in this place that there seemed to be a strong prejudice among some +of the soldiers against the Salvation Army for some reason. The soldiers +stood about swearing at the Staff-Captain and his helper as they worked, +and saying the most abusive and contemptible things to them. At last the +Staff-Captain turned about and, looking at them, in the kindliest way +said: + +"See here, boys, did you ever know anything about the Salvation Army +before?" + +They admitted that they had not. + +"Well, now, just wait a little while. Give us fair play and see if we are +like what you say we are. Wait until we get our hut done and get started, +and then if you don't like us you can say so." + +"Well, that's fair, Dad," spoke up one soldier, and after that there was +no more trouble, and it wasn't long before the soldiers were giving the +most generous praise to the Salvation Army on every side. + +L'Hermitage, nestled in the heart of a deep woods, was no quiet refuge +from the noise of battle and the troubles of a war-weary world, as one +might suppose. It was surrounded by swamps everywhere. And it had been +raining, of course. It always seems to have been raining in France during +this war. There were duck boards over the swampy ground, and a single mis- +step might send one prone in the ooze up to the elbows. + +It was a very dangerous place, also. + +There was a large ammunition dump in the town, and besides that there was +a great balloon located there which the Boche planes were always trying to +get. It was the nearest to the front of any of our balloons and, of +course, was a great target for the enemy. There was a lot of heavy coast +artillery there, also, and there were monster shell holes big enough to +hold a good audience. + +At last one day the enemy did get the ammunition dump, and report after +report rent the air as first one shell and then another would burst and go +up in flame. It was fourteen hours going off and the military officer +ordered the girls to their billets until it should be over. It was like +this: First a couple of shells would explode, then there would be a +second's quiet and a keg of powder would flare; then some boxes of +ammunition would go off; then some more shells. It was a terrible +pandemonium of sound. Thirty miles away in Gondrecourt they saw the fire +and heard the terrific explosions. + +The Zone Major and one of his helpers had been to Nancy for a truck load +of eggs and were just unloading when the explosions began. Together they +were carefully lifting out a crate containing a hundred dozen eggs when +the mammoth detonations began that rocked the earth beneath them and +threatened to shake them from their feet. They staggered and tottered but +they held onto the eggs. One of the sayings of Commander Eva Booth is, +"Choose your purpose and let no whirlwind that sweeps, no enemy that +confronts you, no wave that engulfs you, no peril that affrights you, turn +you from it." The Zone Major and his helper had chosen the purpose of +landing those eggs safely, and eggs at five francs a dozen are not to be +lightly dropped, so they staggered but they held onto the eggs. + +The girls in the canteen went quietly about their work until ordered to +safety; but over in Sanzey and Menil-la-Tour their friends watched and +waited anxiously to hear what had been their fate. + +The General who was in charge of the Twenty-sixth Division was exceedingly +kind to the Salvation Army girls. He acted like a father toward them: +giving up his own billet for their use; sending an escort to take them to +it through the woods and swamps and dangers when their work at the canteen +was over for a brief respite; setting a sentry to guard them and to give a +gas alarm when it became necessary; and doing everything in his power for +their comfort and safety. + + + + +IV. + +The Montdidier Sector + + + +Spring came on even in shell-torn France, lovely like the miracle it +always is. Bare trees in a day were arrayed in wondrous green. A +camouflage of beauty spread itself upon the valleys and over the hillsides +like a garment sewn with colored broidery of blossoms. Great scarlet +poppies flamed from ruined homes as if the blood that had been spilt were +resurrected in a glorious color that would seek to hide the misery and +sorrow and touch with new loveliness the war-scarred place. Little birds +sent forth their flutey voices where mortals must be hushed for fear of +enemies. + +The British had been driven back by the Huns until they admitted that +their backs were against the wall, and it was an anxious time. Daily the +enemy drew nearer to Paris. + +When the great offensive was started by the Germans in March, 1918, and +American troops were sent up to help the British and French, the Division +was located at Montdidier. Under the rules for the conduct of war, they +were not permitted to know where they were destined to go, and so the +Salvation Army could not secure that information. They knew it was to be +north of Paris, but where, was the problem. + +The French were opposed to any relief organizations going into the Sector, +and rules and regulations were made which were calculated to discourage or +to keep them out altogether. + +It was urgent that the Salvation Army should be there at the earliest +possible moment and as they could not secure permits, especially for the +women, they decided to get there without permits, + +The first contingent was put into a big Army truck, the cover was put down +and they were started on the road, to a point from which they hoped to +secure information of the movements of their outfit. From place to place +this truck proceeded until, finally, detachments of the troops were +located in the vicinity of Gisors. Contact was immediately established. +The girls were received with the greatest joy and portable tents were set +up. It seemed as if every man in the Division must come to say how glad he +was to see them back. The men decided that if it was in their power they +would never again allow the Salvation Army to be separated from them. A +few days later when the Division was ordered to move they took these same +lassies with them riding in army trucks. The troops were on their way to +the front and seldom remained more than three days in one place, and +frequently only one day. On arrival at the stopping-place, fifteen or +twenty of the boys would immediately proceed to erect the tent and within +an hour or two a comfortable place would be in operation, a field range +set up, the phonograph going, and the boys had a home. + +At Courcelles the Salvation Army set up a tent, started a canteen, and had +it going four days in charge of two sisters just come from the States. +Then one morning they woke up and found their outfit gone, they knew not +where, and they had to pick up and go after them. An all-day journey took +them to Froissy, where they found their special outfit. + +There was no place for a tent at Froissy, but there was an old dance hall, +where they had their canteen. The Division stayed there five weeks-under a +roar of guns. But in spite of this there were wonderful meetings every +night in Froissy. + +This work was exceedingly trying on the girls. Permits were never secured +for any of the Salvation Army workers in this Sector. They were applied +for regularly through the French Army. About three months after +application was made, they were all received back with the statement from +the French that, seeing the workers were already there, it was not now +necessary that permits should be issued. It must be reported that the +French Army was opposed to the presence of women in any of the camps of +the soldiers. This prejudice existed for a long time, but it was finally +broken down because of the good work done by Salvation Army women, which +came to be fully recognized by the French Army. + +The work in the Montdidier Sector was particularly hard. Permanent +buildings could not be established. The best that could be done was to +erect portable tents, which were about twenty feet wide and fifty-seven +feet long. Huts were established in partially destroyed buildings or +houses or stores that had been vacated by their owners, and on the extreme +front canteens were established in dugouts and cellars and the entire +district was under bombardment from the German guns as well as from the +airplane bombs. The Salvation Army had no place there that was not under +bombardment continually. The huts were frequently shelled and there was +imminent danger for a long time that the German Army would break through, +which, of course, added to the strain. + +The Zone Major went back and forth bringing more men and more lassies and +more supplies from the Base at Paris to the front, and many a new worker +almost lost his life in a baptism of fire on his way to his post of duty +for the first time. But all these men and women, as a soldier said, were +made of some fine high stuff that never faltered at danger or fatigue or +hardship. + +They rode over shell-gashed roads in the blackest midnight in a little +dilapidated Ford; made wild dashes when they came to a road upon which the +enemy's fire was concentrated, looking back sometimes to see a geyser of +flame leap up from a bend around which they had just whirled. Shells would +rain in the fields on either side of them; cars would leap by them in the +dark, coming perilously close and swerving away just in time; and still +they went bravely on to their posts. + +Everything would be blackest darkness and they would think they were +stealing along finely, when all of a sudden an incendiary bomb would burst +and flare up like a house-on-fire lighting up the whole country for miles +about, and there you were in plain sight of the enemy! And you couldn't +turn back nor hesitate a second or you would be caught by the ever +watchful foe! You had to go straight ahead in all that blare of light! + +The S. A. Adjutant's headquarters were fifty feet below the ground; +sometimes the earth would rock with the explosives. Two of the dugouts +were burrowed almost beneath the trenches and S. A. Officers here looked +after the needs of the men who were actually engaged in fighting. Every +night the shattered villages were raked and torn above them. Such dugouts +could only be left at night or when the firing ceased. The two men who +operated these lived a nerve-racking existence. Of course, all pies and +doughnuts for these places had to be prepared far to the rear, and no fire +could be built as near to the front as this. It was no easy task to bring +the supplies back and forth. It was almost always done at the risk of +life. + +The Staff-Captain and the Adjutant were speeding over a shell-swept road +one cold, black, wet night at reckless speed without a light, their hearts +filled with anxiety, for a rumor had reached them that two Salvation Army +lassies had been killed by shell fire. The night was full of the sound of +war, the distant rumble of the heavy guns, the nervous stutter of machine +guns, the tearing screech of a barrage high above the road. + +Suddenly in front of them yawned a black gulf. The Adjutant jammed on his +brakes, but it was too late. The game little Ford sailed right into a big +shell hole, and settled down three feet below the road right side up but +tightly wedged in. The two travelers climbed out and reconnoitered but +found the situation hopeless. There had been many sleepless nights before +this one, and the men, weary beyond endurance, rolled up in their +blankets, climbed into the car, and went to sleep, regardless of the guns +that thundered all about them. + +They were just lost to the land of reality when a soldier roused them +summarily, saying: + +"This is a heck of a place for the Salvation Army to go to sleep! If you +don't mind I'll just pick your old bus out of here and send you on your +way before it's light enough for Fritzy to spot you and send a calling +card." + +He was grinning at them cheerfully and they roused to the occasion. + +"How are you going to do it?" asked the Adjutant, who, by the way, was +Smiling Billy, the same one the soldiers called "one game little guy." "It +will take a three-ton truck to get us out of this hole!" + +"I haven't got a truck but I guess we can turn the trick all right!" said +the soldier. + +He disappeared into the darkness above the crater and in a moment +reappeared with ten more dark forms following him, and another soldier who +patrolled the rim of the crater on horseback. + +"How do you like 'em?" he chuckled to the Salvation Army men, as he turned +his flashlight on the ten and showed them to be big German prisoners of +war. Under his direction they soon had the little Ford pushed and +shouldered into the road once more. In a little while the Salvationists +reached their destination and found to their relief that the rumor about +the lassies was untrue. + +At Mesnil-St.-Firmin one of the lassies, a young woman well known in New +York society circles, but a loyal Salvationist and in France from the +start, drove a little flivver carrying supplies for several nights, +accompanied only by a young boy detailed from the Army. Every mile of the +way was dark and perilous, but there was no one else to do the work, so +she did it. + +Here they were under shell fire every night. The girls slept in an old +wine cellar, the only comparatively safe place to be found. It was damp, +with a fearful odor they will never forget--moreover, it was already +inhabited by rats. They frequently had to retire to the cellar during gas +attacks, and stay for hours, sometimes having only time to seize an +overcoat and throw it over their night-clothes. They were here through ten +counter-attacks and when Cantigny was taken. + +There seemed to be big movements among the Germans one day. They were +bringing up reinforcements, and a large attack was expected. The airplanes +were dropping bombs freely everywhere and it looked as if there would not +be one brick left on the top of another in a few hours. Then the military +authorities ordered the two girls to leave town. When the boys heard that +the hut was being shelled and the girls were ordered to leave they poured +in to tell them how much they would miss them. They well knew from +experience that their staunch hardworking little friends would not have +left them if they could have helped it. Also, they dreaded to lose these +consecrated young women from their midst. They had a feeling that their +presence brought the presence of the great God, with His protection, and +in this they had come to trust in their hour of danger. Often the boys +would openly speak of this, owning that they attributed their safety to +the presence of their Christian friends. + +One young officer from the officers' mess where the girls had dined once +at their invitation, brought them boxes of candy, and in presenting them +said: + +"Gee! We shall miss you like the devil!" + +The lassie twinkled up in a merry smile and answered: "That sure is some +comparison!" The officer blushed as red as a peony and tried to +apologize: + +"Well, now, you know what I mean. I don't know just how to say how much we +shall miss you!" + +They left at midnight on foot accompanied by one of the Salvation Army men +workers who had been badly gassed and needed to get back of the lines and +have some treatment. It was brilliant moonlight as they hiked it down the +road, the airplanes were whizzing over their heads and the anti-aircraft +guns piling into them. They started for La Folie, the Headquarters of the +Staff-Captain of that zone, but they lost their way and got far out of the +track, arriving at last at Breteuil. Coming to the woods a Military Police +stationed at the crossroads told them: + +"You can't go into Breteuil because they have been shelling it for twenty +minutes. Right over there beyond where you are standing a bomb dropped a +few minutes ago and killed or wounded seven fellows. The ambulance just +took them away." + +However, as they did not know where else to go they went into Breteuil, +and found the village deserted of all but French and American Military +Police. They tried to get directions, and at last found a French mule team +to take them to La Folie, where they finally arrived at four o'clock in +the morning. + +The next day they went on to Tartigny, where they were to be located for a +time. + +One of the lassies left her sister with the canteen one day and started +out with another Officer to the Divisional Gas Officer to get a new gas +mask, for something had happened to hers. As they reached a crossroads a +boy on a wheel called out: "Oh, they're shelling the road! Pull into the +village quick!" + +When they arrived in the village there was a great shell just fallen in +the very centre of the town. The girl thought of her sister all alone in +the canteen, for the shells were falling everywhere now, and they started +to take a short cut back to Tartigny, but the Military Police stopped +them, saying they couldn't go on that road in the daytime as it was under +observation, so they had to go back by the road they had come. The canteen +was at the gateway of a chateau, and when they reached there they saw the +shells falling in the chateau yard and through the glass roof of the +canteen. It was a trying time for the two brave girls. + +They had been invited out to dinner that evening at the Officers' Mess. As +a rule, they did not go much among the officers, but this was a special +invitation. The shells had been falling all the afternoon, but they were +quite accustomed to shells and that did not stop the festivities. During +the dinner the soldier boys sang and played on guitars and banjos. But +when the dinner was over they asked the girls to sing. + +It was very still in the mess hall as the two lovely lassies took their +guitars and began to sing. There was something so strong and sweet and +pure in the glance of their blue eyes, the set of their firm little chins, +so pleasant and wholesome and merry in the very curve of their lips, that +the men were hushed with respect and admiration before this highest of all +types of womanhood. + +It was a song written by their Commander that the girls had chosen, with a +sweet, touching melody, and the singers made every word clear and +distinct: + + Bowed beneath the garden shades, + Where the Eastern--sunlight fades, + Through a sea of griefs He wades, + And prays in agony. + His sweat is of blood, + His tears like a flood + For a lost world flow down. + I never knew such tears could be-- + Those tears He wept for me! + + Hung upon a rugged tree + On the hill of Calvary, + Jesus suffered, death, to be + The Saviour of mankind. + His brow pierced by thorn, + His hands and feet torn, + With broken heart He died. + I never knew such pain could be, + This pain He bore for me! + +Suddenly crashing into the midst of the melody came a great shell, +exploding just outside the door and causing everyone at the table to +spring to his feet. The singers stopped for a second, wavered, as the +reverberation of the shock died away, and then went on with their song; +and the officers, abashed, wondering, dropped back into their seats +marvelling at the calmness of these frail women in the face of death. +Surely they had something that other women did not have to enable them to +sing so unconcernedly in such a time as this! + + Love which conquered o'er death's sting, + Love which has immortal wing, + Love which is the only thing + My broken heart to heal. + It burst through the grave, + It brought grace to save, + It opened Heaven's gate. + I never knew such love could be-- + This love He gave to me! + +It needs some special experience to appreciate what Salvation Army lassies +really are, and what they have done. They are not just any good sort of +girl picked up here and there who are willing to go and like the +excitement of the experience; neither are they common illiterate girls who +merely have ordinary good sense and a will to work. The majority of them +in France are fine, well-bred, carefully reared daughters of Christian +fathers and mothers who have taught them that the home is a little bit of +heaven on earth, and a woman God's means of drawing man nearer to Him. +They have been especially trained from childhood to forget self and to +live for others. The great slogan of the Salvation Army is "Others." Did +you ever stop to think how that would take the coquetry out of a girl's +eyes, and leave the sweet simplicity of the natural unspoiled soul? We +have come to associate such a look with a plain, homely face, a dull +complexion, careless, severe hair-dressing and unbeautiful clothes. Why? + +Righteousness from babyhood has given to these girls delicate beautiful +features, clear complexions that neither faded nor had to be renewed in +the thick of battle, eyes that seemed flecked with divine lights and could +dance with mirth on occasion or soften exquisitely in sympathy, furtive +dimples that twinkled out now and then; hands that were shapely and did +not seem made for toil. Yet for all that they toiled night and day for the +soldiers. They were educated, refined, cultured, could talk easily and +well on almost any subject you would mention. They never appeared to force +their religious views to the front, yet all the while it was perfectly +evident that their religion was the main object of their lives; that this +was the secret source of strength, the great reason for their deep joy, +and abiding calm in the face of calamities; that this was the one great +purpose in life which overtopped and conquered all other desires. And if +you would break through their sweet reserve and ask them they would tell +you that Jesus and the winning of souls to Him was their one and only +ambition. + +And yet they have not let these great things keep them from the pleasant +little details of life. Even in the olive drab flannel shirt and serge +skirt of their uniform, or in their trim serge coats, the exact +counterpart of the soldier boy's, except for its scarlet epaulets, and the +little close trench hat with its scarlet shield and silver lettering, they +are beautiful and womanly. Catch them with the coat off and a great khaki +apron enveloping the rest of their uniform, and you never saw lovelier +women. No wonder the boys loved to see them working about the hut, loved +to carry water and pick up the dishes for washing, and peel apples, and +scrape out the bowl after the cake batter had been turned into the pans. +No wonder they came to these girls with their troubles, or a button that +needed sewing on, and rushed to them first with the glad news that a +letter had come from home even before they had opened it. These girls were +real women, the kind of woman God meant us all to be when He made the +first one; the kind of woman who is a real helpmeet for all the men with +whom she comes in contact, whether father, brother, friend or lover, or +merely an acquaintance. There is a fragrance of spirit that breathes in +the very being, the curve of the cheek, the glance of the eye, the grace +of a movement, the floating of a sunny strand of hair in the light, the +curve of the firm red lips that one knows at a glance will have no +compromise with evil. This is what these girls have. + +You may call it what you will, but as I think of them I am again reminded +of that verse in the Bible about those brave and wonderful disciples: "And +they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus." + +Two of the Salvation Army men went back to Mesnil-St.-Firmin the day after +the lassies had been obliged to leave, to get some of their belongings +which they had not been able to take with them, and one of them, a +Salvation Army Major, stayed to keep the place open for the boys. He was +the only Salvation Army man who is entitled to wear a wound stripe. By his +devotion to duty, self-sacrifice, and contempt of danger, he won the +confidence of the men wherever he was. He chiefly worked alone and +operated a canteen usually in a dugout at the front. + +On one occasion a soldier was badly wounded at the door of a hut, by an +exploding gas-shell. He fell into the dugout and while the Major worked +over him, the Major himself was gassed and had to be removed to the rear +and undergo hospital treatment. For this service he was awarded a wound +stripe. During the St. Mihiel offensive he was appointed in the Toul +Sector and followed up the advancing soldiers, and later was active in the +Argonne. He is essentially a front-line man and always takes the greatest +satisfaction in being in the place of most danger. + + The following is a brief excerpt from his diary when he manned the dugout +hut in Coullemelle: + + May 12 + +"Arrived in Coullemelle Sunday night, May 12. Was busy with my work by +mid-day, Monday, 13. After cleaning our dugout, gave medicine to sick man, +who refused to sleep in my bed because he was not fit. However, I made him +feel fine, helped. I had a long talk with the boys. + +_Tuesday, 14:_ Shell struck opposite to dugout and sent tiles down +steps. The Captain of E Battery visited me to-day, and then I visited the +Battery and had chow with them. Airplane fight: while batteries were +roaring, the Germans came down in flames. + +_Wednesday, 15:_ No coming to dugout in the day-time on account of +shelling. I did good business in the evening and also had long services by +request of the boys. Received a letter from B---- here to-day, I slept +good. + +_Thursday, 16:_ I visited army, the officers and men of F Battery. +Their chow kitchen is in a bad place, all men coming down sick. I had an +arrangement with the doughboys that they might come in my dugout any hour +in the night, whenever they wanted. I visited infantry officers to-day, +Capt. Cribbs and Capt. Crisp. I had a lovely talk with them. I offered to +go to the trenches with my goods, but Capt. Cribbs said I would just be +killed without doing what he knew I wanted to do, namely, serve the boys +with food and encourage them. + +_Friday, 17:_ I was startled by a fearful barrage at four o'clock +when I got up, washed my clothes: was visited by the Y.M.C.A. Secretary: +was shelled from five o'clock till ten o'clock. I went for chow and found +shell ball gone through kitchen. High explosive, black smoke shells +bursting intermittently, tiles fell into my dugout. I took pick shovel in +with me; my kitten ran away but came back. A three-legged cat came to the +ruined home where I am; its leg evidently had been cut off by shrapnel. +Great air fight all day. Incendiary shells were fired into the town and +burnt for a long time. I visited Battery F, and gave the fellows medicine. +To-day both officers and men were in the gun pits and I with them, while +they were deviling with Fritzy. Big business in evening with long service, +gave out Testaments and held service in dugout; got a Frenchman to +interpret the scripture to his comrades. Bequests for prayer. Doughboys +came in 12:30, through a barrage, and got sixty-five bars of chocolate, +others got biscuits. I am very, very tired; artillery is roaring as I go +to sleep. + +_Saturday, 18:_ Capt. Cribbs came down to dugout and said he was +worried to death over me (thought I was killed). I assured him I was all +0. K., and that it was their end of the town that needed looking after. He +laughed and enjoyed it. My supplies are kept up by the courage and +devotion of the Staff-Captain and Billy, who, taking their lives in their +hands, bring the Ford with supplies along the shell-torn road at great +peril. Capt. Corliss also came. + +During the day, the officer of Battery F wanted the Victrola and got the +use of it in their dugout for three days. In the meantime I had furnished +Battery D the use of the Victrola and the day I made the promise, I found +the boys without chow for twelve hours. When about to serve it, the town +was gassed and their food with it and no one was permitted to touch a +thing, they were blessing the Kaiser as only soldiers can under such +circumstances. When I arrived among them, after finding out the way of +things, I suggested to the officers that I should be permitted to supply +them with such food as I had. They assured me it would be a mighty good +thing for them if I would, and I took four boxes of biscuits and six pots +of jam and other things to their trench in the rear of their batteries-- +they surely thought I was an angel and I left them pretty happy. This was +all done under fire and at great risk. I chowed with Battery E and saw +shell hole through building which was new since my last visit--boys offer +to teach me how to work gun, their spirit is wonderful under the terrific +strain which they labor. I visited ruined church and went inside; here +were some graves of the French soldiers, some of the bodies being exposed. +Could not stay very long. Overtook soldier-boy limping, got him to stay +awhile and gave him hot chocolate; persuaded him to let his limb be seen +to, which he did, and was sent to hospital. I visited hospital corps- +fellows and arranged that in case of gas, they would visit and rouse me at +night. They are fine fellows. Doughboys bought lots of goods and blessed +the Salvation Army a thousand times. These lads come in from the trenches +and have some hair-raising stories to tell. + +_Sunday, 19:_ Quiet till the afternoon when a gas barrage started. I +was driven out of my dugout. I had a narrow escape, while reaching the +hospital corps dugout. Lieut. Roolan (since promoted), of the Fifth Field +Artillery, was there for two hours and half. 480 shells, I was informed, +came down, averaging up three and four per minute. All night, from 6 +o'clock to 3 A.M., 3000 shells are sent into the town. I slept in the +Headquarters Signal Corps dugout with my gas mask on all night. + +_Monday, 20:_ Visited Y.M.C.A. and found their dugout had been struck +and the Secretary's eyes were gassed after a man took his place. I saw +Colonel Crane to try and get out of my dugout and get the one he had left. +He gave me permission, assuring me that it was not a very good one at +that. I took my Victrola with two of the battery boys from F Battery. I +carried the records and they the Victrola. We dodged the shelling all the +way and I had the pleasure of hearing the "Swanee River" song at the same +time as the firing of the big guns much to the enjoyment of the boys. I +understand that General Summerall visited and heard the Victrola soon +after I had taken it to the boys. I placed about fifty books among +officers of the Hospital Corps, Infantry officers, Battery officers. They +were highly appreciated. I slept with Signal Corps boys again as Fritzy +decided to continue the bombardment of the town which he did from 5.30 +P.M. to 5.30 A.M. I slept with mask on and had no ill effects of the gas +at all so far; but about five o'clock a terrific crash just outside of my +dugout followed by a man shouting as he rushed down the dugout steps, "Oh, +God, get me to the doctor right away." That shell nearly got me. I was +only eight feet from it. I sprung up and rushed him from the dugout over +to the hospital. I had to chase around from one dugout to another and +finally landed my man (his name was Harry), who was taken to the hospital. + +_Tuesday, 21:_ After taking the man to the doctor, I went to my own +place and found a nine-inch gas shrapnel shell had burst 15 or 20 feet +from my dugout, about fifteen holes were torn through the door, the top of +the shell lay six feet from the top of the steps, pieces of the shell were +scattered down the steps, and my dugout to the gas curtain, was full of +gas. If Staff-Captain and Billy had been visiting me that night, the shell +would have hit the Ford right in the center. Fierce bombardment all the +day. Houses were struck on the entire street from end to end. Shells fell +in the yard, one struck the corner of the house. The soldiers next door +have gone, and my place can only be opened in the evenings. Things are +pretty hot, I started out visiting the batteries to-day, but was driven +back and could get out only by the back entrance to the yard. I am told by +a soldier of the Intelligence Dept., that their bombardment is what is +known as a "Million-Dollar Barrage," and that all were fortunate to have +passed through it, he also told me the number and nature of the shells. I +served hot chocolate this Tuesday night and noticed that my hands were +very red. + +_Wednesday, 22:_ I visited the Battery in their trenches again and +took them food. My eyes are affected by the gas, and I got treatment at +the Evacuating Hospital. Some shells come very close to my dugout--to-day +thirty feet, fifty feet and twenty feet. I gather up a box full of +remnants. I find I am gassed by a contact with the poor fellow coming in +whom I took to the doctor. I get treatment two or three times for my eyes +and throat. My hands begin to crack and smart. The flesh comes off from my +neck and other parts of my body. I had a fine meeting with boys in dugout +and am again visited by the doughboys and officers. I visit the ruined +church area again and get a few relics. + +_Thursday, 23:_ My eyes are very red and becoming painful and also my +throat and nose, etc. I plan to move my dugout and pack up accordingly. +Things are quieter today; had services again in the evening. French +schoolmaster among the number, six requests for prayer. + +_Friday, 24:_ Am all ready to move to a new dugout when Staff-Captain +arrives and tells me I am ordered out by the military." + +Here is the Military Order received by the Staff-Captain: + + +"To Major Coe, + +"Salvation Army: + +"(1) Major Wilson, Chief G1, directs that the Salvation Army evacuate +'Coullemelle' as soon as possible. + +"(2) He desires that they leave to-night if possible. + +"(3) This message was received by me from the office of G1. + + "L. JOHNSON, + "1st Lieut., F. A." + + +Orders also arrived soon for the removal of the Salvation Army workers in +Broyes: + + + "Headquarters, 1st Division, G-1. + "American Expeditionary Forces, + " June 3, 1919. + +"Memorandum: To Mr. L. A. Coe, Salvation Army, La Folie. + +"The hut, which it is understood the Salvation Army is operating in +Broyes, will, for military reasons, be removed from there as soon as +practicable. + +"It is contrary to the desire of the Commanding General that women workers +be employed in huts or canteens east of the line Mory-Chepoix-Tartigny, +and if any are now so located they are to 'be removed. + +"The operations of technical services, Red Cross, Y.M.C.A., and other +similar agencies is a function of this section of the General Staff and +all questions pertaining to your movements and location of huts should in +the future be referred to G.-1. + +"By command of Major General Bullard. + + "G. K Wilson, + "Major, General Staff, + "A. C. of S., G.-1." + + +In Tartigny they found a house with five rooms, one of them very large. +The billeting officer turned this over to the Salvation Army. + +There was plenty of space and the girls might have a room to themselves +here, instead of just curtaining off a corner of a tent or making a +partition of supply boxes in one end of the hut as they often had to do. +There was also plenty of furniture in the house, and they were allowed to +go around the village and get chairs and tables or anything they wanted to +fix up their canteen. The girls had great fun selecting easy-chairs and +desks and anything they desired from the deserted houses, and before long +the result was a wonderfully comfortable, cozy, home-like room. + +"Gee! This is just like heaven, coming in here!" one of the boys said when +he first saw it. + +Just outside Tartigny there was a large ammunition dump, piles of shells +and boxes of other ammunition. It was under the trees and well +camouflaged, but night after night the enemy airplanes kept trying to get +it. The girls used to sit in the windows and watch the airplane battles. +They would stay until an airplane got over the house and then they would +run to the cellar. They came so close one night that pieces of shell from +the anti-aircraft guns fell over the house. + +Sometimes the airplanes would come in the daytime, and the girls got into +the habit of running out into the street to watch them. But at this the +boys protested. + +"Don't do that, you will get hit!" they begged. And one day the nose of an +unexploded shell fell in the street just outside the door. After that they +were more careful. + +In this town one afternoon a whole truck-load of oranges arrived, being +three hundred crates, four hundred oranges to a crate, for the canteen, +and they were all gone by four o'clock! + +The Headquarters of the Division Commander were in a beautiful old stone +chateau of a peculiar color that seemed to be invisible to the airplanes. +There were woods all around it and the house was never shelled. It was +filled with rare old tapestries and beautiful furniture. + +The Count who owned the chateau asked the Major General to get some +furniture that belonged to him out of the village that was being shelled. +Later the Count asked the General if he ever got that furniture. The +General asked his Colonel, "What did you do with that furniture?" "Oh," +the Colonel said, "it's down there all right!" "And where is the piano?" +"Oh, I gave that to the Salvation Army." + +In this area it was one lassie's first bombardment; it came suddenly and +without warning. The soldiers in the hut decamped without ceremony for the +safety of their dugouts. One soldier who had been detailed to help the +lassie, shouted: "Come on! Follow me to your dugout!" Without further talk +he turned and started for cover. The girl had been baking. A tray full of +luscious lemon cream pies stood on the table. She did not want to leave +those pies to the tender mercies of a shell. Also she had some new boots +standing beneath the table, and she was not going to lose those. Without +stopping to think, she seized the shoes in one hand and the tray in the +other and rushed after the soldier. A little gully had to be crossed on +the way to the dugout and the only bridge was a twelve-inch plank. The +soldier crossed in safety and turned to look after the girl. Just as she +reached the middle of the plank a shell burst not far away. The lassie was +so startled that she nearly lost her balance, swaying first one way and +then the other. In an attempt to stop the tray of pies from slipping, she +almost lost the shoes, and in recovering the shoes, the pies just escaped +sliding overboard into the thick mud below. + +The soldier registered deep agitation. + +"Drop the shoes!" he shouted. "I can clean the shoes, but for heaven's +sake don't drop them pies!" And the lassie obeyed meekly. + +In the little town of Bonnet where the rest room was located in an old +barn connected with a Catholic convent, one Salvation Army Envoy and his +wife from Texas began their work. They soon became known to the soldiers +familiarly as "Pa" and "Ma." + +It was in this old barn that the tent top, later made famous at +Ansauville, was first used. Stoves were almost impossible to obtain at +that time, but "Ma" was determined that she would bake pies for the men, +so the Envoy constructed an oven out of two tin cake boxes and using a +small two-burner gasoline stove, "Ma" baked biscuits and pies that made +her name famous. Through her great motherly heart and her willingness to +serve the boys at all times, under all circumstances, she won their +confidence and love. One soldier said he would walk five miles any day to +look into "Ma's" gray eyes. + +From Bonnet they were transferred to command a hut at Ansauville, but "Ma" +could never rest so long as there was a soldier to be served in any way. +She worked early and late, and she made each individual soldier who came +to the hut her special charge as if he were her own son. She could not +sleep when they were going over the top unless she prayed with each one +before he went. + +The meetings which she and her husband held were full of life and power +and were never neglected, no matter how hard the strain might be from +other lines of service. + +It was not long before "Ma's" strength gave out and it was necessary to +move her to a quieter place. She was transferred to Houdelainecourt. She +would not go until they carried her away. + +Houdelainecourt at this time was on the main road travelled by trucks, +taking supplies by train from the railroad at Gondrecourt to the front. +Truck drivers invariably made it a point to stop at "Ma's" hut and here +they were always sure to receive a welcome and the most delicious +doughnuts and pies and hot biscuit which loving hands could make. + +Not satisfied with this service alone, she undertook to fry pancakes for +the officers' breakfast. It was through these kindly services, +ungrudgingly done, at any time of the day or night, that her name was +established as one of the most potent factors in contributing to the +comfort and welfare of the men, and there was no hole or tear of the men's +clothes that "Ma" could not mend. + +A short time after the pie contest over at Gondrecourt, "Ma" and one of +her lassie helpers set out to break the record of 316 pies as a day's +work. Their oven would hold but six pies at a time; their hut had but just +been opened and all their equipment had not yet arrived, so they were +short a rolling pin, which had to be carved from a broken wagon-shaft with +a jack-knife before they could begin; but they achieved the baking of 324 +pies between 6 A.M. and 6 P.M. that day. It is fair to state for the sake +of the doubter, however, that the pie fillers, both pumpkin and apple, +were all prepared and piping hot on the stove ready to be poured into the +pastry as it was put into the oven, which, of course, helped a good deal. + +A sign was put out announcing that pie would be served at seven o'clock, +but the lines formed long before that. + +[Illustration: "Ma"] + +[Illustration: "They had a pie-baking contest in Gondrecourt one day"--the +renowned "Aunt Mary" in the right-hand corner] + +The pies were unusually large and cut into fifths, but even at that they +were much larger pieces than are usually served at the ordinary +restaurant. + +By half-past eight some men were falling in for a second helping, but "Ma" +had been watching long a little company of men off to one side who hovered +about yet never dropped into line themselves, and made up her mind that +these were some of those who perhaps sent much of their money home and +found it a long time between pay-days. Casting her kindly eye +comprehendingly toward these men she mounted a chair and requested: + +"All of the men who have already had pie, please step out of the line; and +all of those boys who want coffee and pie but have no money, step into +line and get some, _anyhow!_" + +She gave the boys one of her beautiful motherly smiles and that made them +feel they had all got home, and they hesitated no longer. "Ma," however, +was more deeply interested in her meetings than in mere pie. The Sunday +before this contest over five hundred soldiers had attended the evening +meeting, and almost as many had been present at the morning service. Also, +there had been twenty-eight members added to her Bible class. Though the +hut was a large one it had been crowded to its utmost capacity in the +evening, with men packed into the open doorways and windows on either +side, and forty of the men who announced their determination to follow +Christ that night could not get inside to come forward. More than a dozen +gave personal testimony of what Christ had done for them. One notable +testimony was as follows: + +"I used to be a hard guy fellers," he said, "and maybe I had some good +reasons when I used to say that nothing was ever going to scare me, but +when we lay out there with a six-hour barrage busting right in front of us +and 'arrivals' busting all around us, I did a whole lot of thinking. It +seemed as though every shell had my number on it! And when we went over +and ran square into their barrage, I'll admit I was scared yellow and was +darned afraid I was going to show it! We were under a barrage for ten +hours. A shell buried me under about a foot of earth, and for the first +time I can remember, while my bunkie was digging me out, I prayed to God. +And I want to say that I believe He answered my prayer, and that is the +only reason I came out uninjured. I promised if I got out I'd call for a +new deal, and I want to say that I'm going to keep that promise!" + +A boy who had been converted in one of the meetings a few nights before +came into the hut and sought her out. He told her he was going over the +top that night, and he had something he wanted to confess before he went. +He had told a lie and he had felt terrible remorse about it ever since he +was converted. He had treated his mother badly, and gone and enlisted, +saying he was eighteen when he was only sixteen. "Now," said he with +relief after he had told the story, "that's all clear. And say, if I'm +killed, will you go through my pockets and find my Testament and send it +to mother? And will you tell my mother all about it and tell her it is all +right with me now? Tell mother I went over the top a Christian. You'll +know what to say to her to help her bear up." + +She promised and the boy went away content. That night he was killed, and, +true to her promise, she went through his pockets when he was brought +back, and found the little Testament close over his heart; and in it a +verse was marked for his mother: + +"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." + +During the early days of the Salvation Army work in France, while the work +was still under inspection as to its influence on the men, and one Colonel +had sent a Captain around to the meetings to report upon them to him, +"Ma's" was one of the meetings to which the Captain came. + +She did not know that she was under suspicion, but that night she spoke on +obedience and discipline, taking as her text: "Take heed to the law," and +urging the men to obey both moral and military laws so that they might be +better men and better soldiers. The Captain reported on her sermon and +said that he wished the regiment had a Salvation Army chaplain for every +company. + +The hospital visitation work was started by "Ma" in the Paris hospitals +while she was in that city for several months regaining her strength after +a physical break-down at the front. She was idolized by the wounded. If +she walked along any hospital passageway or through any ward, a crowd of +men were sure to call her by name. They knew her as "Ma," and frequently, +overworked nurses have called up the Paris Salvation Army Headquarters +asking if Ma could not find time to come down and sit with a dying boy who +was calling for her. She observed their birthdays with books and other +small presents, wrote to their mothers, wives and sweethearts, and +performed a multitude of invaluable, precious little services of love. For +weeks after she left Paris, returning to the front, the wounded called for +her. She is one of the outstanding figures of the Salvation Army's work +with the American Expeditionary Forces in France. She is indelibly +enshrined in the hearts of hundreds of American soldiers. + +A Salvation Army lassie bent over the bed of a wounded boy recently +arrived in the Paris hospital from the front, and gave him an orange and a +little sack of candy. + +"I know the Salvation Army," he said with a faint smile, "I knew I should +find you here." + +She asked him his division and he told her he belonged to one that had +been cooperating with the French. + +"But how can that be?" she asked in surprise, "we have never worked with +your division. How do you know about us?" + +"I only saw the Salvation Army once," he replied, "but I'll never forget +it. It was when I came back to consciousness in the Dressing Station at +Cheppy, and the first thing I saw was a Salvation Army girl bending over +me washing the blood and dirt off my face with cold water. She looked like +an angel and she was that to me. She gave me a drink of cold lemonade when +I was burning up with fever, and she lifted my head to pour it between my +lips when I had not strength to move myself. No, I shall not forget!" + +One bright young fellow with a bandaged eye turned a cheerful grin toward +the Salvation Army visitor as she said with compassion: "Son, I'm sorry +you've lost your eye." + +"Oh, that's nothing," was the gay reply, "I can see everything out of the +other eye. I've got seven holes in me, too, but believe me I'm not going +home for the loss of an eye and seven holes! I'll get out yet and get into +the fight!" + +The Salvation Army officer and his wife who were stationed at Bonvillers +visited every man in the local hospital every day, sleeping every night in +the open fields. As they are quite elderly, this was no little hardship, +especially in rainy weather. + +Five lassies stationed at Noyers St. Martin were for several weeks forced +by the nightly shelling and air-raids to take their blankets out into the +fields at night and sleep under the stars. One of these girls was called +"Sunshine" because of her smile. + +On the eve of Decoration Day a military Colonel visited her in the hut. He +seemed rather depressed, perhaps by the ceremonies of the day, and said +that he had come to be cheered up. In parting he said, "Little girl, you +had better get out of town early to-night; I feel as though something is +going to happen." Less than an hour later, while the girls were just +preparing for the night in a field half a mile distant, an aerial bomb +dropped by an aviator on the house in which he was billeted killed him and +two other Captains who were sitting with him at the time. He had been a +great friend of the Salvation Army. + +Out in a little village in Indiana there grew a fair young flower of a +girl. Her mother was a dear Christian woman and she was brought up in her +mother's church, which she loved. When she was only twelve years old she +had a remarkable and thorough old-fashioned conversion, giving herself +with all her childish heart to the Saviour. She feels that she had a kind +of vision at that time of what the Lord wanted her to be, a call to do +some special work for Christ out in the world, helping people who did not +know Him, people who were sick and poor and sorrowful. She did not tell +her vision to anyone. She did not even know that anywhere in the world +were any people doing the kind of work she felt she would like to do, and +God had called her to do. She was shy about it and kept her thoughts much +to herself. She loved her own church, and its services, but somehow that +did not quite satisfy her. + +One day when she was about fourteen years old the Salvation Army came to +the town where she lived and opened work, holding its meetings in a large +hall or armory. With her young companions she attended these meetings and +was filled with a longing to be one of these earnest Christian workers. + +Her mother, accustomed to a quiet conventional church and its way of doing +Christian work, was horrified; and in alarm sent her away to visit her +uncle, who was a Baptist minister. The daughter, dutiful and sweet, went +willingly away, although she had many a longing for these new friends of +hers who seemed to her to have found the way of working for God that had +been her own heart's desire for so long. + +Meantime her gay young brother, curious to know what had so stirred his +bright sister, went to the Salvation Army meetings to find out, and was +attracted himself. He went again and found Jesus Christ, and himself +joined the Salvation Army. The mother in this case did not object, perhaps +because she felt that a boy needed more safeguards than a girl, perhaps +because the life of publicity would not trouble her so much in connection +with her son as with her daughter. + +The daughter after several months away from home returned, only to find +her longing to join the Salvation Army stronger. But quietly and sweetly +she submitted to her mother's wish and remained at home for some years, +like her Master before her, who went down to His home in Nazareth and was +subject to His father and mother; showing by her gentle submission and her +lovely life that she really had the spirit of God in her heart and was not +merely led away by her enthusiasm for something new and strange. + +When she was twenty her mother withdrew her objections, and the daughter +became a Salvationist, her mother coming to feel thoroughly in sympathy +with her during the remaining years she lived. + +This is the story of one of the Salvation Army lassies who has been giving +herself to the work in the huts over in France. She is still young and +lovely, and there is something about her delicate features and slender +grace that makes one think of a young saint. No wonder the soldiers almost +worshipped her! No wonder these lassies were as safe over there ten miles +from any other woman or any other civilian alone among ten thousand +soldiers, as if they had been in their own homes. They breathed the spirit +of God as they worked, as well as when they sang and prayed. To such a +girl a man may open his heart and find true help and strength. + +[Illustration: A letter of inspiration from the commander] + +[Illustration: The Salvation Army boy truck driver who calmly went to +sleep in his truck in a shell hole under fire] + +It was no uncommon thing for our boys who were so afraid of anything like +religion or anything personal over here, to talk to these lassies about +their souls, to ask them what certain verses in the Bible meant, and to +kneel with them in some quiet corner behind the chocolate boxes and be +prayed with, yes, and _pray!_ It is because these girls have let the +Christ into their lives so completely that He lives and speaks through +them, and the boys cannot help but recognize it. + +Not every boy who was in a Salvation hut meeting has given himself to +Christ, of course, but every one of them recognizes this wonderful +something in these girls. Ask them. They will tell you "She is the real +thing!" They won't tell you more than that, perhaps, unless they have +really grown in the Christian life, but they mean that they have +recognized in her spirit a likeness to the spirit of Christ. + +Now and then, of course, there was a thick-headed one who took some +minutes to recognize holiness. Such would enter a hut with an oath upon +his lips, or an unclean story, and straightway all the men who were +sitting at the tables writing or standing about the room would come to +attention with one of those little noisy silences that mean, so much; +pencils would click down on the table like a challenge, and the newcomer +would look up to find the cold glances of his fellows upon him. + +The boys who frequented the huts broke the habit of swearing and telling +unclean stories, and officers began to realize that their men were better +in their work because of this holy influence that was being thrown about +them. One officer said his men worked better, and kept their engines oiled +up so they wouldn't be delayed on the road, that they might get back to +the hut early in the evening. The picture of a girl stirring chocolate +kept the light of hope going in the heart of many a homesick lad. + +One ignorant and exceedingly "fresh" youth, once walked boldly into a hut, +it is said, and jauntily addressed the lassie behind the counter as +"Dearie." The sweet blue eyes of the lassie grew suddenly cold with +aloofness, and she looked up at the newcomer without her usual smile, +saying distinctly: _"What did you say?_" + +The soldier stared, and grew red and unhappy: + +"Oh! I beg your pardon!" he said, and got himself out of the way as soon +as possible. These lassies needed no chaperon. They were young saints to +the boys they served, and they had a cordon of ten thousand faithful +soldiers drawn about them night and day. As a military Colonel said, the +Salvation Army lassie was the only woman in France who was safe +unchaperoned. + +When this lassie from Indiana came back on a short furlough after fifteen +months in France with the troops, and went to her home for a brief visit, +the Mayor gave the home town a holiday, had out the band and waited at the +depot in his own limousine for four hours that he might not miss greeting +her and doing her honor. + +Here is the poem which Pte. Joseph T. Lopes wrote about "Those Salvation +Army Folks" after the Montdidier attack: + + Somewhere in France, not far from the foe, + There's a body of workers whose name we all know; + Who not only at home give their lives to make right, + But are now here beside us, fighting our fight. + What care they for rest when our boys at the front, + Who, fighting for freedom, are bearing the brunt, + And so, just at dawn, when the caissons come home, + With the boys tired out and chilled to the bone, + The Salvation Army with its brave little crew, + Are waiting with doughnuts and hot coffee, too. + When dangers and toiling are o'er for awhile, + In their dugouts we find comfort and welcome their smile. + There's a spirit of home, so we go there each night, + And the thinking of home makes us sit down and write, + So we tell of these folks to our loved ones with pride, + And are thanking the Lord to have them on our side. + + + + +V. + +The Toul Sector Again + + + +When the German offensive was definitely checked in the Montdidier Sector, +the First Division was transferred back to the Toul Sector and the +Salvation Army moved with it. They had in the meantime maintained all the +huts which had been established originally, and with the return of the +First Division, they established additional huts between Font and Nancy. +When the St. Mihiel drive came off, they followed the advancing troops, +establishing huts in the devastated villages, keeping in as close contact +with the extreme front as was possible, serving the troops day and night, +always aiming to be at the point where the need was the greatest, and +where they could be of the greatest service. + +The first Americans to pay the supreme sacrifice in the cause of liberty +were buried in the Toul Sector. + +As it drew near to Decoration Day there came a message from over the sea +from the Commander to her faithful band of workers, saying that she was +sending American flags, one for every American soldier's grave, and that +she wanted the graves cared for and decorated; and at all the various +locations of Salvation Army workers they prepared to do her bidding. + +The day before the thirtieth of May they took time from their other duties +to clear away the mud, dead grass and fallen leaves from the graves, and +heap up the mounds where they had been washed flat by the rains, making +each one smooth, regular and tidy. At the head of each grave was a simple +wooden cross bearing the name of the soldier who lay there, his rank, his +regiment and the date of his death. Into the back of each cross they drove +a staple for a flag, and they swept and garnished the place as best they +could. + +One Salvation Army woman writing home told of the plans they had made in +Treveray for Decoration Day; how Commander Booth was sending enough +American flags to decorate every American grave in France, and how they +meant to gather flowers and put with the flags, and have a little service +of prayer over the graves. + +In the gray old French cemetery of Treveray five American boys lay buried. +The flowers upon their graves were dry and dead, for their regiments had +moved on and left them. The graves had been neglected and only the +guarding wooden crosses remained above the rough earth to show that +someone had cared and had stopped to put a mark above the places where +they lay. It was these graves the Salvation Army woman now proposed to +decorate on Memorial Day. + +The letter went to the Captain for censorship, and soon the Salvation Army +woman had a call from him. + +"I understand by one of your letters that you are thinking of decorating +the American graves," he said. "We would like to help in that, if you +don't mind. I would like the company all to be present." + +The day before Memorial Day this woman with two of the lassies from the +hut went to the cemetery and prepared for the morrow. + +In the morning they gathered great armfuls of crimson poppies from the +fields, creamy snowballs from neglected gardens, and blue bachelor buttons +from the hillsides, which they arranged in bouquets of red, white and blue +for the graves. They had no vases in which to place the flowers but they +used the apple tins in which the apples for their pies had been canned. + +The centuries-old gray cemetery nestled in a curve of the road between +wheat fields on every side. A gray, moss-covered, lichen-hung wall +surrounded it. The five American graves were under the shadow of the +Western wall, and the sun was slowly sinking in his glory as the company +of soldiers escorted the women into the cemetery. They passed between the +ponderous old gray stones, and beaded wreaths of the French graves; and +the officers and men lined up facing the five graves. The women placed the +tricolored flowers in the cans prepared for them, and planted the flags +beside them. Then the elder woman, who had sons of her own, stepped out +and saluted the military commanding officer: "Colonel" said she, "with +your permission we would like to follow our custom and offer a prayer for +the bereaved." Instantly permission was given and every head was uncovered +as the Salvationist poured out her heart in prayer to the Everlasting +Father, commending the dead into His tender Keeping, and pleading for the +sorrow-stricken friends across the sea, until the soldiers' tears fell +unchecked as they stood with rifles stiffly in front of them listening to +the quiet voice of the woman as she prayed. God seemed Himself to come +down, and the living boys standing over their five dead comrades could not +help but be enfolded in His love, and feel the sense of His presence. They +knew that they, too, might soon be sleeping even as these at their feet. +It seemed but a step to the other life. When the prayer was finished a +firing squad fired five volleys over the graves, and then the bugler +played the taps and the little service was over. The lassies lingered to +take pictures of the graves and that night they wrote letters describing +the ceremony, to be sent with the photographs to the War Department at +Washington with the request that they be forwarded to the nearest +relatives of the five men buried at Treveray. + +[Illustration: The centuries-old gray cemetery in Treveray] + +[Illustration: Colonel Barker placing the commander's flowers on +Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt's grave] + +There were exercises at Menil-la-Tour and here they had built a simple +platform in the centre of the ground and erected a flagpole at one corner. + +When the morning came two regimental bands took up their positions in +opposite corners of the cemetery and began to play. The French populace +had turned out en masse. They took up their stand just outside the little +cemetery, next to them the soldiers were lined up, then the Red Cross, +then the Y.M.C.A. Beyond, a little hill rose sloping gently to the sky +line, and over it a mile away was the German front, with the shells coming +over all the time. + +It was an impressive scene as all stood with bared heads just outside the +little enclosure where eighty-one wooden crosses marked the going of as +many brave spirits who had walked so blithely into the crisis and given +their young lives. + +Some French officers had brought a large, beautiful wreath to do honor to +the American heroes, and this was placed at the foot of the great central +flagpole. + +The bands played, and they all sang. It was announced that but for the +thoughtfulness and kindness of Commander Evangeline Booth in sending over +flags those graves would have gone undecorated that day. + +The Commanding General then came to the front and behind him walked the +Salvation Army lassies bearing the flags in their arms. + +Down the long row of graves he passed. He would take a flag from one of +the girls, slip it in the staple back of the cross, stand a moment at +salute, then pass on to the next. It was very still that May morning, +broken only by the awesome boom of battle just over the hill, but to that +sound all had grown accustomed. The people stood with that hush of sorrow +over them which only the majesty of death can bring to the hearts of a +crowd, and there were tears in many eyes and on the faces of rough +soldiers standing there to honor their comrades who had been called upon +to give their lives to the great cause of freedom. + +A little breeze was blowing and into the solemn stillness there stole a +new sound, the silken ripple of the flags as one by one they were set +fluttering from the crosses, like a soft, growing, triumphant chorus of +those to come whose lives were to be made safe because these had died. As +if the flag would waft back to the Homeland, and the stricken mothers and +fathers, sisters and sweethearts, some idea of the greatness of the cause +in which they died to comfort them in their sorrow. + +Out through each line the General passed, placing the flags and solemnly +saluting, till eighty graves had been decorated and there was only one +left; but there was no flag for the eighty-first grave! Somehow, although +they thought they had brought several more than were needed, they were one +short. But the General stood and saluted the grave as he had the others, +and later the flag was brought and put in place, so that every American +grave in the Toul Sector that day had its flag fluttering from its cross. + +Then the General and the soldiers saluted the large flag. It was an +impressive moment with the deep thunder of the guns just over the hill +reminding of more battle and more lives to be laid down. + +The General then addressed the soldiers, and facing toward the West and +pointing he said: + +"Out there in that direction is Washington and the President, and all the +people of the United States, who are looking to you to set the world free +from tyranny. Over there are the mothers who have bade you good-bye with +tears and sent you forth, and are waiting at home and praying for you, +trusting in you. Out there are the fathers and the sisters and the +sweethearts you have left behind, all depending on you to do your best for +the Right. Now," said he in a clear ringing voice, "turn and salute +America!" And they all turned and saluted toward the West, while the band +played softly "My Country 'Tis of Thee!" + +It was a wonderful, beautiful, solemn sight, every man standing and +saluting while the flags fluttered softly on the breeze. + +Behind the little French Catholic church in the village of Bonvilliers +there was quite a large field which had been turned over to the Americans +for a cemetery. The Military Major had caused an arch to be made over the +gateway inscribed with the words: "NATIONAL CEMETERY OF THE AMERICAN +EXPEDITIONARY FORCES." There were over two hundred graves inside the +cemetery. + +On Decoration Day the Regimental Band led a parade through the village +streets to the graveyard, the French women in black and little French +children, with wreaths made of wonderful beaded flowers cunningly +constructed from beads strung on fine wires, marching in the parade. +Arrived at the cemetery they all stood drawn up in line while the Military +Major gave a beautiful address, first in French and then in English. He +then told the French children and women to take their places one at each +grave, and lay down their tributes of flowers for the Americans. Following +this the Salvation Army placed flags on each on behalf of the mothers of +the boys who were lying there. + +It was noon-day. The sun was very bright and every white cross bearing the +name of the fallen glittered in the sun. Even the worst little hovel over +in France is smothered in a garden and bright with myriads of flowers, so +everything was gay with blossoms and everybody had brought as many as +could be carried. + +Over in one corner of the cemetery were two German graves, and one of the +lassies of that organization which proclaims salvation for all men went +and laid some blossoms there also. + +At La Folie one of the Salvation Army lassies going across the fields on +some errand of mercy found three American graves undecorated and bare on +Memorial Day, and turning aside from the road she gathered great armfuls +of scarlet poppies from the fields and came and laid them on the three +mounds, then knelt and prayed for the friends of the boys whose bodies +were lying there. + +The whole world was startled and saddened when the news came that +Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt had been shot down in his airplane in action +and fallen within the enemy's lines. + +He was crudely buried by the Germans where he fell, near Chambray, and a +rude cross set up to mark the place. All around were pieces of his +airplane shattered on the ground and left as they had fallen. + +When the spot fell into the hands of the Allies, the grave was cared for +by the Salvation Army; a new white cross set up beside the old one, and +gentle hands smoothed the mound and made it shapely. On Decoration Day +Colonel Barker placed upon this grave the beautiful flowers arranged for +by cable by Commander Booth. + +The girls went down to decorate the two hundred American graves at +Mandres, and even while they bent over the flaming blossoms and laid them +on the mounds an air battle was going on over their heads. Close at hand +was the American artillery being moved to the front on a little narrow- +gauge railroad that ran near to the graveyard, and the Germans were firing +and trying to get them. + +But the girls went steadily on with their work, scattering flowers and +setting flags until their service of love was over. Then they stood aside +for the prayer and a song. One of the Salvation Army Captains with a fine +voice began to sing: + + My loved ones in the Homeland + Are waiting me to come, + Where neither death nor sorrow + Invades their holy home; + O dear, dear native country! + O rest and peace above! + Christ, bring us all to the Homeland + Of Thy redeeming love. + +Into the midst of the song came the engine on the little narrow track +straight toward where he stood, and he had to step aside onto a pile of +dirt to finish his song. + +That same Captain went on ahead to the Home Land not long after when the +epidemic of influenza swept over the world; and he was given the honor of +a military funeral. + + + + +VI. + +The Baccarat Sector + + + +Baccarat was the Zone Headquarters for that Sector. + +Down the Main street there hung a sign on an old house labeled "MODERN +BAR." + +Inside everything was all torn up. It had never been opened since the +battles of 1914. The Germans had lived there and everything was in an +awful condition. One wonders how they endured themselves. The Military +detailed two men for two days to spade up and carry away the filth from +the bedrooms, and it took two women an entire week all but one day, +scrubbing all day long until their shoulders ached, to scrub the place +clean. But they got it clean. They were the kind of women that did not +give up even when a thing seemed an impossibility. This was the sort of +thing they were up against continually. They could have no meetings that +week because they had to scrub and make the place fit for a Salvation Army +hut. + +Two of the lassies were awakened early one bright morning by the sound of +an axe ringing rhythmically on wood, just back of their canteen. It was a +cheerful sound to wake to, for the girls had been through a long wearing +day and night, and they knew when they went to sleep that the wood was +almost gone. It was always so pleasant to have someone offer to cut it for +them, for they never liked to have to ask help of the soldiers if they +could possibly avoid it. But there was so much else to be done besides +cutting wood. Not that they could not do that, too, when the need offered. +The sisters looked sleepily at one another, thinking simultaneously of the +poor homesick doughboy who had told them the day before that chopping wood +for them made him think of home and mother and that was why he liked to do +it. Of course, it was he hard at work for them before they were up, and +they smiled contentedly, with a lifted prayer for the poor fellow. They +knew he had received no mail for four months and that only a few days +before he had read in a paper sent to one of his pals of the death of his +sister. Of course, his heart was breaking, for he knew what his widowed +mother was suffering. They knew that his salvation from homesickness just +now lay in giving him something to do, so they lingered a little just to +give him the chance, and planned how they would let him help with the +doughnuts, and fix the benches, later, when the wood was cut. + +In a few minutes the girls were ready for the day's work and went around +to the kitchen, where the sound of the ringing axe was still heard in +steady strokes. But when they rounded the corner of the kitchen and +greeted the wood-chopper cheerily, he looked up, and lo! it was not the +homesick doughboy as they had supposed, but the Colonel of the regiment +himself who smiled half apologetically at them, saying he liked his new +job; and when they invited him to breakfast he accepted the invitation +with alacrity. + +After breakfast the girls went to work making pies. There had been no oven +in the little French town in which they were stationed, and so baking had +been impossible, but the boys kept talking and talking about pies until +one day a Lieutenant found an old French stove in some ruins. They had to +half bury it in the earth to make it strong enough for use, but managed to +make it work at last, and though much hampered by the limitations of the +small oven, they baked enough to give all the boys a taste of pie once a +week or so. Pie day was so welcomed that it almost made a riot, so many +boys wanted a slice. + +They were having a meeting one night at Baccarat. There was a great deal +of noise going on outside the dugout. The shells were falling around +rather indiscriminately, but it takes more than shell fire to stop a +Salvation Army meeting at the front. There is only one thing that will +stop it, and that is a sudden troop movement. It is the same way with +baseball, for the week before this meeting two regimental baseball teams +played seven innings of air-tight ball while the shells were falling not +three hundred yards away at the roadside edge of their ball-ground. During +the seven innings only eight hits were allowed by the two pitchers. The +score was close and when at the end of the seventh a shell exploded within +fifty yards of the diamond and an officer shouted: "Game called on account +of shell fire!" there was considerable dissatisfaction expressed because +the game was not allowed to continue. It is with the same spirit that the +men attend their religious meetings. They come because they want-to and +they won't let anything interfere with it. + +But on this particular night the meeting was in full force, and so were +the shells. It had been a meeting in which the men had taken part, led by +one of the women whose leadership was unquestioned among them, a personal +testimony meeting in which several soldiers and an officer had spoken of +what Christ had done for them. Then there was a solo by one of the +lassies, and the Adjutant opened his Bible and began to read. He took as +his text Isaiah 55:1. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the +waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat." + +Those boys knew what it was to be thirsty, terrible thirst! They had come +back from the lines sometimes their tongues parched and their whole bodies +feverish with thirst and there was nothing to be had to drink until the +Salvation Army people had appeared with good cold lemonade; and when they +had no money they had given it to them just the same. Oh, they knew what +that verse meant and their attention was held at once as the speaker went +on to show plainly how Jesus Christ would give the water of life just as +freely to those who were thirsty for it. And they were thirsty! They did +not wish to conceal how thirsty they were for the living water. + +Just in the midst of the talk the lights went out. Many a church under +like conditions would have had a panic in no time, but this crowded +audience sat perfectly quiet, listening as the speaker went on, quoting +his Bible from memory where he could not read. + +Over there in the corner on a bench sat the lassies, the women who had +been serving them all through the hard days, as quiet and calm in the +darkness as though they sat in a cushioned pew in some well-lit church in +New York. It was as if the guns were like annoying little insects that +were outside a screen, and now and then slipped in, so little attention +did the audience pay to them. When all those who wished to accept this +wonderful invitation were asked to come forward, seven men arose and +stumbled through the darkness. The light from a bursting shell revealed +for an instant the forms of these men as they knelt at the rough bench in +front, one of them with his steel helmet hanging from his arm as he prayed +aloud for his own salvation. No one who was in that meeting that night +could doubt but that Jesus Christ Himself was there, and that those men +all felt His presence. + +In Bertrichamps the Salvation Army was given a large glass factory for a +canteen. It made a beautiful place, and there was room to take care of +eight hundred men at a time. This building was also used by the Y. M. C. +A. as well as the Jews and the Catholics for their services, there being +no other suitable place in town. But everybody worked together, and got +along harmoniously. + +Here there were some wonderful meetings, and it was great to hear the boys +singing "When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder, I'll Be There." Perhaps if +some of the half-hearted Christians at home could have caught the echo of +that song sung with such earnestness by those boyish voices they would +have had a revelation. It seemed as if the earth-film were more than half +torn away from their young, wise eyes over there; and they found that +earthly standards and earthly false-whisperings did not fit. They felt the +spirit of the hour, they felt the spirit of the place, and of the people +who were serving them patiently day by day; who didn't have to stay there +and work; who might have kept in back of the lines and worked and sent +things up now and then; but who chose to stay close with them and share +their hardships. They felt that something more than just love to their +fellow-men had instigated such unselfishness. They knew it was something +they needed to help them through what was before them. They reached +hungrily after the Christ and they found Him. + +Then they testified in the meetings. Often as many as twelve or more +before an audience of five hundred would get up and tell what Jesus had +become to them. In one meeting in this glass factory two hundred soldiers +pledged to serve the Lord, to read their Bibles, and to pray. + +There were in this place some Christian boys who came from families where +they had been accustomed to family worship, and who now that they were far +away from it, looked back with longing to the days when it had been a part +of every day. Things look different over there with the sound of battle +close at hand, and customs that had been, a part of every-day life at home +became very dear, perhaps dearer than they had ever seemed before. They +found out that the Salvation Army people had prayers every night after +they closed the canteen at half-past nine and went to their rooms in a +house not far away, and so they begged that they might share the worship +with them. So every night they took home fifteen or twenty men to the +living-room of the house where they stayed just as many as they could +crowd in, and there they would have a little Bible reading and prayer +together. The Father only knows how many souls were strengthened and how +many feet kept from falling because of those brief moments of worship with +these faithful men and women of God. + +"Oh, if you only knew what it means to us!" one of the men tried to tell +them one day. + +Sometimes men who said they hadn't prayed nor read their Bibles for years +would be found in little groups openly reading a testament to each other. + + When the girls opened their shutters in the morning they could look out +over the spot in No Man's Land which was the scene of such frightful +German atrocities in 1914. + +Our field artillery, stationed in the woods, sent over to the Salvation +Army to know if they wouldn't come over and cook something for them, they +were starving for some home cooking. So two of the women put on their +steel helmets and their gas masks, for the Boche planes were flying +everywhere, and went over across No Man's Land to see if there was a place +where they could open up a hut. They were walking along quietly, talking, +and had not noticed the German plane that approached. They were so +accustomed to seeing them by twos and threes that a single one did not +attract their attention. Suddenly almost over their heads the Boche +dropped a shell, trying to get them. But it was a dud and did not explode. +Two American soldiers came tearing over, crying: "Girls! Are you hurt?" + +"Oh, no," said one of them brightly. "The Lord wouldn't let that fellow +get us." + +The soldiers used strong language as they looked after the fast-vanishing +plane, but then they glanced back at the women again with something +unspoken in their eyes. They believed, those boys, they really did, that +God protected those women; and they used to beg them to remain with their +regiment when they were going near the front, because they wanted their +prayers as a protection. Some of the regiments openly said they thought +those girls' prayers had saved their lives. + +That Boche plane, however, had not far to go. Before it reached Baccarat +the Americans trained their guns on it and brought it down in flames. + +The house occupied by the Salvation Army girls as a billet had a sad story +connected with it. When the Germans had come the father was soon killed +and four German officers had taken possession of the place for their +Headquarters. They also took possession of the two little girls of the +family, nine and fourteen years of age, to wait upon them. And the first +command that was given these children was that they should wait upon the +men nude! The youngest child was not old enough to understand what this +meant, but the older one was in terror, and they begged and cried and +pleaded but all to no purpose. The officer was inexorable. He told them +that if they did not obey they would be shot. + +The poor old grandfather and grandmother, too feeble to do anything, and +powerless, of course, to aid, could only endure in agony. The grandmother, +telling the Salvation Army women the story afterward, pointed with +trembling lingers and streaming eyes to the two little graves in the yard +and said: "Oh, it would have been so much better if he had shot them! They +lie out there as the result of their infamous and inhuman treatment." + + Some most amusing incidents came to the knowledge of the Salvation Army +workers. + +An old French woman, over eighty years of age, lived in one of the +stricken villages on the Vosges front. Her home had been several times +struck by shells and was frequently the target for enemy bombing +squadrons. All through the war she refused to leave the home in which she +had lived from earliest childhood. + +"It is not the guns, nor the bombs which can frighten me," she told a +Salvation Army lassie who was billeted with her for a time, "but I am very +much afraid of the submarines." + +The village was several hundred miles inland. + +The activity was all at night, for no one dared be seen about in the +daytime. It must be a very urgent duty that would call men forth into full +view of the enemy. But as soon, as the dark came on the men would crawl +into the trenches, stick their rifles between the sandbags and get ready +for work. + +It seemed to be always raining. They said that when it wasn't actually +raining it was either clearing off or just getting ready to rain again. +Twenty minutes in the trenches and a man was all over mud, wet, cold, +slippery mud. In his hair, down his neck, in his boots, everywhere. + +Through the trenches just behind the standing place ran a deeper trench or +drain to carry the water away, and this was covered over with a rough +board called a duck-board. Underneath this duck-board ran a continual +stream of water. A man would go along the trench in a hurry, make a +misstep on one end of the duck-board and down he would go in mud and +freezing water to the waist. In these cold, wet garments he must stay all +night. The tension was very great. + +As the soldiers had to work in the night, so the Salvation Army men and +women worked in the night to serve them. + +The Salvation Army men would visit the sentries and bring them coffee and +doughnuts prepared in the dugouts by the girls. It was exceedingly +dangerous work. They would crawl through the connecting trenches, which +were not more than three feet deep, and one must stoop to be safe, and get +to the front-line trenches with their cans of coffee. They would touch a +fellow on the shoulder, fill his mug with coffee, and slip him some +doughnuts. At such times the things were always given, not sold. They did +not dare even to whisper, for the enemy listening posts were close at hand +and the slightest breath might give away their position. The sermon would +be a pat of encouragement on a man's shoulder, then pass on to the next. + +One morning at three o'clock a Salvationist carried a second supply of hot +coffee to the battery positions. One gunner with tense, strained face eyed +his full coffee mug with satisfaction and said with a sigh: "Good! That is +all I wanted. I can keep going until morning now!" + +When the men were lined up for a raid there would be a prayer-meeting in +the dugout, thirty inside and as many as could crowded around the door. +Just a prayer and singing. Then the boys would go to the girls and leave +their little trinkets or letters, and say: "I'm going over the top, +Sister. If I don't come back--if I'm kicked off--you tell mother. You will +know what to say to her to help her bear up." + +Three-quarters of an hour later what was left of them would return and the +girls would be ready with hot coffee and doughnuts. It was heart-breaking, +back-aching, wonderful work, work fit for angels to do, and these girls +did it with all their souls. + +"Aren't you tired? Aren't you afraid?" asked someone of a lassie who had +been working hard for forty consecutive hours, aiding the doctors in +caring for the wounded, and in a lull had found time to mix up and fry a +batch of doughnuts in a corner from which the roof had been completely +blown by shells. + +"Oh, no! It's great!" she replied eagerly. "I'm the luckiest girl in the +world." + +By this time the Salvation Army had acquired many great three-ton trucks, +and the drivers of those risked their lives daily to carry supplies to the +dugouts and huts that were taking care of the men at the front. + +There were signs all over everywhere: "ATTENTION! THE ENEMY SEES YOU!" +Trucks were not allowed to go in daytime except in case of great +emergency. Sometimes in urgent cases day-passes would be given with the +order: "If you have to go, go like the devil!" + +The enemy always had the range on the road where the trucks had to pass, +and especially in exposed places and on cross-roads a man had no chance if +he paused. Once he had been sighted by the enemy he was done for. A man +driving on a hasty errand once dropped his crank, and stopped his truck, +to pick it up. Even as he stooped to take it a shell struck his truck and +smashed it to bits. + +Most of the travelling had to be done at night. Silently, without a light +over roads as dark as pitch, where the only possible guide was the faint +line above where the trees parted and showed the sky; over rough, muddy +roads, filled with shell-holes, the trucks went nightly. Just fall in +line, keep to the right, and whistle softly when something got in the way. +No claxon horns could be used, for that was the gas alarm. A man could not +even wear a radiolight watch on his wrist or a driver smoke a cigarette. + +One very dark night a truck came through with a man sitting away out on +the radiator watching the road and telling the driver where to go. The +only light would be from shells exploding or occasional signal lights for +a moment. + +To get supplies from where they were to where they were needed was an +urgent necessity which often arose with but momentary warning--frequently +with no warning at all. The American front was a matter not of miles, but +of hundreds of miles, and the call for supplies might come from any point +along that front. Sometimes the call meant the immediate shipment of tons +of blankets, oranges, lemons, sugar, flour for doughnuts, lard, chocolate +and other materials, to a point 200 miles distant. At times a railroad may +supply a part of the route, but always there is a long, dangerous truck +haul, and usually the entire route must be covered by truck. + +During the winter there were many thrills added to the already strenuous +task of the Salvation Army truck drivers. One of them driving late at +night in a snowstorm, mistook a river for the road for which he was +searching, and turned from the real road to the snow-covered surface of +the river, which he followed for some little distance before discovering +his mistake. Fortunately, the ice was solid and the truck unloaded-an +unusual combination. + +Another missed the road and drove into a field, where his wheels bogged +down. His fellow-traveller, driving a Ford, went for help, leaving him +with his truck, for if it had been left unguarded it would have soon been +stripped of every movable part by passing truck drivers. Here he remained +for almost forty-eight hours, during which time there was considerable +shelling. + +A Catholic Chaplain told the Salvation Army Staff-Captain that he thought +the reason the Salvation Army was so popular with his men was because the +Salvation Army kept its promises to the men. + +When the Salvation Army officer went to open work in the town of Baccarat +it was so crowded that he was unable to secure accommodations. He was +having dinner in the cafe, but could get no bread because he had no bread +tickets, The local K. of C. man, observing his difficulty, supplied +tickets, and, finding that he had no place to sleep, offered to share his +own meagre accommodations. For several nights he shared his bed with him +and the Salvation Army officer was greatly assisted by him in many ways. +The Salvation Army is popular not alone among the soldiers. + +While the offensive was on in Argonne and north of Verdun, those who were +in the huts in the old training area, which were then used as rest +buildings, decided to do something for the boys, and on one occasion they +fried fourteen thousand doughnuts and took them to the boys at the front. +They traveled in the trucks, and distributed the doughnuts to the boys as +they came from the trenches and sent others into the trenches. + +By the time they were through, the day was far spent and it was necessary +for them to find some place to stay over night. Verdun was the only large +city anywhere near but it had either been largely destroyed or the civil +population had long since abandoned it and there was no place available. + +Underneath the trenches, however, there had been constructed in ancient +times, underground passages. There are fifty miles of these underground +galleries honeycombed beneath the city, sufficiently large to shelter the +entire population. There are cross sections of galleries, between the +longer passage ways, and winding stairways here and there. Air is supplied +by a system of pumps. There are theatres and a church, also. The Army +protecting Verdun had occupied these underground passages. + +When the officer commanding the French troops learned that the Salvation +Army girls were obliged to stay over night, he arranged for their +accommodation in the underground passage and here they rested in perfect +security with such comforts as cots and blankets could insure. + +It was said that they were the only women ever permitted to remain in +these underground passages. + + + + +VII. + +The Chateau-Thierry-Soissons Drive + + + +When the trouble at Seicheprey broke out the Germans began shelling +Beaumont and Mandres, and things took on a very serious look for the +Salvation Army. Then the Military Colonel gave an order for the girls to +leave Ansauville, and loading them up on a truck he sent them to Menil-la- +Tour. They never allowed girls again in that town until after the St. +Mihiel drive. + +That was a wild ride in the night for those girls sitting in an army +truck, jolted over shell holes with the roar of battle all about them; the +blackness of night on every side, shells bursting often near them, yet +they were as calm as if nothing were the matter; finally the car got stuck +under range of the enemy's fire, but they never flinched and they sat +quietly in the car in a most dangerous position for twenty minutes while +the Colonel and the Captain were out locating a dugout. Plucky little +girls! + +The Salvation Army Staff-Captain of that zone went back in the morning to +Ansauville to get the girls' personal belongings, and when he entered the +canteen he stood still and looked about him with horror and thankfulness +as he realized the narrow escape those girls had had. The windows and roof +were full of shell holes. Shrapnel had penetrated everywhere. He went +about to examine and took pieces of shrapnel out of the flour and sugar +and coffee which had gone straight through the tin containers. The vanilla +bottles were broken and there was shrapnel in the vanilla, shrapnel was +embedded in the wooden tops of the tables, and in the walls. + +He went to the billet where two of the girls had slept. Opposite their bed +on the other side of the room was a window and over the bed was a large +picture. A shell had passed through the window and smashed the picture, +shattering the glass in fragments all over the bed. Another shell had +entered the window, passed over the pillows of the bed and gone out +through the wall by the bed. It would have gone through the temples of any +sleeper in that bed. After this they kept men in Ansauville instead of +girls. + +The next day the girls opened up the canteen at Menilla-Tour as calmly as +if nothing had happened the day before. + +The boys were going down to Nevillers to rest, and while they rested the +girls cooked good things for them and used that sweet God-given influence +that makes a little piece of home and heaven wherever it is found. + +The girls did not get much rest, but then they had not come to France to +rest, as they often told people who were always urging them to save +themselves. They did get one bit of luxury in the shape of passes down to +Beauvais. There it was possible to get a bath and the girls had not been +able to have that from the first of April to the first of July. They had +to stand in line with the officers, it is true, to take their turn at the +public bath houses, but it was a real delight to have plenty of water for +once, for their appointments at the front had been most restricted and +water a scarce commodity. Sometimes it had been difficult to get enough +water for the cooking and the girls had been obliged to use cold cream to +wash their faces for several days at a time. Of course, it was an +impossibility for them to do any laundry work for themselves, as there was +neither time nor place nor facilities. Their laundry was always carried by +courier to some near-by city and brought back to them in a few days. + +The Zone Major had supper with the Colonel, who told him that none of the +organizations would be allowed on the drive. The Zone Major asked if they +might be allowed to go as far as Crepy. The Colonel much excited said: +"Man, don't you know that town is being shelled every night?" The next +morning a party of sixteen Salvation Army men and women started out in the +truck for Crepy. It was a beautiful day and they rode all day long. At +nightfall they reached the village of Crepy where they were welcomed +eagerly. The Zone Major had to leave and go back and wanted them all to +stay there, but they were unwilling to do so because their own outfit was +going over the top that night and they wanted to be with them before they +left. They started from Crepy about five o'clock and got lost in the +woods, but finally, after wandering about for some hours, landed in Roy +St. Nicholas where was the outfit to which one of the girls belonged. + +The Salvation Army boys had just pulled in with another truck and were +getting ready for the night, for they always slept in their trucks. The +girls decided to sit down in the road until the billeting officer arrived, +but time passed and no billeting officer came. They were growing very +weary, so they got into the Colonel's car, which stood at the roadside, +and went to sleep. A little later the billeting officer appeared with many +apologies and offered to take them to the billet that had been set aside +for them. They took their rolls of blankets, and climbed sleepily out of +the car, following him two blocks down the street to an old building. But +when they reached there they found that some French officers had taken +possession and were fast asleep, so they went back to the car and slept +till morning. At daylight they went down to a brook to wash but found that +the soldiers were there ahead of them, and they had to go back and be +content with freshening up with cold cream. Thus did these lassies, +accustomed to daintiness in their daily lives, accommodate themselves to +the necessities of war, as easily and cheerfully as the soldier boys +themselves. + +That day the rest of the outfits arrived, and they all pulled into Morte +Fontaine. + +Morte Fontaine was well named because there was no water in the town fit +to use. + +The girls felt they were needed nearer the front, so they went to Major +Peabody and asked permission. + +"I should say not!" he replied vigorously with yet a twinkle of admiration +for the brave lassies. "But you can take anything you want in this town." + +So the girls went out and found an old building. It was very dirty but +they went cheerfully to work, cleaned it up, and started their canteen. + +There was a hospital in the town; they knew that by the many ambulances +that were continually going back and forth; so they offered their services +to the doctors, which were eagerly accepted. After that they took turns +staying in the canteen and going to the hospital. + +The hospital was fearfully crowded, though it was in no measure the fault +of the hospital authorities, for they were doing their best, working with +all their might; but it had not been expected that there would be so many +wounded at this point and they had not adequate accommodations. Many of +the wounded boys were lying on the ground in the sun, covered with blood +and flies, and parched with thirst and fever. There were not enough +ambulances to carry them further back to the base hospitals. + +The girls stretched pieces of canvas over the heads of the poor boys to +keep off the sun; they got water and washed away the blood; and they sent +one of their indefatigable truck drivers after some water to make +lemonade. The little Adjutant twinkled his nice brown eyes and set his +firm merry lips when they told him to get the water, in that place of no +water, but he took his little Ford car and whirled away without a word, +and presently he returned with a barrel of ice-cold water from a spring he +had found two miles away. How the girls rejoiced that it was ice cold! And +then they started making lemonade. They had known that the Adjutant would +find water somewhere. He was the man the doughboys called "one game little +guy," because he was so fearless in going into No Man's Land after the +wounded, so indefatigable in accomplishing his purpose against all odds, +so forgetful of self. + +They had but one crate of lemons, one crate of oranges and one bag of +sugar when they began making lemonade, but before they needed more it +arrived just on the minute. It was almost like a miracle. For a whole car +load of oranges and lemons had been shipped to Beauvais and arrived a day +too late--after the troops had gone. They were of no use there, so the +Zone Major had them shipped at once to the railhead at Crepy, and got a +special permit to go over with trucks and take them up to Morte Fontaine. + +The Salvation Army never does things by halves. Colonel Barker sent to +Paris to get some mosquito netting to keep the flies off those soldiers, +and failing to find any in the whole city he bought $10,000 worth of white +net, such as is used for ladies' collars and dresses--ten thousand yards +at a dollar a yard--and sent it down to the hospital where it was used +over the wounded men, sometimes over a wounded arm or leg or head, +sometimes over a whole man, sometimes stretched as netting in the windows. +And no ten thousand dollars was ever better spent, for the flies +occasioned indescribable suffering as well as the peril of infection. + +Wonderful relief and comfort all these things brought to those poor boys +lying there in agony and fever. How delicious were the cooling drinks to +their parched lips! The doctors afterward said that it was the cool drinks +those girls gave to the men that saved many a life that day. + +There were some poor fellows hurt in the abdomen who were not allowed to +drink even a drop and who begged for it so piteously. For these the girls +did all in their power. They bathed their faces and hands and dipping +gauze in lemonade they moistened their lips with it. + +The other day, after the war was over and a ship came sailing into New +York harbor, one of these same fellows standing on the deck looked down at +the wharf and saw one of these same girls standing there to welcome him. +As soon as he was free to leave the ship he rushed down to find her, and +gripping her hand eagerly he cried out so all around could hear: "You +saved my life that day. Oh, but I'm glad to see you! The doctor said it +was that cold lemonade you gave me that kept me from dying of fever!" + +In one base hospital lay a boy wounded at Chateau-Thierry. Of course, when +wounded, he lost all his possessions, including a Testament which he very +much treasured. The Salvation Army supplied him with another, but it did +not comfort him as the old one had done. He said that it could never be +the same as the one he had carried for so long. He worried so much about +his Testament, that one of the lassies finally attempted to recover it, +and, after much trouble, succeeded through the Bureau of Effects. The +little book, which the soldier had always carried with him, was blood- +soaked and mud-stained; but it was an unmistakable aid in the lad's +recovery. + +But the honor of those days in Morte Fontaine was not all due to the +Salvation Army lassies. The Salvation Army truck drivers were real heroes. +They came with their ambulances and their trucks and they carried the poor +wounded fellows back to the base hospitals. The hospitals were full +everywhere near there, and sometimes they would go from one to another and +have to drive miles, and even go from one town to another to find a place +where there was room to receive the men they carried. Then back they would +come for another load. They worked thus for three days and five nights +steadily, before they slept, and some of them stripped to the waist and +bared their breasts to the sharp night wind so that the cold air would +keep them awake to the task of driving their cars through the black night +with its precious load of human lives. They had no opportunity for rest of +any kind, no chance to shave or wash or sleep, and they were a haggard and +worn looking set of men when it was over. + +While all this was going on the Zone Major kept out of sight of the +Colonel who had told him he couldn't go out on that drive; but two days +later he saw his familiar car coming down the road and the Colonel seemed +greatly agitated. He was shaking his fist in front of him. + +The Zone Major pondered whether he would not better drive right on without +stopping to talk, but he reflected that he would have to take his +punishment some time and he might as well get it over with, so when the +Colonel's car drew near he stopped. The Colonel got out and the Zone Major +got out, and it was apparent that the Colonel was very angry. He forgot +entirely that the Zone Major was a Salvationist and he swore roundly: "I'm +out with you for life" declared the Colonel angrily. "The General's upset +and I'm upset." + +"Why, what's the matter, Colonel?" asked the Zone Major innocently. + +"Matter enough! You had no business to bring those girls up here!" + +The Colonel said more to the same effect, and then got into his car and +drove off. The Zone Major wisely kept out of his way; but a few days later +met him again and this time the Colonel was smiling: + +"Dog-gone you, Major, where've you been keeping yourself? Why haven't you +been around?" and he put out his hand affably. + +"Why, I didn't want to see a man who bawled me out in the public highway +that way," said the Zone Major. + +"Well, Major, you had no business to bring those girls up here and you +know it!" said the Colonel rousing to the old subject again. + +"Why not, Colonel, didn't they do fine?" + +"Yes, they did," said the Colonel with tears springing suddenly into his +eyes and a huskiness into his voice, "but, Major, think what if we'd lost +one of them!" + +"Colonel," said the Zone Major gently, "my girls are soldiers. They come +up here to share the dangers with the soldiers, and as long as they can be +of service they feel this is the place for them." + +The Colonel struggled with his emotion for a moment and then said gruffly: +"Had anything to eat? Stop and take a bite with me." And they sat down +under the trees and had supper together. + +It was at this town that the girls slept in a German-dug cave, in which +our boys had captured seven hundred Germans, the commanding officer of +whom said that according to his rank in Germany he ought to have a car to +take him to the rear. However, he was compelled to leg it at the point of +an American bayonet in the hands of an American doughboy. The cave was of +chalk rock made to store casks of wine. + +The airplanes were bad in this place. One speaks of airplanes in such a +connection in the same way one used to mention mosquitoes at certain +Jersey seashore resorts. But they were particularly bad at Morte Fontaine, +and Major Peabody ordered the canteen to be moved out of the village to +the cave. More Salvation Army girls came to look after the canteen leaving +the first girls free for longer hours at the hospital. + +One beautiful moonlight night the girls had just started out from the +hospital to go to their cave when they heard a German airplane, the +irregular chug, chug of its engine distinguishing it unmistakably from the +smooth whirr of the Allies' planes. The girls looked up and almost over +their heads was an enemy plane, so low that they could see the insignia on +his machine, and see the man in the car. He seemed to be looking down at +them. In sudden panic they fled to a nearby tree and hid close under its +branches. Standing there they saw the enemy make a low dip over the +hospital tents, drop a bomb in the kitchen end just where they had been +working five minutes before, and slide up again through the silvery air, +curve away and dive down once more. + +The scene was bright as day for the moon was full and very clear that +night, and the roads stretched out in every direction like white ribbons. +One block away the girls could see a regiment of Scotch soldiers, the +famous Highland Regiment called "The Ladies From Hell," marching up to the +front that night, and singing bravely as they marched, their skirling +Scotch songs accompanied by a bagpipe. And even as they listened with +bated breath and straining eyes the airplane dipped and dropped another +bomb right into the midst of the brave men, killing thirty of them, and +slid up and away before it could be stopped. These were the scenes to +which they grew daily accustomed as they plied their angel mission, and +daily saw themselves preserved as by a miracle from constant peril. + +We had about eight or ten German prisoners here, who were employed as +litter bearers, and very good workers they were, tickled to death to be +there instead of over on their own side fighting. Most of the prisoners, +except some of the German officers, seemed glad to be taken. + +These German prisoners were sitting in a row on the ground outside the +hospital one day when the Salvation Army girls and men were picking over a +crate of oranges. The Germans sat watching them with longing eyes. + +"Let's give them each one," proposed one of the girls. + +"No! Give them a punch in the nose!" said the boys. + +The girls said nothing more and went on working. Presently they stepped +away for a few minutes and when they came back the Germans sat there +contentedly eating oranges. Questioningly the girls looked at their male +coworkers and with lifted brows asked: "What does this mean?" + +"Aw, well! The poor sneaks looked so longingly!" said one of the boys, +grinning sheepishly. + +There in the hospital the girls came into contact with the splendid spirit +of the American soldier boys, "Don't help me, help that fellow over there +who is suffering!" was heard over and over again when they went to bring +comfort to some wounded boy. + +When the supplies in the canteen would run out, and the last doughnut +would be handed with the words: "That's the last," the boy to whom it was +given would say: "Don't give it to me, give it to Harry. I don't want it." + +It was during that drive and there was a farewell meeting at one of the +Salvation Army huts that night for the boys who were going up to the +trenches. It was a beautiful and touching meeting as always on such +occasions. Starting with singing whatever the boys picked out, it dropped +quickly into the old hymns that the boys loved and then to a simple +earnest prayer, setting forth the desperate case of those who were going +out to fight, and appealing to the everlasting Saviour for forgiveness and +refuge. They lingered long about the fair young girl who was leading them, +listening to her earnest, plain words of instruction how to turn to the +Saviour of the world in their need, how to repent of their sins and take +Christ for their Saviour and Sanctifier. No man who was in that meeting +would dare plead ignorance of the way to be saved. Many signified their +desire to give their lives into the keeping of Christ before they went to +the front. The meeting broke up reluctantly and the men drifted out and +away, expecting soon to be called to go. But something happened that they +did not go that night. Meantime, a company had just returned from the +front, weary, hungry, worn and bleeding, with their nerves unstrung, and +their spirits desperate from the tumult and horror of the hours they had +just passed in battle. They needed cheering and soothing back to normal. +The girls were preparing to do this with a bright, cheery entertainment, +when a deputation of boys from the night before returned. There was a +wistful gleam in the eyes of the young Jew who was spokesman for the group +as he approached the lassie who had led the meeting. + +"Say, Cap, you see we didn't go up." + +"I see," she smiled happily. + +"Say, Cap, won't you have another farewell meeting to-night?" he asked +with an appealing glance in his dark eyes. + +"Son, we've arranged something else just now for the fellows who are +coming back," she said gently, for she hated to refuse such a request. + +"Oh, say, Cap, you can have that later, can't you? We want another meeting +now." + +There was something so pleading in his voice and eyes, so hungry in the +look of the waiting group, that the young Captain could not deny him. She +looked at him hesitatingly, and then said: + +"All right. Go out and tell the boys." + +He hurried out and soon the company came crowding in. That hour the very +Lord came down and communed with them as they sang and knelt to pray, and +not a heart but was melted and tender as they went out when it was over in +the solemn darkness of the early morning. A little later the order came +and they "went over." + +It was a sharp, fierce fight, and the young Jew was mortally wounded. Some +comrades found him as he lay white and helpless on the ground, and bending +over saw that he had not long to stay. They tried to lift him and bear him +back, but he would not let them. He knew it was useless. + +They asked him if he had any message. He nodded. Yes, he wanted to send a +message to the Salvation Army girls. It was this: + +"Tell the girls I've gone West; for I will be by the time you tell them; +and tell them it's all right for at that second meeting I accepted Christ +and I die resting on the same Saviour that is theirs." + +One of our wonderful boys out on the drive had his hand blown off and +didn't realize it. His chum tried to drag him back and told him his hand +was gone. + +"That's nothing!" he cried. "Tie it up!" + +But they forced him back lest he would bleed to death. In the hospital +they told him that now he might go home. + +"Go home!" he cried. "Go home for the loss of a left hand! I'm not left- +handed. Maybe I can't carry a gun, but I can throw hand grenades!" + +He went to the Major and the Major said also that he must go home. + +The boy looked him straight in the eye: + +"Excuse me, Major, saying I won't. But _I won't let go your coat_ +till you say I can stay," and finally the Major had to give in and let him +stay. He could not resist such pleading. + +One poor fellow, wounded in his abdomen, was lying on a litter in a most +uncomfortable position suffering awful pain. The lassie came near and +asked if she could do anything for him. He told her he wanted to lie on +his stomach, but the doctor, when she asked him, said "No" very shortly +and told her he must lie on his back. She stooped and turned him so that +his position was more comfortable, put his gas mask under his head, rolled +his blanket so as to support his shoulders better, and turned to go to +another, and the poor suffering lad opened his eyes, held out his hand and +smiled as she went away. + +The doctors said to the girls: "It is wonderful to have you around." + +The Red Cross men and their rolling kitchens came to the front, but no +women. Somehow in pain and sickness no hand can sooth like a woman's. +Perhaps God meant it to be so. Here at Morte Fontaine was the first time a +woman had ever worked in a field hospital. + +The Salvation Army women worked all that drive. + +It was a sad time, though, for the division went in to stay until they +lost forty-five hundred men, but it stayed two days after reaching that +figure and lost about seventy-five thousand. + +The doctor in charge of the evacuation hospital at Crepy spoke of the +effect of the Salvation Army girls, not alone upon the wounded, but also +upon the medical-surgical staff and the men of the hospital corps who +acted as nurses in that advanced position. "Before they came," he said, +"we were overwrought, everyone seemed at the breaking point, what with the +nervous tension and danger. But the very sight of women working calmly had +a soothing effect on everyone." + +When the drive was over orders came to leave. The following is the +official notice to the Salvation Army officers: + + +G-1 Headquarters, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, July 26, +1918. + +_Memorandum._ + +To Directors, Y.M.C.A., Red Cross, Salvation Army Services, 1st Division. + +1. This division moves by rail to destination unknown beginning at 6.00 +A.M., July 28th. Motor organizations of the Division move overland. Your +motorized units will accompany the advanced section of the Division Supply +Train, and will form a part of that train. + +2. Time of departure and routes to be taken will be announced later. + +3. Secretaries attached to units may accompany units, if it is so desired. + +By command of Major-General Summerall. + + P. E. Peabody, + Captain, Infantry, + G-1 + +Copies: +YMCA +Red Cross +Salvation Army +G-3 +C. of S. +File + + +The girls stowed themselves and their belongings into the big truck. Just +as they were about to start they saw some infantry coming, seven men whom +they knew, but in such a plight! They were unshaven, with white, sunken +faces, and great dark hollows under their eyes. They were simply "all in," +and could hardly walk. + +Without an instant's hesitation the girls made a place for those poor, +tired, dirty men in the truck, and the invitation was gratefully accepted. + +There were more poor forlorn fellows coming along the road. They kept +meeting them every little way, but they had no room to take in any more so +they piled oranges in the back end of the truck and gave them to all the +boys they passed who were walking. + +Now the girls were on their way to Senlis, where they had planned to take +dinner at a hotel in which they had dined before. It was one of the few +buildings remaining in the town for the Germans, when they left Senlis, +had set it on fire and destroyed nearly everything. But as the girls +neared the town they began to think about the boys asleep in the back of +the truck, who probably hadn't had a square meal for a week, and they +decided to take them with them. So they woke them up when they arrived at +the hotel. Oh, but those seven dirty, unshaven soldiers were embarrassed +with the invitation to dinner! At first they declined, but the girls +insisted, and they found a place to wash and tidy up themselves a bit. In +a few minutes into the big dining-room filled with French soldiers and a +goodly sprinkling of French officers, marched those two girls, followed by +their seven big unshaven soldiers with their white faces and hollow eyes, +sat proudly down at a table in the very centre and ordered a big dinner. +That is the kind of girls Salvation Army lassies are. Never ashamed to do +a big right thing. + +After the dinner they took the boys to their divisional headquarters, +where they found their outfit. + +They went on their way from Senlis to Dam-Martin to stay for a week back +of the lines for rest. + +There was a big French cantonment building here built for moving pictures, +which was given to them for a canteen, and they set up their stove and +went to work making doughnuts, and doing all the helpful things they could +find to do for the boys who were soon to go to the front again. + +Then orders came to move back to the Toul Sector. + + Those were wonderful moonlight nights at Saizerais, but the Boche +airplanes nearly pestered the life out of everybody. + +"Gee!" said one of the boys, "if anybody ever says 'beautiful moonlight +nights' to me when I get home I don't know what I'll do to 'em!" + +The boys were at the front, but not fighting as yet. Occasional shells +would burst about their hut here and there, but the girls were not much +bothered by them. The thing that bothered them most was an old "Vin" shop +across the street that served its wine on little tables set out in front +on the sidewalk. They could not help seeing that many of the boys were +beginning to drink. Poor souls! The water was bad and scarce, sometimes +poisoned, and their hearts were sick for something, and this was all that +presented itself. It was not much wonder. But when the girls discovered +the state of things they sent off three or four boys with a twenty-gallon +tank to scout for some water. They found it after much search and filled +the big tank full of delicious lemonade, telling the boys to help +themselves. + +All the time they were in that town, which was something like a week, the +girls kept that tank full of lemonade close by the door. They must have +made seventy-five or a hundred gallons of lemonade every day, and they had +to squeeze all the lemons by hand, too! They told the boys: "When you feel +thirsty just come here and get lemonade as often as you want it!" No +wonder they almost worship those girls. And they had the pleasure of +seeing the trade of the little wine shop decidedly decrease. + +However near the front you may go you will always find what is known over +there in common parlance as a "hole in the wall" where "vin blanche" and +"vin rouge" and all kinds of light wines can be had. And, of course, many +soldiers would drink it. The Salvation Army tried to supply a great need +by having carloads of lemons sent to the front and making and distributing +lemonade freely. + +One cannot realize the extent of this proposition without counting up all +the lemons and sugar that would be required, and remembering that supplies +were obtained only by keeping in constant touch with the Headquarters of +that zone and always sending word immediately when any need was +discovered. There is nothing slow about the Salvation Army and they are +not troubled with too much red tape. If necessity presents itself they +will even on occasion cut what they have to help someone. + +The airplanes visited them every night that week, and sometimes they did +not think it worth while to go to bed at all; they had to run to the +safety trenches so often. It was just a little bit of a village with +dugouts out on the edge. + +One night they had gone to bed and a terrific explosion occurred which +rocked the little house where they were. They thought of course the bomb +had fallen in the village, but they found it was quite outside. It had +made such a big hole in the ground that you could put a whole truck into +it. + +The trenches in which they hid were covered over with boards and sand, and +were not bomb proof, but they were proof against pieces of shell and +shrapnel. + +It was a very busy time for the girls because so many different outfits +were passing and repassing that they had to work from morning early till +late at night. + +At Bullionville the hut was in a building that bore the marks of much +shelling. The American boys promptly dubbed the place "Souptown." + +The Division moved to Vaucouleurs for rest and replacements. At +Vaucouleurs there was a great big hut with a piano, a victrola, and a +cookstove. + +They started the canteen, made doughnuts and pies, and gave +entertainments. + +But best of all, there were wonderful meetings and numbers of conversions, +often twenty and twenty-five at a time giving themselves to Christ. The +boys would get up and testify of their changed feelings and of what Christ +now meant to them, and the others respected them the more for it. + +They stayed here two weeks and everybody knew they were getting ready for +a big drive. It was a solemn time for the boys and they seemed to draw +nearer to the Salvation Army people and long to get the secret of their +brave, unselfish lives, and that light in their eyes that defied danger +and death. In the distance you could hear the artillery, and the night +before they left, all night long, there was the tramp, tramp, tramp of +feet, the boys "going up." + +The next day the girls followed in a truck, stopping a few days at Pagny- +sur-Meuse for rest. + + + + +VIII. + +The Saint Mihiel Drive + + + +The hut in Raulecourt was an old French barracks. Outside in the yard was +an old French anti-aircraft gun and a mesh of barbed wire entanglement. +The woods all around was filled with our guns. To the left was the enemy's +third line trench. Three-quarters of the time the Boche were trying to +clean us up. Less than two miles ahead were our own front line trenches. + +The field range was outside in the back yard. + +One hot day in July a Salvation Army woman stood at the range frying +doughnuts from eleven in the morning until six at night without resting, +and scarcely stopping for a bite to eat. She fried seventeen hundred +doughnuts, and was away from the stove only twice for a few minutes. She +claims, however, that she is not the champion doughnut fryer. The champion +fried twenty-three hundred in a day. + +One day a soldier watching her tired face as she stood at the range +lifting out doughnuts and plopping more uncooked ones into the fat, +protested. + +"Say, you're awfully tired turning over doughnuts. Let me help you. You go +inside and rest a while. I'm sure I can do that." + +She was tired and the boy looked eager, so she decided to accept his +offer. He was very insistent that she go away and rest, so she slipped in +behind a screen to lie down, but peeped out to watch how he was getting +on. She saw him turn over the first doughnuts all right and drain them, +but he almost burned his fingers trying to eat one before it was fairly +out of the fat; and then she understood why he had been so anxious for her +to "_go away_" and rest. + +Often the boys would come to the lassies and say: "Say, Cap, I can help +you. Loan me an apron." And soon they would be all flour from their chin +to their toes. + +They would come about four o'clock to find out what time the doughnuts +would be ready for serving, and the girls usually said six o'clock so that +they would be able to fry enough to supply all the regiment. But the men +would start to line up at half-past four, knowing that they could not be +served until six, so eager were they for these delicacies. When six +o'clock came each man would get three doughnuts and a cup of delicious +coffee or chocolate. A great many doughnut cutters were worn out as the +days went by and the boys frequently had to get a new cutter made. +Sometimes they would take the top of quite a large-sized can or anything +tin that they could lay hands on from which to make it. One boy found the +top of an extra large sized baking powder tin and took it to have a +smaller cutter soldered in the centre. Sometimes they used the top of the +shaving soap box for this. When he got back to the hut the cook exclaimed +in dismay: "Why, but it's too big!" + +"Oh, that's all right," said the doughboy nonchalantly. + +"That'll be all the better for us. We'll get more doughnut. You always +give us three anyway, you know. The size don't count." + +They were always scheming to get more pie and more doughnuts and would +stand in line for hours for a second helping. One day the Salvation Army +woman grew indignant over a noticeably red-headed boy who had had three +helpings and was lining up for a fourth. She stood majestically at the +head of the line and pointed straight at him: "You! With the red head down +there! Get out of the line!" + +"She's got my number all right!" said the red-headed one, grinning +sheepishly as he dropped back. + +The town of Raulecourt was often shelled, but one morning just before +daybreak the enemy started in to shell it in earnest. Word came that the +girls had better leave as it was very dangerous to remain, but the girls +thought otherwise and refused to leave. One might have thought they +considered that they were real soldiers, and the fate of the day depended +upon them. And perhaps more depended upon them than they knew. However +that was they stayed, having been through such experiences before. For the +older woman, however, it was a first experience. She took it calmly +enough, going about her business as if she, too, were an old soldier. + +On the evening of June 14th they made fudge for the boys who were going to +leave that night for the front lines. + +For several hours the tables in the hut were filled with men writing +letters to loved ones at home, and the women and girls had sheets of paper +filled with addresses to which they had promised to write if the boys did +not come back. + +At last one of the men got up with his finished letter and quietly removed +the phonograph and a few of its devotees who were not going up to the +front yet, placing them outside at a safe distance from the hut. A soldier +followed, carrying an armful of records, and the hut was cleared for the +men who were "going in" that night. + +For a little while they ate fudge and then they sang hymns for another +half hour, and had a prayer. It was a very quiet little meeting. Not much +said. Everyone knew how solemn the occasion was. Everyone felt it might be +his last among them. It was as if the brooding Christ had made Himself +felt in every heart. Each boy felt like crying out for some strong arm to +lean upon in this his sore need. Each gave himself with all his heart to +the quiet reaching up to God. It was as if the eating of that fudge had +been a solemn sacrament in which their souls were brought near to God and +to the dear ones they might never see on this earth again. If any one had +come to them then and suggested the Philosophy of Nietzsche it would have +found little favor. They knew, here, in the face of death, that the Death +of Jesus on the Cross was a soul satisfying creed. Those who had accepted +Him were suddenly taken within the veil where they saw no longer through a +glass darkly, but with a face-to-face sense of His presence. They had +dropped away their self assurance with which they had either conquered or +ignored everything so far in life, and had become as little children, +ready to trust in the Everlasting Father, without whom they had suddenly +discovered they could not tread the ways of Death. + +Then came the call to march, and with a last prayer the boys filed +silently out into the night and fell into line. A few minutes later the +steady tramp of their feet could be heard as they went down the street +that led to the front. + +Later in the night, quite near to morning, there came a terrific shock of +artillery fire that heralded a German raid. The fragile army cots rocked +like cradles in the hut, dishes rolled and danced on the shelves and +tables, and were dashed to fragments on the floor. Shells wailed and +screamed overhead; and our guns began, until it seemed that all the sounds +of the universe had broken forth. In the midst of it all the gas alarm +sounded, the great electric horns screeching wildly above the babel of +sound. The women hurried into their gas masks, a bit flustered perhaps, +but bearing their excitement quietly and helping each other until all were +safely breathing behind their masks. + +The next day several times officers came to the hut and begged the women +to leave and go to a place of greater safety, but they decided not to go +unless they were ordered away. On June 19th one of them wrote in her +diary: "Shells are still flying all about us, but our work is here and we +must stay. God will protect us." Once when things grew quiet for a little +while she went to the edge of the village and watched the shells falling +on Boucq, where one of her friends was stationed, and declared: "It looks +awfully bad, almost as bad as it sounds." + +The next morning as the firing gradually died away, Salvation Army people +hurried up to Raulecourt from near-by huts to find out how these brave +women were, and rejoiced unspeakably that every one was safe and well. + +That night there was another wonderful meeting with the boys who were +going to the front, and after it the weary workers slept soundly the whole +night through, quietly and undisturbed, the first time for a week. + +It was a bright, beautiful Sunday morning, June 23, 1918, when a little +party of Salvationists from Raulecourt started down into the trenches. The +muddy, dirty, unpleasant trenches! Sometimes with their two feet firmly +planted on the duck-board, sometimes in the mud! Such mud! If you got both +feet on it at once you were sure you were planted and would soon begin to +grow! + +As soon as they reached the trenches they were told: "Keep your heads +down, ladies, the snipers are all around!" It was an intense moment as +they crept into the narrow housings where the men had to spend so much +time. But it was wonderful to watch the glad light that came into the +men's eyes as they saw the women. + +"Here's a real, honest-to-goodness American woman in the trenches!" +exclaimed a homesick lad as they came around a turn. + +"Yes, your mother couldn't come to-day," said the motherly Salvationist, +smiling a greeting, "so I've come in her place." + +"All right!" said he, entering into the game. "This is Broadway and that's +Forty-second Street. Sit down." + +Of course there was nothing to sit down on in the trenches. But he hunted +about till he found a chow can and turned it up for a seat, and they had a +pleasant talk. + +"Just wait," he said. "I'll show you a picture of the dearest little girl +a fellow ever married and the darlingest little kid ever a man was father +to!" He fumbled in his breast pocket right over his heart and brought out +two photographs. + +"I'd give my right arm to see them this minute, but for all that," he went +on, "I wouldn't leave till we've fought this thing through to Berlin and +given them a dose of what they gave little Belgium!" + +They went up and down the trenches, pausing at the entrances to dugouts to +smile and talk with the men. Once, where a grassy ridge hid the trench +from the enemy snipers, they were permitted to peep over, but there was no +look of war in the grassy, placid meadow full of flowers that men called +"No Man's Land." It seemed hard to believe, that sunny, flower-starred +morning, that Sin and Hate had the upper hand and Death was abroad +stalking near in the sunlight. + +It was a twelve-mile walk through the trenches and back to the hut, and +when they returned they found the men were already gathering for the +evening meeting. + +That night, at the close of a heart-searching talk, eighty-five men arose +to their feet in token that they would turn from the ways of sin and +accept Christ as their Saviour, and many more raised their hands for +prayers. One of the women of this party in her three months in France saw +more than five hundred men give themselves to Christ and promise to serve +Him the rest of their lives. + +A little Adjutant lassie who was stationed at Boucq went away from the +town for a few hours on Saturday, and when she returned the next day she +found the whole place deserted. A big barrage had been put over in the +little, quiet village while she was away and the entire inhabitants had +taken refuge in the General's dugout. Her husband, who had brought her +back, insisted that she should return to the Zone Headquarters at Ligny- +en-Barrios, where he was in charge, and persuaded her to start with him, +but when they reached Menil-la-Tour and found that the division Chaplain +was returning to Boucq she persuaded her husband that she must return with +the Chaplain to her post of duty. + +That night she and the other girls slept outside the dugout in little +tents to leave more room in the dugout for the French women with their +little babies. At half-past three in the morning the Germans started their +shelling once more. After two hours, things quieted down somewhat and the +girls went to the hut and prepared a large urn of coffee and two big +batches of hot biscuits. While they were in the midst of breakfast there +was another barrage. All day they were thus moving backward and forward +between the hut and the dugout, not knowing when another barrage would +arrive. The Germans were continually trying to get the chateau where the +General had his headquarters. One shell struck a house where seven boys +were quartered, wounding them all and killing one of them. Things got so +bad that the Divisional Headquarters had to leave; the General sent his +car and transferred the girls with all their things to Trondes. This was +back of a hill near Boucq. They arrived at three in the afternoon, put up +their stove and began to bake. By five they were serving cake they had +baked. The boys said: "What! Cake already?" The soldiers put up the hut +and had it finished in six hours. + +While all this was going on the Salvation Army friends over at Raulecourt +had been watching the shells falling on Boueq, and been much troubled +about them. + +These were stirring times. No one had leisure to wonder what had become of +his brother, for all were working with all their might to the one great +end. + +Up north of Beaumont two aviators were caught by the enemy's fire and +forced to land close to the enemy nests. Instead of surrendering the +Americans used the guns on their planes and held off the Germans until +darkness fell, when they managed to escape and reach the American lines. +This was only one of many individual feats of heroism that helped to turn +the tide of battle. The courage and determination, one might say the +enthusiasm, of the Americans knew no bounds. It awed and overpowered the +enemy by its very eagerness. The Americans were having all they could do +to keep up with the enemy. The artillerymen captured great numbers of +enemy cannon, ammunition, food and other supplies, which the trucks +gathered up and carried far to the front, where they were ready for the +doughboys when they arrived. One of the greatest feats of engineering ever +accomplished by the American Army was the bridging of the Meuse, in the +region of Stenay, under terrible shell fire, using in the work of building +the pontoons the Boche boats and materials captured during the fighting at +Chateau-Thierry and which had been brought from Germany for the Kaiser's +Paris offensive in July. The Meuse had been flooded until it was a mile +wide, yet there was more than enough material to bridge it. + +As the Americans advanced, village after village was set free which had +been robbed and pillaged by the Germans while under their domination. The +Yankee trucks as they returned brought the women and children back from +out of the range of shell fire, and they were filled with wonder as they +heard the strange language on the tongues of their rescuers. They knew it +was not the German, but they had many of them never seen an American +before. The Germans had told them that Americans were wild and barbarous +people. Yet these men gathered the little hungry children into their arms +and shared their rations with them. There were three dirty, hungry little +children, all under ten years of age, Yvonne, Louisette and Jeane, whose +father was a sailor stationed at Marseilles. Yvonne was only four years of +age, and she told the soldiers she had never seen her father. They climbed +into the big truck and sat looking with wonder at the kindly men who +filled their hands with food and asked them many questions. By and by, +they comprehended that these big, smiling, cheerful men were going to take +the whole family to their father. What wonder, what joy shone in their +eager young eyes! + +Strange and sad and wonderful sights there were to see as the soldiers +went forward. + +A pioneer unit was rushed ahead with orders to conduct its own campaign +and choose its own front, only so that contact was established with the +enemy, and to this unit was attached a certain little group of Salvation +Army people. Three lassies, doing their best to keep pace with their own +people, reached a battered little town about four o'clock in the morning, +after a hard, exciting ride. + +The supply train had already put up the tent for them, and they were +ordered to unfold their cots and get to sleep as soon as possible. But +instead of obeying orders these indomitable girls set to work making +doughnuts and before nine o'clock in the morning they had made and were +serving two thousand doughnuts, with the accompanying hot chocolate. + +The shells were whistling overhead, and the doughboys dropped into nearby +shell holes when they heard them coming, but the lassies paid no heed and +made doughnuts all the morning, under constant bombardment. + +Bouconville was a little village between Raulecourt and the trenches. In +it there was left no civilian nor any whole house. Nothing but shot-down +houses, dugouts and camouflages, Y.M.C.A., Salvation Army and enlisted +men. + +Dead Man's Curve was between Mandres and Beaumont. The enemy's eye was +always upon it and had its range. + +Before the St. Mihiel drive one could go to Bouconville or Raulecourt only +at night. As soon as it was dark the supply outfits on the trucks would be +lined up awaiting the word from the Military Police to go. + +Everyone had to travel a hundred yards apart. Only three men would be +allowed to go at once, so dangerous was the trip. + +Out of the night would come a voice: + +"Halt! Who goes there? Advance and give the countersign." + +Every man was regarded as an enemy and spy until he was proven otherwise. +And the countersign had to be given mighty quick, too. So the men were +warned when they were sent out to be ready with the countersign and not to +hesitate, for some had been slow to respond and had been promptly shot. +The ride through the night in the dark without lights, without sound, over +rough, shell-plowed roads had plenty of excitement. + +Bouconville for seven months could never be entered by day. The dugout +wall of the hut was filled with sandbags to keep it up. It was at +Bouconville, in the Salvation Army hut, that the raids on the enemy were +organized, the men were gathered together and instructed, and trench +knives given out; and here was where they weeded out any who were afraid +they might sneeze or cough and so give warning to the enemy. + +Not until after the St. Mihiel drive when Montsec was behind the line +instead of in front did they dare enter Bouconville by day. + +Passing through Mandres, it was necessary to go to Beaumont, around Dead +Man's Curve and then to Rambucourt, and proceed to Bouconville. Here the +Salvation Army had an outpost in a partially destroyed residence. The hut +consisted of the three ground floor rooms, the canteen being placed in the +middle. The sleeping quarters were in a dugout just at the rear of these +buildings. It was in the building adjoining this hut that three men were +killed one day by an exploding shell, and gas alarms were so frequent in +the night that it was very difficult for the Salvation Army people to +secure sufficient rest as on the sounding of every gas alarm it was +necessary to rise and put on the gas mask and keep it on until the +"alerte" was removed. This always occurred several times during the night. + +[Illustration: Map] + +It was just outside of Bouconville that the famous doughnut truck +experience occurred. The supply truck, driven by two young Salvation Army +men, one a mere boy, was making its rounds of the huts with supplies and +in order to reach Raulecourt, the boy who was driving decided to take the +shortest road, which, by the way, was under complete observation of the +Germans located at Montsec. The truck had already been shelled on its way +to Bouconville, several shells landing at the edge of the road within a +few feet of it. They had not noticed the first shell, for shells were a +somewhat common thing, and the old truck made so much noise that they had +not heard it coming, but when the second one fell so close one of the boys +said: "Say, they must be shooting at _us!_" as though that were +something unexpected. + +They stepped on the accelerator and the truck shot forward madly and tore +into the town with shells breaking about it. Having escaped thus far they +were ready to take another chance on the short cut to Raulecourt. + +They proceeded without mishaps for some distance. Just outside of +Bouconville was a large shell hole in the road and in trying to avoid this +the wheels of the truck slipped into the ditch, and the driver found he +was stuck. It was impossible to get out under his own power. While working +with the truck, the Germans began to shell him again. At first the two +boys paid little heed to it, but when more began to come they knew it was +time to leave. They threw themselves into a communicating trench, which +was really no more than a ditch, and wiggled their way up the bank until +they were able to drop into the main trenches, where they found safety in +a dugout. + +The Germans meantime were shelling the truck furiously, the shells +dropping all around on either side, but not actually hitting it. This was +about two o'clock in the afternoon. + +[Illustration: "It was just outside of Bouconville that the famous +doughnut truck experience occurred"---and this is the Salvation Army boy +who drove it] + +[Illustration: Bullionville, promptly dubbed by the American boys +"Souptown"] + +At Headquarters they were becoming anxious about the non-appearance of the +truck and started out in the touring car to locate it. Commencing at +Jouey-les-Cotes they went from there to Boucq and Raulecourt, which were +the last places the truck was to visit. Not hearing of it at Raulecourt, +the search was continued out to Bouconville, again, by a short road. +Montsec was in full view. There were fresh shell holes all along the road +since the night before. Things began to look serious. + +A short distance ahead was an army truck, and even as they got abreast of +it a shell went over it exploding about twenty-five feet away, and one hit +the side of the road just behind them. It seemed wise to put on all speed. + +But when they reached Bouconville and found that the truck they had passed +was the Salvation Army truck, they were unwilling to leave it to the +tender mercies of the enemy as everybody advised. That truck cost fifty- +five hundred dollars, and they did not want to lose it. + +As soon as it was dark a detail of soldiers volunteered to go with the +Salvation Army officers to attempt to get it out, but the Germans heard +them and started their shelling furiously once more, so that they had to +retreat for a time; but later, they returned and worked all night trying +to jack it up and get a foundation that would permit of hauling it out. +Every little while all night the Germans shelled them. About half-past +four in the morning it grew light enough for the enemy to see, and the top +was taken off the truck so that it would not be so good a mark. + +That day they went back to Headquarters and secured permission for an +ammunition truck to come down and give them a tow, as no driver was +permitted out on that road without a special permit from Headquarters. The +journey back was filled with perils from gas shells, especially around +Dead Man's Curve, but they escaped unhurt. That night they attached a tow +line to the front of the truck, started the engine quietly, and waited +until the assisting truck came along out of the darkness. They then +attached their line without stopping the other truck and with the aid of +its own power the old doughnut truck was jerked out of the ditch at last +and sent on its way. In spite of the many shells for which it had been a +target it was uninjured save that it needed a new top. The knowledge that +the truck was stuck in the ditch and was being shelled aroused great +excitement among all the troops in the Toul Sector and it was thereafter +an object of considerable interest. Newspaper correspondents telegraphed +reports of it around the world. + +In most of the huts and dugouts Salvation Army workers subsist entirely +upon Army chow. At Bouconville the chow was frequently supplemented by +fresh fish. The dugout here was very close to the trenches, less than five +minutes' walk. Just behind the trenches to the left was a small lake. When +there was sufficient artillery fire to mask their attack, soldiers would +toss a hand grenade into this lake, thus stunning hundreds of fish which +would float to the surface, where they were gathered in by the sackful. +The Salvation Army dugout was never without its share of the spoils. + +Before the soldiers began to think, as they do now, that being detailed to +the Salvation Army hut was a privilege, an Army officer sent one of his +soldiers, who seemed to be in danger of developing a yellow streak, to +sweep the hut and light the fires for the lassies. "You are only fit to +wash dishes, and hang on to a woman's skirts," he told the soldier in +informing him that he was detailed. That night the village was bombed. The +boy, who was really frightened, watched the two girls, being too proud to +run for shelter while they were so calm. He trembled and shook while they +sat quietly listening to the swish of falling bombs and the crash of anti- +aircraft guns. In spite of his fright, he was so ashamed of his fears that +he forced himself to stand in the street and watch the progress of the +raid. The next day he reported to his Captain that he had vanquished his +yellow streak and wanted a chance to demonstrate what he said. The +demonstration was ample. The example of these brave lassies had somehow +strengthened his spirit. + +Back of Raulecourt the woods were full of heavy artillery. Raulecourt was +the first town back of the front lines. The men were relieved every eight +days and passed through here to other places to rest. + +The military authorities sent word to the Salvation Army hut one day that +fifty Frenchmen would be going through from the trenches at five o'clock +in the morning who would have had no opportunity to get anything to eat. + +The Salvation Army people went to work and baked up a lot of biscuits and +doughnuts and cakes, and got hot coffee ready. The Red Cross canteen was +better situated to serve the men and had more conveniences, so they took +the things over there, and the Red Cross supplied hot chocolate, and when +the men came they were well served. This is a sample of the spirit of +cooperation which prevailed. One Sunday night they were just starting the +evening service when word came from the military authorities that there +were a hundred men coming through the town who were hungry and ought to be +fed. They must be out of the town by nine-thirty as they were going over +the top that night. Could the Salvation Army do anything? + +The woman officer who was in charge was perplexed. She had nothing cooked +ready to eat, the fire was out, her detailed helpers all gone, and she was +just beginning a meeting and hated to disappoint the men already gathered, +but she told the messenger that if she might have a couple of soldiers to +help her she would do what she could. The soldiers were supplied and the +fire was started. At ten minutes to nine the meeting was closed and the +earnest young preacher went to work making biscuits and chocolate with the +help of her two soldier boys. By ten o'clock all the men were fed and +gone. That is the way the Salvation Army does things. They never say "I +can't." They always CAN. + +In Raulecourt there were several pro-Germans. The authorities allowed them +to stay there to save the town. The Salvation Army people were warned that +there were spies in the town and that they must on no account give out +information. Just before the St. Mihiel drive a special warning was given, +all civilians were ordered to leave town, and a Military Police knocked at +the door and informed the woman in the hut that she must be careful what +she said to anybody with the rank of a second lieutenant, as word had gone +out there was a spy dressed in the uniform of an American second +lieutenant. + +That night at eleven o'clock the young woman was just about to retire when +there came a knock at the canteen door. She happened to be alone in the +building at the time and when she opened the door and found several +strange officers standing outside she was a little frightened. Nor did it +dispel her fears to have them begin to ask questions: + +"Madam, how many troops are in this town? Where are they? Where can we get +any billets?" + +To all these questions she replied that she could not tell or did not know +and advised them to get in touch with the town Major. The visitors grew +impatient. Then three more men knocked at the door, also in uniform, and +began to ask questions. When they could get no information one of them +exclaimed indignantly: + +"Well, I should like to know what kind of a town this is, anyway? I tried +to find out something from a Military Police outside and he took me for a +SPY! Madam, we are from Field Hospital Number 12, and we want to find a +place to rest." + +Then the frightened young woman became convinced that her visitors were +not spies; all the same, they were not going to leave her any the wiser +for any information she would give. + +Several times men would come to the town and find no place to sleep. On +such occasions the Salvation Army hut was turned over to them and they +would sleep on the floor. + +The St. Mihiel drive came on and the hut was turned over to the hospital. +The supplies were taken to a dugout and the canteen kept up there. Then +the military authorities insisted that the girls should leave town, but +the girls refused to go, begging, "Don't drive us away. We know we shall +be needed!" The Staff-Captain came down and took some of the girls away, +but left two in the canteen, and others in the hospital. + +It rained for two weeks in Roulecourt. The soldiers slept in little dog +tents in the woods. + +The meetings held the boys at the throne of God each night, they were the +power behind the doughnut, and the boys recognized it. + +"One hesitated to ask them if they wanted prayers because we knew they +did," said one sweet woman back from the front, speaking about the time of +the St. Mihiel drive. "We couldn't say how many knelt at the altar because +they all knelt. Some of them would walk five miles to attend a meeting." + +It poured torrents the night of the drive and nearly drowned out the +soldiers in their little tents. + +They came into the hut to shake hands and say goodbye to the girls; to +leave their little trinklets and ask for prayers; and they had their +meeting as always before a drive. + +But this was an even more solemn time than usual, for the boys were going +up to a point where the French had suffered the fearful loss of thirty +thousand men trying to hold Mt. Sec for fifteen minutes. They did not +expect to come back. They left sealed packages to be forwarded if they did +not return. + +One boy came to one of the Salvation Army men Officers and said: "Pray for +me. I have given my heart to Jesus." + +Another, a Sergeant, who had lived a hard life, came to the Salvation Army +Adjutant and said: "When I go back, if I ever go, I'm going to serve the +Lord." + +After the meeting the girls closed the canteen and on the way to their +room they passed a little sort of shed or barn. The door was standing open +and a light streaming out, and there on a little straw pallet lay a +soldier boy rolled up in his blanket reading his Testament. The girls +breathed a prayer for the lad as they passed by and their hearts were +lifted up with gladness to think how many of the American boys, fully two- +thirds of them, carried their Testaments in the pockets over their hearts; +yes, and read them, too, quite openly. + +Two young Captains came one night to say good-bye to the girls before +going up the line. The girls told them they would be praying for them and +the elder of the two, a doctor, said how much he appreciated that, and +then told them how he had promised his wife he would read a chapter in his +Testament every day, and how he had never failed to keep his promise since +he left home. + +Then up spoke the other man: + +"Well, I got converted one night on the road. The shells were falling +pretty thick and I thought I would never reach my destination and I just +promised the Lord if He would let me get safely there I would never fail +to read a chapter, and I never have failed yet!" This young man seemed to +think that--the whole plan of redemption was comprised in reading his +Bible, but if he kept his promise the Spirit would guide him. + +On the way back to the hut one morning the girls picked marguerites and +forget-me-nots and put them in a vase on the table in the hut, making it +look like a little oasis in a desert, and no doubt, many a soldier looked +long at those blossoms who never thought he cared about flowers before. + +Within thirty-six hours after the first gun was fired in the St. Mihiel +drive seven Salvation Army huts were established on the territory. + +Three days before the drive opened twenty Salvation Army girls reached +Raulecourt, which was a little village half a mile from Montsec. They had +been travelling for hours and hours and were very weary. + +The Salvation Army hut had been turned over to the hospital, so they found +another old building. + +That night there was a gas alarm sounded and everybody came running out +with their gas masks on. The officer who had them in charge was much +worried about his lassies because some of them had a great deal of hair, +and he was afraid that the heavy coils at the back of their heads would +prevent the masks from fitting tightly and let in the deadly gas, but the +lassies were level-headed girls, and they came calmly out with their masks +on tight and their hair in long braids down their backs, much to the +relief of their officer. + +It had been raining for days and the men were wet to the skin, and many of +them had no way to get dry except to roll up in their blankets and let the +heat of their body dry their clothes while they slept. It was a great +comfort to have the Salvation Army hut where they could go and get warm +and dry once in awhile. + +The night of the St. Mihiel drive was the blackest night ever seen. It was +so dark that one could positively see nothing a foot ahead of him. The +Salvation Army lassies stood in the door of the canteen and listened. All +day long the heavy artillery had been going by, and now that night had +come there was a sound of feet, tramping, tramping, thousands of feet, +through the mud and slush as the soldiers went to the front. In groups +they were singing softly as they went by. The first bunch were singing +"Mother Machree." + + There's a spot in me heart that no colleen may own, + There's a depth in me soul never sounded or known; + There's a place in me memory, me life, that you fill, + No other can take it, no one ever will; + Sure, I love the dear silver that shines in your hair, + And the brow that's all furrowed and wrinkled with care. + I kiss the dear fingers, so toil-worn for me; + O, God bless you and keep you! + Mother Machree! + +The simple pathos of the voices, many of them tramping forward to their +death, and thinking of mother, brought the tears to the eyes of the girls +who had been mothers and sisters, as well as they could, to these boys +during the days of their waiting. + +Then the song would die slowly away and another group would come by +singing: "Tell mother I'll be there!" Always the thought of mother. A +little interval and the jolly swing of "Pack up your troubles in your old +kit bag and smile, smile, smile!" came floating by, and then sweetly, +solemnly, through the chill of the darkness, with a thrill in the words, +came another group of voices: + + Abide with me; fast falls the eventide, + The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide!' + +There had been rumors that Montsec was mined and that as soon as a foot +was set upon it it would blow up. + +The girls went and lay down on their cots and tried to sleep, praying in +their hearts for the boys who had gone forth to fight. But they could not +sleep. It was as though they had all the burden of all the mothers and +wives and sisters of those boys upon them, as they lay there, the only +women within miles, the only women so close to the lines. + +About half-past one a big naval gun went off. It was as though all the +noises of the earth were let loose about them. They could lie still no +longer. They got up, put on their rain-coats, rubber boots, steel helmets, +took their gas masks and went out in the fields where they could see. Soon +the barrage was started. Darkness took on a rosy hue from shells bursting. +First a shell fell on Montsec. Then one landed in the ammunition dump just +back of it and blew it up, making it look like a huge crater of a volcano. +It seemed as if the universe were on fire. The noise was terrific. The +whole heavens were lit up from end to end. The beauty and the horror of it +were indescribable. + +At five o'clock they went sadly back to the hut. + +The hospital tents had been put up in the dark and now stood ready for the +wounded who were expected momentarily. The girls took off their rain-coats +and reported for duty. It was expected there would be many wounded. The +minutes passed and still no wounded arrived. Day broke and only a few +wounded men had been brought in. It was reported that the roads were so +bad that the ambulances were slow in getting there. With sad hearts the +workers waited, but the hours passed and still only a straggling few +arrived, and most of those were merely sick from explosives. There were +almost no wounded! Only ninety in all. + +Then at last there came one bearing a message. There _were_ no +wounded! The Germans had been taken so by surprise, the victory had been +so complete at that point, that the boys had simply leaped over all +barriers and gone on to pursue the enemy. Quickly packing up seven outfits +a little company of workers started after their divisions on trucks over +ground that twenty-four hours before had been occupied by the Germans, on +roads that were checkered with many shell holes which American road makers +were busily filling up and bridging as they passed. + +One of the Salvation Army truck drivers asked a negro road mender what he +thought of his job. He looked up with a pearly smile and a gleam of his +eyes and replied: "Boss, I'se doin' mah best to make de world safe foh +Democrats!" + +They had to stop frequently to remove the bodies of dead horses from the +way so recently had that place been shelled. They passed through grim +skeletons of villages shattered and torn by shell fire; between tangles of +rusty barbed wire that marked the front line trenches. Then on into +territory that had long been held by the Huns. More than half of the +villages they passed were partially burned by the retreating enemy. All +along the way the pitiful villagers, free at last, came out to greet them +with shouts of welcome, calling "Bonnes Americaines! Bonnes Americaines!" +Some flung their arms about the Salvation Army lassies in their joy. Some +of the villagers had not even known that the Americans were in the war +until they saw them. + +In the village of Nonsard a little way beyond Mt. Sec they found a +building that twenty-four hours before had been a German canteen. Above +the entrance was the sign "KAMERAD, tritt' ein." + +The Salvation Army people stepped in and took possession, finding +everything ready for their use. They even found a lard can full of lard +and after a chemist had analyzed it to make sure it was not poisoned they +fried doughnuts with it. In one wall was a great shell hole, and the +village was still under shell fire as they unloaded their truck and got to +work. One lassie set the water to heat for hot chocolate, while another +requisitioned a soldier to knock the head off a barrel of flour and was +soon up to her elbows mixing the dough for doughnuts. Before the first +doughnut was out of the hot fat several hundred soldiers were waiting in +long, patient, ever-growing lines for free doughnuts and chocolate. These +things were always served free after the men had been over the top. + +The lassies had had no sleep for thirty-six hours, but they never thought +of stopping until everybody was served. In that one day their three tons +of supplies entirely gave out. + +The Red Cross was there with their rolling kitchen. They had plenty of +bread but nothing to put on it. The Salvation Army had no stove on which +to cook anything, but they had quantities of jam and potted meats. They +turned over ten cases of jam, some of the cases containing as many as four +hundred small jars, to the Red Cross, who served it on hot biscuits. Some +one put up a sign: "THIS JAM FURNISHED BY THE SALVATION ARMY!" and the +soldiers passed the word along the line: "The finest sandwich in the +world, Red Cross and Salvation Army!" The first day two Salvation Army +girls served more than ten thousand soldiers in their canteen. They did +not even stop to eat. The Red Cross brought them over hot chocolate as +they worked. + +Evening brought enemy airplanes, but the lassies did not stop for that and +soon their own aerial forces drove the enemy back. + +That night the girls slept in a dirty German dugout, and they did not dare +to clean up the place, or even so much as to move any of the _debris_ +of papers and old tin and pasteboard cracker boxes, or cans that were +strewn around the place until the engineer experts came to examine things, +lest it might be mined and everything be blown up. The girls set up their +cots in the clearest place they could find, and went to sleep. One of the +women, however, who had just arrived, had lost her cot, and being very +weary crawled into a sort of berth dug by the Germans in the wall, where +some German had slept. She found out from bitter experience what cooties +are like. + +The next morning they were hard at work again as early as seven o'clock. +Two long lines of soldiers were already patiently waiting to be served. +The girls wondered whether they might not have been there all night. This +continued all day long. + +"We had to keep on a perpetual grin," said one of the lassies, "so that +each soldier would think he had a smile all his own. We always gave +everything with a smile." Yet they were not smiles of coquetry. One had +but to see the beautiful earnest faces of those girls to know that nothing +unholy or selfish entered into their service. It was more like the smile +that an angel might give. + +Here is one of the many popular songs that have been written on the +subject which shows how the soldiers felt: + + SALVATION LASSIE OF MINE. + + "They say it's in Heaven that all angels dwell, + But I've come to learn they're on earth just as well; + And how would I know that the like could be so, + If I hadn't found one down here below? + + CHORUS. + + A sweet little Angel that went o'er the sea, + With the emblem of God in her hand; + A wonderful Angel who brought there to me + The sweet of a war-furrowed land. + The crown on her head was a ribbon of red, + A symbol of all that's divine; + Though she called each a brother she's more like a mother, + Salvation Lassie of Mine. + + Perhaps in the future I'll meet her again, + In that world where no one knows sorrow or pain; + And when that time comes and the last word is said, + Then place on my bosom her band of red." + + _By "Jack" Caddigan and "Chick" Stoy._ + +That day a shell fell on the dugout where they had slept the night before, +and a little later one dropped next door to the canteen; another took +seven men from the signal corps right in the street near by, and the girls +were ordered out of the village because it was no longer safe for them. + +One of the boys had been up on a pole putting up wires for the signal +corps. These boys often had to work as now under shell fire in daytime +because it was necessary to have telephone connections complete at once. A +shell struck him as he worked and he fell in front of the canteen. They +had just carried him away to the ambulance when his chum and comrade came +running up. A pool of blood lay on the floor in front of the canteen, and +he stood and gazed with anguish in his face. Suddenly he stooped and +patted the blood tenderly murmuring, "My Buddy! My Buddy!" Then like a +flash he was off, up the pole where his comrade had been killed to finish +his work. That is the kind of brave boys these girls were serving. + + + + +IX. + +The Argonne Drive + + + +That night they slept in the woods on litters, and the next day they went +on farther into the woods, twelve kilometres beyond what had been German +front. + +Here they found a whole little village of German dugouts in the form of +log cabin bungalows in the woods. It was a beautifully laid out little +village, each bungalow complete, with running water and electric lights +and all conveniences. There were a dance hall, a billiard room, and +several pianos in the woods. There were also fine vegetable gardens and +rabbit hutches full of rabbits, for the Germans had been obliged to leave +too hastily to take anything with them. + +The boys were hungry, some of them half starved for something different +from the hard fare they could take with them over the top, and they made +rabbit stews and cooked the vegetables and had a fine time. + +The girls up at the front had no time for making doughnuts, so the girls +back of the lines made 8000 doughnuts and sent them up by trucks for +distribution. They also distributed oranges to the soldiers. + +News came to the girls after they had been for a week in Nonsard that they +were to make a long move. + +Back to Verdun they went and stopped just long enough to look at the city. +They were much impressed with St. Margaret's school for young ladies, and +a wonderful old cathedral standing on the hill with a wall surrounding it. +Just the face of the building was left, all the rest shot away, and +through the concrete walls were holes, with guns bristling from every one. + +[Illustration: The girls who came down to help in the St. Mihiel drive] + +[Illustration: Here they found a whole little village of German dugouts] + +They did not linger long for duty called them forward on their journey. At +dusk they stopped in a little village, bought some stuff, and asked a +French woman to cook it for them. They inquired for a place in which to +wash and were given a bar of soap and directed to the village pump up the +street. After supper they went on their way to Benoitvaux. Here they found +difficulty in getting quarters, but at last an old French woman agreed to +let them sleep in her kitchen and for a couple of days they were quartered +with her. The word went forth that there were two American girls there and +people were most curious to see them. One afternoon two French soldiers +came to the kitchen to visit them. It was raining, as usual, and the girls +had stayed in because there was really nothing to call them out. The +soldiers sat for some time talking. They had heard that America was a wild +place with _beaucoup_ Indians who wore scalps in their belts, and +they wanted to know if the girls were not afraid. It was a bit difficult +conversing, but the girls got out their French dictionary and managed to +convey a little idea of the true America to the strangers. At last one of +the soldiers in quite a matter of fact tone informed one of the girls that +he was pleased with her and loved her very much. This put a hasty close to +the conversation, the lassie informing him with much dignity that men did +not talk in that way to girls they had just met in America and that she +did not like it. Whereupon the girls withdrew to the other end of the +kitchen and turned their backs on their callers, busying themselves with +some reading, and the crest-fallen gallants presently left. + +They only had a canteen here one day when they were called to go on to +Neuvilly. + +When the offensive was extended to the Argonne the Salvation Army followed +along, keeping in touch with the troops so that they felt that the +Salvation Army was ever with them, sharing their hardships and dangers, +and always ready to serve them. + +Just before a drive, close to the front, there are always blockades of +trucks going either way. + +The Salvation Army truck filled with the workers on their way to Neuvilly +one dark night was caught in such a blockade. They crawled along making +only about a mile an hour and stopping every few minutes until there was a +chance to go on again. At last the wait grew longer and longer, the mud +grew deeper, and the truck was having such a hard time that the little +company of travellers decided to abandon it to the side of the road till +morning and get out and walk to Neuvilly. There was a field hospital there +and they felt sure they could be of use; and anyway, it was better than +sitting in the truck all night. They were then about eight kilometers from +the front. So they all got off and walked. But when they reached the +place, found the hospital, and essayed to go in, the mud was so deep that +they were stuck and unable to move forward. Some soldiers had to rescue +them and carry them to the hospital on litters. + +Their help was accepted gladly, and they went to work at once. There were +many shell-shocked boys coming in who needed soothing and comforting, and +a woman's hand so near the front was gratefully appreciated. + +When at last there was a lull in the stream of wounded men the girls went +to find a place to sleep for a little while. It was early morning, and sad +sights met their eyes as they hurried down what had once been a pleasant +village street. Destruction and desolation everywhere. The house that had +been selected for a Salvation Army canteen was nearly all gone. One end +was comparatively intact, with the floor still remaining, and this was to +be for the canteen. The rest of the building was a series of shell holes +surrounding a cellar from which the floor had been shot away. + +The women reconnoitred and finally decided to unfold their cots and try to +get a wink of sleep down in that cellar. It did not take them long to get +settled. The cots were brought down and placed quickly among the fallen +rafters, stone and tiling. Part of the walls that were standing leaned in +at a perilous slant, threatening to fall at the slightest wind, but the +lassies took off their shoes, rolled up in their blankets, and were at +once oblivious to all about them, for they had been travelling all the day +before and had worked hard all night. + +One hour later, still early in the morning, they were awakened by the +arrival of the truck and the thumping of boxes, tables and supplies as the +Salvation Army truck drivers unloaded and set up the paraphernalia of the +canteen. The girls opened their eyes and looked about them, and there all +around the building were American soldiers, a head in every shell hole, +watching them sleep. There was something thrilling in the silent audience +looking down with holy eyes--yes, I said holy eyes!--for whatever the +American soldier may be in his daily life he had nothing in his eyes but +holy reverence for these women of God who were working night and day for +him. There was something touching, too, in their attitude, for perhaps +each one was thinking of his mother or sister at home as he looked down on +these weary girls, rolled up in the brown blankets, with their neat little +brown shoes in couples under their cots, nothing visible above the +blankets but their pretty rumpled brown hair. + +The women did not waste much more time in sleeping. They arose at once and +got busy. There were five tables in the canteen above and already from +each one there stretched a long line of men waiting silently, patiently +for the time to arrive when there would be something good to eat. The +girls had no more sleep that day, and there simply was no seclusion to be +had anywhere. Everything was shell-riddled. + +When night came on the question of beds arose again. The cellar seemed +hardly possible, and the military officers considered the question. + +Across the road from the most ruined end of the canteen building stood an +old church. All of its north wall was gone save a supporting column in the +middle, all the north roof gone. There were holes in all the other walls, +and all the windows were gone. The floor was covered with _debris_ +and wreckage. It had been used all day for an evacuation hospital. + +Just over the altar was a wonderful picture of the Christ ascending to +heaven. It was still uninjured save for a shot through the heart. + +The military officer stood on the steps of this ruined church, and, +looking around in perplexity, remarked: + +"Well, I guess this is the wholest place in town." Then stepping inside he +glanced about and pointed: + +"And this is the most secluded spot here!" + +The seclusion was a pillar! But the girls were glad to get even that for +there was no other place, and they were very weary. So they set up their +little cots, and prepared to roll themselves in their blankets for a well- +earned rest. + +The boys had built a small bonfire on the stone floor against a piece of +one wall that was still standing, and now they sent a deputation to know +if the girls would bring their guitars over and have a little music. The +boys, of course, had no idea that the girls had not slept for more than +twenty-four hours, and the girls never told them. They never even cast one +wistful glance toward their waiting cots, but smilingly assented, and went +and got their instruments. + +[Illustration: The wrecked house in Neuvilly where the lassies went to +sleep in the cellar and woke up to find the soldiers watching] + +[Illustration: The wrecked church in Neuvilly where the memorable meeting +was held] + +Beneath the picture of the Christ, in front of the altar a few men were at +work in an improvised office with four candles burning around them. In the +rear of the church Lt.-Col. Frederick R. Fitzpatrick of the One Hundred +and Tenth Ammunition Train had his office, and there another candle was +burning. Some wounded men lay on stretchers in the shadowed northwest +corner, and around the little fire the five Salvation Army lassies sat +among two hundred soldiers. They sang at first the popular songs that +everybody knew: "The Long, Long Trail," "Keep the Home Fires Burning," +"Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile! Smile! Smile!" and +"Keep Your Head Down, Fritzie Boy!" + +By and by some one called for a hymn, and then other hymns followed: +"Jesus Lover of My Soul," "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder," and, as +always, the old favorite, "Tell Mother I'll Be There!" + +They sang for at least an hour and a half, and then they did not want to +stop. Oh, but it was a great sound that rolled through the old broken +walls of the church and floated out into the night! One of the lassies +said she would not change crowds with the biggest choir in New York. + +Then they asked the girls to sing and the room was very still as two sweet +voices thrilled out in a tender melody, speaking every word distinctly: + + Beautiful Jesus, Bright Star of earth! + Loving and tender from moment of birth, + Beautiful Jesus, though lowly Thy lot, + Born in a manger, so rude was Thy cot! + + Beautiful Jesus, gentle and mild, + Light for the sinner in ways dark and wild, + Beautiful Jesus, O save such just now, + As at Thy feet they in penitence bow! + + Beautiful Christ! Beautiful Christ! + Fairest of thousands and Pearl of great price! + Beautiful Christ! Beautiful Christ! + Gladly we welcome Thee, Beautiful Christ! + +Before they had finished many eyes had turned instinctively toward the +picture in the weirdly flickering light. + +Then the young Captain-lassie asked her sister to read the Ninety-first +Psalm, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide +under the shadow of the Almighty," and she told them that was a promise +for those who trusted in God, and she wished they would think about it +while they were going to sleep. + +"This evening has made me think so much of home," she said thoughtfully, +drooping her lashes and then raising them with a sweeping glance that +included the whole group, while the firelight flickered up and lit her +lovely serious face, and touched her hair with lights of gold, "I suppose +it has made every one else feel that way," she went on; "I mean especially +the evenings at home when the family gathered in the parlor, with one at +the piano and brothers with their horns, and the rest with some kind of +instrument, and we had a good 'sing;' and afterward father took the Bible +and read the evening chapter, and then we had family prayers and kissed +Mamma and Papa good night and went to bed. I shouldn't wonder if many of +you used to have homes like that?" + +The lassie raised her eyes again and looked on them. Many of the men +nodded. It was beautiful to see the look that came into their faces at +these recollections. + +"And you used to have family prayers, too, didn't you?" she asked eagerly. + +They nodded once more but some of them turned their faces away from the +light quickly and brushed the back of their hands across their eyes. + +"To-night has been a family gathering," she went on, "We girls are little +sisters to all you big brothers, and we have had a delightful time with +just the family, and the evening chapter has been read, and now I think it +would not be complete if we did not have the family prayers before we +separate and go to sleep." + +Down went the heads in response, with reverent mien, and the place was +very still while the lassie prayed. Afterward the boys joined their gruff +voices, husky now with emotion, into the universal prayer with which she +closed: "Our Father which are in heaven----" + +They were all sorts and conditions of men gathered around the little fire +in that old shell-torn church in Neuvilly that night. To quote from a +letter written by a military officer, Lt-Col. Frederick R. Fitzpatrick, to +his wife: + + "There was the lad who was willing but not strong enough for field work, +who was in the rear with the office; the walking wounded who had stopped +for something to eat; the big, strong mule skinner who could throw a mule +down or lift a case of ammunition, who was rough in appearance and speech +and who would deny that the moisture in his eye was anything but the +effects of the cold. There were the men who had been facing death a +thousand times an hour for the last three days, who had not had a wash or +a chance to take off their shoes and had been lying in mud in shell holes +--men who looked as though they were chilled through and through; men on +their way to the front, well knowing all the hardships and dangers which +were ahead of them, but who were worried only about the delay in the +traffic; doctors who had been working for three days without rest; men off +ammunition and ration trucks, who had been at the wheel so long that they +had forgotten whether it was three or four days and nights; wounded on +their stretchers enjoying a smoke. And as I stepped in the door there were +the feminine voices singing the good old tunes we all know so well, and +not a sound in the church but as an accompaniment the distant booming of +big guns, the rattle of small arms, the whirl of air craft, the passing of +the ever-present column of trucks with rations and ammunition going up, +and the wounded coming back; the shouted directions of the traffic police, +the sound of the ammunition dump just outside the door and the rattle of +the kitchens which surround the church, and which are working twenty-four +hours a day. + +There was the crowd of men, each uncovered, giving absolute undivided +attention to the good, brave girls who were not making a meeting of it; it +was just a meeting which grew--men who in their minds were back with +mother and sister. The girls sang the good old songs, and then one of them +offered a short prayer, in which all the men joined in spirit, and as I +tip-toed out of the church it seemed to me that the four candles at the +altar did not give all the light that was shown on the picture of Christ +our Saviour. Every man in the building that night was in the very presence +of God. It was not a religious meeting; it was a meeting full of religion. +And it was a picture that will ever stand fresh in my memory and which +will be an inspiration in time of doubt. There was nothing there but the +real things, absolutely no sham of any kind. Oh, it was wonderful! I hope +you can get just a little idea of what it was. I wish you would keep this +letter. I want to be able to read it in future years." + +In what remained of another village not far distant from Neuvilly, the +lassies had a tent erected. The rain was endless--a driving drizzle which +quickly soaked through everything but the staunchest raincoats in a very +few moments. The ground was so thickly covered by shell craters that they +could find no clear space wide enough for the tent. It so happened that +almost in the centre of the tent there was a big shell crater. In this the +girls lighted a fire. All through the night, and through nights to follow, +wounded men limping back through the rain and mud to the dressing stations +came in to warm themselves around the fire in the shell hole, and to drink +of the coffee prepared by the girls. As they sat around the blazing wood, +the fire cast strange shadows on the bleached brown canvas of the tent. In +spite of their wounds, they were very cheerful, singing as lightly as +though they were safe at home. + +Everybody had worked hard at Neuvilly, but they felt they must get to +their own outfit as soon as possible at the Field Hospital up in Cheppy +where the wounded were coming in droves and the boys were pouring in from +the front half-starved, having been fighting all night with nothing to eat +except reserve rations. Some had been longer with only such rations as +they took from their dead comrades. The need was most urgent, but the +puzzle was how to get there. The roads had been shelled and ploughed by +explosives until there was no possible semblance of a way, and there were +no conveyances to be had. The Zone Major had gone back for supplies, +telling the girls to get the first conveyance possible going up the road. +That was enough for the girls. "We've _got_ to get there" they said, +and when they said that one knew they would. They searched diligently and +at last found a way. One girl rode on a reel cart, one on a mule team and +one went with an old wagon. They went over roads that had to be made ahead +of them by the engineers, and late in the night, bruised and sore from +head to foot, they arrived at their destination. + +The next morning they reported at the hospital for work and the Major in +charge said: "I never was so glad to see anybody in my life!" + +They went straight to work and served coffee and sandwiches to the poor +half-starved men. The Red Cross men were there, also, with sandwiches, hot +chocolate and candy. + +The wounded men continued to pour in, later to be evacuated to the base +hospital; they kept coming and coming, a thousand men where two hundred +had been expected. There was plenty to be done. The girls were put in +charge of different wards. They were under shell fire continually, but +they were too busy to think of that as they hurried about ministering to +the brave soldiers, who gave never a groan from their white lips no matter +what they suffered. + +The girls worked about eighteen hours a day, and slept from about one or +two at night to five or six in the morning. The hospital was in front of +the artillery and every shell that went over to Germany passed over their +heads. When they had been there five days under continual shell fire from +the enemy the General gave orders that they _must_ leave, that it was +no fit place for women so near to the front. + +When the Salvation Army Zone Major brought this order to the girls +rebellion shone in their eyes and they declared they would not leave! They +knew they were needed there, and there they would stay! The Zone Major +surveyed them with intense satisfaction. He turned on his heel and went +back to the General: + +"General," he said, with a twinkle, "my girls say they won't go." + +The General's face softened, and the twinkle flashed across to his eyes, +with something like a tear behind its fire. Somehow he didn't look like a +Commanding Officer who had just been defied. A wonderful light broke over +his face and he said: + +"Well, if the Salvation Army wants to stay let them stay!" And so they +stayed. + +It was in a German-dug cave that they had their headquarters, cut out of +the side of a hill and opening into the hospital yard. It was a work of +art, that cave. There was a passage-way a hundred feet long with avenues +each side and places for cots, room enough to accommodate a hundred men. + +The German airplanes came in droves. When the bugle sounded every one must +get under cover. There must be nobody in sight for the Germans were out to +get individuals, and even one person was not too insignificant for them to +waste their ammunition upon. They had a mistaken idea, perhaps, that this +sort of thing destroyed our morale. The tents, of course, were no +protection against shells and bombs, and presently the Boche began to +shell the town in good earnest, especially at night. Gas alarms, also, +would sound out in the middle of the night and everybody would have to +rush out and put on their gas masks. They would not last long at a time, +of course, but it broke up any rest that might have been had, and it was +only too evident that the enemy was trying to get the range on the +hospital. + +One morning, standing by the window making cocoa for the boys, one of the +lassies saw an eight-inch shell land between the hospital tents, ten feet +in front of the window, and only five feet from the door of the place +where the severely wounded were lying. These shells always kill at two +hundred feet. All that saved them was that the shell buried itself deep in +the soft earth and was a dud. + +The shells were coming every twenty minutes and there was no time to lose +for now the enemy had their range. At once all hands got busy and began to +evacuate the wounded men into the Salvation Army cave. The cave would +accommodate seventy men, but they managed to get a hundred men inside, +most of them on litters. They were all safe and the girls heard the +whistle of the next shell and made haste toward safety themselves. But +someone had carelessly dropped a whole outfit of blankets and things +across the passageway of the dugout and the first woman to enter fell +across it, shutting out the other two. Before anything could be done the +next shell struck the doorway, partly burying the fallen young woman. +Inside the dugout rocks came down on some of the men on litters, and +anxious hands extricated the lassie from the _debris_ that had fallen +upon her, and lifted her tenderly. She was pretty badly bruised and lamed, +besides being wounded on her leg, but the brave young woman would not +claim her wound, nor let it become known to the military authorities lest +they would forbid the girls to stay at the front any longer. So for three +weeks she patiently limped about and worked with the rest, quietly bearing +her pain, and would not go to the hospital. One lassie outside was struck +on the helmet by a piece of falling rock. If she had not had on her helmet +she would have been killed. + +The shelling continued for six hours. + +The hospital was all the time filled with wounded men and there was plenty +to be done twenty-four hours out of every day. The women moved about among +the men as if they were their own brothers. + +A poor shell-shocked boy lay on his cot talking wildly in delirium, living +over the battle again, charging his men, ordering them to advance. + +"Company H. Advance! See that hill over there? It's full of Germans, but +_we've got to take it_!" + +Then he turned over and began to sob and cry, "Oh God! Oh God!" + +A lassie went to him and soothed him, talking to him gently about home, +asking him questions about his mother, until he grew calm and began to +answer her, and rested back quite rationally. The stretcher-bearers came +to take him to another hospital, and he started up, put out his hand and +cried: "Oh, nurse! I've got to get back to my men! _I'm the only one +left_!" + +Thus the heart-breaking scenes were multiplied. + +One boy came back to the hospital in the Argonne badly wounded. He called +the lassie to him one day as she passed through the ward, and motioned her +to lean down so he could talk to her. He said he knew he was hard hit and +he wanted to tell her something. + +"I was wounded, lying on the ground over there in No Man's Land," he went +on. "It was all dark and I was waiting for someone to come along and help +me. I thought it was all up with me and while I was lying there I felt +something. I can't explain it, but I knew it was there and I saw my mother +and I prayed. Then my Buddy came along and I asked him if he could baptize +me. He said he wasn't very good himself but he guessed the heavenly Father +would understand. So he stooped down and got some muddy water out of a +shell hole close by and put it on my forehead, and prayed; and now I know +it's all right. I wanted you to know." + +Often the boys, just before they went over the top, would come to these +girls and say: + +"We're going up there, now. You pray for us, won't you?" + +One day some boys came to the hut when there were not many about and asked +the girls if they might talk with them. These boys were going over the top +that night. + +"We fellows want to ask you something," they said. "Some of the chaplains +have been telling us that if we go over there and die for liberty that +it'll be all right with us afterward. But we don't believe that dope and +we want to know the truth. Do you mean to tell me that if a man has lived +like the devil he's going to be saved just because he got killed fighting? +Why, some of us fellows didn't even go of our own accord. We were drafted. +And do you mean to tell me that counts just the same? We want to know the +truth!" + +And then the girls had their opportunity to point the way to Jesus and +speak of repentance, salvation from sin, and faith in the Saviour of the +world. + +A lassie was stooping over one young boy lying on a cot, washing his face +and trying to make him more comfortable, and she noticed a hole in his +breast pocket. Stooping closer she examined it and found it was a piece of +high explosive shell that had gone through the cloth of his pocket and was +embedded in his Testament, which he, like many of the boys, always kept in +his breast pocket. + +Another boy lay on a cot biting his lips to bear the agony of pain, and +she asked him what was the matter, was the wound in his leg so bad? He +nodded without opening his eyes. She went to ask the doctor if the boy +couldn't have some morphine to dull the pain. The Sergeant in charge came +over and looked at him, examined the bandage on the boy's leg and then +exclaimed: "Who bandaged this leg?" + +"I did" said the boy weakly, "I did the best I could." + +The poor fellow had bandaged his own leg and then walked to the hospital. +The bandage had looked all right and no one had examined it until then, +but the Sergeant found that it was so tight that it had stopped the +circulation. He took off the bandage and made him comfortable, and the +agony left him. In a little while the Salvation Army lassie passed that +way again and found the boy with a little book open, reading. + +"What is it?" she asked, looking at the book. + +"My Testament," he answered with a smile. + +"Are you a Christian?" + +"Oh, yes," he said with another smile that meant volumes. + +It grew dark in the tent for they dared not have lights on account of the +enemy always watching, but stooping near a little later she could see that +his lips were murmuring in prayer. There was an angelic smile on his +white, dead face in the morning when they came to take him away. + +There was a funeral every day in that place. A hundred boys were buried +that week. Always the girls sang at the graves, and prayed. There would be +just the grave digger, a few people, and some of the boys. Off to one side +the Germans were buried. When the simple services over our own dead were +complete one of the girls would say: "Now, friends, let us go and say a +prayer beside our enemy's graves. They are some mother's boys, and some +woman is waiting for them to come home!" + +And then the prayers would be said once more, and another song sung. + +Those were solemn, sorrowful times, death and destruction on every side. +The fighting was everywhere. United States anti-aircraft guns firing at +German planes; Germans firing at us; air fights in the sky above. + +And in the midst of it all the boys had meetings every night on log piles +out in the open. These meetings would begin with popular songs, but the +boys would soon ask for the hymns and the meetings would work themselves +out without any apparent leading up to it. The boys wanted it. They wanted +to hear about religious things. They hungered for it. So they were held at +the throne of God each night by the wonderful men and girls who had +learned to know human hearts, and had attained such skill in leading them +to the Christ for whom they lived. + +It was not alone the doughnut that bound the hearts of the boys to the +Salvation Army in France, it was what was behind the doughnut; and here, +in these wonderful God-led meetings they found the secret of it all. Many +of them came and told the girls they did not believe in the so-called +"trench religion" and wanted to know the truth from them. And those girls +told them the way of eternal life in a simple, beautiful way, not mincing +matters, nor ignoring their sins and unworthiness, but pointing the way to +the Christ who died to save them from sin, and who even now was waiting in +silent Presence to offer them Himself. Great numbers of the men accepted +Christ, and pledged themselves to live or die for Him whatever came to +them. + +How close the Salvation Army people had grown to the hearts and lives of +the men was shown by the fact that when they came back from the fight they +would always come to them as if they had come to report at home: + +"We've escaped!" they would say. "We don't know how it is, but we think +it's because you girls were praying for us, and the folks at home were +praying, too!" + +There were three cardinal principles which were deemed necessary to +success in this work. The first and most important depended upon winning +the confidence of the boys. This was a prime requisite in any work with +the boys, especially by a religious organization. + +_The first quality_ looked for in a person professing religion is +always consistency. It was felt that if the boys saw that the Salvation +Army was consistent, that it stood only for those things in France which +it was known to stand for in the United States, that the first step would +be established in winning the confidence of the boy. It was therefore +determined that the Salvation Army would not, under any circumstances, +compromise, and that it should stand out in its religious work and adhere +to its teachings as firmly and as vigorously as it was known to do at +home. + +A stand upon the tobacco question was, therefore, highly important. Other +organizations were encouraging the use of tobacco but those who had come +in contact with the Salvation Army at home knew that it had always +discouraged its use, and although the officers had to go against the +judgment of many high military authorities who thought they should handle +it, they decided that the Salvation Army would not handle tobacco and that +no one wearing its uniform should use it. The consistency of the Salvation +Army and the careful conduct of its workers won the esteem of the boys. + +_The second requisite_ was that the Salvation Army should be willing +to share their hardships. To accomplish this, it was made a rule that +Salvation Army workers should not mess with the officers but should draw +their rations at the soldiers' mess, also that they should not associate +with the officers more than was absolutely necessary and that in the huts. +It was neither possible nor desirable that officers should be kept out of +the huts, but as far as possible soldiers were made to feel that the +Salvation Army was in France to serve them and not for its own pleasure or +convenience. + +_The third requisite_ was that the Salvation Army should be willing +to share their dangers and this was proved to them when they went to the +trenches--the Salvation Army moved to the trenches with them and +established huts and outposts as close to the front line as was permitted. + + + +X. + +The Armistice + + + +After the Armistice was signed, on November 11th, it was a great question +what disposition would be made of the troops. It was concluded that they +would be sent home as rapidly as possible and that the three ports--Brest, +St. Nazaire and Bordeaux--would be used for that purpose. Immediately +arrangements were made for the opening of Salvation Army work at the base +ports with a view to letting the boys have a last sight of the Salvation +Army as they left the shores of France. The Salvation Army had served them +in the training area and at the front and were still serving them as they +left the shores of the old world and it would meet them again when they +arrived on the shores of the home-land. In this way the contact of the +Salvation Army would be continuous, so that when they returned, it would +be able to reach their hearts and affect their lives with the Gospel of +Christ. + +The problem of buildings was, of course, the first one and a very +difficult one. To secure buildings of adequate size, which could be +constructed in a short space of time, was almost out of the question, but +it occurred to the officers that the aviation section would be +demobilizing and that they had brought over portable steel buildings, for +use as hangars. The matter was taken up at once with the military +authorities and twenty of these steel buildings were secured--each of them +sixty-six feet wide by one hundred feet long. It was planned to place +eight of them at Bordeaux, six at St. Nazaire and six at Brest. By placing +two of them end to end it was possible to secure one auditorium sixty-six +feet wide by two hundred feet long--capable of seating three thousand men. +Adjoining that could be another building sixty-six feet by one hundred +feet, to be used for canteen and rest room. + +It was planned to proceed with a religious campaign at these Base Ports, +holding Salvation meetings in these extensive departments. + +When the Army of Occupation was started for Germany, two Salvation Army +trucks were assigned to go along with the Army. Whenever the Army of +Occupation stopped for a space of two or three days, places were secured +where doughnuts could be fried, pies made, and at all times hot coffee and +chocolate were available for the men. + +When the American soldiers marched through the villages of Alsace-Lorraine +the Salvationists marched with them. At Esch and Luxemburg they were in +all the rejoicing and triumph of the parade, bringing succor and comfort +wherever they could find an opportunity. + +When the men arrived at Coblenz the Salvation Army was there before them, +and on their crossing the Rhine, arrangements had been made for the +location of the Salvation Army work at the principal points in the Rhine- +head. They are now conducting Salvation Army operations with the Army of +Occupation. + +One of the occasions when President Wilson clapped for the Salvation Army +was at the inauguration of the Soldiers' Association in Paris. The Y had +invited all the other organizations to be present. The meeting was held in +the Palais de Glace, which seats about ten thousand people. + +President and Mrs. Wilson were present, accompanied by many prominent +American officials. Representatives of the various War Work Organizations +spoke. + +The Salvationist who had been selected to represent the Army at this +meeting had been in the United States Navy for twelve years and was a +chaplain. + +When he was called upon to speak the boys with one accord as if by +preconcerted action arose to their feet and gave him an ovation. Of +course, it was not given to the man but to the uniform. + +A soldier of the Rainbow Division sitting next to one of the Salvation +Army workers over there, kept telling him what the boys thought of the +Salvation Army, and when the cheering began he poked the Salvationist in +the ribs and whispered joyously: + +"I told you! I told you! We've just been waiting for eight months to pull +this off! Now, you see!" + +The speaker when given opportunity did not attempt to make a great speech. +He told in simple, vivid sentences of the services of the Salvation Army +just back of the trenches under fire; and President Wilson sat listening +and applauding with the rest. + +The chaplain paid a tribute to President Wilson, finishing with these +words: + +"President Wilson was not man-elected, but God-selected!" + + + +CHAPLAINS. + + For some little time after the War started it was a question as to +whether the Salvation Army was entitled to any representation in the realm +of Chaplaincies of the United States forces. During the progress of the +consideration Adjutant Harry Kline secured an appointment with the +Nebraska National Guard, and his regiment being made a part of the +National Army, he was received as an officer of the same and thus became +our first Army Chaplain. + +The War Office decided favorably with regard to the question of our +general representation, and shortly thereafter Adjutant John Allan, of +Bowery fame, was given a first lieutenancy and then followed, in the order +given, Captain Ernest Holz, Adjutant Ryan and Captain Norman Marshall. + +The exceptional service that these men have rendered is of sufficient +importance to have a much wider notice than where only the barest of +reference is possible. Shortly after arrival in France Chaplain Allan was +being very favorably noticed because of the character of the work which he +was doing, and it was gratifying to learn that this confidence was +reflected in his appointment as Senior Chaplain of his regiment and his +assignment to special service where probity and wisdom were essential. +Shortly thereafter he was taken to the Army Headquarters, where up to the +present time he is most highly esteemed as a co-laborer with Bishop Brent, +the Chaplain-General of the overseas forces. + +Typical of the enthusiasm of each of the five men appointed as Chaplains, +the following story is told of First Lieutenant Ernest Holz, who was +inducted into his office as Senior Chaplain of his regiment right at the +commencement of his career. + +At the beginning of the year, when Chaplain Holz knew his Salvation Army +comrades would, as usual, be engaged in special revival work, he thought +it would be a worthy thing to time a similar effort among the men of his +regiment. Approaching the Colonel, he found him in hearty agreement +concerning the effort, and so securing the assistance of his fellow +chaplains they arranged for a series of meetings nightly for one week, +with the result that two hundred of the men of the regiment confessed +Christ and practically all of them were deeply interested. + +The effort was wholly directed to the uplift of the men and God commanded +His blessing in a most gratifying manner. + + + + +XI. + +Homecoming + + + +The boat docked that morning, and one soldier at least, as he stood on the +deck and watched the shores of his native land draw nearer, felt mingling +with the thrill of joy at his return a vague uneasiness. He was coming +back, it is true, but it had been a long time and a lot of things had +happened. For one thing he had lost his foot. That in itself was a pretty +stiff proposition. For another thing he was not wearing any decorations +save the wound stripes on his sleeve. Those would have been enough, and +more than enough, for his mother if she were alive, but she had gone away +from earth during his absence, and the girl he had kissed good-bye and +promised great things was peculiar. The question was, would she stand for +that amputated foot? He didn't like to think it of her, but he found he +wasn't sure. Perhaps, if there had been a croix de guerre! He had promised +her to win that and no end of other honors, when he went away so buoyant +and hopeful; but almost on his first day of real battle he had been hurt +and tossed aside like a derelict, to languish in a hospital, with no more +hope of winning anything. And now he had come home with one foot gone, and +no distinction! + +He hadn't told the girl yet about the foot. He didn't know as he should. +He felt lonely and desolate in spite of his joy at getting back to "God's +Country." He frowned at the hazy outline of the great city from which tall +buildings were beginning to differentiate themselves as they drew nearer. +There was New York. He meant to see New York, of course. He was a +Westerner and had never had an opportunity to go about the metropolis of +his own country. Of course, he would see it all. Perhaps, after he was +demobilized he would stay there. Maybe he wouldn't send word he had come +back. Let them think he was killed or taken prisoner, or missing, or +anything they liked. There were things to do in New York. There were +places where he would be welcome even with one foot gone and no cross of +war. Thus he mused as the boat drew nearer the shore and the great city +loomed close at hand. Then, suddenly, just as the boat was touching the +pier and a long murmur of joy went up from the wanderers on board, his +eyes dropped idly to the dock and there in her trim little overseas +uniform, with the sunlight glancing from the silver letters on the scarlet +shield of her trench cap and the smile radiating from her sweet face, +stood the very same Salvation Army lassie who had bent over him as he lay +on the ground just back of the trenches waiting to be put in the ambulance +and taken to the hospital after he had been wounded. He could feel again +the throbbing pain in his leg, the sickening pain of his head as he lay in +the hot sun, with the flies swarming everywhere, the horrible din of +battle all about, and his tongue parched and swollen with fever from lying +all night in pain on the wet ground of No Man's Land. She had laid a soft +little hand on his hot forehead, bathed his face, and brought him a cold +drink of lemonade. If he lived to be a hundred years old he would never +taste anything so good as that lemonade had been. Afterward the doctor +said it was the good cold drink that day that saved the lives of those +fever patients who had lain so long without attention. Oh, he would never +forget the Salvation lassie! And there she was alive and at home! She +hadn't been killed as the fellows had been afraid she would. She had come +through it all and here she was always ahead and waiting to welcome a +fellow home. It brought the tears smarting to his eyes to think about it, +and he leaned over the rail of the ship and yelled himself hoarse with the +rest over her, forgetting all about his lost foot. It was hours before +they were off the ship. All the red tape necessary for the movement of +such a company of men had to be unwound and wound up again smoothly, and +the time stretched out interminably; but somehow it did not seem so hard +to wait now, for there was someone down there on the dock that he could +speak to, and perhaps--just perhaps--he would tell her of his dilemma +about his girl. Somehow he felt that she would understand. + +He watched eagerly when he was finally lined up on the wharf waiting for +roll-call, for he was sure she would come; and she did, swinging down the +line with her arms full of chocolate, handing out telegraph blanks and +postal cards, real postal cards with a stamp on them that could be mailed +anywhere. He gripped one in his big, rough hand as if it were a life +preserver. A real, honest-to-goodness postal card! My it was good to see +the old red and white stamp again! And he spoke impulsively: + +"You're the girl that saved my life out there in the field, don't you +remember? With the lemonade!" Her face lit up. She had recognized him and +somehow cleared one hand of chocolate and telegrams to grasp his with a +hearty welcome: "I'm so glad you came through all right!" her cheery voice +said. + +All right! _All right!_ Did she call it all right? He looked down at +his one foot with a dubious frown. She was quick to see. She understood. + +"Oh, but that's nothing!" she said, and somehow her voice put new heart +into him. "Your folks will be so glad to have you home you'll forget all +about it. Come, aren't you going to send them a telegram?" And she held +out the yellow blank. + +But still he hesitated. + +"I don't know," he said, looking down at his foot again. "Mother's gone, +and------" + +Instantly her quick sympathy enveloped his sore soul, and he felt that +just the inflection of her voice was like balm when she said: "I'm so +sorry!" Then she added: + +"But isn't there somebody else? I'm sure there was. I'm sure you told me +about a girl I was to write to if you didn't come through. Aren't you +going to let her know? Of course you are." + +"I don't know," said the boy. "I don't think I am. Maybe I'll never go +back now. You see, I'm not what I was when I went away." + +"Nonsense!" said the lassie with that cheerful assurance that had carried +her through shell fire and made her merit the pet name of "Sunshine" that +the boys had given her in the trenches. "Why, that wouldn't be fair to +her. Of course, you're going to let her know right away. Leave it to me. +Here, give me her address!" + +Quick as a flash she had the address and was off to a telephone booth. +This was no message that could wait to go back to headquarters. It must go +at once. + +He saw her again before he left the wharf. She gave him a card with two +addresses written on it: + +"This first is where you can drop in and rest when you are tired," she +explained. "It's just one of our huts; the other is where you can find a +good bed when you are in the city." + +Then she was off with a smile down the line, giving out more telegraph +blanks and scattering sunshine wherever she went. He glanced back as he +left the pier and saw her still floating eagerly here and there like a +little sister looking after more real brothers. + +The next day, when he was free and on a few days leave from camp, he +started out with his crutch to see the city, but the thought of her kept +him from some of the places where his feet might have strayed. Yet she had +not said a word of warning. Her smile and the look in her eyes had placed +perfect confidence in him, and he could remember the prayer she had +uttered in a low tone back there at the dressing station behind the +trenches in the ear of a companion who was not going to live to get to the +Base Hospital, and who had begged her to pray with him before he went. +Somehow it lingered with him all day and changed his ideas of what he +wanted to see in New York. + +But it was a long hard tramp he had set for himself to see the town with +that one foot. He hadn't much money for cars, even if he had known which +cars to take, so he hobbled along and saw what he could. He was all alone, +for the fellows he started with went so fast and wanted to do so many +things that he could not do, that he had made an excuse to shake them off. +They were kind. They would not have left him if they had known; but he +wasn't going to begin his new life having everybody put out on his +account, so he was alone. And it was toward evening. He was very tired. It +seemed to him that he couldn't go another block. If only there were a +place somewhere where he could sit down a little while and rest; even a +doorstep would do if there were only one near at hand. Of course, there +were saloons, and there would always be soldiers in them. He would likely +be treated, and there would be good cheer, and a chance to forget for a +little while; but somehow the thought of that Salvation lassie and the +cheery way she had made him send that telegram kept him back. When a girl +with painted cheeks stopped and smiled in his face he passed her by, and +half wondered why he did it. He must go somewhere presently and get a bite +to eat, but it couldn't be much for he wanted to save money enough and +hunt up that lodging house where there were nice beds. How much he wanted +that bed! + +[Illustration: Right in the midst of the busy hurrying throng of Union +Square] + +[Illustration: "Smiling Billy" "One Game Little Guy"] + +It was quite dark now. The lights were lit everywhere. He was coming to a +great thoroughfare. He judged by his slight knowledge of the city that it +might be Broadway. There would likely be a restaurant somewhere near. He +hurried on and turned into the crowded street. How cold it was! The wind +cut him like a knife. He had been a fool to come off alone like this! Just +out of the hospital, too. Perhaps he would get sick and have to go to +another hospital. He shivered and stopped to pull his collar up closer +around his neck. Then suddenly he stood still and stared with a dazed, +bewildered expression, straight ahead of him. Was he getting a bit leary? +He passed his hand over his eyes and looked again. Yes, there it was! +Right in the midst of the busy, hurrying throng of Union Square! He made +sure it was Union Square, for he looked up at the street sign to be +certain it wasn't Willow Vale--or Heaven--right there where streets met +and crossed, and cars and trolleys and trucks whirled, and people passed +in throngs all day, just across the narrow road, stood the loveliest, most +perfect little white clapboard cottage that ever was built on this earth, +with porches all around and a big tree growing up through the roof of one +porch. It stood out against the night like a wonderful mirage, like a +heavenly dove descended into the turmoil of the pit, like home and mother +in the midst of a rushing pitiless world. He could have cried real tears +of wonder and joy as he stood there, gazing. He felt as though he were one +of those motion pictures in which a lone Klondiker sits by his campfire +cooking a can of salmon or baked beans, and up above him on the screen in +one corner appears the Christmas tree where his wife and baby at home are +celebrating and missing him. It seemed just as unreal as that to see that +little beautiful home cottage set down in the midst of the city. + +The windows were all lit up with a warm, rosy light and there were +curtains at the windows, rosy pink curtains like the ones they used to +have at the house where his girl lived, long ago before the War spoiled +him. He stood and continued to gaze until a lot of cash-boys, let loose +from the toil of the day, rushed by and almost knocked his crutch from +under him. Then he determined to get nearer this wonder. Carefully +watching his opportunity he hobbled across the street and went slowly +around the building. Yes, it was real. Some public building, of course, +but how wonderful to have it look so like a home! Why had they done it? + +Then he came around toward the side, and there in plain letters was a +sign: "SOLDIERS AND SAILORS IN UNIFORM WELCOME." What? Was it possible? +Then he might go in? What kind of a place could it be? + +He raised his eyes a little and there, slung out above the neatly shingled +porch, like any sign, swung an immense fat brown doughnut a foot and a +half in diameter, with the sugar apparently still sticking to it, and +inside the rough hole sat a big white coffee cup. His heart leaped up and +something suddenly gave him an idea. He fumbled in his pocket, brought out +a card, saw that this was the Salvation Army hut, and almost shouted with +joy. He lost no time in hurrying around to the door and stepping inside. + +There revealed before him was a great cozy room, with many easy-chairs and +tables, a piano at which a young soldier sat playing ragtime, and at the +farther end a long white counter on which shone two bright steaming urns +that sent forth a delicious odor of coffee. Through an open door behind +the counter he caught a glimpse of two Salvation Army lassies busy with +some cups and plates, and a third enveloped in a white apron was up to her +elbows in flour, mixing something in a yellow bowl. By one of the little +tables two soldier boys were eating doughnuts and coffee, and at another +table a sailor sat writing a letter. It was all so cozy and homelike that +it took his breath away and he stood there blinking at the lights that +flooded the rooms from graceful white bowl-like globes that hung suspended +from the ceiling by brass chains. He saw that the rosy light outside had +come from soft pink silk sash curtains that covered the lower part of the +windows, and there were inner draperies of some heavier flowered material +that made the whole thing look real and substantial. The willow chairs had +cushions of the same flowered stuff. The walls were a soft pearly gray +below and creamy white above, set off by bands of dark wood, and a dark +floor with rush mats strewn about. He looked around slowly, taking in +every detail almost painfully. It was such a contrast to the noisy, +rushing street, a contrast to the hospital, and the trenches and all the +life with which he had been familiar during the past few dreadful months. +It made him think of home and mother. He began to be afraid he was going +to cry like a great big baby, and he looked around nervously for a place +to get out of sight. He saw a fellow going upstairs and at a distance he +followed him. Up there was another bright, quiet room, curtained and +cushioned like the other, with more easy willow chairs, round willow +tables, and desks over by the wall where one might write. The soldier who +had come up ahead of him was already settled writing now at a desk in the +far corner. There were bookcases between the windows with new beautifully +bound books in them, and there were magazines scattered around, and no +rules that one must not spit on the floor, or put their feet in the +chairs, or anything of the sort. Only, of course, no one would ever dream +of doing anything like that in such a place. How beautiful it was, and how +quiet and peaceful! He sank into a chair and looked about him. What rest! + +And now there were real tears in his eyes which he hastened to brush +roughly away, for someone was coming toward him and a hand was on his +shoulder. A man's voice, kindly, pleasant, brotherly, spoke: + +"All in, are you, my boy? Well, you just sit and rest yourself awhile. +What do you think of our hut? Good place to rest? Well, that's what we +want it to be to you, Home. Just drop in here whenever you're in town and +want a place to rest or write, or a bite of something homelike to eat." + +He looked up to the broad shoulders in their well-fitting dark blue +uniform, and into the kindly face of the gray-haired Colonel of the +Salvation Army who happened to step in for a minute on business and had +read the look on the lonesome boy's face just in time to give a word of +cheer. He could have thrown his arms around the man's neck and kissed him +if he only hadn't been too shy. But in spite of the shyness he found +himself talking with this fine strong man and telling him some of his +disappointments and perplexities, and when the older man left him he was +strengthened in spirit from the brief conversation. Somehow it didn't look +quite so black a prospect to have but one foot. + +He read a magazine for a little while and then, drawn by the delicious +odors, he went downstairs and had some coffee and doughnuts. He saw while +he was eating that the front porch opened out of the big lower room and +was all enclosed in glass and heated with radiators. A lot of fellows were +sitting around there in easy-chairs, smoking, talking, one or two sleeping +in their chairs or reading papers. It had a dim, quiet light, a good place +to rest and think. He was more and more filled with wonder. Why did they +do it? Not for money, for they charged hardly enough to pay for the +materials in the food they sold, and he knew by experience that when one +had no money one could buy of them just the same if one were in need. + +Later in the evening he took out the little card again and looked up the +other address. He wanted one of those clean, sweet beds that he had been +hearing about, that one could get for only a quarter a night, with all the +shower-bath you wanted thrown in. So he went out again and found his way +down to Forty-first Street. + +There was something homelike about the very atmosphere as he entered the +little office room and looked about him. Beyond, through an open door he +could see a great red brick fireplace with a fire blazing cheerfully and a +few fellows sitting about reading and playing checkers. Everybody looked +as if they felt at home. + +When he signed his name in the big register book the young woman behind +the desk who wore an overseas uniform glanced at his signature and then +looked up as if she were welcoming an old friend: + +"There's a telegram here for you," she said pleasantly. "It came last +night and we tried to locate you at the camp but did not succeed. One of +our girls went over to camp this afternoon, but they said you were gone on +a furlough, so we hoped you would turn up." + +She handed over the telegram and he took it in wonder. Who would send him +a telegram? And here of all places! Why, how would anybody know he would +be here? He was so excited his crutch trembled under his arm as he tore +open the envelope and read: + + "Dear Billy (It was a regular letter!): + +"I am leaving to-night for New York. Will meet you at Salvation Hostel day +after to-morrow morning. What is a foot more or less? Can't I be hands and +feet for you the rest of your life? I'm proud, proud, proud of you! + + Signed "Jean" + + He found great tears coming into his eyes and his throat was full of +them, too. It didn't matter if that Salvation Army lassie behind the +counter did see them roll down his cheeks. He didn't care. She would +understand anyway, and he laughed out loud in his joy and relief, the +first joy, the first relief since he was hurt! + +Some one else was coming in the door, another fellow maybe, but the lassie +opened a door in the desk and drew him behind the counter in a shaded +corner where no one would notice and brought him a cup of tea, which she +said was all they had around to eat just then. She didn't pay any +attention to him till he got his equilibrium again. + +She was the kind of woman one feels is a natural-born mother. In fact, the +fellows were always asking her wistfully: "May we call you Mother?" Young +enough to understand and enter into their joys and sorrows, yet old enough +to be wise and sweet and true. She mothered every boy that came. + +A sailor boy once asked if he might bring his girl to see her. He said he +wanted her to see her so she could tell his mother about her. + +"But can't you tell her about your girl?" she asked. + +"Oh, yes, but I want you to tell her." he said. "You see, whatever you say +mother'll know is true." + +So presently she turned to this lonely boy and took him upstairs through +the pleasant upper room with its piano and games, its sun parlor over the +street, lined with trailing ferns, with cheery canaries in swinging +tasseled cages, who looked fully as happy and at home as did the soldier +boys who were sitting about comfortably reading. She found him a room with +only one other bunk in it. Nice white beds with springs like air and +mattresses like down. She showed him where the shower-baths were, and with +a kindly good-night left him. He almost wanted to ask her to kiss him +good-night, so much like his own mother she seemed. + +Before he got into that white bed he knelt beside it, all clean and +comfortable and happy like a little child that had wandered a long way +from home and got back again, and he told God he was sorry and ashamed for +all the way he had doubted, and sinned, and he wanted to live a new life +and be good. Then he lay down to sleep. To-morrow morning Jean would be +there. And she didn't mind about the foot! She didn't mind! How wonderful! + +And then he had a belated memory of the little Salvation Army lassie on +the wharf who had brought all this about, and he closed his eyes and +murmured out loud to the clean, white walls: "God bless her! Oh, God bless +her!" + +This is only one of the many stories that might be told about the boys who +have been helped by the various activities of the Salvation Army, both at +home and abroad. + +It would be well worth one's while to visit their Brooklyn Hospital and +their New York Hospital and all their other wonderful institutions. In +several of them are many little children, some mere infants, belonging to +soldiers and sailors away in the war. In some instances the mother is +dead, or has to work. If she so desires she is given work in the +institution, which is like a real home, and allowed to be with her child +and care for it. Where both mother and father are dead the child remains +for six years or until a home elsewhere is provided for it. Here the +little ones are well cared for, not in the ordinary sense of an +institution, but as a child would be cared for in a home, with beauty and +love, and pleasure mingling with the food and shelter and raiment that is +usually supplied in an institution. These children are prettily, though +simply, dressed and not in uniform; with dainty bits of color in hair +ribbon, collar, necktie or frock; the babies have wee pink and blue wool +caps and sacks like any beloved little mites, they ride around on Kiddie +Cars, play with doll houses and have a fine Kindergarten teacher to guide +their young minds, and the best of hospital service when they are ailing. +But that is another story, and there are yet many of them. If everybody +could see the beautiful life-size painting of Christ blessing the little +children which is painted right on the very wall and blended into the +tinting, they could better comprehend the spirit which pervades this +lovely home. + +The New York Hospital, which has just been rebuilt and refurnished with +all the latest appliances, is in charge of a devoted woman physician, who +has given her life to healing, and has at the head of its Board one of the +most noted surgeons in the city, who gives his services free, and boasts +that he enjoys it best of all his work. Here those of small means or of no +means at all, especially those belonging to soldiers and sailors, may find +healing of the wisest and most expert kind, in cheery, airy, sanitary and +beautiful rooms. But here, too, to understand, one must see. Just a peep +into one of those dainty white rooms would rest a poor sick soul; just a +glance at the room full of tiny white basket cribs with dainty blue satin- +bound blankets--real wool blankets--and white spreads, would convince +one. + +And what one sees in New York in the line of such activities is duplicated +in most of the other large cities of the United States. + +Not the least of the Salvation Army service for the returning soldiers is +the work that is done on the docks by the lassies meeting returning troop +ships. They send telegrams free, not C.O.D., for them, give the men +stamped postal cards, hunt up relatives, answer questions, and give them +chocolate while they wait for the inevitable roll call before they can +entrain. Often these girls will sit up half the night after having met +boats nearly all day, to get the telegrams all off that night. It is +interesting to note that on one single day, April 20th, 1919, the +Salvation Army Headquarters in New York sent 2900 such free telegrams for +returning soldiers. + +The other day the father of a soldier came to Headquarters with an anxious +face, after a certain unit from overseas had returned. It was the unit in +which his boy had gone to France, but he had written saying he was in the +hospital without stating what was the matter or how serious his wound. No +further word had been received and the father and mother were frenzied +with grief. They had tried in every way to get information but could find +out nothing. The Salvation Army went to work on the telephone and in a +short time were able to locate the missing boy in a Casual Company soon to +return, and to report to his anxious father that he was recovering +rapidly. + +Another soldier arrived in New York and sent a Salvation Army telegram to +his father and mother in California who had previously received +notification that he was dead. A telegram came back to the Salvation Army +almost at once from the West stating this fact and begging some one to go +to the camp where the boy's Casual Company was located and find out if he +were really living. One of the girls from the office went over to the +Debarkation Hospital immediately and saw the boy, and was able to +telegraph to his parents that he was perfectly recovered and only awaiting +transportation to California. He was overjoyed to see someone who had +heard from his parents. + +A portion of one troop ship had been reserved for soldiers having +influenza. These men were kept on board long after all the others had left +the ship. A Salvation Army worker seeing them with the white masks over +their faces went on board and served them with chocolate, distributing +post cards and telegraph blanks. When she was leaving the ship a Captain +said to her rather brusquely: "Don't you realize that you have done a +foolish thing? Those men have influenza and your serving them might mean +your death!" + +Looking up into the man's eyes the Salvationist said: "I am ready to die +if God sees fit to call me." + +The officer laughed and told her that was the first time in his life he +had known anyone to say they were ready to die and would willingly expose +themselves to such a contagious disease. + +"Aren't you ready to die?" asked the girl. "Certainly not," replied the +Captain. "Sometimes I think I am hardly fit to live, much less die." + +"Don't you realize that there is a Power which can enable you to live in +such a way as to make you ready to die?" + +"Oh, well, I don't bother about going to church, in fact, I don't bother +about religion at all, although I must say once or twice when I was up the +line over there I wished I did know something about religion, that is, the +kind that makes a fellow feel good about dying; but I don't want to go to +church and go through all that business." + +"It is possible to accept Christ here and now on this very spot--on this +ship--if you'll only believe," said the girl wistfully. + +The Captain could not help being interested and thoughtful. When she left, +after a little more talk he put out his hand and said: + +"Thank you. You've done me more good than any sermon could have done me, +and believe me, I am going to pray and trust God to help me live a +different life." + +Sad things are seen on the docks at times when the ships come into port, +and the boys are coming home. + +A soldier in a basket, with both arms and both legs gone and only one eye, +was being carried tenderly along. + +"Why do you let him live?" asked one pityingly of the Commanding Officer. + +The gruff, kindly voice replied: + +"You don't know what life is. We don't live through our arms and legs. We +live through our hearts." + +Some of our boys have learned out there amid shell fire to live through +their hearts. + +One of these lying on a litter greeted the lassie from Indiana, just come +back to New York from France to meet the boys when they landed: + +"Hello, Sister! _You here?_" + +Her eyes filled with tears as she recognized one of her old friends of the +trenches, and noticed how helpless he was now, he who had been the +strongest of the strong. She murmured sympathetically some words of +attempted cheer: + +"Oh, that's all right, Sister," he said, "I know they got me pretty hard, +but I don't mind that. I'm not going to feel bad about it. I got something +better than arms and legs over in one of your little huts in France. I +found Jesus, and I'm going to live for Him. I wanted you to know." + +A few days later she was talking with another boy just landed. She asked +him how it seemed to be home again, and to her surprise he turned a +sorrowful face to her: + +"It's the greatest disappointment of my life," he said sadly, "the folks +here don't understand. They all want to make me forget, and I don't want +to forget what I learned out there. I saw life in a different way and I +knew I had wasted all the years. I want to live differently now, and +mother and her friends are just getting up dances and theatre parties for +me to help me to forget. They don't understand." + +Forty miles west of Chicago is Camp Grant and there the Salvation Army has +put up a hut just outside of the camp. + +During the days when the boys were being sent to France, and were under +quarantine, unable to go out, no one was allowed to come in and there was +great distress. Mothers and sisters and friends could get no opportunity +to see them for farewells. + +The Salvation officer in charge suggested to the military authorities that +the Salvation Army hut be the clearing place for relatives, and that he +would come in his machine and bring the boys to the hut, taking them back +again afterwards, that they might have a few hours with their friends +before leaving for France. + +This offer was readily accepted by the authorities, and so it was made +possible for hundreds and hundreds of mothers to get a last talk with +their boys before they left, some of them forever. + +One day a young man came to the Salvation Army officer and told him that +his regiment was to depart that night and that he was in great distress +about his wife who on her way to see him had been caught in a railroad +wreck, and later taken on her way by a rescue train. "I think she is in +Rockford somewhere," he said anxiously, "but I don't know where, and I +have to leave in three hours!" + +The Ensign was ready with his help at once. He took the young soldier in +his car to Rockford, seven miles away, and they went from hotel to hotel +seeking in vain for any trace of the wife. Then suddenly as they were +driving along the street wondering what to try next the young soldier +exclaimed: "There she is!" And there she was, walking along the street! + +The two had a blessed two hours together before the soldier had to leave. +But it was all in the day's work for the Salvation Army man, for his main +object in life is to help someone, and he never minds how much he puts +himself out. It is always reward enough for him to have succeeded in +bringing comfort to another. + +One of the Salvation Army Ensigns who was assigned to work at Camp Grant +hut had been an all-round athlete before he joined the Salvation Army, a +boxer and wrestler of no mean order. + +The fame of the Ensign went abroad and the doctor at the Base Hospital +asked him to take charge of athletics in the hospital. He was also +appointed regularly as chaplain in the hospital. Every day he drilled the +five hundred women nurses in gymnastics, and put the men attendants and as +many of the patients as were able through a set of exercises. Thus +mingling his religion with his athletics he became a great power among the +men in the hospital. + +The Salvation Army asked the hospital if there was anything they could do +for the wounded men. The reply was, that there were eighty wards and not a +graphophone in one of them, nothing to amuse the boys. The need was +promptly filled by the Salvation Army which supplied a number of +graphophones and a piano. Then, discovering that the nurses who were +getting only a very small cash allowance out of which they had to furnish +their uniforms, were short of shoes, the indefatigable good Samaritan +produced a thousand dollars to buy new shoes for them. The Salvation Army +has always been doing things like that. + +The Salvation Army built many huts, locating them wherever there was need +among the camps. They have a hut at Camp Grant, one at Camp Funston, one +at Camp Travis, San Antonio, one at Camp Logan, Houston, Texas, one at +Camp Bowie, Fort Worth, one at Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico, one at Camp +Lewis, Tacoma, a Soldiers' Club at Des Moines, a Soldiers' Club with +Sitting Room, Dining Room, and rooms for a hundred soldiers just opened at +Chicago. There is a charge of twenty-five cents a night and twenty-five +cents a meal for such as have money. No charge for those who have no +money. There is such a Soldiers' Club at St. Louis, Kansas City, St. Paul +and Minneapolis. All of these places at the camps have accommodations for +women relatives to visit the soldiers, and all of the rooms are always +full to the limit. + +In Des Moines the Army has an interesting institution which grew out of a +great need. + +The Federal authorities have placed a Woman's Protective Agency in all +Camp towns. At Des Moines the woman representative of the Federal +Government sent word to the Salvation Army that she wished they would help +her. She said she had found so many young girls between the ages of +fourteen and sixteen who were being led into an immoral life through the +soldiers, and she wished the Salvation Army would open a home to take care +of such girls. + +With their usual swiftness to come to the rescue the Salvation Army opened +such a home. The Brigadier up in Chicago gave up his valued private +secretary, a lovely young girl only twenty-four years old, to be at the +head of this home. It may seem a pretty big undertaking for so young a +girl, but these Salvation Army girls are brought up to be wonderfully wise +and sweet beyond others, and if you could look into her beautiful eyes you +would have an understanding of the consecration and strength of character +that has made it possible for her to do this work with marvellous success, +and reach the hearts and turn the lives of these many young girls who have +come under her influence in this way. In her work she deals with the +individual, always giving immediate relief for any need, always pointing +the way straight and direct to a better life. The young girls are kept in +the home for a week or more until some near relative can be sent for, or +longer, until a home and work can be found for them. Every case is dealt +with on its own merits; and many young girls have had their feet set upon +the right road, and a new purpose in life given to them with new ideals, +from the young Christian girl whom they easily love and trust. + +So great has been the success of the Salvation Army hut and women's hostel +at Camp Lewis that the United States Government has asked the Salvation +Army to put up a hundred thousand dollar hotel at that camp which is +located twenty miles out of Tacoma. The Salvation Army hut at this place +was recently inspected by Secretary of War Baker and Chief of Staff who +highly complimented the Salvationists on the good work being done. + +A Christmas box was sent by the Salvation Army to each soldier in every +camp and hospital throughout the West. Each box contained an orange, an +apple, two pounds of nuts, one pound of raisins, one pound of salted +peanuts, one package of figs, two handkerchiefs in sealed packets, one +book of stamps, a package of writing paper, a New Testament, and a +Christmas letter from the Commissioner at Headquarters in Chicago. + +No Officer in the Salvation Army has been more successful in ingenious +efforts to further all activities connected with the work than +Commissioner Estill in command of the Western forces. He is an +indefatigable and tireless worker, is greatly beloved, and his efforts +have met with exceptional success. + +It was a new manager who had taken hold of the affairs of the Salvation +Army Hostel in a certain city that morning and was establishing family +prayers. A visitor, waiting to see someone, sat in an alcove listening. + +There in the long beautiful living-room of the Hostel sat a little +audience, two black women-the cooks-several women in neat aprons and caps +as if they had come in from their work, a soldier who had been reading the +morning paper and who quietly laid it aside when the Bible reading began, +a sailor who tiptoed up the two low steps from the cafe beyond the living- +room where he had been having his morning coffee and doughnuts--the young +clerk from behind the office desk. They all sat quiet, respectful, as if +accorded a sudden, unexpected privilege. + +[Illustration: Thomas Estill Commissioner of the Western Forces] + +[Illustration: The hut at Camp Lewis] + +The reading was a few well-chosen verses about Moses in the mount of +vision and somehow seemed to have a strange quieting influence and carried +a weight of reality read thus in the beginning of a busy day's work. + +The reader closed the book and quite familiarly, not at all pompously, he +said with a pleasant smile that this was a lesson for all of them. Each +one should have his vision for the day. The cook should have a vision as +she made the doughnuts--and he called her by her name--to make them just +as well as they could be made; and the women who made the beds should have +a vision of how they could make the beds smooth and soft and fine to rest +weary comers; and those who cleaned must have a vision to make the house +quite pure and sweet so that it would be a home for the boys who came +there; the clerk at the desk should have a vision to make the boys +comfortable and give them a welcome; and everyone should have a vision of +how to do his work in the best way, so that all who came there for a day +or a night or longer should have a vision when they left that God was +ruling in that place and that everything was being done for His praise. + +Just a few simple words bringing the little family of workers into touch +with the Divine and giving them a glimpse of the great plan of laboring +with God where no work is menial, and nothing too small to be worth doing +for the love of Christ. Then the little company dropped upon their knees, +and the earnest voice took up a prayer which was more an intimate word +with a trusted beloved Companion; and they all arose to go about that work +of theirs with new zest and--a vision! + +In her alcove out of sight the visitor found refreshment for her own soul, +and a vision also. + +This is the secret of this wonderful work that these people do in France, +in the cities, everywhere; they have a vision! They have been upon the +Mountain with God and they have not forgotten the injunction: + +"See that thou do all things according to the pattern given thee in the +Mount" + +But the stories multiply and my space is drawing to a close. I am minded +to say reverently in words of old: + +"And there are also many other things which these disciples of Jesus did, +the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the +world itself could not contain the books that should be written;" but are +they not graven in the hearts of men who found the Christ on the +battlefield or the hospital cot, or in the dim candle-lit hut, through +these dear followers of His? + + + +XII. + +Letters of Appreciation + + + +MY DEAR MISS BOOTH: + +You may be sure that your telegram of November fifteenth warmed my heart +and brought me very real cheer and encouragement. It is a message of just +the sort that one needs in these trying times, and I hope that you will +express to your associates my profound appreciation and my entire +confidence in their loyalty, their patriotism, and their enthusiasm for +the great work they are doing. + +Cordially and sincerely yours, +Woodrow Wilson. +Nov. 30,1917. + + +MY DEAR MISS BOOTH: + +I am very much interested to hear of the campaign the Salvation Army has +undertaken for money to sustain its war activities, and want to take the +opportunity to express my admiration for the work that it has done and my +sincere hope that it may be fully sustained. + +(Signed) WOODROW WILSON. +The President of the United States of America. + + +Commander Evangeline Booth, +Paris, 7 April, 1919. +122 W. 14th Street, New York, U.S.A. + +I am very much interested to know that the Salvation Army is about to +enter into a campaign for a sustaining fund. + +I feel that the Salvation Army needs no commendation from me. The love and +gratitude it has elicited from the troops is a sufficient evidence of the +work it has done and I feel that I should not so much commend as +congratulate it. + +Cordially and sincerely yours, +Woodrow Wilson. + + +British Delegation, Paris, 8th April, 1919. + +DEAR MADAM: + +I have very great pleasure in sending you this letter to say how highly I +think of the great work which has been done by the Salvation Army amongst +the Allied Armies in France and the other theatres of war. From all sides +I hear the most glowing accounts of the way in which your people have +added to the comfort and welfare of our soldiers. To me it has always been +a great joy to think how much the sufferings and hardships endured by our +troops in all parts of the world have been lessened by the self-sacrifice +and devotion shown to them by that excellent organization, the Salvation +Army. + +Yours faithfully, +W. Lloyd George. + + +General J. J. Pershing, France. + +The Salvation Army of America will never cease to hail you with devoted +affection and admiration for your valiant leadership of your valiant army. +You have rushed the advent of the world's greatest peace, and all men +honor you. To God be all the glory! + +Commander Evangeline Booth. + + + +Commander Evangeline Booth, New York City. + +"Many thanks for your cordial cable. The American Expeditionary Forces +thank you for all your noble work that the Salvation Army has done for +them from the beginning." + +General Pershing. + + +With deep feeling of gratitude for the enormous contribution which the +Salvation Army has made to the moral and physical welfare of this +expedition all ranks join me in sending heartiest Christmas greetings and +cordial best wishes for the New Year. + +(Signed) Pershing. + + +Salvation, New York. +Paris, April 22, 1919. + +The following cable received, Colonel William S. Barker, Director of the +Salvation Army, Paris: My dear Colonel Barker--I wish to express to you my +sincere appreciation, and that of all members of the American +Expeditionary Forces, for the splendid services rendered by the Salvation +Army to the American Army in France. You first submitted your plans to me +in the summer of 1917, and before the end of that year you had a number of +Huts in operation in the Training Area of the First Division, and a group +of devoted men and women who laid the foundation for the affectionate +regard in which the workers of your organization have always been held by +the American soldiers. The outstanding features of the work of the +Salvation Army have been its disposition to push its activities as far as +possible to the Front, and the trained and experienced character of its +workers whose one thought was the well-being of its soldiers they came to +serve. While the maintenance of these standards has necessarily kept your +work within narrow bounds as compared to some of the other welfare +agencies, it has resulted in a degree of excellence and self-sacrifice in +the work performed which has been second to none. It has endeared your +organization and its individual men and women workers to all those +Divisions and other units to which they have been attached and has +published their good name to every part of the American Expeditionary +forces. Please accept this letter as a personal message to each one of +your workers. Very sincerely, + +John J. Pershing. + + +Marshal Foch, Paris, France: + +Your brilliant armies, under blessing of God, have triumphed. The +Salvation Army of America exults with war-worn but invincible France. We +must consolidate for God of Peace all the good your valor has secured. +Commander Evangeline Booth. + + +[Illustration: Western Union cablegram (transcription below)] + +WESTERN UNION +ANGLO-AMERICAN DIRECT UNITED STATES +CABLEGRAM +34 Broadway N.Y. +Received at 16 BROAD STREET, NEW YORK + +193 F8 PZ +FRANCE 31 + +EVANGELINE BOOTH +COMMANDER SALVATION ARMY +IN AMERICA NEW YORK + +TRES TOUCHE DU SENTIMENT ELEVE QUI A INSPIRE VOTRE +TELEGRAMME JE VOUS ADRESSE AINSI QU'A VOS ADHERENTS MES +SINCERES REMERCIEMENTS + + MARECHAL FOCH + + +I am deeply touched by the high sentiment which inspired +your cablegram, and I tender you and your adherents sincere +thanks. + + MARSHAL FOCH + + + +Letter from Sir Douglas Haig + + +Just before leaving London on Thursday for his provincial campaigns, +General Booth received the following letter from Field Marshal Sir Douglas +Haig. The generous tribute will be read with intense satisfaction by +Salvationists the world over: + + +General Headquarters, British Armies in France. +March 27, 1918. + +I am glad to have the opportunity of congratulating the Salvation Army on +the service which its representatives have rendered during the past year +to the British Armies in France. + +The Salvation Army workers have shown themselves to be of the right sort +and I value their presence here as being one of the best influences on the +moral and spiritual welfare of the troops at the bases. The inestimable +value of these influences is realized when the morale of the troops is +afterwards put to the test at the front. + +The huts which the Salvation Army has staffed have besides been an +addition to the comfort of the soldiers which has been greatly +appreciated. + +I shall be glad if you will convey the thanks of all ranks of the British +Expeditionary Forces in France to the Salvation Army for its continued +good work. + +D. Haig, Field Marshal, +Commanding British Armies in France. + + +The Following Message from Marshal Joffre: + +Miss Evangeline Booth, +Apr. 9, 1919. +New York City. + +"President Wilson has said that the work of the Salvation Army on the +Franco-American front needs no praise in view of the magnificent results +obtained and remains only to be admired and congratulated. I cannot do +better than to use the same words which I am sure express the sentiments +of all French soldiers. "J. Joffre." + + +From Field Marshal Viscount French. + +"Of all the organizations that have come into existence during the past +fifty years none has done finer work or achieved better results in all +parts of the Empire than the Salvation Army. In particular, its activities +have been of the very greatest benefit to the soldiers in this war." + + +June 16, 1918. + +Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, writing from Oyster Bay, Long Island, under +date of April 11, 1918, has the following to say to the War Work Executive +of the Salvation Army: + +"I was greatly interested in your letter quoting the letter from my son +now with Pershing in France. His testimony as to the admirable work done +by the Salvation Army agrees with all my own observations as to what the +Salvation Army has done in war and in peace. You have had to enlarge +enormously your program and readjust your work in order to meet the need +of the vast number of soldiers and sailors serving our country overseas; +and you must have funds to help you. I am informed that over 40,000 +Salvationists are in the ranks of the Allied armies. I can myself bear +testimony to the fact that you have a practical social service, combined +with practical religion, that appeals to multitudes of men who are not +reached by the regular churches; and I know that you were able to put your +organization to work in France before the end of the first month of the +World War. I am glad to learn that you do not duplicate or parallel the +work done by any other organization, and that you are in constant touch +with the War Work Councils of such organizations as the Y. M. C. A. and +the Bed Cross. I happen to know that you are now maintaining and operating +168 huts behind the lines in France, together with 70 hostels, and that +you have furnished 46 ambulances, manned and officered by Salvationists. I +am particularly interested to learn that 6000 women are knitting under the +direction of the Salvation Army, and with materials furnished by this +organization here in America, in order to turn out garments and useful +articles for the soldiers at the Front. + +"Faithfully yours, + +"(Signed) Theodore Roosevelt." + + + +April 21st, 1919. + +Commander Evangeline Booth, +120 West 14th Street, New York, N. Y. + +Dear Commander Booth: + +I have known the Salvation Army from its beginning. + +The mother of the Salvation Army was Mrs. Catherine Booth, and her common +sense and Christian spirit laid the foundations; while her husband, +General William Booth, in his impressive frame, fertility of ideas, and +invincible spirit of evangelism always seemed to me as if he were closely +related to St. Peter, the fisherman--the man of ideas and many questions, +of the Lord's family. + +General William Booth was of a discipleship that kept him always on the +"long, long trail" with a self-sacrificing spirit, but with a cheerfulness +that heard the nightingales in the early mornings that awakened him to +duty and service. He was never tired. The Salvation Army under the present +leadership of your brother, Bramwell Booth, has "carried on" along the +same roads, and with the same methods, as the great General who has passed +into the Beyond. + +The Salvation Army has been itself true to the spirit of its mighty +originator during the present war. No work was too hard; no day was long +enough; no duty too simple, no self-denial was too great. + +Prom my personal knowledge, the Salvation Army workers were consecrated to +their work. Just as the brave boys who carried the Flag, they were +soldiers fighting a battle, to find comforts, and a song to put music into +the hearts of the noble fellows that now lie sleeping on the ridges of the +Marne, with their graves unmarked save with a cross. + +The sleepless vigilance of the Salvation Army extended from their kitchens +where they cooked for the boys, to the hospitals where they prayed with +them to the last hour when life ended in a silence, the stillest of all +slumbers. + +The Armies of every country in which they labored have a record of their +faithfulness and devotion which will be sealed in the hearts of the many +thousands they helped in the days of the struggle for peace. + +The question is, what can we do now to perpetuate the Salvation Army and +its work, and my reply is, that there is nothing they ask or want that +should be refused to them. They are worthy; they are competent; they can +be trusted with responsibility; and their splendid leader seems to have +almost a miraculous power for management in the work which her father +committed to her so far as America is concerned. + +Very sincerely yours, + +(Signed) John Wanamaker. + + + +Cardinal's Residence, 408 Charles Street, Baltimore. +April 16, 1919. + +Hon. Charles S. Whitman, New York City. + +Honorable and Dear Sir: + +I have been asked by the local Commander of the Salvation Army to address +a word to you as the National Chairman of the Campaign about to be +launched in behalf of the above named organization. This I am happy to do, +and for the reason that, along with my fellow American citizens, I rejoice +in the splendid service which the Salvation Army rendered our Soldier and +Sailor Boys during the war. Every returning trooper is a willing witness +to the efficient and generous work of the Salvation Army both at the +Front, and in the camps at home. I am also the more happy to commend this +organization because it is free from sectarian bias. The man in need of +help is the object of their effort, with never a question of his creed or +color. + +I trust, therefore, your efforts to raise $13,000,000 for the Salvation +Army will meet with a hearty response from our generous American public. + +Faithfully yours, +James, Cardinal, Gibbons. + + + +Commissioner Plenipotentiary of the United States of America. + +Paris, April 7th, 1919. + +My Dear Commander Booth: + +Those of us who have been fortunate enough to see something of the work of +the Salvation Army with the American troops have been made proud by the +devotion and self-sacrifice of the workers connected with your +organization. + +I congratulate you and, through you, your associates, and I wish you the +best of fortune in the continuance of your splendid work. + +Very sincerely yours, +L. M. House. + + + +Commander Evangeline Booth, Salvation Army. + +Evangeline Booth, +Salvation Army Headquarters, New York. + +I have seen the work of the Salvation Army in France and consider it very +helpful and valuable. I trust you will be able to secure the means not +only for its maintenance but for the enlargement of its scope. It is a +good work and should be encouraged. + +Leonard Wood. +Camp Funston, Kansas. + + + +Brigadier-General Duncan wrote to Colonel Barker the +following letter: + +December 7, 1917. + +The Salvation Army in this its first experience with our troops has +stepped very closely into the hearts of the men. Your huts have been open +to them at all times. They have been cordially received in a homelike +atmosphere and many needs provided in religious teachings. Your efforts +have the honest support of our chaplains. I have talked with many of our +soldiers who are warm in their praise and satisfaction in what is being +done for them. For myself I feel that the Salvation Army has a real place +for its activities with our Army in France and I offer you and your +workers, men and women, good wishes and thanks for what you have done and +are doing for our men. + +G. B. Duncan, Brigadier-General. + + + +The Salvation Army is doing a great work in France and every soldier bears +testimony to the fact. + +Omar Bundy, Major-General. + + + +Headquarters First Division, +American Expeditionary Forces. + +France, September 15, 1918. + +From: Chief of Staff. + +To: Major L. Allison Coe, Salvation Army. + +Subject: Service in Operation against St. Mihiel Salient. + +1. The Division Commander desires me to express to you his appreciation of +the particularly valuable service that the Salvation Army, through you and +your assistants, has rendered the Division during the recent operation +against the St. Mihiel salient. + +2. You have furnished aid and comfort to the American soldier throughout +the trying experiences of the last few days, and in accomplishing this +worthy mission have spared yourself in nothing. + +3. The Division Commander wishes me to thank you for the Division and for +himself. + +CK/T. Campbell King, Chief of Staff. + + + +CABLEGRAM. + +Paris, December 17,1917. + +Commander Miss E, Booth, 120 W. 14th St., New York. + +I am glad to be able to express my appreciation of the work done by the +Salvation Army in the way of providing for the comfort and welfare of the +Command. I think the efforts of the Salvation Army are admirable and +deserving of appreciation and commendation, and I consider the effort is +made without advertisement and that it reaches and is appreciated by those +for whom it is most needed. + +L. P. MURPHY, Lieut.-Colonel of Cavalry. + + + +CABLEGRAM. + +Paris, December 17,1917. + +Commander Miss E. Booth, +120 W. 14th Street, New York City. + +I wish to express my most sincere appreciation of the work of your +organization with my regiment. Your Officer has done everything that could +be expected of any organization in carrying on his work with the soldiers +of this command, and has surpassed any such expectations. He has assisted +the soldiers in every way possible and has gained their hearty good will. +He has also shown himself willing and anxious to carry out regulations and +orders affecting his organization. As a matter of fact, all the officers +and soldiers of this command are most enthusiastic about the help of the +Salvation Army, and you can hear nothing but praise for its work. The work +of your organization, both religious and material, has been wholesome and +dignified, and I desire you to know that it is appreciated. + +J. L. HINES, +Colonel, Sixteenth Infantry. + + + +In sending a contribution toward the expenses of the War Work, Colonel +George B. McClellan wrote: + +Treasurer, Salvation Army, July 24, 1918. +120 West 14th Street, New York City. + +DEAR SIR: + +All the Officers I have talked with who have been in the trenches have +enthusiastically praised the work the Salvation Army is doing at the +front. They are agreed that for coolness under fire, cheerfulness under +the most adverse conditions, kindness, helpfulness and real efficiency, +your workers are unsurpassed. + +Will you accept the enclosed check as my modest contribution to your War +Fund, and believe me to be + +Yours very truly, +GEO. B. MCCLELLAND Lt.-Col. Ord. Dept., N. A. + + + +CABLEGRAM. + +Paris, December 17,1917. + +Commander Miss B. Booth, +120 West 14th Street, New York City, N. Y. + +I have carefully observed the work of the Salvation Army from their first +arrival in Training Area First Division American Expeditionary Force to +date. The work they have done for the enlisted men of the Division and the +places of amusement and recreation that they have provided for them, are +of the highest order. I unhesitatingly state that, in my opinion, the +Salvation Army has done more for the enlisted men of the First Division +than any other organization or society operating in France. + +F. G. LAWTON, +Colonel, Infantry, National Army. + + + +To WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: + +The work of the Salvation Army as illustrated by the work of Major S. H. +Atkins is duplicated by no one. He has been Chaplain and more besides. He +has the confidence of officers and men. Major Atkins, as typifying the +Salvation Army, has been forward at the very front with what is even more +important than the rear area work. + +THEODORE ROOSEVELT. + + + +The following letter was sent to Major Atkins of the Salvation Army: + +Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, +France, December 26, 1917. + +I wish to thank you for the great work you have been +doing here among the men of this battalion. You have +added greatly to the happiness and contentment of us all; giving, as you +have, an opportunity for good, clean entertainment and pleasure. + +In religious work you have done much. As you know, this regiment has no +chaplain, and you have to a large extent taken the place of one here. + +For myself, and on behalf of the officers stationed here, I wish to +express my appreciation of the work that you have been doing here, and the +hope that you can accompany the battalion wherever the fortune of war may +lead us. + +Wishing you a very happy and successful New Year, I am + +Yours sincerely, +(Signed) THEODORE ROOSEVELT, JR., +Major (U.S.R.), 26th Infantry. + + + +When Captain Archibald Roosevelt was lying wounded +in Red Cross Hospital No. 1 he wrote the following letter +to the same officer: + +Red Cross Hospital No. 1. + +July 10, 1918. + +"You have, by your example, helped the men morally and physically. By your +continued presence in the most dangerous and uncomfortable periods, you +have made yourself the comrade and friend of every officer and man in our +battalion. It is in this way that you have filled a position which the +other charitable organizations had left vacant. + +"Let me also mention that, perfect Democrat that you are, you have +realized the necessity of discipline, and have helped make the discipline +understood by these men and officers. + +"If all the Salvation Army workers are like you, I sincerely hope to see +the time when there is a Salvation Army officer with each battalion in the +camp." + + + +Before leaving France for the United States, two Salvation +Army lassies received the following letter: + +I was very sorry to hear that you had been taken from this division, and +desire to express my appreciation of the excellent assistance you have +been to us. + +In all of our "shows" you have been with us, and I wish that I knew of the +many sufferers you have cheered and made more comfortable. They are many +and, I am positive, will always have grateful thoughts of you. + +I have seen you enduring hardships--going without food and sleep, working +day and night, sometimes under fire, both shell and avion--and never have +you been anything but cheerful and willing. + +I thank you and your organization for all of this, and assure you of the +respect and gratitude of the entire division. + +J. I. MABEE, Colonel, Medical Corps, +Division Surgeon. + + + +CABLE. + +January 17, 1918. + +The Salvation Army, New York: + +As Inspector General of the First Division I have inspected all the +Salvation Army huts in this Division area and I am glad to inform you that +your work here is a well-earned success. Your huts are warm, dry, light, +and, I believe, much appreciated by all the men in this Division. To make +these huts at all homelike under present conditions requires energy and +ability. I know that the Salvation Army men in this Division have it and +am very willing to so testify. + +CONRAD S. BABCOCK, Lieut.-Colonel, +Inspector General, First Division. + + + +"The Salvation Army keeps open house, and any time that a body of men come +back from the front lines, in from a convoy, there is hot coffee and +sometimes home-made doughnuts (all free to the men). I was in command of a +town where the hut never closed till 3 or 4 in the morning, and their +girls baked pies and made doughnuts up to the front, under shell fire, for +our infantrymen. A Salvation Army lassie is safe without an escort +anywhere in France where there is an American soldier. That speaks for +itself. I am for any organization that is out to do something for my men, +and I think that it is the idea of the American people when they give +their money. What we want is someone who is willing to come over here and +do something for the boys, regardless of the fact that it may not net any +gain--in fact, may not help them to gather enough facts for a lecture tour +when they return home." + + + +Headquarters, Third Division, +September 5,1918. + +MY DEAR MR. LEFFINGWELL: + +Your letter of July 22d just received. It has, perhaps, been somewhat +delayed in reaching me, owing to the fact that I have recently been +transferred to another division. I only wish things had been so that I +might have granted you or a representative of the Salvation Army an +interview when I was in the States recently, but, being under orders, I +could wait for nothing. Whatever I may have said, in a casual way, of the +work of the Salvation Army in France, I assure you was all deserved. Your +organization has been doing a splendid work for the men of my former +division and other troops who have come in contact with it. I have often +remarked, as have many of the officers, that after the war the Salvation +Army is going to receive such a boom from the boys who have come in touch +with it over here that it will seem like a veritable propaganda! Why +shouldn't it? For your work has been conducted in such a quiet, +unostentatious, unselfish way that only a man whose sensibilities are dead +can fail to appreciate it. I have found several of your workers, whose +names at this moment I am unable to recall, putting up with all sorts of +hardships and inconveniences, working from daylight until well into the +night that the boys might be cheered in one way or another. Your shacks +have always been at the disposal of the chaplains for their regimental +services. Whether Mass for the Catholic chaplains or Holy Communion for an +Episcopalian chaplain, they always found a place to set up their altars in +the Salvation Army huts; and the Protestant chaplains, also the Jewish, +always, to my knowledge, were given its use for their services. I have +found your own services have been very acceptable to the boys, in general, +but perhaps your doughnut program, with hot coffee or chocolate, means as +much as anything. Not that, like those of old, we follow the Salvation +Army because we can get filled up, but we all like their spirit. More than +on one occasion do I know of troops moving at night--and pretty wet and +hungry--that have been warmed and fed and sent on their way with new +courage because of what some Salvation Army worker and hut furnished. And +as they went their way many fine things were said about the Salvation +Army. I am sure, as a result of this work, you have won the favor and +confidence of hundreds of these soldier lads, and, if I am not terribly +mistaken, when we get home the Salvation tambourine will receive greater +consideration than heretofore. + +I am glad to express my feelings for your work. God bless you in it, and +always! + +Sincerely yours, + +LYMAN BOLLINS, Division Chaplain, +Headquarters, Third Division, A. E. F., via New York. + + + +At the Front in France, June 12, 1918. + +Commissioner Thomas Estill, +Salvation Army, Chicago. + +MY DEAR COMMISSIONER: + +We are engaged in a great battle. My time is all taken with our wounded +and dead. Still I cannot resist the temptation to take a few moments in +which to express our appreciation of the splendid aid given our soldiers +by the Salvation Army. + +The work of the Salvation Army is not in duplication of that of any other +organization. It is entirely original and unique. It fills a long-felt +want. Some day the world will know the aid that you have rendered our +soldiers. Then you will receive every dollar you need. + +Your work is also greatly appreciated by the French people. I have never +heard a single unfavorable comment on the Salvation Army. They are +respected everywhere. Their unselfish devotion to our well, sick, wounded +and dead is above any praise that I can bestow. God will surely greatly +reward them. + +I heartily congratulate you on the class of workers you have sent over +here. I pray that your invaluable aid may be extended to our troops +everywhere. God bless you and yours, + +In His name, +(Signed) THOMAS J. DICKSON, +Chaplain with rank of Major, +Sixth Field Artillery, First Division, U. S. Army. + + + +An appreciation written concerning the first Salvation +Army chaplain that was appointed after the war started: + +Camp Cody, New Mexico, + +January 16, 1918. + +Major E. C. Clemans, +136th Infantry, Camp Cody, N. M. + +Commissioner Thomas Estill, Chicago, Ill. + +I have been associated with the chaplain now for nearly four months. I +have found him a Christian soldier and gentleman. He is "on the job" all +the time and no Chaplain in this Division is doing more faithful and +effective work. He is thoroughly evangelistic, is burdened for the souls +of his men and is working for their salvation not in but from their sins. +He is a "man's man," knows how to approach men and knows how and does get +hold of their affections in such a way that he is a help and a comfort to +them. He brings things to pass. + +The Salvation Army may be well pleased that it is so well represented in +the Army as it is by Chaplain Kline. + +Sincerely yours, + +(Signed) EZRA C. CLEMANS, +Senior Chaplain, 34th Division. + + + +July 11, 1918. + +I have been familiar with the work of the Salvation Army for years, and +the organization from the beginning of the war has been doing a wonderful +work with the Allied forces and since the entering of the United States +into the struggle has given splendid aid and cooperation not only in +connection with the war activities at home but also with our forces +abroad. Their work is entitled to the sincere admiration of every American +citizen. + +MAJOR EDWIN F. GLENN. + + + +TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: + +It gives me the greatest pleasure to testify to the very excellent work of +the Salvation Army as I have seen it in this division. I have seen the +work done by this organization for ten months, under all sorts of +conditions, and it has always been of the highest character. At the start, +the Salvation Army was handicapped by lack of funds, but even under +adverse conditions, it did most valuable work in maintaining cheerful +recreation centres for the men, often in places exposed to hostile shell- +fire. The doughnut and pie supply has been maintained. This seems a little +thing, but it has gone a long way to keep the men cheerful. All the +Salvation Army force has been untiring in its work under very trying +conditions, and as a result, I believe it has gained the respect and +affection of officers and men more than any similar organization. + +ALBERT J. MYERS, JR., Major, National Army. +1st Div., A. E. F. (Captain, Cavalry, U.S.A.) + + + +Extract from letter from Captain Charles W. Albright: +Q. M., R. C., France. + +"As to the Salvation Army, well, if they wanted our boys to lie down for +them to walk on, to keep their feet from getting muddy, the boys would +gladly do so. + +"From everyone, officers and men alike, nothing but the highest praise is +given the Salvation Army. They are right in the thick of danger, +comforting and helping the men in the front line, heedless of shot, shell +or gas, the U. S. Army in France, as a unit, swears by the Salvation Army. + +"I am proud to have a sister in their ranks." + + + +An old regular army officer who returned to Paris last week said: + +"I wish every American who has stood on street corners in America and +sneered at the work of the Salvation Army could see what they are doing +for the boys in France. + +"They do not proclaim that they are here for investigation or for getting +atmosphere for War romances. They have not come to furnish material for +Broadway press agents. They do not wear, 'Oh, such becoming uniforms,' +white shoes, dainty blue capes and bonnets, nor do they frequent Paris tea +rooms where the swanky British and American officers put up. + +"Take it from me, these women are doing almighty fine work. There are +twenty-two of them here in France. We army men have given them shell- +shattered and cast-off field kitchens to work with, and oh, man, the +doughnuts, the pancakes and the pies they turn out! + +"I'm an old army officer, but what I like about the Salvation Army is that +it doesn't cater to officers. It is for the doughboys first, last and all +the time. The Salvation Army men do not wear Sam Browne belts; they do as +little handshaking with officers as possible. + +"They cash the boys' checks without question, and during the month of +April in a certain division the Salvation Army sent home $20,000 for the +soldiers. The Rockefeller Foundation hasn't as yet given the Salvation +Army a million-dollar donation to carry on its work. Fact is, I don't know +just how the Salvation Army chaplains and lassies do get along. But get +along they do. + +"Perhaps some of the boys and officers give them a lift now and then when +the sledding is rough. They don't aim to make a slight profit as do some +other organizations. + +"Ever since Cornelius Hickey put up 'Hickey's Hut,' the first Salvation +Army hut in France, they have been working at a loss. I saw an American +officer give a Salvation Army chaplain 500 francs out of his pay at a +certain small town in France recently. + +"The work done in 'Hickey's Hut' did much to endear the Salvation folks to +the doughboys. When a letter arrived in France some months ago addressed +only to 'Hickey's Hut, France,' it reached its destination _toute de +suite_, forty-eight hours after it arrived. + +"The French climate has hit our boys hard. It is wet and penetratingly +cold. Goes right to the marrow, and three suits of underwear are no +protection against it. When the lads returned from training camp or the +trenches, wet, cold, hungry and despondent, they found a welcome in +'Hickey's Hut.' + +"Not a patronizing, holier-than-thou, we-know-we-are-doing-a-good-work- +and-hope-you-doughboys-appreciate-it sort of a welcome, but a good old +Salvation Army, Bowery Mission welcome, such as Tim Sullivan knew how to +hand out in the old days. + +"Around a warm fire with men who spoke their own language and who did not +pretend to be above them in the social scale the doughboys forgot that +they were four thousand miles from home and that they couldn't 'sling the +lingo.' + +"I saw a group of lads on the Montdidier front who had not been paid in +three months, standing cursing their luck. They had no money, therefore, +they could not buy anything. + +"The Salvation Army had been apprised by telegraph that the doughboys were +playing in hard luck. Presto! Out from Paris came a truck loaded with +everything to eat. The truck was unloaded and the boys paid for whatever +they wanted with slips of paper signed with their John Hancocks. The +Salvation Army lassies asked no questions, but accepted the slips of paper +as if they were Uncle Sam's gold. + +"And one of the most useful institutions in Europe where war rages is one +that has no publicity bureau and has no horns to toot. This is the +Salvation Army. In the estimation of many, the Salvation Army goes way +ahead of the work of many of the other war organizations working here. I +see brave women and young women of the Salvation Army every day in places +that are really hazardous." + + + +First Lieutenant Marion M. Marcus, Jr., Field Artillery, +wrote to one of our leading officers: + +October 9, 1918. + +"If the people at home could see the untiring and absolute devotion of the +workers of the Salvation Army, in serving and caring for our men, they +would more than give you the support you ask. The way the men and women +expose themselves to the dangers of the front lines and hardships has more +than endeared them to every member of the American Expeditionary Forces, +and they are always in the right spot with cheer of hot food and drink +when it is most appreciated." + + + +EXTRACT FROM LETTER. + +"Away up front where things break hard and rough for us, and we are hungry +and want something hot, we can usually find it in some old partly +destroyed building, which has been organized into a shack by--well, guess +--the Salvation Army. + +"They are the soldier's friend. They make no display or show of any kind, +but they are fast winning a warm corner in the heart of everyone." + + + +"I feel it is my duty to drop you a few lines to let you know how the boys +over here appreciate what the Salvation Army is doing for them. It is a +second home to us. There is always a cheerful welcome awaiting us there +and _I have yet to meet a sour-faced cleric behind the counter_. One +Salvation Army worker has his home in a cellar, located close to the +front-line trenches. He cheerfully carries on his wonderful work amid the +flying of shells and in danger of gas. He is one fine fellow, always +greeting you with a smile. He serves the boys with hot coffee every day, +free of charge, and many times he has divided his own bread with the tired +and hungry boys returning from the trenches. In the evening he serves +coffee and doughnuts at a small price. Say, who wouldn't be willing to +fight after feasting on that? + +"In the many rest camps you will find the Salvation Army girls. They are +located so close to the front-line trenches that they have to wear their +gas masks in the slung position, and they also have their tin hats ready +to put on. The girls certainly are a fine, jolly bunch, and when it comes +to baking pies and doughnuts they are hard to beat. The boys line up a +half hour before time so as to be sure they get their share. I had the +pleasure of talking to a mother and her daughter and they told me they had +sold out everything they had to the boys with the exception of some salmon +and sardines on which they were living--salmon for dinner and sardines for +supper. They stood it all with big smiles and those smiles made me smile +when I thought of my troubles. + +"In the trenches the boys become affected with body lice, known as +cooties. A good hot bath is the only real cure for them. While on the way +to a bath-house a Salvation Army worker overtook us. He was riding in a +Ford which had seen better days. The springs on it were about all in and +it made a noise like someone calling for mercy. The Salvation Army worker +pulled up in front of us and with a broad smile on his face said: "Room +for half a ton!" We did not need a second invitation and we soon had poor +Henry loaded down. I thought sure it would give out, but the worker only +laughed about it and kept on feeding the machine more gas as we cheered +until it started away with us. + +"I want to tell you what the Salvation Army does for the moral side of the +soldier. The American soldier needs the guidance of God over here more +than he ever did in his whole life. Away from home and in a foreign land +in every corner, one must have Divine guidance to keep him on the narrow +path of life. If it was not for the _workers of God over here the boys +would gradually break away and then I'm afraid we would not have the right +kind of fighters to hold up our end_. Of course, prayers alone won't +satisfy the appetite of the American soldier, and the Salvation Army girls +get around that by baking for the boys. They believe in satisfying the +cravings of the stomach as well as the craving of the soul and mind. I +always enjoy the sermons at the Salvation Army. A good, every-day sermon +is always appreciated. The Salvation Army helps you along in their good +old way, and they don't believe in preaching all day on what you should do +and what you shouldn't do. The girls are a fine bunch of singers and their +singing is enjoyed very much by all of the boys. It is a treat to see an +American girl so close to the front and a still better treat to listen to +one sing. + +"The Salvation Army does much good work in keeping the boys in the right +spirit so that they are glad to go back to the trenches when their turn +comes. There is no Salvation Army hut on this front. I often wish there +was one on every front. I believe the Salvation Army does not get its full +credit over in the States. Perhaps the people over there do not understand +the full meaning of the work it is doing over here. I want the Salvation +Army to know that it has all of the boys over here back of it and we want +to keep up the good work. We will go through hell, if necessary, because +we know the folks back home are back of us. We want the Salvation Army to +feel the same way. The _boys over here are really back of it and we want +you to continue your good work_." + + + +"There is just one thing more I wish to speak of, and that is the little +old Salvation Army. You will never see me, nor any of the other boys over +here, laugh at their street services in the future, and if I see anyone +else doing that little thing that person is due for a busted head! I +haven't seen where they are raising a tenth the money some of the other +societies are, but they are the topnotchers of them all as the soldiers' +friend, and their handouts always come at the right time. Some of those +girls work as hard as we do." + +"The Salvation Army over here is doing wonderful work. _They haven't any +shows or music, but they certainly know what pleases the boys most_, +and feed us with homemade apple pie or crullers, with lemonade--a great +big piece of pie or three crullers, with a large cup of lemonade, for a +franc (18-1/2 cents). + +"These people are working like beavers, and the people in the States ought +to give them plenty of credit and appreciate their wonderful help to the +men over here." "We were in a bomb-proof semi-dugout, in the heart of a +dense forest, within range of enemy guns, my Hebrew comrade and I. We were +talking of the fate that brought us here--of the conditions as we left +them at home. There was the thought of what 'might' happen if we were to +return to America minus a limb or an eye; we were discussing the great +economic and moral reform which is a certainty after the war, when through +the air came the harmonious strumming of a guitar accompanying a sweet, +feminine voice, and we heard: + + Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom; + Lead Thou me on; + The night is dark and I am far from home, + Lead Thou me on. + Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see + The distant scene-- + One step enough for me. + +"It was the Salvation Army! In a desert of human hearts, many of them +wounded with heartache, these brave, brave servants of the Son of David +came to cheer us up and make life more bearable. + +"In our outfit are Greeks, Italians, Bohemians, Irish, Jews--all of them +loyal Americans--and the Salvation Army serves each with an impartial +self-sacrifice which should forever still the voices of critics who +condemn sending Army lassies over here. + +"Those in the ranks are men. The Salvation Army women are admired--almost +worshipped--but respected and safe. Men by the thousands would lay down +their lives for the Salvationists, and not till after the war will the +full results of this sacrifice by Salvation Army workers bear fruit. But +now, with so many strong temptations to go the wrong way, here are noble +girls roughing it, smiling at the hardships, singing songs, making +doughnuts for the doughboys, and always reminding us, even in danger, that +it is not all of 'life to live,' bringing to us recollections of our +mothers, sisters, and sweethearts, and if anyone questions, 'Is it worth +while?' the answer is: 'A thousand times yes!' and I cannot refrain from +sending my hearty thanks for all this service means to us. + +"A few miles in back of us now, a half dozen Connecticut girls +representing the Salvation Army are doing their bit to make things +brighter for us, and say, maybe those girls cannot bake. Every day they +furnish us with real homemade crullers and pies at a small cost, and their +coffee, holy smoke! it makes me homesick to even write about it. The girls +have their headquarters in an old tumble-down building and they must have +some nerve, for the Boche keeps dropping shells all around them day and +night, and it would only take one of those shells to blow the whole outfit +into kingdom come." + + + +In a letter from a private to his mother while he was lying wounded in the +hospital, he says of the Salvation Army and Red Cross: + +"Most emphatically let me say that they both are giving real service to +the men here and both are worthy of any praise or help that can be given +them. This is especially so of the Salvation Army, because it is not fully +understood just what they are doing over here. They are the only ones +that, regardless of shells or gas, feed the boys in the trenches and bear +home to them the realization of what God really is at the very moment when +our brave lads are facing death. Their timely phrases about the Christ, +handed out with their doughnuts and coffee, have turned many faltering +souls back to the path and they will never forget it. 'Man's extremity is +God's opportunity' surely holds good here. You may not realize or think it +possible, but a large majority of the boys carry Bibles and there are +often heated arguments over the different phrases. + +"I have just turned my pockets inside out and the tambourine could hold no +more, but it was all I had and I am still in debt to the Salvation Army. + +"For hot coffee and cookies when I was shivering like an aspen, for +buttons and patches on my tattered uniform, for steering me clear of the +camp followers; but more than all for the cheery words of solace for those +'gone West,' for the blessed face of a woman from the homeland in the +midst of withering blight and desolation--for these I am indebted to the +Salvation Army." + + + +CABLEGRAM. + +Paris, December 17, 1917. + +Commander Miss E. Booth, +120 W. 14th Street, New York, N. Y. + +Being a Private, I am one of the many thousands who enjoy the kindnesses +and thoughtful recreation in the Salvation hut. The huts are always +crowded when the boys are off duty, for 'tis there we find warmth of body +and comradeship, pleasures in games and music, delight in the palatable +refreshments, knowledge in reading periodicals, convenience in the writing +material at our disposal, and other home-like touches for enjoyment. The +courtesy and good-will of the hut workers, combined with these good +things, makes the huts a resort of real comfort with the big thought of +salvation in Christ predominating over all. Appreciation of these huts, +and all they mean to the soldier in this terrible war, rises full in all +our hearts. + +CLINTON SPENCER, +Private, Motor Action. + +"I just used to love to listen to the Salvation Army at 6th and Penn +Streets, but I never dreamed of seeing them over here. And when I first +saw four girls cooking and baking all day I wondered what it was all +about. + +"But I didn't have long to find out, for that night I saw these same girls +put on their gas masks at the alert and start for the trenches. Then I +started to ask about them. I never spoke to the girls, but fellows who had +been in the trenches told me that they came up under shell fire to give +the boys pies or doughnuts or little cakes or cocoa or whatever they had +made that day. I thought that great of the Salvation Army. And many a boy +who got help through them has a warm spot in his heart for them. + +"You can see by the paper I write on who gave it to us. It is Salvation +Army paper. Altogether I say give three hearty cheers for the Salvation +Army and the girls who risk their own lives to give our boys a little +treat." + + + +"I am going to crow about our real friends here--and it is the verdict of +all the boys--it is the Salvation Army, Joe. _That is the boys' mother +and father here. It is our home_. They have a treat for us boys every +night--that is, cookies, doughnuts or pie--about 9 o'clock. But that is +only a little of them. The big thing is the spirit--the feeling a boy gets +of being home when he enters the hut and meets the lassies and lads who +call themselves the soldiers of Christ, and we are proud to call them +brother soldiers. We think the world of them! So, Joe, whenever you get a +chance to do the Salvation Army a good turn, by word or deed, do so, as +thereby you will help us. When we get back we are going to be the +Salvation Army's big friend, and you will see it become one of the United +States' great organizations." + +"My life as a soldier is not quite as easy as it was in Rochester, but +still I am not going to give up my religion, and I am not ashamed to let +the other fellows know that I belong to the Salvation Army. Sometimes they +try to get me to smoke or go and have a glass of beer with them, but I +tell them that I am a Salvationist. There are twenty fellows in a hut, so +they used to make fun at me when I used to say my prayers. Once in awhile +I used to have a _pair of shoes_ or a coat or something, thrown at +me. I used to think what I could do to stop them throwing things at me, so +I thought of a plan and waited. It was two or three nights before they +threw anything again. One night, as I was saying my prayers, someone threw +his shoes at me. After I got through I picked up the shoes and took out my +shoe brushes and polished and cleaned the shoes thrown at me, and from +that night to now I have never had a thing thrown at me. The fellow came +to me in a little while and said he was sorry he had thrown them. There +are four or five Salvationists in our company--one was a Captain in the +States. The Salvation Army has three big huts here among the soldier boys. +We have some nice meetings here, and they have reading-rooms and writing +and lunch-rooms, so I spend most of my time there." + + + +LETTER OF COMMENDATION RE SALVATION ARMY. + +U.S.S. Point Bonita, 15 October, 1918. + +Miss Evangeline Booth, Commander, +Care of Salvation Army Headquarters, +14th Street, New York City. + +DEAR MISS BOOTH:-- + +We want to thank you for presenting our crew with an elegant phonograph +and 25 records. We are all going to take up a collection and buy a lot of +records and I guess we will be able to pass the time away when we are not +on watch. + +We have a few men in the crew who have made trips across on transports and +they say that every soldier and sailor has praised the Salvation Army way- +up-to-the-sky for all the many kindnesses shown them. + +We also want to thank you for the kindness shown to one of our crew. The +Major who gave us the present was the best yet and so was the gentleman +who drove the auto about ten miles to our ship. That is the Salvation Army +all over. During the war or in times of peace, your organization reaches +the hearts of all. + +We all would like to thank Mr. Leffingwell for his great kindness in +helping us. + +The undersigned all have the warmest sort of feeling for you and the +Salvation Army. + +Many, many thanks, from the ship's crew. + + + +"I was down to the Salvation Army the other day helping them cook +doughnuts and they sure did taste good, and the fellows fairly go crazy to +get them, too. Anything that is homemade don't last long around here, and +when they get candy or anything sweet there is a line about a block long. + +"Notice the paper this is written on? Well, I can't say enough about them. +They sure are a treat to us boys, and almost every night they have good +eats for us. One night it is lemonade, pies and coffee, and the next it is +doughnuts and coffee, and they are just like mother makes. There are two +girls here that run the place, and they are real American girls, too. The +first I have seen since I have been in France, and I'll say they are a +treat! + +"Hogan and I have been helping them, and now I cook pies and doughnuts as +well as anyone. We sure do have a picnic with them and enjoy helping out +once in awhile. One thing I want you to do is to help the Salvation Army +all you can and whenever you get a chance to lend a helping hand to them +do it, for they sure have done a whole lot for your boy, and if you can +get them a write-up in the papers, why do it and I will be happy." + + + +FROM LORD DERBY. + +"The splendid work which the Salvation Army has done among the soldiers +during the war is one for which I, as Secretary of State for War, should +like to thank them most sincerely; it is a work which is deserving of all +support." + + + +STATE OF NEW JERSEY +EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT +TRENTON. + +MY DEAR MR. BATTLE: December 27, 1917. + +I have learned of the campaign of the Salvation Army to raise money for +its war activities. The work of the Salvation Army is at all times +commendable and deserving, but particularly so in its relation to the war. + +I sincerely hope that the campaign will be very successful. +Cordially yours, + +(Signed) WALTER B. EDGE, + +Mr. George Gordon Battle, Governor. +General Chairman, 37 Wall Street, New York City. + + + +GOVERNOR CHARLES S. WHITMAN'S ADDRESS AT LUNCHEON +AT HOTEL TEN EYCK, ALBANY, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 8, 1917. + +"I take especial pleasure in offering my tribute of respect and +appreciation to the Salvation Army. I have known of its work as intimately +as any man who is not directly connected with the organization. In my +position as a judge and a district attorney of New York City for many +years, I always found the Salvation Army a great help in solving the +various problems of the poor, the criminal and distressed. + +"Frequently while other agencies, though good, hesitated, there was never +a case where there was a possibility that relief might be brought--never +was a case of misery or violence so low, that the Salvation Army would not +undertake it. + +"The Salvation Army lends its manhood and womanhood to go 'Over There' +from our States, and our State, to labor with those who fight and die. +There is very little we can do, but we can help with our funds." + + + +"The Salvation Army is worthy of the support of all right-thinking people. +Its main purpose is to reclaim men and women to decency and good +citizenship. This purpose is being prosecuted not only with energy and +enthusiasm but with rare tact and judgment. + +"The sphere of the Army's operations has now been extended to the +battlefields of Europe, where its consecrated workers will cooperate with +the Y.M.C.A., K. of C., and kindred organizations. + +"It gives me pleasure to commend the work of this beneficent organization, +and to urge our people to remember its splendid service to humanity. + +"Very truly yours, +"ALBERT E. SLEEPER, +"Governor." + + + +Endorsement of January 25, 1918. +Governor Hugh M. Dorsey, of Georgia. + +The Salvation Army has been a potent force for good everywhere, so far as +I know. They are rendering to our soldiers "somewhere in France" the most +invaluable aid, ministering not only to their spiritual needs, but caring +for them in a material way. This they have done without the blare of +trumpets. + +Many commanding officers certify to the fact that the Salvation Army is +not only rendering most effective work, but that this work is of a +distinctive character and of a nature not covered by the activities of +other organizations ministering to the needs of the soldier boys. In other +words, they are filling that gap in the army life which they have always +so well filled in the civil life of our people. + + + +STATE OF UTAH +EXECUTIVE OFFICE + +Salt Lake City, January 21, 1918. + +"I have learned with a great deal of interest of the splendid work being +done by the Salvation Army for the moral uplift of the soldiers, both in +the training camps and in the field. I am very glad to endorse this work +and to express the hope that the Salvation Army may find a way to continue +and extend its work among the soldiers." + +(Signed) SIMON BAMBERG, +Governor. + + + +FROM A PROCLAMATION BY GOVERNOR BRUMBAUGH. + +To the People of Pennsylvania: + +I have long since learned to believe in the great, good work of the +Salvation Army and have given it my approval and support through the +years. This mighty body of consecrated workers are like gleaners in the +fields of humanity. They seek and succor and save those that most need and +least receive aid. Now, THEREFORE, I, Martin G. Brumbaugh, Governor of +the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do cordially commend the work of the +Salvation Army and call upon our people to give earnest heed to their call +for assistance, making liberal donations to their praiseworthy work and +manifesting thus our continued and resolute purpose to give our men in +arms unstinted aid and to support gladly all these noble and sacrificing +agencies that under God give hope and help to our soldiers. + +[SEAL] + +GIVEN under my hand and the great seal of the State, at the City of +Harrisburg, this seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord one +thousand nine hundred and eighteen, and of the Commonwealth the one +hundred and forty-second. + +By the Governor: +Secretary of the Commonwealth. +copy/h + + + +The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, +Executive Department, +State House, Boston, February 15, 1918. + +It gives me pleasure to add my word of approval to the very noble work +that is being done by the Salvation Army for the men now serving the +country. The Salvation Army has for many years been doing very valuable +work, and the extension of its labors into the ranks of the soldiers has +not lessened in any degree its power of accomplishment. The Salvation Army +can render most efficient service. It should be the aim of every one of us +in Massachusetts to assist in every way the work that is being done for +the soldiers. We cannot do too much of this kind of work for them--they +deserve and need it all. I urge everybody in Massachusetts to assist the +Salvation Army in every way possible, to the end that Massachusetts may +maintain her place in the forefront of the States of the Union who are +assisting the work of the Army. + +(Signed) SAMUEL W. McCALL, +Governor. + + +PROCLAMATION. + +To the People of the State of Maryland: + +I have been very much impressed with the good work which is being done in +this country by the Salvation Army, and I am not at all surprised at the +great work which it is doing at the front, upon or near the battlefields +of Europe. It is doing not only the same kind of work being done by the +Y.M.C.A. and the Knights of Columbus, but work in fields decidedly their +own. + +It is now undertaking to raise $1,000,000 for the National War +Service and it is preparing a hutment equipped with libraries, daily +newspapers, games, light refreshments, etc., in every camp in +France. + +Now, THEREFORE, I, Emerson C. Harrington, Governor of Maryland, +believing that the effect and purposes for which the Salvation Army is +asking this money, are deserving of our warmest support, do hereby call +upon the people of Maryland to respond as liberally as they can in this +war drive being made by the Salvation Army to enable them more efficiently +to render service which is so much needed. + +[The Great Seal of the State of Maryland] + +IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be hereto +affixed the Great Seal of Maryland at Annapolis, Maryland, this fourteenth +day of February, in the year one thousand nine hundred and eighteen. + +EMERSON C. HARRINGTON. + + +By the Governor, +THOS. W. SIMMONS, Secretary of State. + +"The Salvation Army is peculiarly equipped for this kind of service. I +have watched the career of this organization for many years, and I know +its leaders to be devoted and capable men and women. + +"Of course, any agency which can in any way ameliorate the condition of +the boys at the front should receive encouragement." + +(Signed) FRANK C. LOWDEN, +Governor of Illinois. + + + +"I join with thousands of my fellow citizens in having a great admiration +for the splendid work which has already been accomplished by the Salvation +Army in the alleviation of suffering, the spiritual uplift of the masses, +and its substantial and prayerful ministrations. + +"The Salvation Army does its work quietly, carefully, persistently and +effectively. Our patriotic citizenry will quickly place the stamp of +approval upon the great work being done by the Salvation Army among the +private soldiers at home and abroad." + +(Signed) Governor BROUGH of Arkansas. + +Lansing, Michigan, June 13, 1918. + + + +TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: + +Among the various organizations doing war work in connection with the +American Army, none are found more worthy of support than the Salvation +Army. Entering into its work with the whole-hearted zeal which has +characterized its movement in times of peace, it has won the highest +praise of both officers and soldiers alike. + +It is an essential pleasure to commend the work of the Salvation Army to +the people of Michigan with the urgent request that its war activities be +given your generous support. + +ALBERT E. SLEEPER, +Governor of the State of Michigan. + +MARK E. McKEE, +Secretary, Counties Division, Michigan War Board. + + + +STATE OF KANSAS +ARTHUR CAPPER, GOVERNOR, +TOPEKA + +August 8, 1917. + +I have been greatly pleased with the war activities of the Salvation Army +and want to express my appreciation of the splendid service rendered by +that organization on the battlefield of Europe ever since the war began. +It is a most commendable and a most patriotic thing to do and I hope the +people of Kansas will give the enterprise their generous support. + +Very respectfully, +(Signed) ARTHUR CAPPER, Governor. + + + +"Best wishes for the success of your work. As the Salvation Army has done +so much good in time of peace, it has multiplied opportunities to do good +in the horrors of war, if given the necessary means." + +(Signed) MILES POINDEXTER, +Senator from Washington. +HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES +WASHINGTON, D. C. + + +January 8, 1918. + +Colonel Adam Gifford, Salvation Army, +8 East Brookline Street, Boston, Mass. + +MY DEAR COLONEL GIFFORD: + +I desire to write you in highest commendation of the work the Salvation +Army is doing in France. During last November I was behind the French and +English fronts, and unless one has been there they cannot realize the +assistance to spirit and courage given to the soldiers by the "hut" +service of the Salvation Army. + +The only particular in which the Salvation Army fell short was that there +were not sufficient huts for the demands of the troops. The huts I saw +were crowded and not commodious. + +Behind the British front I heard several officers state that the service +of the Salvation Army was somewhat different from other services of the +same kind, but most effective. + +With kindest regards, I remain, +Very sincerely yours, + +(Signed) GEOEGE HOLDEN TINKHAM, +Congressman. + + + +This Condolence Card conveyed the sympathy of the Commander to the friends +of the fallen. Forethought had prepared this some time before the first +American had made the supreme sacrifice. + +[Illustration (Condolence Card): +GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT + +122 W. 14th Street New York + +My dear Friend: + +I must on behalf of The Salvation Army, take this opportunity to say how +deeply and truly we share your grief at this time of your bereavement. It +will be hard for you to understand how anything can soothe the pain made +by your great loss, but let me point you to the one Jesus Christ, who +acquainted Himself with all our griefs so that He might heal the heart's +wounds made by our sorrows and whose love for us was so vast that He bled +and died to save us. + +It may be some solace to think that your loved one poured out his life in +a War in which high and holy principles are involved, and also that he was +quick to answer the call for men. + +Believe me when I say that we are praying and will pray for you. + +Yours in sympathy. + +(Signed) Evangeline Booth +COMMANDER + +A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS] + + + +"COMMANDER EVANGELINE BOOTH: + +"The comfort and solace contained in the beautiful card of sympathy I +recently received from you is more than you can ever know. With all my +heart I am very grateful to you and can only assure you feebly of my deep +appreciation. + +"It has made me realize more than ever before the fundamental principles +of Christianity upon which your Army is built and organized, for how truly +does it comfort the widow and fatherless in their affliction. + +"Tucked away as my two babies and I are in a tiny Wisconsin town, we felt +that our grief, while shared in by our good friends, was just a passing +emotion to the rest of the world. But when a card such as yours comes, +extending a heart of sympathy and prayer and ferrets us out in our sorrow +in our little town, you must know how much less lonely we are because of +it. It surely shows us that a sacrifice such as my dear husband made is +acknowledged and lauded by the entire world. + +"I am, oh! so proud of him, so comforted to know I was wife to a man so +imbued with the principles of right and justice that he counted no +sacrifice, not even his life, too great to offer in the cause. Not for +anything would I ask him back or rob him of the glory of such a death. Yet +our little home is sad indeed, with its light and life taken away. + +"The good you have done before and during the war must be a very great +source of gratification for you, and I trust you may be spared for many +years to stretch out your helping hand to the sorrowing and make us better +for having known you. + +With deepest gratitude," + + + +"COMMANDER EVANGELINE BOOTH: + +"I have just seen your picture in the November _Pictorial Review_ and +I do so greatly admire your splendid character and the great work you are +doing. + +"I want to thank you for the message of Christian love and sympathy you +sent to me upon the death of my son in July, aeroplane accident in +England. + +"Without the Christian's faith and the blessed hope of the Gospel we would +despair indeed. A long time ago I learned to pray Thy will be done for my +son--and I have tested the promises and I have found them true. + +"May the Lord bless you abundantly in your own heart and in your world +wide influence and the splendid Salvation Army." + + + +"DEAR FRIENDS: + +"Words fall far short in expressing our deep appreciation of your +comforting words of condolence and sympathy. Will you accept as a small +token of love the enclosed appreciation written by Professor --------- of +the Oberlin College, and a quotation from a letter written August 25th by +our soldier boy, and found among his effects to be opened only in case of +his death, and forwarded to his mother? + +I am +Yours truly," + + +Enclosure: + +"November 16, 1918. + +"If by any chance this letter should be given to you, as something coming +directly from my heart; you, who are my mother, need have no fear or +regret for the personality destined not to come back to you. + +"A mother and father, whose noble ideals they firmly fixed in two sons +should rather experience a deep sense of pride that the young chap of +nearly twenty-one years does not come back to them; for, though he was +fond of living, he was also prepared to die with a faith as sound and +steadfast as that of the little children whom the Master took in His arms. + +"And more than that, the body you gave to me so sweet and pure and strong, +though misused at times, has been returned to God as pure and undefiled as +when you gave it to me. I think there is nothing that should please you +more than that. + + "In My Father's House are many mansions, + I go to prepare a place for you; + If it were not so, I would have told you. + +"Your Baby boy," +(Signed) PAUL. +Chatereaux, France. +August, 1918. + +N. B.--Written on back of the envelope: +"To be opened only in case of accident." + + +"COMMANDER EVANGELINE BOOTH: + +"Permit me to express through you my deep appreciation of the consoling +message from the Salvation Army on the loss of my brother, Clement, in +France. I am indeed grateful for this last thought from an organization +which did so much to meet his living needs and to lessen the hardships of +his service in France. I shall always feel a personal debt to those of you +who seemed so near to him at the end." + + + +"Miss EVANGELINE BOOTH: + +"I was greatly touched by the card of sympathy sent me in your name on the +occasion of my great sorrow--and my equally great glory. The death of a +husband for the great cause of humanity is a martyrdom that any soldier's +wife, even in her deep grief, is proud to share. + +"Thanking you for your helpful message," + + + +"Miss EVANGELINE BOOTH: + +"Of the many cards of condolence received by our family upon the death of +my dear brother, none touched us more deeply than the one sent by you. + +"We do indeed appreciate your thoughtfulness in sending words of comfort +to people who are utter strangers to you. + +"Accept again, the gratitude of my parents as well as the other members of +our family, including myself. + +"May our Heavenly Father bless you all and glorify your good works." + +Miss Evangeline Booth, + +Commander of the Salvation Army, New York City, +N. Y. + +DEAR MISS BOOTH: + +I beg of you to pardon me for writing you this letter, but I feel that I +must. On the 17th day of March I received a letter from my boy in France, +and it reads as follows: + +"Somewhere in France, Jan. 15, 1918. +"MY DEAR MOTHER: + +"I must write you a few lines to tell you that you must not worry about me +even though it is some time since I wrote you. We don't have much time to +ourselves out here. I have just come out of the trenches, and now it is +mud, mud, mud, up to one's knees. I often think of the fireplace at home +these cold nights, but, mother, I must tell you that I don't know what we +boys would do if it was not for the Salvation Army. The women, they are +just like mothers to the boys. God help the ones that say anything but +good about the Army! Those women certainly have courage, to come right out +in the trenches with coffee and cocoa, etc., and they are so kind and +good. Mother, I want you to write to Miss Booth and thank her for me for +her splendid work out here. When I come home I shall exchange the U. S. +uniform for the S.A. uniform, and I know, ma, that you will not object. +Well, the Germans have been raining shells to-day, but we were unharmed. I +passed by an old shack of a building--a poor woman sat there with a baby, +lulling it to sleep, when a shell came down and the poor souls had passed +from this earthly hell to their heavenly reward. Only God knows the +conditions out here; it is horrible. Well, I must close now, and don't +worry, mother, I will be home some day. + +"Your loving son," + +Well, Miss Booth, I got word three weeks ago that Joseph had been killed +in action. I am heart-broken, but I suppose it was God's will. Poor boy! +He has his uniform exchanged for a white robe. I am all alone now, as he +was my only boy and only child. Again I beg of you to pardon me for +sending you this letter. + + + +December 10, 1917. + +Commander Evangeline C. Booth, New York City. + +MY DEAR COMMANDER: + +I have just read in the New York papers of your purpose and plan to raise +a million dollars for your Salvation Army work carried on in the interests +of the soldiers at home and abroad, and I cannot refrain from writing to +you to express my deep interest, and also the hope that you may be +successful in raising this fund, because I know that it will be so well +administered. + +From all that I have heard of the Salvation Army work in connection with +the soldiers carried on under your direction, I think it is simply +wonderful, and if there is any service that I can render you or the Army, +I should be exceedingly pleased. + +I have read "Souls in Khaki," and I wish that everyone might read it, for +could they do so, your million-dollar fund would be easily raised. + +With ever-increasing interest in the Salvation Army, I am, Cordially +yours, + +(Signed) J. WILBUR CHAPMAN. +Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian +Church in the U.S.A. + + +SALVATION ARMY IS THE MOST POPULAR ORGANIZATION +IN FRANCE. + +Raymond B. Fosdick, chairman of the War Recreation Commission, on his +return from a tour of investigation into activities of the relief +organizations in France, gave out the following: + +"Somewhat to my surprise I found the Salvation Army probably the most +popular organization in France with the troops. It has not undertaken the +comprehensive program which the Y.M.C.A. has laid out for itself; that is, +it is operating in three or four divisions, while the Y. M. C. A. is +aiming to cover every unit of troops. + +"But its simple, homely, unadorned service seems to have touched the +hearts of our men. The aim of the organization is, if possible, to put a +worker and his wife in a canteen or a centre. The women spend their time +making doughnuts and pies, and sew on buttons. The men make themselves +generally useful in any way which their service can be applied. + +"I saw such placed in dugouts way up at the front, where the German shells +screamed over our heads with a sound not unlike a freight train crossing a +bridge. Down in their dugouts the Salvation Army folks imperturbably +handed out doughnuts and dished out the 'drink.'" + + + +WAR DEPARTMENT +COMMISSION ON TRAINING CAMP ACTIVITIES, WASHINGTON + +45, Avenue Montaigne, Paris. + +Commander Evangeline Booth, Apr. 8, 1919. +Salvation Army, New York City. + +MY DEAR COMMANDER BOOTH: + +The work of the Salvation Army with the armed forces of the United States +does not need any word of commendation from me. Perhaps I may be permitted +to say, however, that as a representative of the War and Navy Departments +I have been closely in touch with it from its inception, both in Europe +and in the United States. I do not believe there is a doughboy anywhere +who does not speak of it with enthusiasm and affection. Its remarkable +success has been due solely to the unselfish spirit of service which has +underlain it. Nothing has been too humble or too lowly for the Salvation +Army representative to do for the soldier. Without ostentation, without +advertising, without any emphasis upon auspices or organization, your +people have met the men of the Army as friends and companions-in-arms, and +the soldiers, particularly those of the American Expeditionary Force, will +never forget what you have done. + +Faithfully yours, +(Signed) RAYMOND B. FOSDICK. + + + +From Honorable Arthur Stanley, +Chairman British Red Cross Society. + +BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY +JOINT WAR COMMITTEE + +83 Pall Mall, London, S. W., + +December 22, 1917. + +General Bramwell Booth. + +DEAR GENERAL BOOTH: + +I enclose formal receipt for the cheque, value L2000, which was handed to +me by your representative. I note that it is a contribution from the +Salvation Army to the Joint Funds to provide a new Salvation Army Motor +Ambulance Unit on the same conditions as before. + +I cannot sufficiently thank you and the Salvation Army for this very +generous donation. + +I am indeed glad to know that you are providing another twenty drivers for +service with our Ambulance Fleet in France. This is most welcome news, as +whenever Salvation Army men are helping we hear nothing but good reports +of their work. Sir Ernest Clarke tells me that your Ambulance Sections are +quite the best of any in our service, and the more Salvation Army men you +can send him, the better he will be pleased. I would again take this +opportunity of congratulating you, which I do with all my heart, upon the +splendid record of your Army. + +Yours sincerely, + +(Signed) ARTHUR STANLEY. + + + +Extract from Judge Ben Lindsey's picture of the Salvation Army at the +Front: + +"A good expression for American enthusiasm is: 'I am crazy about'--this, +or that, or the other thing that excites our admiration. Well, 'I am crazy +about the Salvation Army'--the Salvation Army as I saw it and mingled with +it and the doughboys in the trenches. And when I happened to be passing +through Chicago to-day and saw an appeal in the _Tribune_ for the +Salvation Army, I remembered what our boys so often shouted out to me as I +passed them in the trenches and back of the lines: 'Judge, when you get +back home tell the folks not to forget the Salvation Army. They're the +real thing.' + + "And I know they are the real thing. I have shared with the boys the +doughnuts and chocolate and coffee that seemed to be so much better than +any other doughnuts or coffee or chocolate I have ever tasted before. And +when it seemed so wonderful to me after just a mild sort of experience +down a shell-swept road, through the damp and cold of a French winter day, +what must it be to those boys after trench raids or red-hot scraps down +rain-soaked trenches under the wet mists of No Man's Land?... Listen to +some of the stories the boys told me: 'You see, Judge, the good old +Salvation Army is the real thing. They don't put on no airs. There ain't +no flub-dub about them and you don't see their mugs in the fancy magazines +much. Why, you never would see one of them in Paris around the hotels. +You'd never know they existed, Judge, unless you came right up here to the +front lines as near as the Colonel will let you!' + +"And one enthusiastic urchin said: 'Why, Judge, after the battle +yesterday, we couldn't get those women out of the village till they'd seen +every fellow had at least a dozen fried cakes and all the coffee or +chocolate he could pile in. We just had to drag 'em out--for the boys love +'em too much to lose 'em--we weren't going to take no chances--not much-- +for our Salvation ladies!'" + + +HARRY LAUDER'S ENDORSEMENT. + +In speaking of the Salvation Army's work before the Rotary Club of San +Francisco, Harry Lauder said: + +"There is no organization in Europe doing more for the troops than the +Salvation Army, and the devotion of its officers has caused the Salvation +Army to be revered by the soldiers." + +Mr. Otto Kahn, one of America's most prominent bankers, upon his return to +this country after a tour through the American lines in France, writes, +among other things: + +"I should particularly consider myself remiss if I did not refer with +sincere admiration to the devoted, sympathetic, and most efficient work of +the Salvation Army, which, though limited in its activities to a few +sectors only, has won the warm and affectionate regard of those of our +troops with whom it has been in contact." + + * * * * * + +Mr. David Lawrence, special Washington correspondent of the _New York +Evening Post_ and other influential papers, in an article in which he +comments on the work of all the relief agencies, says of the Salvation +Army in France: + +"Curiously enough the Salvation Army is spoken of in all official reports +as the organization most popular with the troops. Its organization is the +smallest of all four. Its service is simple and unadorned. It specializes +on doughnuts and pie, which it gives away free whenever the ingredients of +the manufacture of those articles are at hand. + +"_The policy of the organization_ is to place a worker and his wife, +if possible, with a unit of troops. The woman makes doughnuts and sews on +buttons, while the man helps the soldiers in any way he can. + +"_The success of the Salvation Army_ is attributed by commanding +officers to the fact that the workers know how to mix naturally. _In +other cases there had been sometimes an air of condescension not unlike +that of the professional settlement house worker_." + + * * * * * + +In a recent issue of the _Saturday Evening Post_, Mr. Irvin Cobb, who +has just returned from France, has this to say of the Salvation Army: + +"Right here seems a good-enough place for me to slip in a few words of +approbation for the work which another organization has accomplished in +France since we put our men into the field. Nobody asked me to speak in +its favor because, so far as I can find out, it has no publicity +department. I am referring to the Salvation Army. May it live forever for +the service which, without price and without any boasting on the part of +its personnel, it is rendering to our boys in France! + +"A good many of us who hadn't enough religion, and a good many more of us +who, mayhap, had too much religion, looked rather contemptuously upon the +methods of the Salvationists. Some have gone so far as to intimate that +the Salvation Army was vulgar in its methods and lacking in dignity and +even in reverence. Some have intimated that converting a sinner to the tap +of a bass drum or the tinkle of a tambourine was an improper process +altogether. Never again, though, shall I hear the blare of the cornet as +it cuts into the chorus of hallelujah whoops, where a ring of blue- +bonneted women and blue-capped men stand exhorting on a city street-corner +under the gaslights, without recalling what some of their enrolled +brethren--and sisters--have done, and are doing, in Europe! + +"The American Salvation Army in France is small, but, believe me, it is +powerfully busy! Its war delegation came over without any fanfare of the +trumpets of publicity. It has no paid press agents here and no impressive +headquarters. There are no well-known names, other than the names of its +executive heads, on its rosters or on its advisory boards. None of its +members are housed at an expensive hotel and none of them have handsome +automobiles in which to travel about from place to place. No campaigns to +raise nation-wide millions of dollars for the cost of its ministrations +overseas were ever held at home. I imagine it is the pennies of the poor +that mainly fill its war chest. I imagine, too, that sometimes its +finances are an uncertain quantity. Incidentally, I am assured that not +one of its male workers here is of draft age unless he holds exemption +papers to prove his physical unfitness for military service. The +Salvationists are taking care to purge themselves of any suspicion that +potential slackers have joined their ranks in order to avoid the +possibility of having to perform duties in khaki. + +"Among officers, as well as among enlisted men, one occasionally hears +criticism--which may or may not be based on a fair judgment--for certain +branches of certain activities of certain organizations. But I have yet to +meet any soldier, whether a brigadier or a private, who, if he spoke at +all of the Salvation Army, did not speak in terms of fervent gratitude for +the aid that the Salvationists are rendering so unostentatiously and yet +so very effectively. Let a sizable body of troops move from one station to +another, and hard on its heels there came a squad of men and women of the +Salvation Army. An army truck may bring them, or it may be they have a +battered jitney to move them and their scanty outfits. Usually they do not +ask for help from anyone in reaching their destinations. They find +lodgment in a wrecked shell of a house or in the corner of a barn. By main +force and awkwardness they set up their equipment, and very soon the word +has spread among the troops that at such and such a place the Salvation +Army is serving free hot drinks and free doughnuts and free pies. It +specializes in doughnuts--the Salvation Army in the field does--the real +old-fashioned home-made ones that taste of home to a homesick soldier boy! + +"I did not see this, but one of my associates did. He saw it last winter +in a dismal place on the Toul sector. A file of our troops were finishing +a long hike through rain and snow over roads knee-deep in half-thawed icy +slush. Cold and wet and miserable they came tramping into a cheerless, +half-empty town within sound and range of the German guns. They found a +reception committee awaiting them there--in the person of two Salvation +Army lassies and a Salvation Army Captain. The women had a fire going in +the dilapidated oven of a vanished villager's kitchen. One of them was +rolling out the batter on a plank, with an old wine-bottle for a rolling +pin, and using the top of a tin can to cut the dough into circular strips; +the other woman was cooking the doughnuts, and as fast as they were cooked +the man served them out, spitting hot, to hungry, wet boys clamoring about +the door, and nobody was asked to pay a cent! + +"At the risk of giving mortal affront to ultradoctrinal practitioners of +applied theology, I am firmly committed to the belief that by the grace +and the grease of those doughnuts those three humble benefactors that day +strengthened their right to a place in the Heavenly Kingdom." + + + +MY DEAR COLONEL JENKINS: + +I take pleasure in sending you a copy of my report as Commissioner to +France, in which I made reference to the work of the Salvation Army with +our American Expeditionary Forces. + +I cannot recall ever hearing the slightest criticism of the work of the +Salvation Army, but I heard many words of enthusiastic appreciation on the +part not only of the Generals and officers but of the soldiers. + +I saw many evidences showing that the unselfish, sometimes reckless, +abandon of your workers had a great effect upon our men. + +I am sure that the Salvation Army also stands in high respect for its +religious influence upon the men. + +It was pleasant still further to hear such words of appreciation as I did +from General Duncan regarding the work of Chaplain Allan, the divisional +chaplain of General Duncan's unit. He has evidently risen to his work in a +splendid way. It is a pleasure to have this opportunity of rendering this +testimony to you. + +Faithfully yours, + +CHARLES S. MACFARLAND, +General Secretary. + + + +The _New York Globe_ printed the following: + +HUNS DON'T STOP SALVATION ARMY. MEETING HELD IN +DEEP DUGOUT UNDER RUINED VILLAGE--MANDOLIN +SUPPLANTS THE ORGAN. + +By Herbert Corey. + +JUST BEHIND THE SOMME FRONT, May 3l.--Somewhere in the tangle of smashed +walls there was a steely jingle. At first the sound was hard to identify, +so odd are acoustics in this which was once a little town. There were stub +ends of walls here and there--bare, raw snags of walls sticking up--and +now and then a rooftree tilted pathetically against a ruin, or a pile of +dusty masonry that had been a house. A little path ran through this +tangle, and under an arched gateway that by a miracle remained standing +and down the steps of a dugout. The jingling sound became recognizable. +Some one was trying to play on a mandolin: + +"Jesus, Lover of My Soul." + +It was grotesque and laughable. The grand old hymn refused its cadences to +this instrument of a tune-loving bourgeoise. It seemed to stand aloof and +unconquered. This is a hymn for the swelling notes of an organ or for the +great harmonies of a choir. It was not made to be debased by association +with this caterwauling wood and wire, this sounding board for barbershop +chords, this accomplice of sick lovers leaning on village fences. Then +there came a voice: + +"By gollies, brother, you're getting it! I actually believe you're getting +it, brother. We'll have a swell meeting to-night." + +I went down the steps into the Salvation Army man's dugout. A large +soldier, cigarette depending from his lower lip, unshaven, tin hat tipped +on the back of his head, was picking away at the wires of the mandolin +with fingers that seemed as thick and yellow as ears of corn. As I came in +he stated profanely, that these dam' things were not made to pick out +condemn' hymn tunes on. The Salvation Army man encouraged him: + +"You keep on, brother," said he, "and we'll have a fine meeting for the +Brigadier when he comes in to-night." + + +TAKING HIS CHANCES. + +Another boy was sitting there, his head rather low. The mandolin player +indicated him with a jerk. "He got all roughed up last night," said he. +"We found a bottle of some sweet stuff these Frogs left in the house where +we're billeted. Tasted a good deal like syrup. But it sure put Bull out." + +Bull turned a pair of inflamed eyes on the musician. + +"You keep on a-talkin', and I'll hang somep'n on your eye," said Bull, +hoarsely. + +Then he replaced his head in his hands. The Salvation Army man laughed at +the interlude and then returned to the player. + +"See," said he, "it goes like this----" He hummed the wonderful old hymn. + +The floor of the dugout was covered with straw. The stairs which led to it +were wide, so that at certain hours the sun shone in and dried out the +walls. There were few slugs crawling slimily on the walls of the Salvation +Army's place. Rats were there, of course, and bugs of sorts, but few +slugs. On the whole it was considered a good dugout, because of these +things. The roof was not a strong one, it seemed to me. A 77-shell would +go through it like a knife through cheese. I said so to the Salvation Army +man. + +"Aw, brother," said he. "We've got to take our chances along with the +rest." + +At the foot of the stairs was a table on which were the few things the +Salvation Army man had to sell, up here under the guns. There were some +figs and a handful of black licorice drops and a few nuts. Boys kept +coming in and demanding cookies. Cookies there were none, but there was +hope ahead. If the Brigadier managed to get in to-night with the fliv, +there might be cookies. + + +NO MONEY, BUT GOOD CHEER. + +"Just our luck," said some morose doughboy, "if a shell hit the fliv. It's +a hell of a road----" + +"No shell has hit it yet, brother," said the Salvation Army man, cheerily. + +Fifteen dollars would have bought everything he had in stock. One could +have carried away the whole stock in the pockets of an army overcoat. The +Salvation Army has no money, you know. It is hard to buy supplies for +canteens over here, unless a pocket filled with money is doing the buying. +The Salvation Army must pick up its stuff where it can get it. Yesterday +there had been sardines and shaving soap and tin watches. To-day there +were only figs and licorice drops and nuts. + +"But if the Brigadier gets in," said the Salvation Army man, "there will +be something sweet to eat. And we'll have a little meeting of song and +praise, brother--just to thank God for the chance he has given us to +help." + +Here there is no one else to serve the boys. Other organizations have more +money and more men, but for some reason they have not seen fit to come to +this which was once a town. Shells fall into it from six directions all +day and all night long. Now and then it is gassed. A few kilometres away +is the German line. One reaches town over a road which is nightly torn to +pieces by high explosives. No one comes here voluntarily, and no one stays +willingly--except the Salvation Army man. He's here for keeps. + +Men come down into his little dugout to play checkers and dominoes and buy +sweet things to eat. He is here to help them spiritually as well as +physically and they know it, and yet they do not hear him. He talks to +them just as they talk to each other, except that he does not swear and he +does not tell stories that have too much of a tang. He never obtrudes his +religion on them. Just once in a while--on the nights the Brigadier gets +in--there is a little song and praise meeting. They thank God for the +chance they have to help. + +That night the Brigadier got in with his cookies and chocolates and his +message that salvation is free. Perhaps a dozen men sat around +uncomfortably in the little dugout and listened to him. The man of the +mandolin had refused at the last moment. He said he would be dam' if he +could play a hymn tune on that thing. But the old hymn quavered cheerily +out of the little dugout into the shell-torn night. The husky voices of +the Brigadier and the Ensign and Holy Joe carried it on, while the little +audience sat mute. + + While the nearer waters roll, + While the tempest still is high. + +Then there was a little prayer and a few straight, cordial words from the +Brigadier and then, somewhere in that perilous night outside, "taps" +sounded and the men were off to bed. They had no word of thanks as they +shook hands on parting. They did not speak to each other as they picked +their way along the path through the ruins. But when they reached the +street some one said very profanely and very earnestly: + +"I can lick any man's son who says THEY ain't all right." + + + +"I have just received your letter of the 30th of July, and it has cheered +my heart to know you take an interest in a poor Belgian prisoner of war. + +"Since I wrote to you last we have been changed to another camp; the one +we are now in is quite a nice camp, with lots of flowers, and we are +allowed more freedom, but it is very bad regarding food. We have so very +little to eat, it is a pity we can't eat flowers! We rise up hungry and go +to bed hungry, and all day long we are trying to still the craving for +food. So you will understand the longing there is in our hearts to once +again be free--to be able to go to work and earn our daily bread! But the +one great comfort that I find is since I learned to know Jesus as my +Saviour and Friend I can better endure the trials and even rejoice that I +am called to suffer for His sake, and while around me I see many who are +in despair--some even cursing God for all the misery in which we are +surrounded, some trying to be brave, some giving up altogether--yet to a +number of us has come the Gospel message, brought by the Salvation Army, +and I am so glad that I, for one, listened and surrendered my life to this +Jesus! Now I have real peace, and He walks with me and gives me grace to +conquer the evil. + +"When I lived in Belgium I was very worldly and sinful--I lived for +pleasure and drink and sin. I did not then know of One who said, 'Come +unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.' +I did not know anything about living a Christian life, but now it is all +changed and I am so thankful! Salvation Army officers visit us and bring +words of cheer and blessing and comfort. You will be glad to know that I +have applied to our Commissioner to become a Salvation Army officer when +the war is over. I want to go to my poor little stricken country and tell +my people of this wonderful Saviour that can save from all sin! + +"On behalf of my comrades and myself, I want to thank the American nation +for all they have done, and are still doing, for my people. May God bless +you all for it, and may He grant that before long there will be peace on +earth! + +"I remain, faithfully yours, + +"REMY MEERSMAN." + + + +THE "STARS AND STRIPES" SPEAKS FROM FRANCE FOR THE +SALVATION ARMY. + +A copy of the "Stars and Stripes," the official publication of the +American Expeditionary Forces published in Prance by the American soldiers +themselves, just received in Chicago, contains the following: + +"Perhaps in the old days when war and your home town seemed as far apart +as Paris, France, and Paris, Ill., you were a superior person who used to +snicker when you passed a street corner where a small Salvation Army band +was holding forth. Perhaps--Heaven forgive you--you even sneered a little +when you heard the bespectacled sister in the poke-bonnet bang her +tambourine and raise a shrill voice to the strains of 'Oh death, where is +thy sting-a-ling.' Probably--unless you yourself had known the bitterness +of one who finds himself alone, hungry and homeless in a big city--you did +not know much about the Salvation Army. + +Well, we are all homeless over here and every American soldier will take +back with him a new affection and a new respect for the Salvation Army. +Many will carry with them the memories of a cheering word and a friendly +cruller received in one of the huts nearest of all to the trenches. There +the old slogan of 'Soup and Salvation' has given way to 'Pies and Piety.' +It might be 'Doughnuts and Doughboys.' These huts pitched within the shock +of the German guns, are ramshackle and bare and few, for no organization +can grow rich on the pennies and nickels that are tossed into the +tambourines at the street-corners of the world. But they are doing a work +that the soldiers themselves will never forget, and it is an especial +pleasure to say so here, because the Salvation Army, being much too simple +and old-fashioned to know the uses of advertisement, have never asked us +to. You, however, can testify for them. Perhaps you do in your letters +home. And surely when you are back there and you pass once more a +'meeting' at the curb, you will not snicker. You will tarry awhile--and +take off your hat." + + + +We have received a letter from Mr. Lewis Strauss, Secretary to Mr. Herbert +Hoover, who has just returned from France, and he says that Mr. Hoover's +time while in Europe was spent almost wholly in London and Paris, and that +he had no opportunity for observing our War Relief Work at the front. The +concluding paragraph of the letter, however, is as follows: + +"Mr. Hoover has frequently heard the most complimentary reports of the +invaluable work which your organization is performing in invariably the +most perilous localities, and he is filled with admiration for those who +are conducting it at the front." + + +THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE (MAY 17, 1918), QUOTING FROM THE +ABOVE, ALSO SPEAKS EDITORIALLY. + +The acid test of any service done for our soldiers in France is the value +the men themselves place upon it. No matter how excellent our intentions, +we cannot be satisfied with the result if the soldiers are not satisfied. +Without suggesting any invidious distinctions among organizations that are +working at the front, it is nevertheless a pleasure to record that the +Salvation Army stands very high in the regard of American soldiers. + +The evidence of the Salvation Army's excellent work comes from many +sources. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +A Few Facts about the Salvation Army + + + +It has been truly said that within four days after the German Army entered +Belgium, another Army entered also--the Salvation Army! One came to +destroy, the other to relieve distress and minister to the wounded and +dying. + +The British Salvation Army furnished a number of Red Cross Ambulances, +manned by Salvationists when the Red Cross was in great need of such. When +these arrived in France and people first saw the big cars with the +"Salvation Army" label it attracted a good deal of attention. The drivers +wore the Red Cross uniform, and were under its military rules, but wore on +their caps the red band with the words, "Salvation Army." + +There is a story of a young officer in sportive mood who left a group of +his companions and stepped out into the street to stop one of these +ambulances: + +"Hello! Salvation Army!" he cried. "Are you taking those men to heaven?" + +Amid the derisive laughter of the officers on the sidewalk the +Salvationist replied pleasantly: + +"I cannot say I am taking them to heaven, but I certainly am taking them +away from the other place." + +One of the good British Salvationists wrote of meeting our American boys +in England. He said: + +"Oh, these American soldiers! One meets them in twos and threes, all over +the city, everlastingly asking questions, by word of mouth and by wide- +open trustful eyes, and they make a bee-line for the Salvation Army +uniform on sight. I passed a company of them on the march across London, +from one railroad station to another, the other, day. They were obviously +interested in the sights of the city streets as they passed through at +noon, but as they drew nearer one of the boys caught sight of the red band +around my cap among the hate crowning the sidewalk crowd. My! but that one +man's interest swept over the hundred odd men! Like the flame of a prairie +fire, it went with a zip! They all knew at once! They had no eyes for the +crowd any more; they did not stare at the facade of the railway terminus +which they were passing; they saw nothing of the famous 'London Stone' set +in the wall behind its grid on their right hand. What they saw was a +Salvation Army man in all his familiar war-paint, and it was a sight for +sore eyes! Here was something they could understand! This was an American +institution, a tried, proved and necessary part of the life of any +community. All this and much more those wide-open eyes told me. It was as +good to them as if I was stuck all over with stars and stripes. I +belonged--that's it--belonged to them, and so they took off the veil and +showed their hearts and smiled their good glad greeting. + +"So I smiled and that first file of four beamed seraphic. Two at least +were of Scandinavian stock, but how should that make any difference? Again +and again I noticed their counterpart in the column which followed.... It +was all the same; file upon file those faces spread out in eager +particular greeting; those eyes, one and all, sought mine expecting the +smile I so gladly gave. And then when the last was past and I gazed upon +their swaying forms from the rear I wondered why my eyes were moist and +something had gone wrong with my swallowing apparatus. Great boys! Bonny +boys!" + +The Salvation Army was founded July 5, 1865, as a Christian Mission in +East London by the Reverend William Booth, and its first Headquarters +opened in Whitechapel Road, London. Three years later work was begun in +Scotland. + +In 1877 the name of the Christian Mission was altered to the Salvation +Army, and the Reverend William Booth assumed the title of General. + +December 29, 1879, the first number of the official organ, "The War Cry," +was issued and the first brass band formed at Consett. + +In 1880 the first Training School was opened at Hackney, London, and the +first contingent of the Salvation Army officers landed in the United +States. The next year the Salvation Army entered Australia, and was +extended to France. 1882 saw Switzerland, Sweden, India and Canada +receiving their first contingent of Salvation Army officers. A London +Orphan Asylum was acquired and converted into Congress Hall, which, with +its large Auditorium, with a seating capacity of five thousand, still +remains the Mammoth International Training School for Salvation Army +officers, for missionary and home fields all over the world. The first +Prison-Gate Home was opened in London in this same year. + +The Army commenced in South Africa, New Zealand and Iceland in 1883. + +In 1886 work was begun in Germany and the late General visited France, the +United States and Canada. The First International Congress was held in +London in that year. + +The British Slum work was inaugurated in 1887, and Officers sent to Italy, +Holland, Denmark, Zululand, and among the Kaffirs and Hottentots. The next +year the Army extended to Norway, Argentine Kepublic, Finland and Belgium, +and the next ten years saw work extended in succession to Uruguay, West +Indies, Java, Japan, British Guiana, Panama and Korea, and work commenced +among the Lepers. + +The growing confidence of the great of the earth was manifested by the +honors that were conferred upon General Booth from time to time. In 1898 +he opened the American Senate with prayer. In 1904 King Edward received +him at Buckingham Palace, the freedom of the City of London and the City +of Kirkcaldy were conferred upon him, as well as the degree of D. C. L. by +Oxford, during 1905. The Kings of Denmark, Norway, the Queen of Sweden, +and the Emperor of Japan were among those who received him in private +audience. + +On August 20, 1912, General William Booth laid down his sword. + +He lay in state in Congress Hall, London, where the number of visitors who +looked upon his remains ran into the hundreds of thousands. + +His son, William Bramwell Booth, the Chief of the Staff, by the +appointment of the late General, succeeded to the office and came to the +position with a wealth of affection and confidence on the part of the +people of the nations such as few men know. + + +SALVATION ARMY WAR ACTIVITIES. + +77 Motor ambulances manned by Salvationists. + +87 Hotels for use of Soldiers and Sailors. + +107 Buildings in United States placed at disposal of Government for war +relief purposes. + +199 Huts at Soldiers' Camps used for religious and social gatherings and +for dispensing comfort to Soldiers and Sailors. + +300 Rest-rooms equipped with papers, magazines, books, etc., in charge of +Salvation Army Officers. + +1507 Salvation Army officers devote their entire time to religious and +social work among Soldiers and Sailors. + +15,000 Beds in hotels close to railway stations and landing points at +seaport cities for protection of Soldiers and Sailors going to and from +the Front. + +80,000 Salvation Army officers fighting with Allied Armies. + +100,000 Parcels of food and clothing distributed among Soldiers and +Sailors. + +100,000 Wounded Soldiers taken from battlefields in Salvation Army +ambulances. + +300,000 Soldiers and Sailors daily attend Salvation Army buildings. + +$2,000,000 Already spent in war activities. + +45 Chaplains serving under Government appointment. + +40 Camps, Forts and Navy Yards at which Salvation Army services are +conducted or which are visited by Salvation Army officers. + +2184 War Widows assisted (legal and other aid, and visited). + +2404 Soldiers' wives cared for (including medical help). + +442 War children under our care. + +3378 Soldiers' remittances forwarded (without charge). + +$196,081.05 Amount remitted. + +600 Parcels supplied Prisoners of War. + +1300 Cables sent for Soldiers. + +275 Officers detailed to assist Soldiers' wives and relatives; number +assisted, 275. + +40 Military hospitals visited. + +360 Persons visiting hospitals. + +147 Boats met. + +324,052 Men on board, + +35,845 Telegrams sent. + +24 Salvationists detailed for this work. + +20 Salvationists detailed for this work outside of New York City. + + +SALVATION ARMY WORK IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. + +1218 Buildings in use at present. + +2953 Missing friends found. + +6125 Tons of ice distributed. + +12,000 Officers and non-commissioned officers actively employed. + +11,650 Accommodations in institutions. + +68,000 Children cared for in Rescue Homes and Slum Settlements. + +22,161 Women and girls cared for in Rescue Homes. + +30,401 Tons of coal distributed. + +175,764 Men cared for in Industrial Homes. + +342,639 Poor families visited. + +399,418 Outings given poor people. + +668,250 Converted to Christian life. + +984,426 Jobs found for unemployed poor. + +1,535,840 Hours spent in active service in slum districts. + +6,900,995 Poor people given temporary relief. + +40,522,990 Nights' shelter and beds given to needy poor. + +52,674,308 Meals supplied to needy poor. Constituency reached with appeal +for Christian citizenship. + +132,608,087 Out-door meeting attendance. + +134,412,564 In-door meeting attendance. + + +NATIONAL WAR BOARD. + +Commander Evangeline C. Booth, President. + +EAST. +Peart, Col. William, Chairman. +Reinhardsen, Col. Gustave S., Sec'y and Treas. +Damon, Col. Alexander M., +Parker, Col. Edward J., +Jenkins, Lt.-Col. Walter F., +Stanyon, Lt.-Col. Thomas, +Welte, Brigadier Charles + +WEST +Estill, Commissioner Thos., Chairman +Gauntlett, Col. Sidney, +Brewer, Lt.-Col. Arthur T., +Eynn, Lt.-Col. John T., +Dart, Brigadier Wm. J., Sec'y. + +FRANCE. +Barker, Lt.-Col. William S., Director of War Work. + +As indicated in the above list, the National War Board functions in two +distinct territories--East and West--the duty of each being to administer +all War Work in the respective territories. The closest supervision is +given by each War Board over all expenditure of money and no scheme is +sanctioned until the judgment of the Board is carried concerning the +usefulness of the project and the sound financial proposals associated +therewith. After any plan is initiated, the Board is still responsible for +the supervision of the work, and for the Eastern department Colonel Edward +J. Parker is the Board's representative in all such matters and Lieut- +Colonel Arthur T. Brewer fills a similar office in the Western department. +Each section of the National Board takes responsibility in connection with +the overseas work, under the presidency of COMMANDER EVANGELINE C. BOOTH +for the raising, equipping and sending of thoroughly suitable people in +proper proportion. Joint councils are occasionally necessary, when it is +customary for proper representatives of each section of the Board to meet +together. + +The National Board is greatly strengthened through the adding to its +special councils all of the Provincial Officers of the country. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The War Romance of the Salvation Army +by Evangeline Booth and Grace Livingston Hill + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR ROMANCE *** + +This file should be named 7warm10.txt or 7warm10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 7warm11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 7warm10a.txt + +Produced by Curtis A. Weyant +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The War Romance of the Salvation Army + +Author: Evangeline Booth and Grace Livingston Hill + +Release Date: April, 2005 [EBook #7811] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on May 19, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-Latin-1 + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR ROMANCE *** + + + + +Produced by Curtis A. Weyant +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + + +[Illustration: William Bramwell Booth +General of the Salvation Army] + + +The War Romance of the Salvation Army + +by + +Evangeline Booth + +Commander-in-Chief, +The Salvation Army in America + +and + +Grace Livingston Hill + +Author of "The Enchanted Barn"; "The Best Man"; +"Lo Michael"; "The Red Signal," etc. + + + + +Copyright 1919, by J. T. Lippincot Company + + + +[Illustration: Evangeline Booth +Commander-in-Chief of the Salvation Army in America] + + + + +Foreword + + + +In presenting the narrative of some of the doings of the Salvation Army +during the world's great conflict for liberty, I am but answering the +insistent call of a most generous and appreciative public. + +When moved to activity by the apparent need, there was never a thought +that our humble services would awaken the widespread admiration that has +developed. In fact, we did not expect anything further than appreciative +recognition from those immediately benefited, and the knowledge that our +people have proved so useful is an abundant compensation for all toil and +sacrifice, for _service_ is our watchword, and there is no reward +equal to that of doing the most good to the most people in the most need. +When our National Armies were being gathered for overseas work, the +likelihood of a great need was self-evident, and the most logical and most +natural thing for the Salvation Army to do was to hold itself in readiness +for action. That we were straitened in our circumstances is well +understood, more so by us than by anybody else. The story as told in +these pages is necessarily incomplete, for the obvious reason that the +work is yet in progress. We entered France ahead of our Expeditionary +Forces, and it is my purpose to continue my people's ministries until the +last of our troops return. At the present moment the number of our +workers overseas equals that of any day yet experienced. + +Because of the pressure that this service brings, together with the +unmentioned executive cares incident to the vast work of the Salvation +Army in these United States, I felt compelled to requisition some +competent person to aid me in the literary work associated with the +production of a concrete story. In this I was most fortunate, for a writer +of established worth and national fame in the person of Mrs. Grace +Livingston Hill came to my assistance; and having for many days had the +privilege of working with her in the sifting process, gathering from the +mass of matter that had accumulated and which was being daily added to, +with every confidence I am able to commend her patience and toil. How well +she has done her work the book will bear its own testimony. + +This foreword would be incomplete were I to fail in acknowledging in a +very definite way the lavish expressions of gratitude that have abounded +on the part of "The Boys" themselves. This is our reward, and is a very +great encouragement to us to continue a growing and more permanent effort +for their welfare, which is comprehended in our plans for the future. The +official support given has been of the highest and most generous +character. Marshal Foch himself most kindly cabled me, and General +Pershing has upon several occasions inspired us with commendatory words of +the greatest worth. + +Our beloved President has been pleased to reflect the people's pleasure +and his own personal gratification upon what the Salvation Army has +accomplished with the troops, which good-will we shall ever regard as one +of our greatest honors. + +The lavish eulogy and sincere affection bestowed by the nation upon the +organization I can only account for by the simple fact that our +ministering members have been in spirit and reality with the men. + +True to our first light, first teaching, and first practices, we have +always put ourselves close beside the man irrespective of whether his +condition is fair or foul; whether his surroundings are peaceful or +perilous; whether his prospects are promising or threatening. As a people +we have felt that to be of true service to others we must be close enough +to them to lift part of their load and thus carry out that grand +injunction of the Apostle Paul, "Bear ye one another's burdens and so +fulfill the law of Christ." + +The Salvation Army upon the battlefields of France has but worked along +the same lines as in the great cities of the nations. We are, with our +every gift to serve, close up to those in need; and so, as Lieut.-Colonel +Roosevelt put it, "Whatever the lot of the men, the Salvation Army is +found with them." + +We never permit any superiority of position, or breeding, or even grace to +make a gap between us and any who may be less fortunate. To help another, +you must be near enough to catch the heart-beat. And so a large measure of +our success in the war is accounted for by the fact that we have been with +them. With a hundred thousand Salvationists on all fronts, and tens and +tens of thousands of Salvationists at their ministering posts in the +homelands as well as overseas, from the time that each of the Allied +countries entered the war the Salvation Army has been with the fighting- +men. + +With them in the thatched cottage on the hillside, and in the humble +dwelling in the great towns of the homelands, when they faced the great +ordeal of wishing good-bye to mothers and fathers and wives and children. + +With them in the blood-soaked furrows of old fields; with them in the +desolation of No Man's Land; and with them amid the indescribable miseries +and gory horrors of the battlefield. With them with the sweetest ministry, +trained in the art of service, white-souled, brave, tender-hearted men and +women could render. + +[Evangeline Booth] + +NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS SALVATION ARMY, NEW YORK CITY. + +April, 1919. + + + + +From the Commander's Own Pen + + + +The war is over. The world's greatest tragedy is arrested. The awful pull +at men's heart-strings relaxed. The inhuman monster that leapt out of the +darkness and laid blood-hands upon every home of a peace-blest earth has +been overthrown. Autocracy and diabolical tyranny lie defeated and crushed +behind the long rows of white crosses that stand like sign-posts pointing +heavenward, all the way from the English Channel to the Adriatic, linking +the two by an inseverable chain. + +While the nations were in the throes of the conflict, I was constrained to +speak and write of the Salvation Army's activities in the frightful +struggle. Now that all is over and I reflect upon the price the nations +have paid I realize much hesitancy in so doing. + +When I think of England-where almost every man you meet is but a piece of +a man! France--one great graveyard! Its towns and cities a wilderness of +waste! The allied countries--Italy, and deathless little Belgium, and +Serbia--well-nigh exterminated in the desperate, gory struggle! When I +think upon it--the price America has paid! The price her heroic sons have +paid! They that come down the gangways of the returning boats on crutches! +They that are carried down on stretchers! They that sail into New York +Harbor, young and fair, but never again to see the Statue of Liberty! The +price that dear mothers and fathers have paid! The price that the tens of +thousands of little children have paid! The price they that sleep in the +lands they made free have paid! When I think upon all this, it is with no +little reluctance that I now write of the small part taken by the +Salvation Army in the world's titanic sacrifice for liberty, but which +part we shall ever regard as our life's crowning honor. + +Expressions of surprise from officers of all ranks as well as the private +soldier have vied with those of gratitude concerning the efficiency of +this service, but no thought of having accomplished any achievement higher +than their simplest duty is entertained by the Salvationists themselves; +for uniformly they feel that they have but striven to measure up to the +high standards of service maintained by the Salvation Army, which +standards ask of its officers all over the world that no effort shall be +left unprosecuted, no sacrifice unrendered, which will help to meet the +_need at their door_. + +And it is such high standards of devoted service to our fellow, linked +with the practical nature of the movement's operations, the deeply +religious character of its members, its intelligent system of government, +uniting, and thus augmenting, all its activities; with the immense +advantage of the military training provided by the organization, that give +to its officers a potency and adaptability that have for the greater +period of our brief lifetime made us an influential factor in seasons of +civic and national disaster. + +When that beautiful city of the Golden Gate, San Francisco, was laid low +by earthquake and fire, the Salvationists were the first upon the ground +with blankets, and clothes, and food, gathering frightened little +children, looking after old age, and rescuing many from the burning and +falling buildings. + +At the time of the wild rush to the Klondike, the Salvation Army was, with +its sweet, pure women--the only women amidst tens of thousands of men-- +upon the mountain-side of the Chilcoot Pass saving the lives of the gold- +seekers, and telling those shattered by disappointment of treasure that +"doth not perish." + +At the time of the Jamestown, the Galveston, and the Dayton floods the +Salvation Army officer, with his boat laden with sandwiches and warm +wraps, was the first upon the rising waters, ministering to marooned and +starving families gathered upon the housetops. + +In the direful disaster that swept over the beautiful city of Halifax, the +Mayor of that city stated: "I do not know what I should have done the +first two or three days following the explosion, when everyone was panic- +stricken without the ready, intelligent, and unbroken day-and-night +efforts of the Salvation Army." + +On numerous other similar occasions we have relieved distress and sorrow +by our almost instantaneous service. Hence when our honored President +decided that our National Emblem, heralder of the inalienable rights of +man, should cross the seas and wave for the freedom of the peoples of the +earth, automatically the Salvation Army moved with it, and our officers +passed to the varying posts of helpfulness which the emergency demanded. + +Now on all sides I am confronted with the question: _What is the secret +of the Salvation Army's success in the war?_ + +Permit me to suggests three reasons which, in my judgment, account for it: + +First, when the war-bolt fell, when the clarion call sounded, it found +_the Salvation Army ready!_ + +Ready not only with our material machinery, but with that precious piece +of human mechanism which is indispensable to all great and high +achievement--the right calibre of man, and the right calibre of woman. Men +and women equipped by a careful training for the work they would have to +do. + +We were not many in number, I admit. In France our numbers have been +regrettably few. But this is because I have felt it was better to fall +short in quantity than to run the risk in falling short in quality. +Quality is its own multiplication table. Quality without quantity will +spread, whereas quantity without quality will shrink. Therefore, I would +not send any officers to France except such as had been fully equipped in +our training schools. + +Few have even a remote idea of the extensive training given to all +Salvation Army officers by our military system of education, covering all +the tactics of that particular warfare to which they have consecrated +their lives--_the service of humanity_. + +We have in the Salvation Army thirty-nine Training Schools in which our +own men and women, both for our missionary and home fields, receive an +intelligent tuition and practical training in the minutest details of +their service. They are trained in the finest and most intricate of all +the arts, the art of dealing ably with human life. + +It is a wonderful art which transfigures a sheet of cold grey canvas into +a throbbing vitality, and on its inanimate spread visualizes a living +picture from which one feels they can never turn their eyes away. + +It is a wonderful art which takes a rugged, knotted block of marble, +standing upon a coarse wooden bench, and cuts out of its uncomely +crudeness--as I saw it done--the face of my father, with its every +feature illumined with prophetic light, so true to life that I felt that +to my touch it surely must respond. + +But even such arts as these crumble; they are as dust under our feet +compared with that much greater art, _the art of dealing ably with human +life in all its varying conditions and phases_. + +It is in this art that we seek by a most careful culture and training to +perfect our officers. + +They are trained in those expert measures which enable them to handle +satisfactorily those that cannot handle themselves, those that have lost +their grip on things, and that if unaided go down under the high, rough +tides. Trained to meet emergencies of every character--to leap into the +breach, to span the gulf, and to do it without waiting to be told +_how_. + +Trained to press at every cost for the desired and decided-upon end. + +Trained to obey orders willingly, and gladly, and wholly--not in part. + +Trained to give no quarter to the enemy, no matter what the character, nor +in what form he may present himself, and to never consider what personal +advantage may be derived. + +Trained in the art of the winsome, attractive coquetries of the round, +brown doughnut and all its kindred. + +Trained, if needs be, to seal their services with their life's blood. + +One of our women officers, on being told by the colonel of the regiment +she would be killed if she persisted in serving her doughnuts and cocoa to +the men while under heavy fire, and that she must get back to safety, +replied: "Colonel, we can die with the men, but we cannot leave them." + +When, therefore, I gathered the little companies together for their last +charge before they sailed for France, I would tell them that while I was +unable to arm them with many of the advantages of the more wealthy +denominations; that while I could give them only a very few assistants +owing to the great demand upon our forces; and that while I could promise +them nothing beyond their bare expenses, yet I knew that without fear I +could rely upon them for an unsurpassed devotion to the God-inspired +standards of the emblem of this, the world's greatest Republic, the Stars +and Stripes, now in the van for the freedom of the peoples of the earth. +That I could rely upon them for unsurpassed devotion to the brave men who +laid their lives upon the altar of their country's protection, and that I +could rely upon them for an unsurpassed devotion to that other banner, the +Banner of Calvary, the significance of which has not changed in nineteen +centuries, and by the standards of which, alone, all the world's wrongs +can be redressed, and by the standards of which alone men can be liberated +from all their bondage. And they have not failed. + +A further reason for the success of the Salvation Army in the war is, +_it found us accustomed to hardship_. + +We are a people who have thrived on adversity. Opposition, persecution, +privation, abuse, hunger, cold and want were with us at the starting-post, +and have journeyed with us all along the course. + +We went to the battlefields _no strangers to suffering_. The biting +cold winds that swept the fields of Flanders were not the first to lash +our faces. The sunless cellars, with their mouldy walls and water-seeped +floors, where our women sought refuge from shell-fire through the hours of +the night, contributed no new or untried experience. In such cellars as +these, in their home cities, under the flicker of a tallow candle, they +have ministered to the sick and comforted the dying. + +Wet feet, lack of deep, being often without food, finding things different +from what we had planned, hoped and expected, were frequent experiences +with us. All such things we Salvationists encounter in our daily toils for +others amid the indescribable miseries and inestimable sorrows, the sins +and the tragedies of the underworlds of our great cities--the +_underneath_ of those great cities which upon the surface thunder +with enterprise and glitter with brilliance. + +We are not easily affrighted by frowns of fortune. We do not change our +course because of contrary currents, nor put into harbor because of head- +winds. Almost all our progress has been made in the teeth of the storm. We +have always had to "tack," but as it is "the set of the sails, and not the +gales" that decides the ports we reach, the competency of our seamanship +is determined by the fact that we "get there." + +Our service in France was not, therefore, an experiment, but an organized, +tested, and proved system. We were enacting no new rôle. We were all +through the Boer War. Our officers were with the besieged troops in +Mafeking and Ladysmith. They were with Lord Kitchener in his victorious +march through Africa. It was this grand soldier who afterwards wrote to my +father, General William Booth, the Founder of our movement, saying: "Your +men have given us an example both of how to live as good soldiers and how +to die as heroes." And so it was quite natural that our men and women, +with that fearlessness which characterizes our members, should take up +positions under fire in France. + +In fact, our officers would have considered themselves unfaithful to +Salvation Army traditions and history, and untrue to those who had gone +before, if they had deserted any post, or shirked any duty, because +cloaked with the shadows of death. + +This explains why their dear forms loomed up in the fog and the rain, in +the hours of the night, on the roads, under shell fire, serving coffee and +doughnuts. + +This is how it was they were with them on the long dreary marches, with a +smile and a song and a word of cheer. + +This is how it is the Salvation Army has no "closing hours." "Taps" sound +for us _when the need is relieved_. + +Three of our women officers in the Toul Sector had slept for three weeks +in a hay-stack, in an open field, to be near the men of an ammunition +train taking supplies to the front under cover of darkness. The boys had +watched their continued, devoted service for them--the many nights without +sleep--and noticing the shabby uniform of the little officer in charge, +collected among themselves 1600 francs, and offered it to her for a new +one, and some other comforts, the spokesman saying: "This is just to show +you how grateful we are to you." The officer was deeply touched, but told +them she could not think of accepting it for herself. "I am quite +accustomed to hard toils," she said. "I have only done what all my +comrades are doing--my duty," and offered to compromise by putting the +money into a general fund for the benefit of all--to buy more doughnuts +and more coffee for the boys. + +Salvation Army teaching and practice is: Choose your purpose, then set +your face as flint toward that purpose, permitting no enemy that can +oppose, and no sacrifice that can be asked, to turn you from it. + +Again, a reason for our success in the war is, _our practical +religion_. + +That is, our religion is _practicable_. Or, I would rather say, our +Christianity is practicable. Few realize this as the secret of our +success, and some who do realize it will not admit it, but this is what it +really is. + +We _do_ worship; both in spirit and form, in public and in private. +We rely upon prayer as the only line of communication between the creature +and his Creator, the only wing upon which the soul's requirements and +hungerings can be wafted to the Fount of all spiritual supply. Through our +street, as well as our indoor meetings, perhaps oftener than any other +people, we come to the masses with the divine benediction of prayer; and +it would be difficult to find the Salvationist's home that does not regard +the family altar as its most precious and priceless treasure. + +We do preach. We preach God the Creator of earth and heaven, unerring in +His wisdom, infinite in His love and omnipotent in His power. We preach +Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, dying on Calvary for a world's +transgressions, able to save to the uttermost "all those who come unto God +by Him." We preach God the Holy Ghost, sanctifier and comforter of the +souls of men, making white the life, and kindling lights in every dark +landing-place. We preach the Bible, authentic in its statements, +immaculate in its teaching, and glorious in its promises. We preach grace, +limitless grace, grace enough for all men, and grace enough for each. We +preach Hell, the irrevocable doom of the soul that rejects the Saviour. We +preach Heaven, the home of the righteous, the reward of the good, the +crowning of them that endure to the end. + +Even as we preach, so we practice Christianity. We reduce theory to +action. We apply faith to deeds. We confess and present Jesus Christ in +things that can be done. It is this that has carried our flag into sixty- +three countries and colonies, and despite the bitterest opposition has +given us the financial support of twenty-one national governments. It is +this that has brought us up from a little handful of humble workers to an +organization with 21,000 officers and workers, preaching the gospel in +thirty-nine tongues. It is this that has multiplied the one bandsman and a +despised big drum to an army of 27,000 musicians, and it is this-our +practice of religion-that has placed _Christ in deeds_. + +Arthur E. Copping gives as the reason for the movement's success-"the +simple, thorough-going, uncompromising, seven-days-a-week character of +its Christianity." It is this every-day-use religion which has made us of +infinite service in the places of toil, breakage, and suffering; this +every-day-use religion which has made UB the only resource for thousands +in misery and vice; this every-day-use religion which has insured our +success to an extent that has induced civic authorities, Judges, Mayors, +Governors, and even National Governments-such as India with its Criminal +Tribes-to turn to us with the problems of the poor and the wicked. + +While the Salvationist is not of the generally understood ascetic or +monastic type, yet his spirit and deeds are of the very essence of +saintliness. + +As man has arrested the lazy cloud sleeping on the brow of the hill, and +has brought it down to enlighten our darkness, to carry our mail-bags, to +haul our luggage, and to flash our messages, so, I would say with all +reverence, that the Salvation Army in a very particular way has again +brought down Jesus Christ from the high, high thrones, golden pathways, +and wing-spread angels of Glory, to the common mud walks of earth, and has +presented Him again in the flesh to a storm-torn world, touching and +healing the wounds, the bruises, and the bleeding sores of humanity. + +That was a wonderful sermon Christ preached on the Mount, but was it more +wonderful than the ministry of the wounded man fallen by the roadside, or +the drying of the tears from the pale, worn face of the widow of Nain? Or +more wonderful than when He said, Let them come--let them come--mothers +and the little children--and blessed them? + +It has only been this same Christ, _this Christ in deeds_, when our +women have washed the blood from the faces of the wounded, and taken the +caked mud from their feet; when under fire, through the hours of the +night, they have made the doughnuts; when instead of sleeping they have +written the letters home to soldiers' loved ones, when they have lifted +the heavy pails of water and struggled with them over the shell-wrecked +roads that the dying soldiers might drink; when they have sewn the torn +uniforms; when they have strewn with the first spring flowers the graves +of those who died for liberty. Only _Christ in deeds_ when our men +went unarmed into the horrors of the Argonne Forest to gather the dying +boys in their arms and to comfort them with love, humam and divine. + +That valiant champion of justice and truth; that faithful, able and +brilliant defender of American standards, the late Honorable Theodore +Roosevelt, told me personally a few days before he went into the hospital +that his son wrote him of how our officer, fifty-three years of age, +despite his orders, went unarmed over the top, in the whirl-wind of the +charge, amidst the shriek of shell and tear of shrapnel, and picked up the +American boy left for dead in No Man's Land, carrying him on hie back over +the shell-torn fields to safety. + +It is this _Christ in deeds_ that has made the doughnut to take the +place of the "cup of cold water" given in His name. It is this _Christ +in deeds_ that has brought from our humble ranks the modern Florence +Nightingales and taken to the gory horrors of the battlefields the white, +uplifting influences of pure womanhood. It is this _Christ in deeds_ +that made Sir Arthur Stanley say, when thanking our General for $10,000 +donated for more ambulances: "I thank you for the money, but much more for +the men; they are quite the best in our service." + +It is this Christ who has given to our humblest service a sheen-something +of a glory-which the troops have caught, and which will make these simple +deeds to hold tenaciously to history, and to outlive the effacing fingers +of time-even to defy the very dissolution of death. + +As Premier Clemenceau said: "We must love. We must believe. This is the +secret of life. If we fail to learn this lesson, we exist without living: +we die in ignorance of the reality of life." + +A senator, after several months spent in France, stated: "It is my opinion +that the secret of the success of this organization is their complete +abandonment to their cause, _the service of the man_." + +Of the many beautiful tributes paid to us by a most gracious public, and +by the noblest-hearted and most kindly and gallant army that ever stood up +in uniform, perhaps the most correct is this: _Complete abandonment to +the service of the man_. + +This, in large measure, is the cause of our success all over the world. + +When you come to think of it, the Salvation Army is a remarkable +arrangement. It is remarkable in its construction. It is a great empire. +An empire geographically unlike any other. It is an empire without a +frontier. It is an empire made up of geographical fragments, parted from +each other by vast stretches of railroad and immense sweeps of sea. It is +an empire composed of a tangle of races, tongues, and colors, of types of +civilization and enlightened barbarism such as never before in all human +history gathered together under one flag. + +It is an army, with its titles rambling into all languages, a soldiery +spreading over all lands, a banner upon which the sun never goes down-with +its head in the heart of a cluster of islands set in the grey, wind-blown +Northern seas, while its territories are scattered over every sea and +under every sky. + +The world has wondered what has been the controlling force holding this +strange empire together. What is the electro-magnetism governing its +furthest atom as though it were at your elbow? What is the magic sceptre +that compels this diversity of peoples to act as one man? What is the +master passion uniting these multifarious pulsations into one heart-beat? + +Has it been a sworn-to signature attached to bond or paper? No; these can +all too readily be designated "scraps" and be rent in twain. Has it been +self-interest and worldly fame? No, for all selfish gain has had to be +sacrificed upon the threshold of the contract. Has it been the bond of +kinship, or blood, or speech? No, for under this banner the British master +has become the servant of the Hindoo, and the American has gone to lay +down his life upon the veldts of Africa. Has it been the bond of that +almost supernatural force, glorious patriotism? No, not even this, for +while we "know no man after the flesh," we recognize our brother in all +the families of the earth, and our General infused into the breasts of his +followers the sacred conviction that the Salvationist's country is the +world. + +What was it? What is it? Those ties created by a spiritual ideal. Our love +for God demonstrated by our sacrifice for man. + +My father, in a private audience with the late King Edward, said: "Your +Majesty, some men's passion is gold; some men's passion is art; some men's +passion IB fame; my passion is man!" + +This was in our Founder's breast the white flame which ignited like sparks +in the hearts of all his followers. + + _Man is our life's passion._ + +It is for man we have laid our lives upon the altar. It is for man we have +entered into a contract with our God which signs away our claim to any and +all selfish ends. It is for man we have sworn to our own hurt, and--my God +thou knowest-when the hurt came, hard and hot and fast, it was for man we +held tenaciously to the bargain. + +After the torpedoing of the _Aboukir_ two sailors found themselves +clinging to a spar which was not sufficiently buoyant to keep them both +afloat. Harry, a Salvationist, grasped the situation and said to his mate: +"Tom, for me to die will mean to go home to mother. I don't think it's +quite the same for you, so you hold to the spar and I will go down; but +promise me if you are picked up you will make my God your God and my +people your people." Tom was rescued and told to a weeping audience in a +Salvation Army hall the act of self-sacrifice which had saved his life, +and testified to keeping his promise to the boy who had died for him. + +When the _Empress of Ireland_ went down with a hundred and thirty +Salvation Army officers on board, one hundred and nine officers were +drowned, and not one body that was picked up had on a life-belt. The few +survivors told how the Salvationists, finding there were not enough life- +preservers for all, took off their own belts and strapped them upon even +strong men, saying, "I can die better than you can;" and from the deck of +that sinking boat they flung their battle-cry around the world-- +_Others!_ + +_Man!_ Sometimes I think God has given us special eyesight with which +to look upon him, We look through the exterior, look through the shell, +look through the coat, and find the man. We look through the ofttimes +repulsive wrappings, through the dark, objectionable coating collected +upon the downward travel of misspent years, through the artificial veneer +of empty seeming-through to the _man_. + +He that was made after God's image. + +He that is greater than firmaments, greater than suns, greater than +worlds. + +Man, for whom worlds were created, for whom Heavens were canopied, for +whom suns were set ablaze. He in whose being there gleams that immortal +spark we call the soul. And when this war came, it was natural for us to +look to the man-the man under the shabby clothes, enlisting in the great +armies of freedom; the man going down the street under the spick and span +uniform; the man behind the gun, standing in the jaws of death hurling +back world autocracy; the man, the son of liberty, discharging his +obligations to them that are bound; the man, each one of them, although so +young, who when the fates of the world swung in the balances proved to be +_the man of the hour;_ the man, each one of them, fighting not only +for today but for tomorrow, and deciding the world's future; the man who +gladly died that freedom might not be dead; the man dear to a hundred +million throbbing hearts; the man God loved so much that to save him He +gave His only Son to the unparalleled sacrifice of Calvary, with its +measureless ocean of torment heaving up against His Heart in one foaming, +wrathful, omnipotent surge. + +Wherein is price? What constitutes cost, when the question is _THE +MAN_? + + + + +Preface by the Writer + + + +I wish I could give you a picture of Commander Evangeline Booth as I saw +her first, who has been the Source, the Inspiration, the Guide of this +story. + +I went to the first conference about this book in curiosity and some +doubt, not knowing whether it was my work; not altogether sure whether I +cared to attempt it. She took my hand and spoke to me. I looked in her +face and saw the shining glory of her great spirit through those +wonderful, beautiful, wise, keen eyes, and all doubts vanished. I studied +the sincerity and beauty of her vivid face as we talked together, and +heard the thrilling tale she was giving me to tell because she could not +take the time from living it to write it, and I trembled lest she would +not find me worthy for so great a task. I knew that I was being honored +beyond women to have been selected as an instrument through whom the great +story of the Salvation Army in the War might go forth to the world. That I +wanted to do it more than any work that had ever come to my hand, I was +certain at once; and that my whole soul was enmeshed in the wonder of it. +It gripped me from the start. I was over-joyed to find that we were in +absolute sympathy from the first. + +One sentence from that earliest talk we had together stands clear in my +memory, and it has perhaps unconsciously shaped the theme which I hope +will be found running through all the book: + +"Our people," said she, flinging out her hands in a lovely embracing +movement, as if she saw before her at that moment those devoted workers of +hers who follow where she leads unquestioningly, and stay not for fire or +foe, or weariness, or peril of any sort: + +"Our people know that Christ is a living presence, that they can reach out +and feel He is near: that is why they can live so splendidly and die so +heroically!" + +As she spoke a light shone in her face that reminded me of the light that +we read was on Moses' face after he had spent those days in the mountain +with God; and somewhere back in my soul something was repeating the words: +"And they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus." + +That seems to me to be the whole secret of the wonderful lives and +wonderful work of the Salvation Army. They have become acquainted with +Jesus Christ, whom to know is life eternal; they feel His presence +constantly with them and they live their lives "as seeing Him who is +invisible." They are a living miracle for the confounding of all who doubt +that there is a God whom mortals may know face to face while they are yet +upon the earth. + +The one thing that these people seem to feel is really worth while is +bringing other people to know their Christ. All other things in life are +merely subservient to this, or tributary to it. All their education, +culture and refinement, their amazing organization, their rare business +ability, are just so many tools that they use for the uplift of others. In +fact, the word "OTHERS" appears here and there, printed on small white +cards and tacked up over a desk, or in a hallway near the elevator, +anywhere, everywhere all over the great building of the New York +Headquarters, a quiet, unobtrusive, yet startling reminder of a world of +real things in the midst of the busy rush of life. + +Yet they do not obtrude their religion. Rather it is a secret joy that +shines unaware through their eyes, and seems to flood their whole being +with happiness so that others can but see. It is there, ready, when the +time comes to give comfort, or advice, or to tell the message of the +gospel in clear ringing sentences in one of their meetings; but it speaks +as well through a smile, or a ripple of song, or a bright funny story, or +something good to eat when one is hungry, as it does through actual +preaching. It is the living Christ, as if He were on earth again living in +them. And when one comes to know them well one knows that He is! + +"Go straight for the salvation of souls: never rest satisfied unless this +end is achieved!" is part of the commission that the Commander gives to +her envoys. It is worth while stopping to think what would be the effect +on the world if every one who has named the name of Christ should accept +that commission and go forth to fulfill it. + +And you who have been accustomed to drop your pennies in the tambourine of +the Salvation Army lassies at the street corners, and look upon her as a +representative of a lower class who are doing good "in their way," prepare +to realize that you have made a mistake. The Salvation Army is not an +organization composed of a lot of ignorant, illiterate, reformed criminals +picked out of the slums. There may be among them many of that class who by +the army's efforts have been saved from a life of sin and shame, and +lifted up to be useful citizens; but great numbers of them, the leaders +and officers, are refined, educated men and women who have put Christ and +His Kingdom first in their hearts and lives. Their young people will +compare in every way with the best of the young people of any of our +religious denominations. + +After the privilege of close association with them for some time I have +come to feel that the most noticeable and lovely thing about the girls is +the way they wear their womanhood, as if it were a flower, or a rare +jewel. One of these girls, who, by the way, had been nine months in +France, all of it under shell fire, said to me: + +"I used to wish I had been born a boy, they are not hampered so much as +women are; but after I went to France and saw what a good woman meant to +those boys in the trenches I changed my mind, and I'm glad I was born a +woman. It means a great deal to be a woman." + +And so there is no coquetry about these girls, no little personal vanity +such as girls who are thinking of themselves often have. They take great +care to be neat and sweet and serviceable, but as they are not thinking of +themselves, but only how they may serve, they are blest with that +loveliest of all adorning, a meek and quiet spirit and a joy of living and +content that only forgetfulness of self and communion with Jesus Christ +can bring. + +I feel as if I would like to thank every one of them, men and women and +young girls, who have so kindly and generously and wholeheartedly given me +of their time and experiences and put at my disposal their correspondence +to enrich this story, and have helped me to go over the ground of the +great American drives in the war and see what they saw, hear what they +heard, and feel as they felt. It has been one of the greatest experiences +of my life. + +And she, their God-given leader, that wonderful woman whose wise hand +guides every detail of this marvellous organization in America, and whose +well furnished mind is ever thinking out new ways to serve her Master, +Christ; what shall I say of her whom I have come to know and love so well? + +Her exceptional ability as a public speaker is of the widest fame, while +comparatively few, beyond those of her most trusted Officers, are brought +into admiring touch with her brilliant executive powers. All these, +however, unite in most unstinted praise and declare that functioning in +this sphere, the Commander even excels her platform triumphs. But one must +know her well and watch her every day to understand her depth of insight +into character, her wideness of vision, her skill of making adverse +circumstances serve her ends. Born with an innate genius for leadership, +swallowed up in her work, wholly consecrated to God and His service, she +looks upon men, as it were, with the eyes of the God she loves, and sees +the best in everybody. She sees their faults also, but she sees the good, +and is able to take that good and put it to account, while helping them +out of their faults. Those whom she has so helped would kiss the hem of +her garment as she passes. It is easy to see why she is a leader of men. +It is easy to see who has made the Army here in America. It is easy to see +who has inspired the brave men and wonderful women who went to France and +labored. + +She would not have me say these things of her, for she is humble, as such +a great leader should be, knowing all her gifts and attainments to be but +the glory of her Lord; and this is her book. Only in this chapter can I +speak and say what I will, for it is not my book. But here, too, I waive +my privilege and bow to my Commander. + +[Grace Livingston Hill] + + + + +Contents + + + + + I. The Story + II. The Gondrecourt Area + III. The Toul Sector + IV. The Montdidier Sector + V. The Toul Sector Again + VI. The Baccarat Sector + VII. The Chateau-Thierry-Soissons Drive +VIII. The Saint Mihiel Drive + IX. The Argonne Drive + X. The Armistice + XI. Homecoming + XII. Letters of Appreciation + + + + +Illustrations + + + +General Bramwell Booth. +Commander Evangeline Booth. +Lieutenant Colonel William S. Barker. +Introduced to French Rain and French Mud. +She Called the Little Company of Workers Together and Gave Them a Charge. +The Lassie Who Fried the First Doughnut in France. +"Tin Hat for a Halo! Ah! She Wears It Well!". +The Patient Officers Who Were Seeing to All These Details Worked Almost + Day and Night. +Here During the Day They Worked in Dugouts Far Below the Shell-tortured + Earth. +They Came To Get Their Coats Mended and Their Buttons Sewed On. +The Entrance to the Old Wine Cellar in Mandres. +The Salvation Army Was Told that Ansauville Was Too Far Front for Any + Women To Be Allowed To Go. +L'Hermitage, Nestled in the Heart of a Deep Woods. +L'Hermitage, Inside the Tent. +"Ma". +They Had a Pie-baking Contest in Gondrecourt One Day. +A Letter of Inspiration from the Commander. +The Salvation Army Boy Truck Driver. +The Centuries-old Gray Cemetery in Treveray. +Colonel Barker Placing the Commander's Flowers on Lieutenant Quentin + Roosevelt's Grave. +The Salvation Army Boy Who Drove the Famous Doughnut Truck. +Bullionville, Promptly Dubbed by the American Boy "Souptown". +Here They Found a Whole Little Village of German Dugouts. +The Girls Who Came Down to Help in the St. Mihiel Drive. +The Wrecked House in Neuvilly Where the Lassies Went to Sleep in the Cellar. +The Wrecked Church in Neuvilly Where the Memorable Meeting Was Held. +Right in the Midst of the Busy Hurrying Throng of Union Square. +"Smiling Billy". +Thomas Estill. +The Hut at Camp Lewis. + + + + + +The War Romance of the Salvation Army + + + + +I. + +The Story + + + +Into the heavy shadows that swathe the feet of the tall buildings in West +Fourteenth Street, New York, late in the evening there slipped a dark +form. It was so carefully wrapped in a black cloak that it was difficult +to tell among the other shadows whether it was man or woman, and +immediately it became a part of the darkness that hovered close to the +entrances along the way. It slid almost imperceptibly from shadow to +shadow until it crouched flatly against the wall by the steps of an open +door out of which streamed a wide band of light that flung itself across +the pavement. + +Down the street came two girls in poke bonnets and hurried in at the open +door. The figure drew back and was motionless as they passed, then with a +swift furtive glance in either direction a head came cautiously out from +the shadow and darted a look after the two lassies, watched till they were +out of sight, and a form slid into the doorway, winding about the turning +like a serpent, as if the way were well planned, and slipped out of sight +in a dark corner under the stairway. + +Half an hour or perhaps an hour passed, and one or two hurrying forms came +in at the door and sped up the stairs from some errand of mercy; then the +night watchman came and fastened the door and went away again, out +somewhere through a back room. + +The interloper was instantly on the alert, darting out of its hiding +place, and slipping noiselessly up the stairs as quietly as the shadow it +imitated; pausing to listen with anxious mien, stepping as a cloud might +have stepped with no creak of stairway or sound of going at all. + +Up, up, up and up again, it darted, till it came to the very top, pausing +to look sharply at a gleam of light under a door of some student not yet +asleep. + +From under the dark cloak slid a hand with something in it. Silently it +worked, swiftly, pouring a few drops here, a few drops there, of some +colorless, odorless matter, smearing a spot on the stair railing, another +across from it on the wall, a little on the floor beyond, a touch on the +window seat at the end of the hall, some more on down the stairs. + +On rubbered feet the fiend crept down; halting, listening, ever working +rapidly, from floor to floor and back to the entrance way again. At last +with a cautious glance around, a pause to rub a match skilfully over the +woolen cloak, and to light a fuse in a hidden corner, he vanished out upon +the street like the passing of a wraith, and was gone in the darkness. + +Down in the dark corner the little spark brooded and smouldered. The +watchman passed that way but it gave no sign. All was still in the great +building, as the smouldering spark crept on and on over its little thread +of existence to the climax. + +But suddenly, it sprang to life! A flame leaped up like a great tongue +licking its lips before the feast it was about to devour; and then it +sprang as if it were human, to another spot not far away; and then to +another, and on, and on up the stair rail, across to the wall, leaping, +roaring, almost shouting as if in fiendish glee. It flew to the top of the +house and down again in a leap and the whole building was enveloped in a +sheet of flame! + +Some one gave the cry of FIRE! The night watchman darted to his box and +sent in the alarm. Frightened girls in night attire crowded to their doors +and gasping fell back for an instant in horror; then bravely obedient to +their training dashed forth into the flame. Young men on other floors +without a thought for themselves dropped into order automatically and +worked like madmen to save everyone. The fire engines throbbed up almost +immediately, but the building was doomed from the start and went like +tinder. Only the fire drill in which they had constant almost daily +practice saved those brave girls and boys from an awful death. Out upon +the fire escapes in the bitter winter wind the girls crept down to safety, +and one by one the young men followed. The young man who was fire sergeant +counted his men and found them all present but one cadet. He darted back +to find him, and that moment with a last roar of triumph the flames gave a +final leap and the building collapsed, burying in a fiery grave two fine +young heroes. Afterward they said the building had been "smeared" or it +never could have gone in a breath as it did. The miracle was that no more +lives were lost. + +So that was how the burning of the Salvation Army Training School +occurred. + +The significant fact in the affair was that there had been sleeping in +that building directly over the place where the fire started several of +the lassies who were to sail for France in a day or two with the largest +party of war workers that had yet been sent out. Their trunks were packed, +and they were all ready to go. The object was all too evident. + +There was also proof that the intention had been to destroy as well the +great fireproof Salvation Army National Headquarters building adjoining +the Training School. + +A few days later a detective taking lunch in a small German restaurant on +a side street overheard a conversation: + +"Well, if we can't burn them out we'll blow up the building, and get that +damn Commander, anyhow!" + +Yet when this was told her the Commander declined the bodyguard offered +her by the Civic Authorities, to go with her even to her country home and +protect her while the war lasted! She is naturally a soldier. + +The Commander had stayed late at the Headquarters one evening to finish +some important bit of work, and had given orders that she should not be +interrupted. The great building was almost empty save for the night +watchman, the elevator man, and one or two others. + +She was hard at work when her secretary appeared with an air of reluctance +to tell her that the elevator man said there were three ladies waiting +downstairs to see her on some very important business. He had told them +that she could not be disturbed but they insisted that they must see her, +that she would wish it if she knew their business. He had come up to find +out what he should answer them. + +The Commander said she knew nothing about them and could not be +interrupted now. They must be told to come again the next day. + +The elevator man returned in a few minutes to say that the ladies +insisted, and said they had a great gift for the Salvation Army, but must +see the Commander at once and alone or the gift would be lost. + +Quickly interested the Commander gave orders that they should be brought +up to her office, but just as they were about to enter, the secretary came +in again with great excitement, begging that she would not see the +visitors, as one of the men from downstairs had 'phoned up to her that he +did not like the appearance of the strangers; they seemed to be trying to +talk in high strained voices, and they had very large feet. Maybe they +were not women at all. + +The Commander laughed at the idea, but finally yielded when another of her +staff entered and begged her not to see strangers alone so late at night; +and the callers were informed that they would have to return in the +morning if they wished an interview. + +Immediately they became anything but ladylike in their manner, declaring +that the Salvation Army did not deserve a gift and should have nothing +from them. The elevator man's suspicions were aroused. The ladies were +attired in long automobile cloaks, and close caps with large veils, and he +studied them carefully as he carried them down to the street floor once +more, following them to the outer door. He was surprised to find that no +automobile awaited them outside. As they turned to walk down the street, +he was sure he caught a glimpse of a trouser leg from beneath one of the +long cloaks, and with a stride he covered the space between the door and +his elevator where was a telephone, and called up the police station. In a +few moments more the three "ladies" found themselves in custody, and +proved to be three men well armed. + +But when the Commander was told the truth about them she surprisingly +said: "I'm sorry I didn't see them. I'm sure they would have done me no +harm and I might have done them some good." + +But if she is courageous, she is also wise as a serpent, and knows when to +keep her own counsel. + +During the early days of the war when there were many important matters to +be decided and the Commander was needed everywhere, she came straight from +a conference in Washington to a large hotel in one of the great western +cities where she had an appointment to speak that night. At the revolving +door of the hotel stood a portly servitor in house uniform who was most +kind and noticeably attentive to her whenever she entered or went out, and +was constantly giving her some pointed little attention to draw her +notice. Finally, she stopped for a moment to thank him, and he immediately +became most flattering, telling her he knew all about the Salvation Army, +that he had a brother in its ranks, was deeply interested in their work in +France, and most proud of what they were doing. He told her he had lived +in Washington and said he supposed she often went there. She replied +pleasantly that she had but just come from there, but some keen intuition +began to warn this wise-hearted woman and when the next question, though +spoken most casually, was: "Where are the Salvation Army workers now in +France?" she replied evasively: + +"Oh, wherever they are most needed," and passed on with a friend. + +"I believe that man is a spy!" she said to her friend with conviction in +her voice. + +"Nonsense!" the friend replied; "you are growing nervous. That man has +been in this hotel for several years." + +But that very night the man, with five others, was arrested, and proved to +be a spy hunting information about the location of the American troops in +France. + +Now these incidents do not belong in just this spot in the book, but they +are placed here of intention that the reader may have a certain viewpoint +from which to take the story. For well does the world of evil realize what +a strong force of opponents to their dark deeds is found in this great +Christian organization. Sometimes one is able the better to judge a man, +his character and strength, when one knows who are his enemies. + + * * * * * + +It was the beginning of the dark days of 1917. + +The Commander sat in her quiet office, that office through which, except +on occasions like this when she locked the doors for a few minutes' +special work, there marched an unbroken procession of men and affairs, +affecting both souls and nations. + +Before her on the broad desk lay the notes of a new address which she was +preparing to deliver that evening, but her eyes were looking out of the +wide window, across the clustering roofs of the great city to the white +horizon line, and afar over the great water to the terrible scene of the +Strife of Nations. + +For a long time her thoughts had been turning that way, for she had many +beloved comrades in that fight, both warring and ministering to the +fighters, and she had often longed to go herself, had not her work held +her here. But now at last the call had come! America had entered the great +war, and in a few days her sons would be marching from all over the land +and embarking for over the seas to fling their young lives into that +inferno; and behind them would stalk, as always in the wake of War, Pain +and Sorrow and Sin! Especially Sin. She shuddered as she thought of it +all. The many subtle temptations to one who is lonely and in a foreign +land. + +Her eyes left the far horizon and hovered over the huddling roofs that +represented so many hundreds of thousands of homes. So many mothers to +give up their sons; so many wives to be bereft; so many men and boys to be +sent forth to suffer and be tried; so many hearts already overburdened to +be bowed beneath a heavier load! Oh, her people! Her beloved people, whose +sorrows and burdens and sins she bore in her heart and carried to the feet +of the Master every day! And now this war! + +And those young men, hardly more than children, some of them! With her +quick insight and deep knowledge of the world, she visualized the way of +fire down which they must walk, and her soul was stricken with the thought +of it! It was her work and the work of her chosen Army to help and save, +but what could she do in such a momentous crisis as this? She had no money +for new work. Opportunities had opened up so fast. The Treasury was +already overtaxed with the needs on this side of the water. There were +enterprises started that could not be given up without losing precious +souls who were on the way toward becoming redeemed men and women, fit +citizens of this world and the next. There was no surplus, ever! The +multifarious efforts to meet the needs of the poorest of the cities' poor, +alone, kept everyone on the strain. There seemed no possibility of doing +more. Besides, how could they spare the workers to meet the new demand +without taking them from places where they were greatly needed at home? +And other perplexities darkened the way. There were those sitting in high +places of authority who had strongly advised the Salvation Army to remain +at home and go on with their street meetings, telling them that the +battlefield was no place for them, they would only be in the way. They +were not adapted to a thing like war. But well she knew the capacity of +the Salvation Army to adapt itself to whatever need or circumstance +presented. The same standard they had borne into the most wretched places +of earth in times of peace would do in times of war. + +Out there across the waters the Salvation Brothers and Sisters were +ministering to the British armies at the front, and now that the American +army was going, too, duty seemed very clear; the call was most imperative! + +The written pages on her desk loudly demanded attention and the Commander +tried to bring her thoughts back to them once more, but again and again +the call sounded in her heart. + +She lifted her eyes to the wall across the room from her desk where hung +the life-like portrait of her Christian-Warrior father, the grand old +keen-eyed, wise-hearted General, founder of the movement. Like her father +she knew they must go. There was no question about it. No hindrance should +stop them. They MUST GO! The warrior blood ran in her veins. In this the +world's greatest calamity they must fulfill the mission for which he lived +and died. + +"Go!" Those pictured eyes seemed to speak to her, just as they used to +command her when he was here: "You must go and bear the standard of the +Cross to the front. Those boys are going over there, many of them to die, +and some are telling them that if they make the supreme sacrifice in this +their country's hour of need it will be all right with them when they go +into the world beyond. But when they get over there under shell fire they +will know that it is not so, and they will need Christ, the only atonement +for sin. You must go and take the Christ to them." + +Then the Commander bowed her head, accepting the commission; and there in +the quiet room perhaps the Master Himself stood beside her and gave her +his charge--just as she would later charge those whom she would send +across the water--telling her that He was depending upon the Salvation +Army to bear His standard to the war. + +Perhaps it was at this same high conference with her Lord that she settled +it in her heart that Lieutenant-Colonel William S. Barker was to be the +pioneer to blaze the way for the work in France. + +However that may be he was an out-and-out Salvationist, of long and varied +experience. He was chosen equally for his proved consecration to service, +for his unselfishness, for his exceptional and remarkable natural courage +by which he was afraid of nothing, and for his unwavering persistence in +plans once made in spite of all difficulties. The Commander once said of +him: "If you want to see him at his best you must put him face to face +with a stone wall and tell him he must get on the other side of it. No +matter what the cost or toil, whether hated or loved, he would get there!" + +Thus carefully, prayerfully, were each one of the other workers selected; +each new selection born from the struggle of her soul in prayer to God +that there might be no mistakes, no unwise choices, no messengers sent +forth who went for their own ends and not for the glory of God. Here lies +the secret which makes the world wonder to-day why the Salvation Army +workers are called "the real thing" by the soldiers. They were hand-picked +by their leader on the mount, face to face with God. + +She took no casual comer, even with offers of money to back them, and +there were some of immense wealth who pleaded to be of the little band. +She sent only those whom she knew and had tried. Many of them had been +born and reared in the Salvation Army, with Christlike fathers and mothers +who had made their homes a little piece of heaven below. All of them were +consecrated, and none went without the urgent answering call in their own +hearts. + +It was early in June, 1917, when Colonel Barker sailed to France with his +commission to look the field over and report upon any and every +opportunity for the Salvation Army to serve the American troops. + +In order to pave his way before reaching France, Colonel Barker secured a +letter of introduction from Secretary-to-the-President Tumulty, to the +American Ambassador in France, Honorable William G. Sharp. + +In connection with this letter a curious and interesting incident +occurred. When Colonel Barker entered the Secretary's office, he noticed +him sitting at the other end of the room talking with a gentleman. He was +about to take a seat near the door when Mr. Tumulty beckoned to him to +come to the desk. When he was seated, without looking directly at the +other gentleman, the Colonel began to state his mission to Mr. Tumulty. +Before he had finished the stranger spoke up to Mr. Tumulty: "Give the +Colonel what he wants and make it a good one!" And lo! he was not a +stranger, but a man whose reform had made no small sensation in New York +circles several years before, a former attorney who through his wicked +life had been despaired of and forsaken by his wealthy relatives, who had +sunk to the lowest depths of sin and poverty and been rescued by the +Salvation Army. + +Continuing to Mr. Tumulty, he said: "You know what the Salvation Army has +done for me; now do what you can for the Salvation Army." + +Mr. Tumulty gave him a most kind letter of introduction to the American +Ambassador. + +On his arrival in Liverpool Colonel Barker availed himself of the +opportunity to see the very splendid work being done by the Salvation Army +with the British troops, both in France and in England, visiting many +Salvation Army huts and hostels. He also put the Commander's plans for +France before General Bramwell Booth in London. + +As early as possible Colonel Barker presented his letter of introduction +to the American Ambassador, who in turn provided him with a letter of +introduction to General Pershing which insured a cordial reception by him. +Mr. Sharp informed Colonel Barker that he understood the policy of the +American army was to grant a monopoly of all welfare work to the Y.M.C.A. +He feared the Salvation Army would not be welcome, but assured him that +anything he could properly do to assist the Salvation Army would be most +gladly done. In this connection he stated that he had known of and been +interested in the work of the Salvation Army for many years, that several +men of his acquaintance had been converted through their activities and +been reformed from dissolute, worthless characters to kind husbands and +fathers and good business men; and that he believed in the Salvation Army +work as a consequence. + +On many occasions during the subsequent months, Mr. Sharp was never too +busy to see the Salvation Army representatives, and has rendered valuable +assistance in facilitating the forwarding of additional workers by his +influence with the State Department. + +It appeared that among military officers a kind feeling existed toward the +Salvation Army, though it was generally thought that there was no opening +for their service. Their conception of the Salvation Army was that of +street corner meetings and public charity. The officers at that time could +not see that the soldiers needed charity or that they would be interested +in religion. They could see how a reading-room, game-room and +entertainments might be helpful, but anything further than that they did +not consider necessary. + +Colonel Barker presented his letter of introduction to General Pershing, +and on behalf of Commander Booth offered the services of the Salvation +Army in any form which might be desired. + +General Pershing, who received the Colonel with exceptional cordiality, +suggested that he go out to the camps, look the field over, and report to +him. Calling in his chief of staff he gave instructions that a side car +should be placed at Colonel Barker's disposal to go out to the camps; and +also that a letter of introduction to the General commanding the First +Division should be given to him, asking that everything should be done to +help him. + +The first destination was Gondrecourt, where the First Division +Headquarters was established. + + + + +II. + +The Gondrecourt Area + + + +The advance guard of the American Expeditionary Forces had landed in +France, and other detachments were arriving almost daily. They were +received by the French with open arms and a big parade as soon as they +landed. Flowers were tossed in their path and garlands were flung about +them. They were lauded and praised on every hand. On the crest of this +wave of enthusiasm they could have swept joyously into battle and never +lost their smiles. + +But instead of going to the front at once they were billeted in little +French villages and introduced to French rain and French mud. + +When one discovers that the houses are built of stone, stuck together +mainly by this mud of the country, and remembers how many years they have +stood, one gets a passing idea of the nature of this mud about which the +soldiers have written home so often. It is more like Portland cement +than anything else, and it is most penetrative and hard to get rid of; it +gets in the hair, down the neck, into the shoes and it sticks. If the +soldier wears hip-boots in the trenches he must take them off every little +while and empty the mud out of them which somehow manages to get into even +hip-boots. It is said that one reason the soldiers were obliged to wear +the wrapped leggings was, not that they would keep the water out, but that +they would strain the mud and at least keep the feet comparatively clean. + +[Illustration: Lieutenant-Colonel William S. Barker Director of War Work +in France] + +[Illustration: "Introduced to French Rain and French Mud"] + +There were sixteen of these camps at this time and probably twelve or +thirteen thousand soldiers were already established in them. + +There was no great cantonment as at the camps on this side of the water, +nor yet a city of tents, as one might have expected. The forming of a camp +meant the taking over of all available buildings in the little French +peasant villages. The space was measured up by the town mayor and the +battalion leader and the proper number of men assigned to each building. +In this way a single division covered a territory of about thirty +kilometers. This system made a camp of any size available in very short +order and also fooled the Huns, who were on the lookout for American +camps. + +These villages were the usual farming villages, typical of eastern France. +They are not like American villages, but a collection of farm yards, the +houses huddled together years ago for protection against roving bands of +marauders. The farmer, instead of living upon his land, lives in the +village, and there he has his barn for his cattle, his manure pile is at +his front door, the drainage from it seeps back under the house at will, +his chickens and pigs running around the streets. + +These houses were built some five or eight hundred years ago, some a +thousand or twelve hundred years. One house in the town aroused much +curiosity because it was called the "new" house. It looked just like all +the others. One who was curious asked why it should have received this +appellative and was told because it was the last one that was built--only +two hundred and fifty years ago. + +There is a narrow hall or court running through these houses which is all +that separates the family from the horses and pigs and cows which abide +under the same roof. + +The whole place smells alike. There is no heat anywhere, save from a +fireplace in the kitchen. There is a community bakehouse. + +The soldiers were quartered in the barns and outhouses, the officers were +quartered in the homes of these French peasants. There were no comforts +for either soldier or officer. It rained almost continuously and at night +it was cold. No dining-rooms could be provided where the men could eat and +they lined up on the street, got their chow and ate it standing in the +rain or under whatever cover they could find. Few of them could understand +any French, and all the conditions surrounding their presence in France +were most trying to them. They were drilled from morning to night. They +were covered with mud. The great fight in which they had come to +participate was still afar off. No wonder their hearts grew heavy with a +great longing for home. Gloom sat upon their faces and depression grew +with every passing hour. + +Into these villages one after another came the little military side-car +with its pioneer Salvationists, investigating conditions and inquiring the +greatest immediate need of the men. + +All the soldiers were homesick, and wherever the little car stopped the +Salvation Army uniform attracted immediate and friendly attention. The +boys expressed the liveliest interest in the possibility of the Salvation +Army being with them in France. These troops composed the regular army and +were old-timers. They showed at once their respect for and their belief in +the Salvation Army. One poor fellow, when he saw the uniform, exclaimed: +"The Salvation Army! I believe they'll be waiting for us when we get to +hell to try and save us!" + +It appeared that the pay of the American soldier was so much greater than +that of the French soldier that he had too much money at his disposal; and +this money was a menace both to him and to the French population. If some +means could be provided for transferring the soldier's money home, it +would help out in the one direction which was most important at that time. + +It will be remembered that the French habit of drinking wine was ever +before the American soldier, and with 165 francs a month in his pocket, he +became an object of interest to the French tradespeople, who encouraged +him to spend his money in drink, and who also raised the price on other +commodities to a point where the French population found it made living +for them most difficult. + +The Salvation Army authorities in New York were all prepared to meet this +need. The Organization has one thousand posts throughout the United States +commanded by officers who would become responsible to get the soldier's +money to his family or relatives in the United States. A simple money- +order blank issued in France could be sent to the National Headquarters of +the Salvation Army in New York and from there to the officer commanding +the corps in any part of the United States, who would deliver the money in +person. + +In this way the friends and relatives of the soldier in France would be +comforted in the knowledge that the Salvation Army was in touch with their +boy; and if need existed in the family at home it would be discovered +through the visit of the Salvation Army officer in the homeland and +immediate steps taken to alleviate it. + +Perhaps this has done more than anything else to bring the blessing of +parents and relatives upon the organization, for tens of thousands of +dollars that would have been spent in gambling and drink have been sent +home to widowed mothers and young wives. + +This suggestion appealed very strongly to the military general, who said +that if the Salvation Army got into operation it could count upon any +assistance which he could give it, and if they conducted meetings he would +see that his regimental band was instructed to attend these meetings and +furnish the music. + +Several chaplains, both Protestant and Catholic, expressed themselves as +being glad to welcome the Salvation Army among them. + +Among the Regular Army officers there was rather a pessimistic attitude. +It was in nowise hostile, but rather doubtful. + +One general said that he did not see that the Salvation Army could do any +good. His idea of the Salvation Army being associated altogether with the +slums and men who were down and out. But on the other hand, he said that +he did not see that the Salvation Army could do any harm, even if they did +not do any good, and as far as he was concerned he was agreeable to their +coming in to work in the First Division; and he would so report to General +Pershing. + +St. Nazaire, the base, was being used for the reception of the troops as +they reached the shores of France. Here was a new situation. The men had +been cooped up on transports for several days and on their landing at St. +Nazaire they were placed in a rest camp with the opportunity to visit the +city. Here they were a prey to immoral women and the officer commanding +the base was greatly concerned about the matter and eagerly welcomed the +idea of having the Salvation Army establish good women in St. Nazaire who +would cope with the problem. + +The report given to General Pershing resulted in an official authorization +permitting the Salvation Army to open their work with the American +Expeditionary Forces, and a suggestion that they go at once to the +American Training Area and see what they could do to alleviate the +terrible epidemic of homesickness that had broken out among the soldiers. + +In the meantime, back in New York, the Commander had not been idle. Daily +before the throne she had laid the great concerns of her Army, and daily +she had been preparing her first little company of workers to go when the +need should call. + +There was no money as yet, but the Commander was not to be daunted, and so +when the report came from over the water, she borrowed from the banks +twenty-five thousand dollars. + +She called the little company of pioneer workers together in a quiet place +before they left and gave them such a charge as would make an angel search +his heart. Before the Most High God she called upon them to tell her if +any of them had in his or her heart any motive or ambition in going other +than to serve the Lord Christ. She looked down into the eyes of the young +maidens and bade them put utterly away from them the arts and coquetries +of youth, and remember that they were sent forth to help and save and love +the souls of men as God loved them; and that self must be forgotten, or +their work would be in vain. She commanded them if even at this last hour +any faltered or felt himself unfit for the God-given task, that he would +tell her even then before it was too late. She begged them to remember +that they held in their hands the honor of the Salvation Army, and the +glory of Jesus Christ their Saviour as they went out to serve the troops. +They were to be living examples of Christ's love, and they were to be +willing to lay down their lives if need be for His sake. + +There were tears in the eyes of some of those strong men that day as they +listened, and the look of exaltation on the faces of the women was like a +reflection from above. So must have looked the disciples of old when Jesus +gave them the commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel. +They were filled with His Spirit, and there was a look of utter joy and +self-forgetfulness as they knelt with their leader to pray, in words which +carried them all to the very feet of God and laid their lives a willing +sacrifice to Him who had done so much for them. Still kneeling, with bowed +heads, they sang, and their words were but a prayer. It is a way these +wonderful people have of bursting into song upon their knees with their +eyes closed and faces illumined by a light of another world, their whole +souls in the words they are singing--"singing as unto the Lord!" It +reminds one of the days of old when the children of Israel did everything +with songs and prayers and rejoicing, and the whole of life was carried on +as if in the visible presence of God, instead of utterly ignoring Him as +most of us do now. + +The song this time was just a few lines of consecration: + + "Oh, for a heart whiter than snow! + Saviour Divine, to whom else can I go? + Thou who hast died, loving me so, + Give me a heart that is whiter than snow!" + +The dramatic beauty of the scene, the sweet, holy abandonment of that +prayer-song with its tender, appealing melody, would have held a throng of +thousands in awed wonder. But there was no audience, unless, perchance, +the angels gathered around the little company, rejoicing that in this +world of sin and war there were these who had so given themselves to God; +but from that glory-touched room there presently went forth men and women +with the spirit in their hearts that was to thrill like an electric wire +every life with which it came in contact, and show the whole world what +God can do with lives that are wholly surrendered to Him. + +[Illustration: She called the little company of workers together and gave +them such a charge as would make an angel search his heart] + +[Illustration: The lassie who fried the first doughnut in France] + +It wtas a bright, sunny afternoon, August 12th, when this first party of +American Salvation Army workers set sail for France. + +No doubt there was many a smile of contempt from the bystanders as they +saw the little group of blue uniforms with the gold-lettered scarlet +hatbands, and noticed the four poke bonnets among the number. What did the +tambourine lassies know of REAL warfare? To those who reckoned the +Salvation Army in terms of bands on the street corner, and shivering forms +guarding Christmas kettles, it must have seemed the utmost audacity for +this "play army" to go to the front. + +When they arrived at Bordeaux on August 21st they went at once to Paris to +be fitted out with French uniforms, as General Pershing had given them all +the rank of military privates, and ordered that they should wear the +regulation khaki uniforms with the addition of the red Salvation Army +shield on the hats, red epaulets, and with skirts for the women. + +A cabled message had reached France from the Commander saying that funds +to the extent of twenty-five thousand dollars had been arranged for, and +would be supplied as needed, and that a party of eleven officers were +being dispatched at once. After that matters began to move rapidly. + +A portable tent, 25 feet by 100 feet, was purchased and shipped to +Demange;--and a touring car was bought with part of the money advanced. + +Purchasing an automobile in France is not a matter merely of money. It is +a matter for Governmental sanction, long delay, red tape--amazing good +luck. + +At the start the whole Salvation Army transportation system consisted of +this one first huge limousine, heartlessly overdriven and overworked. For +many weeks it was Colonel Barker's office and bedroom. It carried all of +the Salvation Army workers to and from their stations, hauled all of the +supplies on its roof, inside, on its fenders, and later also on a trailer. +It ran day and night almost without end, two drivers alternating. It was a +sort of super-car, still in the service, to which Salvationists still +refer with an affectionate amazement when they consider its terrific +accomplishments. It hauled all of the lumber for the first huts and a not +uncommon sight was to see it tearing along the road at forty miles an +hour, loaded inside and on top with supplies, several passengers clinging +to its fenders, and a load of lumber or trunks trailing behind. For a long +time Colonel Barker had no home aside from this car. He slept wherever it +happened to be for the night--often in it, while still driven. One night +he and a Salvation Army officer were lost in a strange woods in the car +until four in the morning. They were without lights and there were no real +roads. + +Later, of course, after long waiting, other trucks were bought and to-day +there are about fifty automobiles in this service. Chauffeurs had to be +developed out of men who had never driven before. They were even taken +from huts and detailed to this work. + +In this first touring car Colonel Barker with one of the newly arrived +adjutants for driver, started to Demange. + +Twenty kilometers outside of Paris the car had a breakdown. The two +clambered out and reconnoitered for help. There was nothing for it but to +take the car back to Paris. A man was found on the road who was willing to +take it in tow, but they had no rope for a tow line. Over in the field by +the roadside the sharp eyes of the adjutant discovered some old rusty +wire. He pulled it out from the tangle of long grass, and behold it was a +part of old barbed-wire entanglements! + +In great surprise they followed it up behind the camouflage and found +themselves in the old trenches of 1914. They walked in the trenches and +entered some of the dugouts where the soldiers had lived in the memorable +days of the Marne fight. As they looked a little farther up the hillside +they were startled to see great pieces of heavy field artillery, their +long barrels sticking out from pits and pointing at them. They went closer +to examine, and found the guns were made of wood painted black. The +barrels were perfectly made, even to the breech blocks mounted on wheels, +the tires of which were made of tin. They were a perfect imitation of a +heavy ordnance piece in every detail. Curious, wondering what it could +mean, the two explorers looked about them and saw an old Frenchman coming +toward them. He proved to be the keeper of the place, and he told them the +story. These were the guns that saved Paris in 1914. + +The Boche had been coming on twenty kilometers one day, nineteen the next, +fourteen the next, and were daily drawing nearer to the great city. They +were so confident that they had even announced the day they would sweep +through the gates of Paris. The French had no guns heavy enough to stop +that mad rush, and so they mounted these guns of wood, cut away the woods +all about them and for three hundred meters in front, and waited with +their pitifully thin, ill-equipped line to defend the trenches. + +Then the German airplanes came and took pictures of them, and returned to +their lines to make plans for the next day; but when the pictures were +developed and enlarged they saw to their horror that the French had +brought heavy guns to their front and were preparing to blow them out of +France. They decided to delay their advance and wait until they could +bring up artillery heavier than the French had, and while they waited the +Germans broke into the French wine cellars and stole the "vin blanche" and +"vin rouge." The French call this "light" wine and say it takes the place +of water, which is only fit for washing; but it proved to be too heavy for +the Germans that day. They drank freely, not even waiting to unseal the +bottles of rare old vintage, but knocked the necks off the bottles against +the stone walls and drank. They were all drunk and in no condition to +conquer France when their artillery came up, and so the wooden French guns +and the French wine saved Paris. + +When the two men finally arrived in Demange the Military General greeted +them gladly and invited them to dine with him. + +He had for a cook a famous French chef who provided delicious meals, but +for dessert the chef had attempted to make an American apple pie, which +was a dismal failure. The colonel said to the general: "Just wait till our +Salvation Army women get here and I will see that they make you a pie that +is a pie." + +The General and the members of his staff said they would remember that +promise and hold him to it. + +The pleasure which the thought of that pie aroused furnished a suggestion +for work later on. + +Within two or three days the hut had arrived. The question of a lot upon +which to place it was most important. The billeting officers stated that +none could be had within the town and insisted that the hut would have to +be placed in an inaccessible spot on the outskirts of the town, but +Colonel Barker asked the General if he would mind his looking about +himself and he readily assented. The indomitable Barker, true to the +"never-say-die" slogan of the Salvation Army, went out and found a +splendid lot on the main street in the heart of the town, which was being +partly used by its owner as a vegetable garden. He quickly secured the +services of a French interpreter and struck a bargain with the owner to +rent the lot for the sum of sixteen dollars a year, and on his return with +the information that this lot had been secured the General was greatly +impressed. + +A wire had been sent to Paris instructing the men of the party to come +down immediately. A couple of tents were secured to provide temporary +sleeping accommodation and the men lined up in the chow line with the +doughboys at meal-time. + +The six Salvationists pulled off their coats at once and went to work, +much to the amusement of a few curious soldiers who stood idly watching +them. + +They discovered right at the start that the building materials which had +been sent ahead of them had been dumped on the wrong lot, and the first +thing they had to do was to move them all to the proper site. This was no +easy task for men who had but recently left office chairs and clerical +work. Unaccustomed muscles cried out in protest and weary backs ached and +complained, but the men stubbornly marched back and forth carrying big +timbers, and attracting not a little attention from soldiers who wondered +what in the world the Salvation Army could be up to over in France. Some +of them were suspicious. Had they come to try and stuff religion down +their throats? If so, they would soon find out their mistake. So, half in +belligerence, half in amusement, the soldiers watched their progress. It +was a big joke to them, who had come here for _serious_ business and +longed to be at it. + +Steadily, quietly, the work went on. They laid the timbers and erected the +framework of their hut, keeping at it when the rain fell and soaked them +to the skin. They were a bit awkward at it at first, perhaps, for it was +new work to them, and they had but few tools. The hut was twenty-five feet +wide and a hundred feet long. The walls went up presently, and the roof +went on. One or two soldiers were getting interested and offered to help a +bit; but for the most part they stood apart suspiciously, while the +Salvation Army worked cheerily on and finished the building with their own +hands. + +Colonel Barker meanwhile had gone back to Paris for supplies and to bring +the women overland in the automobile, because he was somewhat fearful lest +they might be held up if they attempted to go out by train. The idea of +women in the camps was so new to our American soldiers, and so distasteful +to the French, that they presented quite a problem until their work fully +justified their presence. + +It got about that some real American girls were coming. The boys began to +grow curious. When the big French limousine carrying them arrived in the +camp it was greeted by some of the soldiers with the greatest enthusiasm +while others looked on in critical silence. But very soon their influence +was felt, for a commanding officer stated that his men were more contented +and more easily handled since the unprecedented innovation of women in the +camp than they had been within the experience of the old Regular Army +officers. Profanity practically ceased in the vicinity of the hut and was +never indulged in in the presence of the Salvationists. + +While the hut was being erected meetings were conducted in the open air +which were attended by great throngs, and after every meeting from one to +four or five boys asked for the privilege of going into the tent at the +back and being prayed with, and many conversions resulted from these first +open-air meetings. Boys walked in from other camps from a distance as far +away as five miles to attend these meetings and many were converted. The +hut was finally completed and equipped and was to be formally opened on +Sunday evening. + +In the meantime the Y.M.C.A. was getting busy also establishing its work +in the camps; therefore, the Salvation Army tried to place their huts in +towns where the Y. was not operating, so that they might be able to reach +those who had the greatest need of them. + +Officers had been appointed to take charge of the Demange hut and +immediately further operations in other towns were being arranged. + +A Y.M.C.A. hut, however, followed quickly on the heels of the Salvation +Army at Demange and the night of the opening of the Salvation Army hut +someone came to ask if they would come over to the Y. and help in a +meeting. Sure, they would help! So the Staff-Captain took a cornetist and +two of the lassies and went over to the Y.M.C.A. hut. + +It was early dusk and a crowd was gathered about where a rope ring fenced +off the place in which a boxing match had been held the day before, across +the road from the hut. The band had been stationed there giving a concert +which was just finished, and the men were sitting in a circle on the +ground about the ring. + +The Salvationists stood at the door of the hut and looked across to the +crowd. + +"How about holding our meeting over there?" asked the Staff-Captain of the +man in charge. + +"All right. Hold it wherever you like." + +So a few willing hands brought out the piano, and the four Salvationists +made their way across to the ring. The soldiers raised a loud cheer and +hurrah to see the women stoop and slip under the rope, and a spirit of +sympathy seemed to be established at once. + +There were a thousand men gathered about and the cornet began where the +band had left off, thrilling out between the roar of guns. + +Up above were the airplanes throbbing back and forth, and signal lights +were flashing. It was a strange place for a meeting. The men gathered +closer to see what was going on. + +The sound of an old familiar hymn floated out on the evening, bringing a +sudden memory of home and days when one was a little boy and went to +Sunday school; when there was no war, and no one dreamed that the sons +would have to go forth from their own land to fight. A sudden hush stole +over the men and they sat enthralled watching the little band of singers +in the changing flicker of light and darkness. Women's voices! Young and +fresh, too, not old ones. How they thrilled with the sweetness of it: + + "Nearer, my God, to Thee, + Nearer to Thee, + E'en though it be a cross + That raiseth me." + +A cross! Was it possible that God was leading them to Him through all this +awfulness? But the thought only hovered above them and hushed their hearts +into attention as they gruffly joined their young voices in the melody. +Another song followed, and a prayer that seemed to bring the great God +right down in their midst and make Him a beloved comrade. They had not got +over the wonder of it when a new note sounded on piano and cornet and +every voice broke forth in the words: + + "When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound + And time shall be no more--" + +How soon would that trumpet sound for many of them! Time should be no +more! What a startling thought! + +Following close upon the song came the sweet voice of a young girl +speaking. They looked up in wonder, listening with all their souls. It +was like having an angel drop down among them to see her there, and hear +her clear, unafraid voice. The first thing that struck them was her +intense earnestness, as if she had a message of great moment to bring to +them. + +Her words searched their hearts and found out the weak places; those fears +and misgivings that they had known were there from the beginning, and had +been trying hard to hide from themselves because they saw no cure for +them. With one clear-cut sentence she tore away all camouflage and set +them face to face with the facts. They were in a desperate strait and they +knew it. Back there in the States they had known it. Down in the camps +they had felt it, and had made various attempts to find something strong +and true to help them, but no one had seemed to understand. Even when they +went to church there had been so much talk about the "supreme sacrifice" +and the glory of dying for one's country, that they had a vague feeling +that even the minister did not believe in his religion any more. And so +they had whistled and tried to be jolly and forget. They were all in the +same boat, and this was a job that had to be done, they couldn't get out +of it; best not think about the future! So they had lulled their +consciences to sleep. But it was there, back in their minds all the time, +a looming big awful question about the hereafter; and when the great guns +boomed afar as a few were doing tonight and they thought how soon they +might be called to go over the top, they would have been fools not to have +recognized it. + +But here at last was someone else who understood! + +She was telling the old, old story of Jesus and His love, and every man of +them as he listened felt it was true. It had been like a vague tale of +childhood before; something that one outgrows and smiles at; but now it +suddenly seemed so simple, so perfect, so fitted to their desperate need. +Just the old story that everybody has sinned, and broken God's law: that +God in His love provided a way of escape in the death of His Son Jesus on +the Cross, from penalty for sin for all who would accept it; that He gave +every one of us free wills; and it was up to us whether we would accept it +or not. + +There were men in that company who had come from college classes where +they had been taught the foolishness of blood atonement, and who had often +smiled disdainfully at the Bible; there were boys from cultured, refined +homes where Jesus Christ had always been ignored; there were boys who had +repudiated the God their mothers trusted in; and there were boys of lower +degree whose lips were foul with blasphemy and whose hearts were scarred +with sin; but all listened, now, in a new way. It was somehow different +over here, with the thunder of artillery in the near distance, the +hovering presence of death not far away, the flashing of signal lights, +the hum of the airplanes, the whole background of war. The message of the +gospel took on a reality it had never worn before. When this simple girl +asked if they would not take Jesus tonight as their Saviour, there were +many who raised their hands in the darkness and many more hearts were +bowed whose owners could not quite bring themselves to raise their hands. + +Then a lassie's voice began to sing, all alone: + + "I grieved my Lord from day to day, + I scorned His love, so full and free, + And though I wandered far away, + My Mother's prayers have followed me. + I'm coming home, I'm coming home, + To live my wasted life anew, + For Mother's prayers have followed me, + Have followed me, the whole world through. + + "O'er desert wild, o'er mountain high, + A wanderer I chose to be--- + A wretched soul condemned to die; + Still Mother's prayers have followed me. + + "He turned my darkness into light, + This blessed Christ of Calvary; + I'll praise His name both day and night, + That Mother's prayers have followed me! + I'm coming home, I'm coming home---" + +Only the last great day will reveal how many hearts echoed those words; +but the voices were all husky with emotion as they tried to join in the +closing hymn that followed. + +There were those who lingered about the speakers and wanted to inquire the +way of salvation, and some knelt in a quiet corner and gave themselves to +Christ. Over all of them there was a hushed thoughtfulness. When the +workers started back to their own hut the crowd went with them, talking +eagerly as they went, hovering about wistfully as if here were the first +real thing they had found since coming away from home. + +Over at the Salvation Army hut another service had been going forward with +equal interest, the dedication of the new building. The place was crowded +to its utmost capacity, and crowds were standing outside and peering in at +the windows. Some of the French people of the neighborhood, women and +children and old men, had drifted over, and were listening to the singing +in open-eyed wonderment. Among them one of the Salvation Army workers had +distributed copies of the French "War Cry" with stories of Christ in their +own language, and it began to dawn upon them that these people believed in +the same Jesus that was worshipped in their French churches; yet they +never had seen services like these. The joyous music thrilled them. + +Before they slept that night the majority of the soldiers in that vicinity +had lost most of their prejudice against the little band of unselfish +workers that had dropped so quietly down into their midst. Word was +beginning to filter out from camp to camp that they were a good sort, that +they sold their goods at cost and a fellow could even "jawbone" when he +was "broke." + +Salvation Army huts gave the soldiers "jawbone," this being the soldier's +name for credit. No accounts were kept of the amount allowed to each +soldier. When a soldier came to the canteen and asked for "jawbone," he +was asked how much he had already been allowed. If the amount owed by him +already was large, he was cautioned not to go too deeply into his next pay +check; but never was a man refused anything within reason. Frequently one +hut would have many thousands of francs outstanding by the end of a month. +But, although there was no check against them, soldiers always squared +their accounts at pay-day and very little indeed was lost. + +One man came in and threw 300 francs on the counter, saying: "I owe you +285 francs. Put the change in the coffee fund." + +One Salvation Army Ensign frequently loaned sums of money out of his own +pocket to soldiers, asking that, when they were in a position to return +it, they hand it in to any Salvation Army hut, saying that it was for him. +He says that he has never lost by doing this. + +One day as he was driving from Havre to Paris he met six American soldiers +whose big truck had broken down. They asked him where there was a +Salvation Army hut; but there was none in that particular section. They +had no food, no money, and no place to sleep. He handed them seventy +francs and told them to leave it at any Salvation Army hut for him when +they were able. Five months passed and then the money was turned in to a +Salvation Army hut and forwarded to him. With it was a note stating that +the men had been with the French troops and had not been able to reach a +Salvation Army establishment. They were very grateful for the trust +reposed in them by the Salvationist. Undoubtedly there are many such +instances. + +The Salvation Army officer who with his wife was put in charge of the hut +at Demange, soon became one of the most popular men in camp. His generous +spirit, no less than his rough-and-ready good nature, manful, soldier-like +disposition, coupled with a sturdy self-respect and a ready humor, made +him blood brother to those hard-bitten old regulars and National Guardsmen +of the first American Expeditionary Force. + +The Salvation Army quickly became popular. Meetings were held almost every +night at that time with an average attendance of not less than five +hundred. Meetings as a rule were confined to wonderful song services and +brief, snappy talks. At first there were very few conversions, but there +have been more since the great drives in which the Americans have taken so +large a share. The Masons, the Moose and a Jewish fraternity used the hut +for fraternal gatherings. Catholic priests held mass in it upon various +occasions. The school for officers and the school for "non-coms" met in +it. The band practiced in it every morning. Because of its popularity +among the men it was known among the officers as "the soldiers' hut." +General Duncan once addressed his staff officers in it upon some important +matters. + +It rained every day for three months. The hut was on rather low ground and +in back of it ran the river, considerably swollen by the rains. One night +the river rose suddenly, carried away one tent and flooded the other two +and the hut. The Salvation Army men spent a wild, wet, sleepless night +trying to salvage their scanty personal belongings and their stock of +supplies. When the river retreated it left the hut floor covered with +slimy black mud which the two men had to shovel out. This was a back- +breaking task occupying the better part of two days. + +The first snow fell on the bitterest night of the year. It was preceded by +the rain and was damp and heavy. The soldiers suffered terribly, +especially the men on guard duty who had perforce to endure the full blast +of the storm. During the earlier hours of the night the girls served all +comers with steaming coffee and filled the canteens of the men on guard +(free). When they saw how severe the night would be they remained up to +keep a supply of coffee ready for the Salvation Army men who went the +rounds through the storm every half hour, serving the sentries with the +warming fluid. + +That first Expeditionary Force wanted for many things, and endured +hardships unthought of by troops arriving later, after the war industries +at home had swung into full production. It was almost impossible to secure +stoves, and firewood was scarce. For every load that went to the Salvation +Army Hut, men of the American Expeditionary Force had to do without, and +yet wood was always supplied to the Salvationists (it could not be +bought). + +At St. Joire, the wood pile had entirely given out and it looked as if +there was to be no heat at the Salvation Army hut that night. The sergeant +promised them half a load, but the wood wagon lost a wheel about a hundred +yards out of town. + +"Never mind," said the sergeant to the girls, "the boys will see that you +get some to-night." + +So he requested every man going up to the Salvation Army hut that evening +to carry a stick of wood with him ("a stick" may weigh anywhere from 10 to +100 pounds). By eight o'clock there was over a wagon load and a half +stacked in back of the hut. + +Two small stoves cast circles of heat in the big hut at Demange. Around +them the men crowded with their wet garments steaming so profusely that +the hut often took on the appearance of a steam-room in a Turkish bath. +The rest of the hut was cold; but compared to the weather outside, it was +heaven-like. For all of its size, the hut was frail, and the winter wind +blew coldly through its many cracks; but compared with the soldier's +billets, it was a cozy palace. The Salvationists spent hours each week +sitting on the roof in the driving rain patching leaks with tar-paper and +tacks. + +The life was a hard one for the girls. They nearly froze during the days, +and at nights they usually shivered themselves to sleep, only sleeping +when sheer exhaustion overcame them. There were no baths at all. The +experience was most trying for women and only the spirit of the great +enterprise in which they were engaged carried them through the winter. +Even soldiers were at times seen weeping with cold and misery. + +One night the gasoline tank which supplied light to the hut exploded and +set the place on fire. A whole regiment turned out of their blankets to +put out the blaze. This meant more hours for those in charge repairing the +roof in the snow. They also had to cut all of the wood for the hut. Later +details were supplied to every hut by the military authorities to cut +wood, sweep and clean up, carry water, etc. Soldiers used the hut for a +mess hall. There was no other place where they could eat with any degree +of comfort. + +By this time the fact that the Salvation Army was established at Demange +was becoming known throughout the division. + +One of the towns where there had been no arrangements made for welfare +workers at all was Montiers-sur-Saulx, where the First Ammunition Train +was established, and here the officer temporarily commanding the +ammunition train gave a most hearty welcome to the Salvation Army. + +Two large circus tents had been sent on from New York and one of these was +to be erected until a wooden building could be secured. + +The touring car went back to Demange, picked up a Staff-Captain, a +Captain, five white tents, the largest one thirty by sixty feet, the +others smaller, carried them across the country and dropped them down at +the roadside of the public square in Montiers. + +There stood the Salvationists in the road wondering what to do next. + +Then a hearty voice called out: "Are you locating with us?" and the +military officer of the day advanced to meet them with a hand-shake and +many expressions of his appreciation of the Salvation Army. + +"We are going to stay here if you will have us," said the Staff-Captain. + +"Have you! Well, I should say we would have you! Wait a minute and I'll +have a detail put your baggage under cover for the night. Then we'll see +about dinner and a billet." + +Thus auspiciously did the work open in Montiers. + +In a few minutes they were taken to a French café and a comfortable place +found for them to spend the night. + +Soon after the rising of the sun the next morning they were up and about +hunting a place for the tents which were to serve for a recreation centre +for the boys. The American Major in charge of the town personally assisted +them to find a good location, and offered his aid in any way needed. + +Before nightfall the five white tents were up, standing straight and true +with military precision, and the two officers with just pride in their +hard day's work, and a secret assurance that it would stand the hearty +approval of the commanding officer whom they had not as yet met, went off +to their suppers, for which they had a more than usually hearty appetite. + +Suddenly the door of the dining-room swung open and a gruff voice +demanded: "Who put up those tents?" The Salvation Army Staff-Captain stood +forth saluting respectfully and responded: "I, sir." "Well," said the +Colonel, "they look mighty fine up on that hill--mighty fine! Splendid +location for them--splendid! But the enemy can spot them for a hundred +miles, so I expect you had better get them down or camouflage them with +green boughs and paint by tomorrow night at the latest. Good evening to +you, sir!" + +The Staff-Captain and his helper suddenly lost their fine appetites and +felt very tired. Camouflage! How did they do that at a moment's notice? +They left their unfinished dinner and hurried out in search of help. + +The first soldier the Staff-Captain questioned reassured him. + +"Aw, that's dead easy! Go over the hill into the woods and cut some +branches, enough to cover your tents; or easier yet, get some green and +yellow paint and splash over them. The worse they look the better they +are!" + +So the weary workers hunted the town over for paint, and found only enough +for the big tent, upon which they worked hard all the next morning. Then +they had to go to the woods for branches for the rest. Scratched and +bleeding and streaked with perspiration and dirt, they finished their work +at last, and the white tents had disappeared into the green and the yellow +and the brown of the hillside. Their beautiful military whiteness was +gone, but they were hidden safe from the enemy and the work might now go +forward. + +Then the girls arrived and things began to look a bit more cheerful. + +"But where is the cook stove?" asked one of the lassies after they had set +up their two folding cots in one of the smaller tents and made themselves +at home. + +Dismay descended upon the face of the weary Staff-Captain. + +"Why," he answered apologetically, "we forgot all about that!" and he +hurried out to find a stove. + +A thorough search of the surrounding country, however, disclosed the fact +that there was not a stove nor a field range to be had--no, not even from +the commissary. There was nothing for it but to set to work and contrive a +fireplace out of field stone and clay, with a bit of sheet iron for a +roof, and two or three lengths of old sewer pipe carefully wired together +for a stovepipe. It took days of hard work, and it smoked woefully except +when the wind was exactly west, but the girls made fudge enough on it for +the entire personnel of the Ammunition train to celebrate when it was +finished. + +When the girls first arrived in Montiers the Salvation Army Staff-Captain +was rather at a loss to know what to do with them until the hut was built. +They were invited to chow with the soldiers, and to eat in an old French +barn used as a kitchen, in front of which the men lined up at the open +doorways for mess. It was a very dirty barn indeed, with heavy cobwebs +hanging in weird festoons from the ceiling and straw and manure all over +the floor; quite too barnlike for a dining-hall for delicately reared +women. The Staff-Captain hesitated about bringing them there, but the +Mess-Sergeant offered to clean up a corner for them and give them a +comfortable table. + +"I don't know about bringing my girls in here with the men," said the +Staff-Captain still hesitating. "You know the men are pretty rough in +their talk, and they're always cussing!" + +"Leave that to me!" said the Mess-Sergeant. "It'll be all right!" + +There was an old dirty French wagon in the barnyard where they kept the +bread. It was not an inviting prospect and the Staff-Captain looked about +him dubiously and went away with many misgivings, but there seemed to be +nothing else to be done. + +The boys did their best to fix things up nicely. When meal time arrived +and the girls appeared they found their table neatly spread with a dish +towel for a tablecloth. It purported to be clean, but there are degrees of +cleanliness in the army and there might have been a difference of opinion. +However, the girls realized that there had been a strenuous attempt to do +honor to them and they sat down on the coffee kegs that had been provided +_en lieu_ of chairs with smiling appreciation. + +The Staff-Captain's anxiety began to relax as he noticed the quiet +respectful attitude of the men when they passed by the doorway and looked +eagerly over at the corner where the girls were sitting. It was great to +have American women sitting down to dinner with them, as it were. Not a +"cuss word" broke the harmony of the occasion. The best cuts of meat, the +largest pieces of pie, were given to the girls, and everybody united to +make them feel how welcome they were. + +Then into the midst of the pleasant scene there entered one who had been +away for a few hours and had not yet been made acquainted with the new +order of things at chow; and he entered with an oath upon his lips. + +He was a great big fellow, but the strong arm of the Mess-Sergeant flashed +out from the shoulder instantly, the sturdy fist of the Mess-Sergeant was +planted most unexpectedly in the newcomer's face, and he found himself +sprawling on the other side of the road with all his comrades glaring at +him in silent wrath. That was the beginning of a new order of things at +the mess. + +The Colonel in charge of the regiment had gone away, and the commanding +Major, wishing to make things pleasant for the Salvationists, sent for the +Staff-Captain and invited them all to his mess at the chateau; telling him +that if he needed anything at any time, horses or supplies, or anything in +his power to give, to let him know at once and it should be supplied. + +The Staff-Captain thanked him, but told him that he thought they would +stay with the boys. + +The boys, of course, heard of this and the Salvation Army people had +another bond between them and the soldiers. The boys felt that the +Salvationists were their very own. Nothing could have more endeared them +to the boys than to share their life and hardships. + +The Salvation Army had not been with the soldiers many hours before they +discovered that the disease of homesickness which they had been sent to +succor was growing more and more malignant and spreading fast. + +The training under French officers was very severe. Trench feet with all +its attendant suffering was added to the other discomforts. Was it any +wonder that homesickness seized hold of every soldier there? + +It had been raining steadily for thirty-six days, making swamps and pools +everywhere. Depression like a great heavy blanket hung over the whole +area. + +The Salvation Army lassies at Montiers were in consultation. Their +supplies were all gone, and the state of the roads on account of the rain +was such that all transportation was held up. They had been waiting, +hoping against hope, that a new load of supplies would arrive, but there +seemed no immediate promise of that. + +"We ought to have something more than just chocolate to sell to the +soldiers, anyway," declared one lassie, who was a wonderful cook, looking +across the big tent to the drooping shoulders and discouraged faces of the +boys who were hovering about the Victrola, trying to extract a little +comfort from the records. "We ought to be able to give them some real home +cooking!" + +They all agreed to this, but the difficulties in the way were great. Flour +was obtainable only in small quantities. Now and then they could get a +sack of flour or a bag of sugar, but not often. Lard also was a scarce +article. Besides, there were no stoves, and no equipment had as yet been +issued for ovens. All about them were apple orchards and they might have +baked some pies if there had been ovens, but at present that was out of +the question. After a long discussion one of the girls suggested +doughnuts, and even that had its difficulties, although it really was the +only thing possible at the time. For one thing they had no rolling-pin and +no cake-cutter in the outfit. Nevertheless, they bravely went to work. The +little tent intended for such things had blown down, so the lassie had to +stand out in the rain to prepare the dough. + +The first doughnuts were patted out, until someone found an empty grape- +juice bottle and used that for a rolling-pin. As they had no cutter they +used a knife, and twisted them, making them in shape like a cruller. They +were cooked over a wood fire that had to be continually stuffed with fuel +to keep the fat hot enough to fry. The pan they used was only large enough +to cook seven at once, but that first day they made one hundred and fifty +big fat sugary doughnuts, and when the luscious fragrance began to float +out on the air and word went forth that they had real "honest-to-goodness" +home doughnuts at the Salvation Army hut, the line formed away out into +the road and stood patiently for hours in the rain waiting for a taste of +the dainties. As there were eight hundred men in the outfit and only a +hundred and fifty doughnuts that first day, naturally a good many were +disappointed, but those who got them were appreciative. One boy as he took +the first sugary bite exclaimed: "Gee! If this is war, let it continue!" + +The next day the girls managed to make three hundred, but one of them was +not satisfied with a doughnut that had no hole in it, and while she worked +she thought, until a bright idea came to her. The top of the baking-powder +can! Of course! Why hadn't they thought of that before? But how could they +get the hole? There seemed nothing just right to cut it. Then, the very +next morning the inside tube to the coffee percolator that somebody had +brought along came loose, and the lassie stood in triumph with it in her +hand, calling to them all to see what a wonderful hole it would make in +the doughnut. And so the doughnut came into its own, hole and all. + +That was at Montiers, the home of the doughnut. + +One of the older Salvation Army workers remarked jocularly that the +Salvation Army had to go to France and get linked up with the doughnut +before America recognized it; but it was the same old Salvation Army and +the same old doughnut that it had always been. He averred that it wasn't +the doughnut at all that made the Salvation Army famous, but the wonderful +girls that the Salvation Army brought over there; the girls that lay awake +at night after a long hard day's work scheming to make the way of the +doughboy easier; scheming how to take the cold out of the snow and the wet +out of the rain and the stickiness out of the mud. The girls that prayed +over the doughnuts, and then got the maximum of grace out of the minimum +of grease. + +The young Adjutant lassie who fried the first doughnut in France says that +invariably the boys would begin to talk about home and mother while they +were eating the doughnuts. Through the hole in the doughnut they seemed to +see their mother's face, and as the doughnut disappeared it grew bigger +and clearer. + +The young Ensign lassie who had originated and _made_ the first +doughnut in France contrived to make many pies on a very tiny French stove +with an oven only large enough to hold two pies at a time. Meanwhile, +frying doughnuts on the top of the stove. + +It wasn't long before the record for the doughnut makers had been brought +up to five thousand a day, and some of the unresting workers developed +"doughnut wrist" from sticking to the job too long at a time. + +It was the original thought that pie would be the greatest attraction, but +it was difficult to secure stoves with ovens adequate for baking pies, and +after the ensign's experiment with doughnuts it was found that they could +more easily be made and were quite as acceptable to the American boy. + +Meantime, the pie was coming into its own, back in Demange also. + +It was only a little stove, and only room to bake one pie at a time, but +it was a savory smell that floated out on the air, and it was a long line +of hungry soldiers that hurried for their mess kits and stood hours +waiting for more pies to bake; and the fame of the Salvation Army began to +spread far and wide. Then one day the "Stars and Stripes," the organ of +the American Army, printed the following poem about the lassie who labored +so far forward that she had to wear a tin hat: + + "Home is where the heart is"-- + Thus the poet sang; + But "home is where the pie is" + For the doughboy gang! + Crullers in the craters, + Pastry in abris-- + This Salvation Army lass + Sure knows how to please! + + Tin hat for a halo! + Ah! She wears it well! + Making pies for homesick lads + Sure is "beating hell!" + In a region blasted + By fire and flame and sword, + This Salvation Army lass + Battles for the Lord! + + Call me sacrilegious + And irreverent, too; + Pies? They link us up with home + As naught else can do! + "Home is, where the heart is"-- + True, the poet sang; + But "home is where the pie is"-- + To the Yankee gang! + +It was no easy task to open up a chain of huts, for there was an amazing +variety of details to be attended to, any one of which might delay the +work. A hundred and one unexpected situations would develop during the +course of a single day which must be dealt with quickly and intelligently. +The fact that the Salvation Army section of the American Expeditionary +Force is militarized and strictly accountable for all of its action to the +United States military authorities is complicated in many places by the +further fact that the French civil and military authorities must also be +taken into consideration and consulted at every step. Nevertheless, in +spite of all difficulties the work went steadily forward. The patient +officers who were seeing to all these details worked almost night and day +to place the huts and workers where they would do the most good to the +greatest number; and steadily the Salvation Army grew in favor with the +soldiers. + +It was extremely difficult to obtain materials for the erection of huts-- +in many cases almost impossible. Once when Colonel Barker found troops +moving, he discovered the village for which they were bound, rushed ahead +in his automobile, and commandeered an old French barracks which would +otherwise have been occupied by the American soldiers. When the soldiers +arrived they were overjoyed to find the Salvation Army awaiting them with +hot food. They were soaked through by the rain, and never was hot coffee +more welcome. There was a little argument about the commandeered barracks. +It was to have been used as headquarters, but when the commanding officer +went out into the rain and saw for himself what service it was performing +for his men, and how overjoyed they were by the entertainment he said: +"We'll leave it to the men, whether they will be billeted here or let the +Salvation Army have the place." The men with one accord voted to give it +to the Salvation Army. + +In one town, after an animated discussion with a crowd of enlisted men, a +sergeant came to the Salvation Army Major as he worked away with his +hammer putting up a hut and said: "Captain, would it make you mad if we +offered our services to help?" + +[Illustration: "Tin hat for a halo! Ah! She wears it well!"] + +[Illustration: The patient officers who were seeing to all these details +worked out almost day and night] + +After that the work went on in record time. In less than a week the hut +was finished and ready for business. Two self-appointed details of +soldiers from the regulars employed all their spare time in a friendly +rivalry to see which could accomplish the most work. When it was dedicated +the popularity of the hut was well assured. Later, in another location, a +hut 125 feet by 27 feet was put up with the assistance of soldiers in six +hours and twenty minutes. + +More men and women had arrived from America, and the work began to assume +business-like proportions. There were huts scattered all through the +American training area. + +As other huts were established the making of pies and doughnuts became a +regular part of the daily routine of the hut. It was found that a canteen +where candy and articles needed by the soldiers could be obtained at +moderate prices would fill a very pressing need and this was made a part +of their regular operation. + +The purchase of an adequate quantity of supplies was a great problem. It +was necessary to make frequent trips to Paris, to establish connections +with supply houses there, and to attend to the shipping of the supplies +out to the camps. At first it was impossible to purchase any quantity of +supplies from any house. The demand for everything was so great that +wholesale dealers were most independent. Three hundred dollars' worth of +supplies was the most that could be purchased from any one house, but in +course of time, confidence and friendly relations being established, it +became possible to purchase as much as ten thousand dollars' worth at one +time from one dealer. + +The first twenty-five thousand dollars, of course, was soon gone, but +another fifty thousand dollars arrived from Headquarters in New York, and +after a little while another fifty thousand; which hundred thousand +dollars was loaned by General Bramwell Booth from the International +Treasury. The money was not only borrowed, but the Commander had promised +to pay it back in twelve months (which guarantee it is pleasant to state +was made good long before the promised time), for the Commander had said: +"It is only a question of our getting to work in France, and the American +public will see that we have all the money we want." + +So it has proved. + +In the meantime another hut was established at Houdelainecourt. + +The American boys were drilling from early morning until dark; the weather +was wet and cold; the roads were seas of mud and the German planes came +over the valleys almost nightly to seek out the position of the American +troops and occasionally to drop bombs. It was necessary that all tents +should be camouflaged, windows darkened so that lights would not show at +night, and every means used to keep the fact of the Americans' presence +from the German observers and spies. + +Another party of Salvation Army officers, men and women, arrived from New +York on September 23rd, and these were quickly sent out to Demange which +for the time being was used as the general base of supplies, but later a +house was secured at Ligny-en-Barrios, and this was for many months the +Headquarters. + +One interesting incident occurred here in connection with this house. One +of its greatest attractions had been that it was one of the few houses +containing a bathroom, but when the new tenants arrived they found that +the anticipated bathtub had been taken out with all its fittings and +carefully stowed away in the cellar. It was too precious for the common +use of tenants. + +All Salvation Army graduates from the training school have a Red Cross +diploma, and many are experienced nurses. + +A Salvation Army woman Envoy sailed for France with a party of +Salvationists about the time that the epidemic of influenza broke out all +over the world. Even before the steamer reached the quarantine station in +New York harbor a number of cases of Spanish influenza had developed among +the several companies of soldiers who were aboard, a number of whom were +removed from the ship. So anxious were others of these American fighting +men to reach Prance that they hid away until the steamer had left port. + +Land was hardly out of sight before more cases of the disease were +reported--so many, in fact, that special hospital accommodations had to be +immediately arranged. The ship's captain after consulting with the +American military officers, requested the Salvation Army Envoy to take +entire responsibility for the hospital, which responsibility, after some +hesitation, she accepted. Under her were two nurses, three dieticians +(Y.M.C.A. and Red Cross), a medical corps sergeant (U.S.A.), and twenty- +four orderlies. She took charge on the fourth day of a thirteen day +voyage, working in the sick bay from 12 noon to 8 P.M., and from 12 +midnight to 8 A.M. every day. She had with her a mandolin and a guitar +with which, in addition to her sixteen hours of duty in the sick bay, she +every day spent some time (usually an hour or two) on deck singing and +playing for the soldiers who were much depressed by the epidemic. To them +she was a very angel of good cheer and comfort. + +Many amusing incidents occurred on the voyage. + +Stormy weather had added to the discomforts of the trip and most of the +passengers suffered from seasickness during the greater part of the +voyage. + +On board there was also a woman of middle age who could not be persuaded +to keep her cabin porthole closed at night. Again and again a ray of light +was projected through it upon the surface of the water and the quarter- +master, whose duty it was to see that no lights were shown, was at his +wit's end. His difficulty was the greater because he could speak no +English, and she no French. Finally, a passenger took pity on the man, +and, as the light was really a grave danger to the ship's safety, promised +to speak to the woman, who insisted that she was not afraid of submarines +and that it was foolish to think they could see her light. + +"Madam," he said, "the quartermaster here tells me that the sea in this +locality is infested with flying fish, who, like moths, fly straight for +any light, and he is afraid that if you leave your porthole open they will +dive in upon you during the night." + +If he had said that the sea was infested with flying mice, his statement +could not have been more effective. Thereafter the porthole stayed closed. + +When the first man died on board, the Captain commanding the soldiers and +the ship's Captain requested a Salvation Army Adjutant to conduct the +funeral service. + +At 4.30 P.M. the ship's propeller ceased to turn and the steamer came up +into the wind. The United States destroyer acting as convoy also came to a +halt. The French flag on the steamer and the American flag on the +destroyer were at half-mast. Thirty-two men from the dead man's company +lined up on the after-deck. The coffin (a rough pine box), heavily +weighted at one end, lay across the rail over the stern. Here a chute had +been rigged so that the coffin might not foul the ship's screws. The flags +remained at half-mast for half an hour. The Salvation Army Adjutant read +the burial service and prayed. Passengers on the promenade deck looked on. +Then a bugler played taps. Every soldier stood facing the stern with hat +off and held across the breast. As the coffin slipped down the chute and +splashed into the sea a firing squad fired a single rattling volley. The +ship came about and, with a shudder of starting engines, continued her +voyage, the destroyer doing likewise. + +During the passage the Adjutant conducted six such funerals, two more +being conducted by a Catholic priest. Four more bodies of men who died as +they neared port were landed and buried ashore. + +In the hospital the Envoy was undoubtedly the means of saving several +lives by her endless toil and by the encouragement of her cheerful face in +that depressing place. The sick men called her "Mother" and no mother +could have been more tender than she. + +"You look so much like mother," said one boy just before he died. "Won't +you please kiss me?" + +Another lad, with a great, convulsive effort, drew her hand to his lips +and kissed her just as he passed away. + +All of the American officers and two French officers attended the funerals +in full dress uniform and ten sailors of the French navy were also +present. + +The night before the ship docked at Bordeaux a letter signed by the +Captain of the ship and the American officers was handed to the Envoy +lady. It contained a warm statement of their appreciation of her service. +Officers of the Aviation Corps who were aboard the ship arranged a banquet +to be held in her honor when they should reach port; but she told them +that she was under orders even as they were and that she must report to +Paris Headquarters at once. And so the banquet did not take place. + +As she left the ship, the soldiers were lined up on the wharf ready to +march. When she came down the gangplank and walked past them to the +street, they cheered her and shouted: "Good-bye, mother! Good luck!" + +As the fame of the doughnuts and pies spread through the camps a new +distress loomed ahead for the Salvation Army. Where were the flour and the +sugar and the lard and the other ingredients to come from wherewith to +concoct these delicacies for the homesick soldiers? + +It was of no use to go to the French for white flour, for they did not +have it. They had been using war bread, dark mixtures with barley flour +and other things, for a long time. Besides, the French had a fixed idea +that everyone who came from America was made of money. Wood was thirty- +five dollars a load (about a cord) and had to be cut and hauled by the +purchaser at that. There was a story current throughout the camps that +some Frenchmen were talking together among themselves, and one asked the +rest where in the world they were going to get the money to rebuild their +towns. "Oh," replied another; "haven't we the only battlefields in the +world? All the Americans will want to come over after the war to see them +and we will charge them enough for the sight to rebuild our villages!" + +But even at any price the French did not have the materials to sell. There +was only one place where things of that sort could be had and that was +from the Americans, and the question was, would the commissary allow them +to buy in large enough quantities to be of any use? The Salvation Army +officers as they went about their work, were puzzling their brains how to +get around the American commissary and get what they wanted. + +Meantime, the American Army had slipped quietly into Montiers in the night +and been billeted around in barns and houses and outhouses, and anywhere +they could be stowed, and were keeping out of sight. For the German High +Council had declared: "As soon as the American Army goes into camp we will +blow them off the map." Day after day the Germans lay low and watched. +Their airplanes flew over and kept close guard, but they could find no +sign of a camp anywhere. No tents were in sight, though they searched the +landscape carefully; and day after day, for want of something better to do +they bombarded Bar-le-Duc. Every day some new ravishment of the beautiful +city was wrought, new victims buried under ruins, new terror and +destruction, until the whole region was in panic and dismay. + +Now Bar-le-Duc, as everyone knows, is the home of the famous Bar-le-Duc +jam that brings such high prices the world over, and there were great +quantities stored up and waiting to be sold at a high price to Americans +after the war. But when the bombardment continued, and it became evident +that the whole would either be destroyed or fall into the hands of the +Germans, the owners were frightened. Houses were blown up, burying whole +families. Victims were being taken hourly from the ruins, injured or +dying. + +A Salvation Army Adjutant ran up there one day with his truck and found an +awful state of things. The whole place was full of refugees, families +bereft of their homes, everybody that could trying to get out of the city. +Just by accident he found out that the merchants were willing to sell +their jam at a very reasonable price, and so he bought tons and tons of +Bar-le-Duc jam. That would help out a lot and go well on bread, for of +course there was no butter. Also it would make wonderful pies and tarts if +one only had the flour and other ingredients. + +As he drove into Montiers he was still thinking about it, and there on the +table in the Salvation Army hut stood as pretty a chocolate cake as one +would care to see. A bright idea came to the Adjutant: + +"Let me have that cake," said he to the lassie who had baked it, "and I'll +take it to the General and see what I can do." + +It turned out that the cake was promised, but the lassie said she would +bake another and have it ready for him on his return trip; so in a few +days when he came back there was the cake. + +Ah! That was a wonderful cake! + +The lassie had baked it in the covers of lard tins, fourteen inches across +and five layers high! There was a layer of cake, thickly spread with rich +chocolate frosting, another layer of cake, overlaid with the translucent +Bar-le-Duc jam, a third layer of cake with chocolate, another layer spread +with Bar-le-Duc jam, then cake again, the whole covered smoothly over with +thick dark chocolate, top and sides, down to the very base, without a +ripple in it. It was a wonder of a cake! + +With shining eyes and eager look the Adjutant took that beautiful cake, +took also twelve hundred great brown sugary doughnuts, and a dozen +fragrant apple pies just out of the oven, stowed them carefully away in +his truck, and rustled off to the Officers' Headquarters. Arrived there he +took his cake in hand and asked to see the General. An officer with his +eye on the cake said the General was busy just now but he would carry the +cake to him. But the Adjutant declined this offer firmly, saying: "The +ladies of Montiers-sur-Saulx sent this cake to the General, and I must put +it into his hands" + +He was finally led to the General's room and, uncovering the great cake, +he said: + +"The Salvation Army ladies of Montiers-sur-Saulx have sent this cake to +you as a sample of what they will do for the soldiers if we can get flour +and sugar and lard." + +The General, greatly pleased, took the cake and sent for a knife, while +his officers stood about looking on with much interest. It appeared as if +every one were to have a taste of the cake. But when the General had cut a +generous slice, held it up, observing its cunning workmanship, its +translucent, delectable interior, he turned with a gleam in his eye, +looked about the room and said: "Gentlemen, this cake will not be served +till the evening's mess, and I pity the gentlemen who do not eat with the +officer's mess, but they will have to go elsewhere for their cake." + +The Adjutant went out with his pies and doughnuts and distributed them +here and there where they would do the most good, getting on the right +side of the Top Sergeant, for he had discovered some time ago that even +with the General as an ally one must be on the right side of the "old +Sarge" if one wanted anything. While he was still talking with the +officers he was handed an order from the General that he should be +supplied with all that he needed, and when he finally came out of +Headquarters he found that seven tons of material were being loaded on his +car. After that the Salvation Army never had any trouble in getting all +the material they needed. + +After the tents in Montiers were all settled and the work fully started, +the Staff-Captain and his helpers settled down to a pleasant little +schedule of sixteen hours a day work and called it ease; but that was not +to he enjoyed for long. At the end of a week the Salvation Army Colonel +swooped down upon them again with orders to erect a hut at once as the +tents were only a makeshift and winter was coming on. He brought materials +and selected a site on a desirable corner. + +Now the corner was literally covered with fallen walls of a former +building and wreckage from the last year's raid, and the patient workers +looked aghast at the task before them. But the Colonel would listen to no +arguments. "Don't talk about difficulties," he said, brushing aside a plea +for another lot, not quite so desirable perhaps, but much easier to clear. +"Don't talk about difficulties; get busy and have the job over with!" + +One big reason why the Salvation Army is able to carry on the great +machinery of its vast organization is that its people are trained to obey +without murmuring. Cheerfully and laboriously the men set to work. Winter +rains were setting in, with a chill and intensity never to be forgotten by +an American soldier. But wet to the skin day after day all day long the +Salvationists worked against time, trying to finish the hut before the +snow should arrive. And at last the hut was finished and ready for +occupancy. Such tireless devotion, such patient, cheerful toil for their +sake was not to be passed by nor forgotten by the soldiers who watched and +helped when they could. Day after day the bonds between them and the +Salvation Army grew stronger. Here were men who did not have to, and yet +who for the sake of helping them, came and lived under the same conditions +that they did, working even longer hours than they, eating the same food, +enduring the same privations, and whose only pay was their expenses. At +the first the Salvationists took their places in the chow line with the +rest, then little by little men near the head of the line would give up +their places to them, quietly stepping to the rear of the line themselves. +Finally, no matter how long the line was the men with one consent insisted +that their unselfish friends should take the very head of the line +whenever they came and always be served first. + +One day one of the Salvation Army men swathed in a big raincoat was +sitting in a Ford by the roadside in front of a Salvation Army hut, +waiting for his Colonel, when two soldiers stopped behind him to light +their cigarettes. It was just after sundown, and the man in the car must +have seemed like any soldier to the two as they chatted. + +"Bunch of grafters, these Y.M.C.A. and Salvation Army outfits!" grumbled +one as he struck a match. "What good are the 'Sallies' in a soldier camp?" + +"Well, Buddy," said the other somewhat excitedly, "there's a whole lot of +us think the Salvation Army is about it in this man's outfit. For a rookie +you sure are picking one good way to make yourself unpopular _tout de +suite!_ Better lay off that kind of talk until you kind of find out +what's what. I didn't have much use for them myself back in the States, +but here in France they're real folks, believe me!" + +So the feeling had grown everywhere as the huts multiplied. And the huts +proved altogether too small for the religious meetings, so that as long as +the weather permitted the services had to be held in the open air. It was +no unusual thing to see a thousand men gathered in the twilight around two +or three Salvation Army lassies, singing in sweet wonderful volume the +old, old hymns. The soldiers were no longer amused spectators, bent on +mischief; they were enthusiastic allies of the organization that was +theirs. The meeting was theirs. + +"We never forced a meeting on them," said one of the girls. "We just let +it grow. Sometimes it would begin with popular songs, but before long the +boys would ask for hymns, the old favorites, first one, then another, +always remembering to call for 'Tell Mother I'll Be There.'" + +Almost without exception the boys entered heartily into everything that +went on in the organization. The songs were perhaps at first only a +reminder of home, but scon they came to have a personal significance to +many. The Salvation Army did not hare movies and theatrical singers as did +the other organizations, but they did not seem to need them. The men liked +the Gospel meetings and came to them better than to anything else. Often +they would come to the hut and start the singing themselves, which would +presently grow into a meeting of evident intention. The Staff-Captain did +not long have opportunity to enjoy the new hut which he had labored so +hard to finish at Montiers, for soon orders arrived for him to move on to +Houdelainecourt to help put up the hut there, and leave Montiers in charge +of a Salvation Army Major. The Salvation Army was with the Eighteenth +Infantry at Houdelainecourt. + +It was an old tent that sheltered the canteen, and it had the reputation +of having gone up and down five times. When first they put it up it blew +down. It was located where two roads met and the winds swept down in every +direction. Then they put it up and took it down to camouflage it. They got +it up again and had to take it down to camouflage it some more. The +regular division helped with this, and it was some camouflage when it was +done, for the boys had put their initials all over it, and then, had +painted Christmas trees everywhere, and on the trees they had put the +presents they knew they never would get, and so in all the richness of its +record of homesickness the old tent went up again. They kept warm here by +means of a candle under an upturned tin pail. The tent blew down again in +a big storm soon after that and had to be put up once more, and then there +came a big rain and flooded everything in the neighborhood. It blew down +and drowned out the Y.M.C.A. and everything else, and only the old tent +stood for awhile. But at last the storm was too much for it, too, and it +succumbed again. + +After that the Salvation Army put up a hut for their work. A number of +soldiers assisted. They put up a stove, brought their piano and +phonograph, and made the place look cheerful. Then they got the regimental +band and had an opening, the first big thing that was recognized by the +military authorities. The Salvation Army Staff-Captain in charge of that +zone took a long board and set candles on it and put it above the platform +like a big chandelier. The Brigade Commander was there, and a Captain came +to represent the Colonel. A chaplain spoke. The lassies who took part in +the entertainment were the first girls the soldiers had seen for many +months. + +Long before the hour announced for the service the soldier boys had +crowded the hutment to its greatest capacity. Game and reading tables had +been moved to the rear and extra benches brought in. The men stood three +deep upon the tables and filled every seat and every inch of standing +room. When there was no more room on the floor, they climbed to the roof +and lined the rafters. There was no air and the Adjutant came to say there +was too much light, but none of these things damped the enthusiasm. + +With the aid of the regimental chaplain, the Staff-Captain had arranged a +suitable program for the occasion, the regimental band furnishing the +music. + +When the General entered the hutment all of the men stood and uncovered +and the band stopped abruptly in the middle of a strain. "That's the worst +thing I ever did--stopping the music," he exclaimed ruefully. He refused +to occupy the chair which had been prepared for him, saying: "No, I want +to stand so that I can look at these men." + +The records of the work in that hut would be precious reading for the +fathers and mothers of those boys, for the Fighting Eighteenth Infantry +are mostly gone, having laid their young lives on the altar with so many +others. Here is a bit from one lassie's letter, giving a picture of one of +her days in the hut: + + "Well, I must tell you how the days are spent. We open the hut at 7; it +is cleaned by some of the boys; then at 8 we commence to serve cocoa and +coffee and make pies and doughnuts, cup cakes and fry eggs and make all +kinds of eats until it is all you see. Well, can you think of two women +cooking in one day 2500 doughnuts, 8 dozen cup cakes, 50 pies, 800 +pancakes and 225 gallons of cocoa, and one other girl serving it? That is +a day's work in my last hut. Then meeting at night, and it lasts two +hours." + + A lieutenant came into the canteen to buy something and said to one of +the girls: "Will you please tell me something? Don't you ever rest?" That +is how both the men and officers appreciated the work of these tireless +girls. + +Men often walked miles to look at an American woman. Once acquainted with +the Salvation Army lassies they came to them with many and strange +requests. Having picked a quart or so of wild berries and purchased from a +farmer a pint of cream they would come to ask a girl to make a strawberry +shortcake for them. They would buy a whole dozen of eggs apiece, and +having begged a Salvation Army girl to fry them would eat the whole dozen +at a sitting. They would ask the girls to write their love letters, or to +write assuring some mother or sweetheart that they were behaving +themselves. + +Soldiers going into action have left thousands of dollars in cash and in +valuables in the care of Salvation Army officers to be forwarded to +persons designated in case they are killed in action or taken prisoner. In +such cases it is very seldom that a receipt is given for either money or +valuables., so deeply do the soldiers trust the Salvation Army. + +One of the girl Captains wears a plain silver ring, whose intrinsic value +is about thirty cents, but whose moral value is beyond estimate. The ring +is not the Captain's. It belongs to a soldier, who, before the war, had +been a hard drinker and had continued his habits after enlisting. He came +under the influence of the Salvation Army and swore that he would drink no +more. But time after time he fell, each time becoming more desperate and +more discouraged. Each time the young lassie-Captain dealt with him. After +the last of his failures, while she was encouraging him to make another +try, he detached the ring from the cord from which it had dangled around +his neck and thrust it at her. + +"It was my mother's," he explained. "If you will wear it for me, I shall +always think of it when the temptation comes to drink, and the fact that +someone really cares enough about my worthless hide to take all of the +trouble you have taken on my behalf, will help me to resist it." + +"No one will misunderstand" he cried, seeing that the lassie was about to +decline, "not even me. I shall tell no one. And it would help." + +"Very well," agreed the girl, looking steadily at him for a moment, "but +the first time that you take a drink, off will come the ring! And you must +promise that you will tell me if you do take that drink." + +The soldier promised. The lassie still wears the ring. The soldier is +still sober. Also he has written to his wife for the first time in five +years and she has expressed her delight at the good news. + +On more than one occasion American aviators have flown from their camps +many miles to villages where there were Salvation lassies and have +returned with a load of doughnuts. On one occasion a bird-man dropped a +note down in front of the hut where two sisters were stationed, circling +around at a low elevation until certain that the girls had picked up the +note, which stated that he would return the following afternoon for a mess +of doughnuts for his comrades. When he returned, the doughnuts were ready +for him. + +The Adjutant of the aerial forces attached to the American Fifth Army +around Montfaucon on the edge of the Argonne Forest, before that forest +was finally captured at the point of American bayonets, drove almost +seventy miles to the Salvation Army Headquarters at Ligny for supplies for +his men. He was given an automobile load of chocolate, candies, cakes, +cookies, soap, toilet articles, and other comforts, without charge. He +said that he _knew_ that the Salvation Army would have what he +wanted. + +The two lassies who were in Bure had a desperate time of it. Things were +most primitive. They had no store, just an old travelling field range, and +for a canteen one end of Battery F's kitchen. They were then attached to +the Sixth Field Artillery. This was the regiment that fired the first shot +into Germany. + +The smoke in that kitchen was awful and continuous from the old field +range. The girls often made doughnuts out-of-doors, and they got +chilblains from standing in the snow. All the company had chilblains, too, +and it was a sorry crowd. Then the girls got the mumps. It was so cold +here, especially at night, they often had to sleep with their clothes on. +There was only one way they could have meetings in that place and that was +while the men were lined up for chow near to the canteen. They would start +to sing in the gloomy, cold room, the men and girls all with their +overcoats on, and fingers so cold that they could hardly play the +concertina, for there was no fire in the big room save from the range at +one end where they cooked. Then the girls would talk to them while they +were eating. Perhaps they did not call these meetings, but they were a +mighty happy time to the men, and they liked it. + +A minister who had taken six months' leave of absence from his church to +do Y.M.C.A. work in France asked one of the boys why he liked the +Salvation Army girls and he said: "Because they always take time to cheer +us up. It's true they do knock us mighty hard about our sins, but while it +hurts they always show us a way out." The minister told some one that if +he had his work to do over again he would plan it along the lines of the +Salvation Army work. + +You may hear it urged that one reason the boys liked the Salvation Army +people so much was because they did not preach, but it is not so. They +preached early and often, but the boys liked it because it was done so +simply, so consistently and so unselfishly, that they did not recognize it +as preaching. + +In Menaucourt as Christmas was coming on some United States officers +raised money to give the little refugee children a Christmas treat. There +was to be a tree with presents, and good things to eat, and an +entertainment with recitations from the children. The school-teacher was +teaching the children their pieces, and there was a general air of +delightful excitement everywhere. It was expected that the affair was to +be held in the Catholic church at first, but the priest protested that +this was unseemly, so they were at a loss what to do. The school-house was +not large enough. + +The Salvation Army Staff-Captain found this out and suggested to the +officers that the Salvation Army hut was the very place for such a +gathering. So the tree was set up, and the officers went to town and +bought presents and decorations. They covered the old hut with boughs and +flags and transformed it into a wonderland for the children. The officers +were struggling helplessly with the decorations of the tree when the +Salvation Army man happened in and they asked him to help. + +"Why, sure!" he said heartily. "That's my regular work!" So they eagerly +put it into his hands and departed. The Staff-Captain worked so hard at it +and grew go interested in it that he forgot to go for his chow at lunch- +time, and when supper-time came the hall was so crowded and there was so +much still to be done that he could not get away to get his supper. But it +was a grand and glorious time. The place was packed. There were two +American Colonels, a French Colonel, and several French officers. The +soldiers crowded in and they had to send them out again, poor fellows, to +make room for the children, but they hung around the doors and windows +eager to see it all. + +The regimental band played, there were recitations in French and a good +time generally. + +The seats were facing the canteen where the supplies were all stocked +neatly, boxes of candy and cakes and good things. The Colonel in charge of +the regiment looked over to them wistfully and said to the Staff-Captain: +"Are you going to sell all those things?" The Staff-Captain, with quick +appreciation, said: "No, Colonel, Christmas comes but once a year and +there's a present up there for you." And the Colonel seemed as pleased as +the children when the Staff-Captain handed him a big box of candy all tied +up in Christmas ribbons. + +In the huts, phonographs are never silent as long as there is a single +soldier in the place. One night two of the Salvation Army girls, who slept +in the back room of a certain hut, had closed up for the night and +retired. They were awakened by the sound of the phonograph, and wondered +how anyone got into the hut and who it might happen to be. They were a +little bit nervous, but went to investigate. They found that a soldier on +guard had raised a window, and although this did not allow him room to +enter the hut, he was able to reach the table where the phonograph stood. +He had turned the talking machine around so that it faced the window, and, +placing a record in position, had started it going. He was leaning up +against the outer wall of the hut, smoking a cigarette in the moonlight, +and enjoying his concert. The girls returned to bed without disturbing the +audience. + +One of the most popular French confections sold in the huts was a variety +of biscuits known under the trade name of "Boudoir Biscuits" One day a +soldier entered a hut and said: "Say, miss, I want some of them there-them +there--Dang me if I can remember them French names!--them there (suddenly +a great light dawned)--some of them there bedroom cookies." And the lassie +got what he wanted. + +The Salvation Army men who worked among the soldiers in advanced positions +from which all women are barred are among the heroes of the war. Here +during the day they labored in dugouts far below the shell-tortured earth, +often going out at night to help bring in the wounded; always in danger +from shells and gas; some with the ammunition trains; others driving +supply trucks; still others attached to units and accompanying the +fighting men wherever they went, even to the active combat of the firing +trench and the attack. These are unofficial chaplains. Such a one was "La +Petit Major," as the soldiers called him, because of his smallness of +stature. + +The Little Major commenced his service in the field with the Twenty-sixth +Infantry, First Division, at Menaucourt. Soon he was transferred to +command the hut at Boviolles. At this place was the battalion of the +Twenty-sixth Infantry, commanded by Major Theodore Roosevelt. His brother, +Captain Archie Roosevelt, commanded a company in this battalion. He was +for the greater part of the time alone in the work at Boviolles. + +By his consistent life and character and his willingness to serve both men +and officers, he won their esteem. + +When they left the training area for the trenches the Major was requested +to go with them. He turned the key in the canteen door and went off with +them across France and never came back, establishing himself in the front- +line trenches with the men and acting as unofficial chaplain to the +battalion. + +There is an interesting incident in connection with his introduction to +Major Roosevelt's notice. + +For some reason the Salvation Army had been made to feel that they were +not welcome with that division. But the Little Major did not give up like +that, and he lingered about feeling that somehow there was yet to be a +work for him there. + +A young private from a far Western state, a fellow who, according to all +reports, had never been of any account at home, was convicted of a most +horrible murder and condemned to die by hanging because the commanding +officer said that shooting was too good for him. + +He accepted his fate with sullen ugliness. He would not speak to anyone +and he was so violent that they had to put him in chains. No one could do +anything with him. He had to be watched day and night; and it was awful to +see him die this way with his sin unconfessed. Many attempts were made to +break through his silence, but all to no effect. Several chaplains visited +him, but he would have nothing to do with them. + +On the morning of his execution, to the surprise of everybody he said that +he had heard that there was a Salvation Army man around, and he would like +to see him. The authorities sent and searched everywhere for the Little +Major, and some thought he must have left, but they found him at last and +he came at once to the desperate man. + +The criminal sat crouched on his hard bench, chained hand and foot. He did +not look up. He was a dreadful sight, his brutal face haggard, unshaven, +his eyes bloodshot, his whole appearance almost like some low animal. +Through the shadowy prison darkness the Little Major crept to those +chains, those symbols of the man's degradation; and still the man did not +look up. + +"You must be in great trouble, brother. Can I help you any?" asked the +Little Major with a wonderful Christ-like compassion in his voice. + +The man lifted his bleared eyes under the shock of unkempt hair, and +spoke, startled: + +"You call me brother! You know what I'm here for and you call me brother! +Why?" + +The Little Major's voice was steady and sweet as he replied without +hesitation: + +"Because I know a great deal about the suffering of Christ on the Cross, +all because He loved you so! Because I know He said He was wounded for +your transgressions, He was bruised for your iniquities! Because I know He +said, 'Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be as white as snow, +though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool!' So why shouldn't I +call you brother?" + +"Oh," said the man with a groan of agony and big tears rolling down his +face. "Could I be made a better man?" + +Then they went down on their knees together beside the hard bench, the man +in chains and the man of God, and the Little Major prayed such a wonderful +prayer, taking the poor soul right to the foot of the Throne; and in a few +minutes the man was confessing his sin to God. Then he suddenly looked up +and exclaimed: + +"It's true, what you said! Christ has pardoned me! Now I can die like a +man!" + +With that great pardon written across his heart he actually went to his +death with a smile upon his face. When the Chaplain asked him if he had +anything to say he publicly thanked the military authorities and the +Salvation Army for what they had done for him. + +The Colonel, greatly surprised at the change in the man, sent to find out +how it came about and later sent to thank the Little Major. Two days later +Major Roosevelt came in person to thank him: + +"I knew that someone who knew how to deal with men had got hold of him," +he said, "but I almost doubted the evidence of my own eyes when I saw how +cheerfully he went to his death, it all seemed too wonderful!" + +The little Major was with this battalion in all of its engagements, and on +several occasions went over the top with the men and devoted himself to +first aid to the wounded and to bringing the men back to the dressing +station on stretchers. Between the times of active engagements, the Major +gave himself to supplying the needs of the men and made daily trips out of +the trenches to obtain newspapers, writing material, and to perform +errands which they could not do for themselves. + +One of the lieutenants said of him: "He is worth more than all the +chaplains that were ever made in the United States Army. He will walk +miles to get the most trivial article for either man or officer. The men +know that he loves them or he would not go into the trenches with them, +for he does not have to go. You can tell the world for me that he is a +real man!" + +One of the fellows said of him he had seen him take off his shoes and +bring away pieces of flesh from the awful blisters got from much tramping. + +The men soon learned to love their gray haired Salvation Army comrade. +When an enemy attack was to be met with cold steel he was the first to +follow the company officers "over the top," to cheer and encourage the +onrushing Americans in the anxious semi-calm which follows the lifting of +a barrage. A non-combatant, unarmed and fifty-three years of age, he was +always in the van of the fierce onslaught with which our men repulsed the +enemy, ready to pray with the dying or help bring in the wounded, and +always fearless no matter what the conditions. By his unfearing heroism as +well as his willingness to share the hardships and dangers of the men, he +so won their confidence that it was frequently said that they would not go +into battle except the Major was with them. The men would crouch around +him with an almost fantastic confidence that where he was no harm could +come. Knowing that many earnest Christian people were praying for his +safety and having seen how safely he and those with him had come through +dangers, they thought his very presence was a protection. Who shall say +that God did not stay on the battlefield living and speaking through the +Little Major? + +When the first division was moved from the Montdidier Sector he travelled +with the men as far as they went by train. When they detrained and marched +he marched with them, carrying his seventy pound pack as any soldier did. +He was by the side of Captain Archie Roosevelt when he received a very +dangerous wound from an exploding shell, and was in the battle of Cantigny +in the Montdidier Sector, where his company lost only two men killed and +four wounded, while other companies' losses were much more severe. + +Protestant, Catholic and Jew were all his friends. One Catholic boy came +crawling along in the waist-deep trench one day to tell the Major about +his spiritual worries. After a brief talk the Major asked him if he had +his prayer book. The boy said yes. "Then take it out and read it," said +the Major. "God is here!" And there in the narrow trench with lowered +heads so that the snipers could not see them, they knelt together and read +from the Catholic prayer book. + +In one American attack the Little Major followed the Lieutenant over the +top just as the barrage was lifted. The Lieutenant looking back saw him +struggling over the crest of the parapet, laughed and shouted: "Go back, +Major, you haven't even a pistol!" But the Major did not go back. He went +with the boys. "I have no hesitancy in laying down my life," he once said, +"if it will help or encourage anyone else to live in a better or cleaner +way." + +He was always striving for the salvation of his boys, and in his meetings +men would push their way to the front and openly kneel before their +comrades registering their determination to live in accordance with the +teachings of Jesus. One tells of seeing him kneel beside an empty crate +with three soldiers praying for their souls. + +It was because of all these things that the men believed in him and in his +God. He used to say to the men in the meetings, "We are not afraid because +we have a sense of the presence of God right here with us!" + +One night the battalion was "in" after a heavy day's work strengthening +the defenses and trying to drain the trenches, and the men were asleep in +the dugouts. The Major lay in his little chicken-wire bunk, just drowsing +off, while the water seeped and dripped from the earthen roof, and the +rats splashed about on the water covered floor. + +Across from him in a bunk on the other side of the dugout tossed a boy in +his damp blankets who had just come to the front. He was only eighteen and +it was his first night in the line. It had been a hard day for him. The +shells screamed overhead and finally one landed close somewhere and rocked +the dugout with its explosion. The old-timers slept undisturbed, but the +boy started up with a scream and a groan, his nerves a-quiver, and cried +out: "Oh, Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" + +The Little Major was out and over to him in a flash, and gathered the boy +into his arms, soothing him as a mother might have done, until he was +calmed and strengthened; and there amid the roaring of guns, the screaming +of shells, the dripping of water and splashing of rats, the youngest of +the battalion found Christ. + +An old soldier came down from the front and a Salvationist asked him if he +knew the Little Major. + +"Well, you just bet I know the Major--sure thing!" And the Major is always +on hand with a laugh and his fun-making. In the trenches or in the towns, +where the shells are flying, the Little Major is with his boys. No words +of mine could express the admiration the boys have for him. The boys love +him. He calls them "Buddie." They salute and are ready to do or die. The +last time I saw him he had hiked in from the trenches with the boys. He +carried a heavy "war baby" on his back and a tin hat on his head. He was +tired and footsore, but there was that laugh, and before he got his pack +off he jabbed me in the ribs. "No, sir, we can't get along without our +Major!" So says "Buddie." + + A request came from a chaplain to open Salvation Army work near his +division. The Brigade Commander was most favorable to the suggestion until +he learned that the Salvation Army would have women there and that +religious meetings would be conducted. As this was explained the General's +manner changed and he declared he did not know that the work was to be +carried on in this way; that he did not favor the women in camps, or any +religion, but thought it would make the soldier soft, and the business of +the soldier was to kill, to kill in as brutal a manner as possible; and to +kill as many of the enemy as possible; and he did not propose to have any +work conducted in the camps or any influence on his soldiers that would +tend to soften them. + +He ordered them, therefore, not to extend the work of the Salvation Army +within his brigade. It was explained to him that Demange was now within +the territory named. He appeared to be put out that the Salvation Army was +already established in his district, but said that if they behaved +themselves they could go on, but that they must not extend. + +He reported the matter to the Divisional Headquarters and an investigation +of the Salvation Army activities was ordered. A major who was a Jew was +appointed to look into the matter. During the next two weeks he talked +with the men and officers and attended Salvation Army meetings. The +leaders, of course, knew nothing about this, but they could not have +planned their meetings better if they had known. It seemed as though God +was in it all. At the end of two weeks there came a written communication +from the General stating that after a thorough examination of the +Salvation Army work he withdrew his objections and the Salvation Army was +free to extend operations anywhere within his brigade. + +The Salvation Army hut was a scene of constant activity. + +At one place in a single day there was early mass, said by the Catholic +chaplain, later preaching by a Protestant chaplain, then a Jewish service, +followed by a company meeting where the use of gas masks was explained. +All this, besides the regular uses of the hut, which included a library, +piano, phonograph, games, magazines, pies, doughnuts and coffee; the pie +line being followed by a regular Salvation Army meeting where men raised +their hands to be prayed for, and many found Christ as their Saviour. + +It was in an old French barracks that they located the Salvation Army +canteen in Treveray. One corner was boarded off for a bedroom for the +girls. There were windows but not of glass, for they would have soon been +shattered, and, too, they would have let too much light through. They were +canvas well camouflaged with paint so that the enemy shells would not be +attracted at night, and, of course, one could not see through them. + +Inside the improvised bedroom were three little folding army cots, a board +table, a barrack bag and some boxes. This was the only place where the +girls could be by themselves. On rainy days the furniture was supplemented +by a dishpan on one cot, a frying-pan on another, and a lard tin on the +third, to catch the drops from the holes in the roof. The opposite corner +of the barracks was boarded off for a living-room. In this was a field +range and one or two tables and benches. + +The rest of the hut was laid out with square bare board tables. The +canteen was at one end. The piano was at one side and the graphophone at +the other. Sometimes in places like this, the hut would be too near the +front for it to be thought advisable to have a piano. It was too liable to +be shattered by a chance shell and the management thought it unwise to put +so much money into what might in a moment be reduced to worthless +splinters. Then the boys would come into the hut, look around +disappointedly and say: "No piano?" + +The cheerful woman behind the counter would say sympathetically: "No, +boys, no piano. Too many shells around here for a piano." + +The boys would droop around silently for a minute or two and then go off. +In a little while back they would come with grim satisfaction on their +faces bearing a piano. + +"Don't ask us where we got it," they would answer with a twinkle in reply +to the pleased inquiry. "This is war! We salvaged it!" + +Around the room on the tables were plenty of magazines, books and games. +Checkers was a favorite game. No card playing, no shooting crap. The +canteen contained chocolate, candy, writing materials, postage stamps, +towels, shaving materials, talcum powder, soap, shoestrings, handkerchiefs +in little sealed packets, buttons, cootie medicine and other like +articles. The Salvation Army did not sell nor give away either tobacco or +cigarettes. In a few cases where such were sent to them for distribution +they were handed over to the doctors for the badly wounded in the +hospitals or the very sick men accustomed to their use, who were almost +insane with their nerves. They also procured them from the Red Cross for +wounded men, sometimes, who were fretting for them, but they never were a +part of their supplies and far from the policy of the Salyation Army. +Furthermore, the Salvation Army sent no men to France to work for them who +smoked or used tobacco in any form, or drank intoxicating liquors. No man +can hold a commission in the Salvation Army and use tobacco! It is a +remarkable fact that the boys themselves did not want the Salvation Army +lassies to deal in cigarettes because they knew it would be going against +their principles to do so. + +Occasionally a stranger would come into the canteen and ask for a package +of cigarettes. Then some soldier would remark witheringly: "Say, where do +you come from? Don't you know the Salvation Army don't handle tobacco?" + +The men were always deeply grateful to get talcum powder for use after +shaving. It seemed somehow to help to keep up the morale of the army, that +talcum powder, a little bit of the soothing refinement of the home that +seemed so far away. + +To this hut whenever they were at liberty came Jew and Gentile, Protestant +and Catholic, rich and poor. War is a great leveler and had swept away all +differences. They were a great brotherhood of Americans now, ready, if +necessary, to die for the right. + +To one of the huts came a request from the chaplain of a regiment which +was about to move from its temporary billet in the next village. The men +had not been so fortunate as to be stationed at a town where there was a +Salvation Army hut and it had been over four months since they had tasted +anything like cake or pie. Would the Salvation Army lassies be so good as +to let them have a few doughnuts before they moved that night? If so the +chaplain would call for them at five o'clock. + +The lassies worked with all their might and fried thirty-five hundred +doughnuts. But something happened to the ambulance that was to take them +to the boys, and over an hour was lost in repairs. Back at the camp the +boys had given up all hope. They were to march at eight o'clock and +nothing had been heard of the doughnuts. Suddenly the truck dashed into +view, but the boys eyed it glumly, thinking it was likely empty after all +this time. However, the chaplain held up both hands full of golden brown +beauties, and with a wild shout of joy the men sprang to "attention" as +the ambulance drew up, and more soldiers crowded around. The villagers +rushed to their doors to see what could be happening now to those crazy +American soldiers. + +When the chaplain stood up in the car flinging doughnuts to them and +shouting that there were thousands, enough for everybody, the enthusiasm +of the soldiers knew no bounds. The girls had come along and now they +began to hand out the doughnuts, and the crowd cheered and shouted as they +filed up to receive them. And when it came time for the girls to return to +their own village the soldiers crowded up once more to say good-bye, and +give them three cheers and a "tiger." + +These same girls a few days before had fed seven hundred weary doughboys +on their march to the front with coffee, hot biscuits and jam. + +In one of the Salvation Army huts one night the usual noisy cheerfulness +was in the air, but apart from the rest sat a boy with a letter open on +the table before him and a dreamy smile of tender memories upon his face. +Nobody noticed that far-away look in his eyes until the lassie in charge +of the hut, standing in the doorway surveying her noisy family, searched +him out with her discerning eyes, and presently happened down his way and +inquired if he had a letter. The boy looked up with a wonderful smile such +as she had never seen on his face before, and answered: + +"Yes, it's from mother!" Then impulsively, "She's the nearest thing to God +I know!" + +Mother seemed to be the nearest thought to the heart of the boys over +there. They loved the songs best that spoke about mother. One boy bought a +can of beans at the canteen, and when remonstrated with by the lassie who +sold them, on the ground that he was always complaining of having to eat +so many beans, he replied: "Aw, well, this is different. These beans are +the kind that mother used to buy." + +In the dark hours of the early morning a boy who belonged to the +ammunition train sat by one of the little wooden tables in the hut, just +after he had returned from his first barrage, and pencilled on its top the +following words: + + Mother o' mine, what the words mean to me + Is more than tongue can say; + For one view to-night of your loving face, + What a price I would gladly pay! + The wonderful face . . . + . . . smiling still despite loads of care, + Tis crowned by a silvering sheen. + Your picture I carry next to my heart; + With it no harm can befall. + It has helped me to smile through many a care, + Since I heeded my country's call. + O mother who nursed me as a babe + And prayed for me as a boy, + Can I not show, now at man's estate, + That you are my pride and joy? + Good night! God guard you, way over the ocean blue, + Your boy loves you and his dreams are bright, + For he's dreaming of home and you. + +One of the letters that was written home for "Mother's Day" in response to +a suggestion on the walls of the Salvation Army hut was as follows: + + +Dearest Little Mother of Mine: + +They started a campaign to write to mother on this day, and, believe me, I +didn't have to be urged very hard. If I wrote you every time I think of +you this war would go hang as far as I am concerned, for I think of you +always and there are hundreds of things that serve as an eternal reminder. + +Near our billet is one lone, scrubby little lilac bush that has a dozen +blossoms, and it doesn't take much mental work to connect lilacs with +mother. Then, too, the distant whistle of a train 'way down the valley +reminds me of how you would listen for the whistle of the Montreal train +on Saturday morning and then fix up a big feed for your boy to offset a +week of boarding-house grub. Those and many other things remind me many +times a day of the one who bid me good-by with a smile and saved her tears +'till she was home alone; who knit helmets, wristlets and sweaters to keep +out the cold when she should have been sleeping; who (I'll bet a hat) +didn't sleep one of the thirteen nights I was on the ocean, and who writes +me cheerful, newsy letters when all others fail. + +And I appreciate all those things too, although I'm not much on showing +affection. I haven't always been as good to you as I ought, but I'm going +to make up by being the soldier and the man "me mudder" thinks I am. + +And when I come back home, all full of prunes and glory, we're going to +have the grandest time you ever dreamed of. We'll go joy riding, eat +strawberry shortcake and pumpkin pie, and have all the lilacs in the +U.S.A. Wait till I walk down Main Street with you on my arm all fixed up +in a swell dress and a new bonnet and me with a span new uniform, with +sergeant-major's chevrons, about steen service stripes, a Mex. campaign +badge and a Croix de Guerre (maybe), then you'll be glad your boy went to +be a soldier. + +I was on the road all of night before last and on guard last night and I'm +a wee bit tired so I'm making this kinder short; but it's a little +reminder that the boy who is 5,000 miles away is thinking, "I love you my +ma," same as I always did. + +And, by gosh, don't forget about that pumpkin pie! + +Good-night, mother of mine; your soldier boy loves you a whole dollar's +worth. + + [Illustraion: "Here during the day they worked in dugouts far below the +shell-tortured earth"] + +[Illustration: They came to get their coats mended and their buttons sewed +on] + +[Illustration: "L'Hermitage, nestled in the heart of a deep woods, was no +quiet refuge"] + +[Illustraion: L'Hermitage, inside the tent. Several of these boys were +killed a few days after the picture was taken] + +The Salvation Army hut was home to the boys over there. They came to it in +sorrow or joy. They came to ask to scrape out the bowl where the cake +batter had been stirred because mother used to let them do it; they came +to get their coats mended and have their buttons sewed on. Sometimes it +seemed to the long-suffering, smiling woman who sewed them on, as if they +just ripped them off so she could sew them on again; if so, she did not +mind. They came to mourn when they received no word from home; and when +the mail came in and they were fortunate they came first to the hut waving +their letter to tell of their good luck before they even opened it to read +it. It is remarkable how they pinned their whole life on what these +consecrated American women said to them over there. It is wonderful how +they opened their hearts to them on religious subjects, and how they +flocked to the religious meetings, seeming to really be hungry for them. + +Word about these wonderful meetings that the soldiers were attending in +such numbers got to the ears of another commanding officer, and one day +there came a summons for the Salvation Army Major in charge at Gondrecourt +to appear before him. An officer on a motor cycle with a side car brought +the summons, and the Major felt that it practically amounted to an arrest. +There was nothing to do but obey, so he climbed into the side car and was +whirled away to Headquarters. + +The Major-General received him at once and in brusque tones informed him +most emphatically: + +"We want you to get out! We don't want you nor your meetings! We are here +to teach men to fight and your religion says you must not kill. Look out +there!" pointing through the doorway, "we have set up dummies and teach +our men to run their bayonets through them. You teach them the opposite of +that. You will unfit my men for warfare!" + +The Salvationist looked through the door at the line of straw dummies +hanging in a row, and then he looked back and faced the Major-General for +a full minute before he said anything. + +Tall and strong, with soldierly bearing, with ruddy health in the glow of +his cheeks, and fire in his keen blue eyes, the Salvationist looked +steadily at the Major-General and his indignation grew. Then the good old +Scotch burr on his tongue rolled broadly out in protest: + +"On my way up here in your automobile"--every word was slow and calm and +deliberate, tinged with a fine righteous sarcasm--"I saw three men +entering your Guard House who were not capable of directing their own +steps. They had been off on leave down to the town and had come home +drunk. They were going into the Guard House to sleep it off. When they +come out to-morrow or the next day with their limbs trembling, and their +eyes bloodshot and their heads aching, do you think they will be fit for +warfare? + +"You have men down there in your Guard House who are loathsome with vile +diseases, who are shaken with self-indulgence, and weakened with all kinds +of excesses. Are they fit for warfare? + +"Now, look at me!" + +He drew himself up in all the strength of his six feet, broad shoulders, +expanded chest, complexion like a baby, muscles like iron, and compelled +the gaze of the officer. + +"Can you find any man--" The Salvationist said "mon" and the soft Scotch +sound of it sent a thrill down the Major-General's back in spite of his +opposition. "Can you find any mon at fifty-five years who can follow these +in your regiment, who can beat me at any game whatever?" + +The officer looked, and listened, and was ashamed. + +The Major rose in his righteous wrath and spoke mighty truths clothed in +simple words, and as he talked the tears unbidden rolled down the Major- +General's face and dropped upon his table. + +"And do you know," said the Salvationist, afterward telling a friend in +earnest confidence, "do you _know_, before I left we _had prayer +together!_ And he became one of the best friends we have!" + +Before he left, also, the Major-General signed the authority which gave +him charge of the Guard Houses, so that he might talk to the men or hold +meetings with them whenever he liked. This was the means of opening up a +new avenue of work among the men. + +The Scotch Major had a string of hospitals that he visited in addition to +his other regular duties. He knew that the men who are gassed lose all +their possessions when their clothes are ripped off from them. So this +Salvationist made a delightful all-the-year-round Santa Claus out of +himself: dressing up in old clothes, because of the mud and dirt through +which he must pass, he would sling a pack on his back that would put to +shame the one Old Santa used to carry. Shaving things and soap and +toothbrushes, handkerchiefs and chocolate and writing materials. How they +welcomed him wherever he came! Sick men, Protestants, Jews, Catholics. He +talked and prayed with them all, and no one turned away from his kindly +messages. + +Six miles from Neufchauteul is Bazoilles, a mighty city of hospital tents +and buildings, acres and acres of them, lying in the valley. Whenever this +man heard the rumbling of guns and knew that something was doing, he took +his pack and started down to go the rounds, for there were always men +there needing him. + +Then he would hold meetings in the wards, blessed meetings that the +wounded men enjoyed and begged for. They all joined in the singing, even +those who could not sing very well. And once it was a blind boy who asked +them to sing "Lead Kindly Light Amid the Encircling Gloom, Lead Thou Me +On." + +One Sunday afternoon two Salvation Army lassies had come with their Major +to hold their usual service in the hospital, but there were so many +wounded coming in and the place was so busy that it seemed as if perhaps +they ought to give up the service. The nurses were heavy-eyed with fatigue +and the doctors were almost worked to death. But when this was suggested +with one accord both doctors and nurses were against it. "The boys would +miss it so," they said, "and we would miss it, too. It rests us to hear +you sing." + +After the Bible reading and prayer a lassie sang: "There Is Sunshine in My +Heart To-day," and then came a talk that spoke of a spiritual sunshine +that would last all the year. The song and talk drifted out to another +little ward where a doctor sat beside a boy, and both listened. As the +physician rose to go the wounded boy asked if he might write a letter. + +The next day the doctor happened to meet the lassie who sang and told her +he had a letter that had been handed to him for censorship that he thought +she would like to see. He said the writer had asked him to show it to her. +This was the letter: + + Dear Mother: You will be surprised to hear that I am in the hospital, but +I am getting well quickly and am having a good time. But best of all, some +Salvation Army people came and sang and talked about sunshine, and while +they were talking the sunshine came in through my window--not into my room +alone, but into my heart and life as well, where it is going to stay. I +know how happy this will make you. + + The hospital work was a large feature of the service performed by the +Salvation Army. In every area this testimony comes from both doctors, +nurses and wounded men. Yet it was nothing less than a pleasure for the +workers to serve those patient, cheerful sufferers. + +A lassie entered a ward one day and found the men with combs and tissue +paper performing an orchestra selection. They apologized for the noise, +declaring that they were all crazy about music and that was the only way +they could get it. + +"How would you like a phonograph?" she asked. + +"Oh, Boy! If we only had one! I'll tell the world we'd like it," one +declared wistfully. + +The phonograph was soon forthcoming and brought much pleasure. + +A lassie offered to write a letter for a boy whose foot had just been +amputated and whose right arm was bound in splints. He accepted her offer +eagerly, but said: + +"But when you write promise me you won't tell mother about my foot. She +worries! She wouldn't understand how well off I really am. Maybe you had +better let me try to write a bit myself for you to enclose. I guess I +could manage that." So, with his left hand, he wrote the following: + + +Dearest Mother:--I am laid up in the hospital here with a very badly +sprained ankle and some bruises, and will be here two or three weeks. Do +not worry, I am getting along fine. Your loving Son. + + +Two automobiles, an open car and a limousine, were maintained in Paris +for the sole purpose of providing outings for wounded men who were able to +take a little drive. It was said by the doctors and nurses that nothing +helped a rapid recovery like these little excursions out into an every-day +beautiful world. + +A boy on one of the hospital cots called to a passing lassie: + +"I am going to die, I know I am, and I'm a Catholic. Can you pray for me, +Salvation Army girl, like you prayed for that fellow over there?" + +The young lassie assured him that he was not going to die yet, but she +knelt by his cot and prayed for him, and soothed him into a sleep from +which he awoke refreshed to find that she was right, he was not going to +die yet, but live, perhaps, to be a different lad. + +A sixteen-year-old boy who at the first declaration of war had run away +from home and enlisted was wounded so badly that he was ordered to go back +to the evacuation hospital. He was determined that he could yet fight, and +was almost crying because he had to leave his comrades, but on the way +back he discovered the entrance to a German dugout and thought he heard +someone down in there moving. + +"Come out," he shouted, "or I'll throw in a hand grenade!" + +A few minutes later he reached the evacuation hospital with thirty +prisoners of war, his useless arm hanging by his side. That is the kind of +stuff our American boys are made of, and those are the boys who are +praising the Salvation Army! + +It was sunset at the Gondrecourt Officers' Training Camp. On the big +parade ground in back of the Salvation Army huts three companies were +lined up for "Colors." The sun was sinking into a black mass of storm +clouds, painting the Western sky a dull blood red with here and there a +thread of gleaming gold etched on the rim of a cloud. Three French +children trudged sturdily, wearily, back from the distant fields where +they had toiled all day. The elder girl pushed a wheelbarrow heavily laden +with plunder from the fields. All bore farming implements, the size of +which dwarfed them by comparison. They had almost reached the end of the +drill ground when the military band blared out the opening notes of the +"Star Spangled Banner," and the flag slipped slowly from its high staff. +Instantly the farming tools were dropped and the three childish figures +swung swiftly to "attention," hands raised rigidly to the stiff French +salute. So they stood until the last note had died. Then on they tramped, +their backs all bent and weary, over the hill and down into the grey, +evening-shadowed village of the valley. + +In a shell-marred little village at the American front, the Salvation Army +once brought the United States Army to a standstill. Several hundred +artillerymen had gathered for the regular Wednesday night religious +service, held in the hutment, conducted by that organization at this +point, and, in closing, sang vigorously three verses of "The Star Spangled +Banner." A Major who was passing came immediately to attention, his +example being followed by all of the men and officers within hearing, and +also by a scattering of French soldiers who were just emerging from the +Catholic church. By the time the second verse was well under way three +companies of infantry, marching from a rest camp toward the front, had +also come to a rigid salute, blocking the road to a quartermaster's supply +train, who had, perforce, to follow suit. The "Star Spangled Banner" has a +deeper meaning to the man who has done a few turns in the trenches. + +They had a pie-baking contest in Gondrecourt one day, where the renowned +"Aunt Mary" was located, with her sweet face and sweeter heart. + +One of the other huts had baked two hundred and thirty-five pies in a day. +The people in Gondrecourt believed they could do better than that, so they +made their preparations and set to work. + +The soldiers were all interested, of course. Who was to eat those pies? +The more pies the merrier! The engineers had constructed a rack to hold +them, so that they might be easily counted without confusion. The soldiers +had appointed a committee to do the counting with a representative from +the cooks to be sure that everything went right. Even the officers and +chaplain took an interest in it. + +This hut was in one of the largest American sectors. It was so well +patronized that they used on an average fifty gallons of coffee every +evening and seventy-five or more gallons of lemonade every afternoon. You +can imagine the pies and doughnuts that would find a welcome here. One day +they made twenty-seven hundred sugar cookies, and another day they fried +eighteen hundred and thirty-six doughnuts, at the same time baking cake +and pies; but this time they were going to try to bake three hundred pies +between the rising and setting of the sun. + +An army field oven only holds nine pies at a time, so every minute of the +day had to be utilized. The fires were started very early in the morning +and everything was ready for the girls to begin when the sun peeped over +the edge of the great battlefield. They sprang at their task as though it +were a delightful game of tennis, and not as though they had worked hard +and late on the day before, and the many days before that. + +It was very hot in the little kitchen as the sun waxed high. An army range +never tries to conserve its heat for the benefit of the cooks. In fact +that kitchen was often used for a Turkish bath by some poor wet soldiers +who were chilled to the bone. + +But the heat did not delay the workers. They flew at their task with +fingers that seemed to have somehow borrowed an extra nimbleness. All day +long they worked, and the pies were marshalled out of the oven by nines, +flaky and fragrant and baked just right. The rack grew fuller and fuller, +and the soldiers watched with eager eyes and watering mouths. Now and then +one of the soldiers' cooks would put his head in at the door, ask how the +score stood, and shake his head in wonder. On and on they worked, mixing, +rolling, filling, putting the little twists and cuts on the upper crust, +and slipping in the oven and out again! Mixing, rolling, filling and +baking without any let-up, until the sun with a twinkle of glowing +appreciation slipped regretfully down behind the hills of France again as +if he were sorry to leave the fun, and the time was up. The committee gave +a last careful glance over the filled racks and announced the final score, +three hundred and sixteen pies, in shining, delectable rows! + +By seven o'clock that evening the pie line was several hundred yards long. +It was eleven o'clock when the last quarter of a pie went over the +counter, with its accompanying mug of coffee. Think what it was just to +have to cut and serve that pie, and make that coffee, after a long day's +work of baking! + +One of the officers receiving his change after having paid for his pie +looked at it surprisedly: + +"And you mean to tell me that you girls work so hard for such a small +return? I don't see where you make any profit at all." + +"We don't work for profit, Captain," answered the lassie. "I don't think +any amount of money would persuade us to keep going as we have to here at +times." + +"You mean you sort of work for the joy of working?" he asked, puzzled. + +"I don't know what you mean," responded the lassie pleasantly, "but when +we are tired we look at the boys drilling in the sun and working early and +late. They are splendid and we feel we must do our part as unreservedly as +they do theirs." + +"No wonder my men have so many good things to say about the Salvation +Army!" said the Captain, turning to his companions. But as he went out +into the night his voice floated back in a puzzled sort of half- +conviction, as if he were thinking out something more than had been +spoken: + +"It takes more than patriotism to keep refined women working like that!" + +These same girls were commissioned also to make frequent visits to the +hospitals and talk with the sick soldiers. Often they read the Bible to +them, and many a man through these little talks has found the way of +eternal life. This in addition to their other work. + +One night after a meeting in the hut a lad wanted to come into the room at +the back and speak to one of the women about his soul. They knelt and +prayed together, and the boy when he rose had a light of real happiness on +his face. But suddenly the happiness faded and he exclaimed: + +"But I can't read!" + +"Read? What do you mean?" asked the lassie. + +"My Bible. Nobody never learned me to read, and I can't read my Bible like +you said in the meeting I should." + +The lassie thought for a minute, and then suggested that he come to the +hut every morning just before first call and she would teach him a verse +of scripture and read him a chapter. This meant that the lassie must rise +that much earlier, but what of that for a servant of the King? + +Just a month this program was carried out, and then came marching orders +for the boy, but by this time he had a rich store of God's word safe in +his heart from the verses he had memorized. The last night when he came to +say good-bye he said to his teacher: + +"Your kindness has meant a lot of trouble for you, miss, but for me it has +meant life! Before, I was afraid to fight; but now I don't even fear +death. I know now that it can only mean a new life. Thank God for your +goodness to me!" + +There was one soldier who went by the name of Scoop. He had been a +reporter back in the States and learned to love drink. When he joined the +army he did not give up his old habits. Whenever anybody remonstrated with +him he invariably replied gaily, "I'm out to enjoy life." On pay-days +Scoop celebrated by drinking more than ever. + +One day he happened into the Salvation Army hut. Whether the pie or the +doughnuts or the homeyness of the place first attracted him no one knows. +He said it was the pie. Something held him there. He came every night. The +spirit of the Lord that lived and breathed in those consecrated men and +girls began to work in his heart and conscience, and speak to him of +better things that might even be for him. + +When he felt the desire for drink or gambling coming on he gave his money +to the girls to keep for him. + +On the last pay-day before he was sent to another location he took a +paint-brush and some paint and made a little sign which he set up in a +prominent place in the hut, his silent testimony to what they had done for +him: "FOR THE FIRST TIME ON PAY-DAY SCOOP IS SOBER!" + +One morning a lassie was frying some doughnuts in the Gondrecourt hut, +another was rolling and cutting, and both were very busy when a soldier +came in with the mail. The girls went on with their work, though one could +easily see that they were eager for letters. One was handed to the lassie +who was frying the doughnuts. When she opened it she found it was an +official dispatch. The others saw the change of her expression and asked +what was the matter, but she made no reply while tears started down her +cheeks. She, however, went on frying doughnuts. The others asked again +what was the trouble and for answer the girl handed them the open +dispatch, which stated briefly that one of her three brothers, who were +all in the service, had been killed in action on the previous day. The +others sympathetically tried to draw her away from her work, but she said: +"No, nothing will help me to bear my sorrow like doing something for +others." This is the spirit of the Salvation Army workers. Personal +sorrows, personal feelings, personal difficulties, hardships, dangers, are +not allowed to interrupt their labors of love. Fortunately, it was later +discovered that this message about her brother was unfounded. + +A boy told this lassie one day that the next day was his birthday, and she +saw the homesickness and yearning in his eyes as he spoke. Immediately she +told him she would have a birthday party for him and bake a cake for it. + +She found some tiny candles in the village and placed nineteen upon the +pretty frosted cake. They had to use a white bed-quilt for a tablecloth, +and none of the cups and saucers matched, but the table looked very pretty +when it was set, with little white paper baskets of almonds which the +girls had made at each place, and all the candles lit on the white cake in +the middle. The boy brought three of his comrades, and there were the +Salvation Army Major in charge and the lassies. They had a beautiful time. +Of course it was quite a little extra work for the lassie, but when +someone asked her why she took so much trouble she had a faraway look in +her eyes, and said she guessed it was for the sake of the boy's mother, +and those who heard remembered that her own three brothers were in United +States uniform somewhere facing the enemy. + +There are several instances in which American soldiers coming from British +and French Sectors, where they had been brigaded with armies of those +nations, have upon entering a Salvation Army hut for the first time +without noticing the sign over the door started to talk to the girls in +French--very fragmentary French at that. When they found the girls to be +Americans they were almost beside themselves with mingled feelings of +bashfulness and delight. Most of the soldiers exhibit the former trait. + +One boy approached one of our men officers. + +"Can them girls speak American?" he asked, pointing at the girls. + +On being assured that they could, he said: "Will they mind if I go up and +speak to them? I ain't talked to an American woman in seven months." + +Two soldiers were walking along the dusty roadway. + +First soldier: "Let's go to the Salvation Army hut." + +Second soldier: "No, I don't want to." + +First soldier: "They've got a piano and a phonograph and lots of records." + +Second soldier: "No, I don't want to." + +First soldier: "They've got books and _beaucoup_ games." + +Second soldier: "No, I don't want to." + +First soldier: "Two American ladies there!" + +Second soldier: "No, I don't want to." + +First soldier: "They've got swell coffee and doughnuts!" + +Second soldier (angrily): "No! I said NO!" + +First soldier: "Aw, come on. They got real homemade pie!" + +Second soldier: "I don't care!" + +First soldier: "They cut their own wood and do their own work!" + +Second soldier: "Well, that's different! Why didn't you say that right +off, you bonehead? Come on. Where is it?" + +And they entered the Salvation Army hut smiling. + +One dear Salvation Army lady had a little hand sewing machine which she +took about with her and wherever she landed she would sit down on an +orange crate, put her machine on another and set up a tailor shop: sewing +up rips; refitting coats that were too large; letting out a seam that was +too tight; and helping the boys to be tidy and comfortable again. A good +many of our boys lost their coats in the Soissons fight, and when they got +new ones they didn't always fit, so this little sewing machine that went +to war came in very handy. Sometimes the owner would rip off the collar or +rip out the sleeves, or almost rip up the whole coat and with her mouthful +of pins skillfully put it together again until it looked as if it belonged +to the laddie who owned it. Then with some clever chalk marks replacing +the pins she would run it through her little machine, and off went another +boy well-clothed. One week she altered more than thirty-three coats in +this way. The soldiers called her "mother" and loved to sit about and talk +with her while she worked. + + The men went in battalions to the Luneville Sector for Trench Training +facing the enemy. Of course, the Salvation Army sent a detachment also. + +Over here they had to give up huts. No huts at all were allowed so near +the front. No light of fire or even stove, no lights of any kind or +everything would be destroyed by shell fire at once. An order went out +that all huts near the front must be under ground. Yet neither did this +daunt the faithful men and women whom God Himself had sent to help those +boys at the front. + +The work was extended to other camps in the Gondrecourt area and finally +the time came for the troops to move up to the front to occupy part of a +sector. + + + + +III. + +The Toul Sector + + + +Headquarters of the First Division were established at Menil-la-Tour and +that of the First Brigade at Ansauville. Information came on leaving the +Gondrecourt Area, that the district would be abandoned to the French, so +the wooden hut at Montiers was moved and set up again at Sanzey, which +then became the Headquarters of the First Ammunition Train. Huts were +established at Menil-la-Tour and other points in the Toul Sector. + +It took three days to erect the hut at Sanzey, but within an hour the +field range was set up, and a piece of tarpaulin stretched over it to keep +the rain off the girls and the doughnuts. + +Hour after hour the girls stood there making doughnuts, and hour after +hour the line moved slowly along waiting patiently for doughnuts. The +Adjutant went away a little while and returned to find some of the same +boys standing in line as when he left. Some had been standing five hours! +It was the only pastime they had, just as soon as they were off duty, to +line up again for doughnuts. + +The hut at Sanzey was used mostly by men of an Ammunition Train. As in +other places where the Salvation Army huts catered to the American troops, +an all-night service of hot coffee or chocolate and doughnuts or cookies +was provided for the men as they returned from their dangerous nightly +trips to the front. When men were killed their comrades usually brought +them back and laid them in this hut until they could be buried. One night +a man was killed and brought back in this fashion. The chaplain was +holding a service over his body in the hut. The Salvation Army man was +talking to the man who had been the dead lad's "buddie." "I wish it was me +instead of him, Cap," said this soldier, "he was his mother's oldest son +and she will take it hard." + +The Salvation Army was told that Ansauville was too far front for any +women to be allowed to go. They felt, however, that it was advisable for +women to be there and determined to bring it about if possible. On +scouting the town there was found no suitable place in any of the +buildings except one that was occupied as the General's garage. The +Salvation Army was not permitted to erect any additional buildings as it +was feared they would attract the fire of the Germans, for Ansauville was +well within the range of the German guns. + +After deciding that the General's garage was the only logical place for +them the Salvation Army representative called upon the General, who asked +him where he would propose establishing a hut. The Salvationist told him +the only suitable place in the town was that used by him as a garage. He +immediately gave most gracious and courteous consent and ordered his aide +to find another garage. + +The place in question was an old frame barn with a lofty roof which had +already been partly shot away and was open to the sky. They were not +permitted to repair the roof because the German airplane observers would +notice it and know that some activity was going on there which would call +for renewed shell fire. However, the top of one of the circus tents was +easily run up in the barn so as to form a ceiling. + +Ansauville was between Mandres and Menil-la-Tour, not far from advanced +positions in the Toul Sector. Five hundred French soldiers had been +severely gassed there the night before the Staff-Captain and his helper +arrived, and every day people were killed on the streets by falling +shells. There was not a house in the village that had not suffered in some +way from shell fire; very few had a door or a window left, and many were +utterly demolished. + +Approaching the town the roads were camouflaged with burlap curtains +hanging on wires every little way, so that it was impossible to see down +the streets very far in either direction. There were signs here and there: +"ATTENTION! THE ENEMY SEES YOU!" + +About midnight the Staff-Captain and his officer arrived and after some +difficulty found the old barn that the Colonel had told them was to be +their hut, but to their dismay there were half a dozen cars parked inside, +including the Commanding General's, and it looked as if it were being used +for the Staff Garage. Looking up they could see the stars peeping through +the shell holes in the tiled roof. It was the first time either of them +had been in a shelled town and the experience was somewhat awe-inspiring. +Moreover they were both hungry and sleepy and the situation was by no +means a cheerful one. They had a large tent and a load of supplies with +them and were at a loss where to bestow them. + +In the midst of their perturbation a courier arrived with a side car and +dismounted. He stumbled in on them and peered at them through the +darkness. + +"As I live, it's the Salvation Army!" he cried joyfully, shaking hands +with both of them at once. "All of the boys have been asking when you were +coming. Are you looking for a place to chow and sleep? There's no place in +town for a billet, but we have a kitchen down the street. We can give you +some chow, and it's warm there. You can roll up in your blankets and sleep +by the stove till morning. Come with me." + +The cook awakened them in the morning with his clatter of pots and pans in +preparation for breakfast. They arose and began to roll up their blanket +packs. + +"Don't worry about getting up yet," said the chief cook kindly. "Sleep a +little longer. You are not in my way." But the two men thanked him and +declined to rest longer. + +"Where are you going to chow?" asked the chief cook. + +The Salvationists allowed that they didn't know. + +"Well, you boys line up with this outfit, see?" insisted the chief cook. +"We eat three times a day and you're welcome to everything we have!" + +This settled the question of board, and after a good breakfast the two +started out to report to the General in command. + +He greeted them most kindly and made them feel welcome at once. + +When they asked about the barn he smiled pleasantly: + +"That Colonel of yours is a fine fellow," he said. "He told me that there +was only one place in this town that would do for your hut and that was my +garage. He said he was afraid he would have to ask me to move my car. Just +as though my car were of more importance than the souls of my men! +Gentlemen, you can have anything you want that is mine to give. The barn +is yours! And if there's anything I can do, command me!" + +It was a very dirty stable and needed a deal of cleaning, but the strong +workers bent to their task with willing hands, and soon had it in fine +order. There was no possibility of mending the roof, but they camouflaged +the old tent top and ran it up inside, and it kept the rain and snow off +beautifully. Of course, it was no protection against shells, but when they +commenced to arrive everybody departed in a hurry to the nearby dugouts, +returning quietly when the firing had ceased. The nights were so cold that +they had to sleep with all their clothes on, even their overcoats. Often +in the mornings their shoes were frozen too stiff to put on until they +were thawed over a candle. One soldier broke his shoe in two trying to +bend it one morning. Sometimes the men would sleep with their shoes inside +their shirts to keep the damp leather from freezing. Two yards from the +stove the milk froze! + +A field range had been secured and the chimney extended up from the roof +for a distance of forty or fifty feet. It smoked terribly, but on this +range was cooked many a savory meal and tens of thousands of doughnuts. + +Among the doughboys who loved to help around the Salvation Army hut was a +quiet fellow who never talked much about himself, yet everybody liked him +and trusted him. No one knew much about him, or where he came from, and he +never told about his folks at home as some did. But he used to come in +from the trenches during the day and do anything he could to be useful +around the hut, which was run by two sisters. Even when he had to stand +watch at night he would come back in the daytime and help. They could not +persuade him to sleep when he ought. Other fellows came and went, talked +about their troubles and their joys, got their bit of sympathy or cheer +and went their way, but this fellow came every day and worked silently, +always on the job. They made him their chief doughnut dipper and he seemed +to love the work and did it well. + +Then one day his company moved, and he came no more. The girls often asked +if anyone knew anything about him, but no one did. Once in a while a brief +note would come from him up at the front in the trenches a few miles to +the north, but never more than a word of greeting. + +One morning the girls were making doughnuts, hard at work, and suddenly +the former chief doughnut dipper stumbled into the hut. He looked tired +and dusty and it was evident by the way he walked that he was footsore. + +"Gee! It's good to see you," he said, sinking down in his old place by the +stove. + +They gave him a cup of steaming coffee and all the doughnuts he could eat +and waited for his story, but he did not begin. + +"Well, how are you?" asked one of the girls, hoping to start him. + +"Oh, all right, thanks," he said meekly. + +"Where is your company?" + +"Up the line in some woods." + +"How far is it?" + +"About ten miles." + +The girls felt they were not getting on very fast in acquiring +information. + +"Did you walk all that way in the dust and sun?" + +"Most of it. Sometimes I was in the fields." + +"Were you on watch last night?" + +"Ye-ah." + +"Then you didn't have any sleep?" + +"No." + +"Why did you come over here then?" + +"I wanted to see you." There was a sound of a deep hunger in his voice. + +"Well, we're awfully glad to see you, surely. Is there anything we can do +for you?" + +"No, Just let me look at you"-there was frank honesty in his eyes, a deep +undertone of reverence in his voice, not even a hint of gallantry or +flattery, only a loyal homage. + +"Just let me look at you--and----" he hesitated. + +"And what?" "And cook some doughnuts." + +"Why, of course!" said the girls cheerily, "but you must lie down and +sleep awhile first. We'll fix a place for you." + +"I don't want to lie down," said the soldier determinedly, "I don't want +to waste the time." + +"But it wouldn't be wasted. You need the sleep." + +"No, that isn't what I need. I want to look at you," he reiterated. "I've +got a wife and a little baby at home, and I love them. I like to be here +because seeing you takes me back to them. This morning I knew I ought to +sleep, but I just couldn't go over the top tonight without seeing you +again. That's why I want to see you and fry a few doughnuts for you. It +takes me back to them." + +He finished with a far-away look in his eyes. He was not thinking what +impression his words would make, his thoughts were with his wife and +little baby. + +He worked around for a couple of hours, saying very little, but seeming +quite content. Then he looked at his watch and said it was time to go, as +it was quite a walk back to his company. Just so quietly he took his leave +and went out to take his chance with Death. + +The two girls thought much about him that night as they went about their +work, and later lay down and tried to sleep, and their prayers went up for +the faithful soul who was doing his duty out there under fire, and for the +anxious wife and little one who waited to know the outcome. Sleep did not +come soon to their eyes, as they lay in the darkness and prayed. + +"The next day about noon as the girls were dipping doughnuts the chief +doughnut dipper stumbled once more into the hut, tired, dirty, dusty and +worn, but with his eyes sparkling: + +"Just thought I ought to come back and tell you I'm all right," he said. +"I was afraid you'd be worried. My wife and baby would, anyway." + +The girls received him with exultant smiles. "You go out there under the +trees and go to sleep!" they ordered him. + +"All right, I will," he said. "I feel like sleeping now. Say, you don't +think I'm crazy, do you? I just had to see you! It took me back to them!" + +It was one of those chill rainy nights which have caused the winter of +1917-1918 to be remembered with shudders by the men of the earlier +American Expeditionary Forces. A large part of the American forces were +billeted in the weathered, age-old little villages of the Gondrecourt +area. They slept in barns, haylofts, cowsheds and even in pig sties. The +roads were mere ditches running knee deep in sticky, clogging mud. Shoes, +soaked through from the muddy road, froze as the men slept and in the +morning had to be thawed out over a candle before they could be drawn on. +Frequently men were late at roll-call simply because their shoes were +frozen so stiff that they were unable to don them, and their leggings so +icy that they could not be wound. After sundown there were no lights, +because lights invited air-raids and might well expose the position of +troops to the enemy observers. Only in towns where there were Salvation +Army or Y.M.C.A. huts could men find any artificial warmth, during the day +or night, and only in these places were there any lights after nightfall. +Such huts afforded absolutely the only available recreation facilities. +But in countless villages where Americans were billeted there was not even +this small comfort to be had. + +On this particular night, in such a village, an eighteen-year-old boy sat +in the orderly room of a regimental headquarters, which was housed in a +once pretentious but now sadly decrepit house. Rain leaked through the +tiled roof and dribbled down into the room. Windows were long ago +shattered and through cracks in the rude board barricades which had +replaced the glass a rising wind was driving the rain. The boy sat at a +rough wooden table waiting orders. Two weeks previously a letter had come, +saying that his mother was seriously ill. Since that he had had no further +word. He was desperately homesick. There had been as yet none of the +danger and none of the thrill which seems to settle a man down, to the +serious business of war. + +A passing soldier had just told him that in a village some twelve +kilometers distant two Salvation Army women were operating a hut. He +longed desperately for the comfort of a woman of his own people and, +sitting in the drafty, damp room, he wished that these two Salvationists +were not so far away--that he could talk with them and confide in them. At +last the wish grew so strong that he could no longer resist it. + +He got up quietly, and silently slipped out into the rainy night. The +darkness was so thick that he could not see objects six feet away. Walking +through the mud was out of the question. He stumbled down, the street, +once falling headlong into a muddy puddle, finally reaching the horse- +lines, where, saying that he had an errand for the Colonel, he saddled a +horse and slopped off into the night. + +For a while he kept to the road, his horse occasionally taking fright, as +a truck passed clanking slowly in the opposite direction, or a staff car +turned out to pass him like a fleeting, ghostly shadow. By following the +trees which lined the road at regular intervals he was fairly sure to keep +the road. He was very tired and soon began to feel sleepy, but the driving +storm, which by this time had assumed the proportions of a tempest, stung +him to wakefulness. Once, at a cross-roads a Military Police stopped and +questioned him and gave him directions upon his saying that he was +carrying dispatches. + +He went on. He dozed, only to be sharply awakened by a truck which almost +ran him down. He must be more careful, he thought to himself, feeling +utterly alone and miserable. But in spite of his resolution his eyes soon +closed again. He was awakened, this time by his horse stumbling over some +unseen obstacle. He could see nothing in any direction. The blackness and +rain shut him in like a fog. He turned at right angles to find the trees +which lined the road, but there were no trees. He swung his horse around +and went in the other direction, but he found no trees--only an +impenetrable darkness which pressed in upon him with a heaviness which +might almost have been weighed. He was lost--utterly lost. + +He guided his steed in futile circles, hoping to regain the road, but all +to no avail. Fear of the night fell upon him. He was wet to the skin and +chilled to the bone. He shivered with cold and with fright. Dropping from +his horse he pulled from his pocket an electric flashlight and began +throwing its slender beam in widening arcs over the ground. The light +revealed a stubble field. Surely there must be a path which would lead to +the road, thought the boy. Backward and forward over the field he waved +the light. His hands trembled so that he could not hold the switch steady, +and the lamp blinked on and off. + +On the storm-swept, night-hidden hillside which overhung the field was +established an anti-aircraft battery. + +The sound detectors had just registered the intermittent hum of an enemy +plane. It was unusual that an enemy aviator should fight his way over the +lines in the face of such a storm, but such things had occurred before and +the Captain in charge of the battery searched the tempestuous skies for +the intruder, waiting for the sound to grow until he should know that the +searchlights had at least a chance of locating the venturesome plane +instead of merely giving away their position. + +Suddenly, cutting the night in the field below, a tiny ray of light cut +the darkness, sweeping back and forward, flashing on and off. For a moment +the officer watched it, then, with a muttered curse, he raced down the +hillside followed by one of his men. The noise of the storm hid their +approach. The boy collapsed into a trembling heap, as the officer grasped +him and wrested the flash-light from his chilled fingers. He made no +protest as they led him down into a dark, deserted village. He followed +his captors into a candle-lighted room where sat a staff officer. + +Briefly the Captain explained the situation. + +"Caught him in the act of signaling to an enemy plane, sir," he said. + +The boy was too cold to venture a protest. + +"Bring him to me again in the morning," said the Colonel, shrugging his +shoulders. "Hold on, though! What are you going to do with him? He will +die unless you get him warmed up." + +"Don't know what to do with him, sir, unless I take him down to the +Salvation Army... they have a fire there." + +"Very good, Captain, see that he is properly guarded and if they will have +him, leave him there for the night." And so it came to pass that the boy +reached his destination. It was past closing time--long past; but the +motherly Salvationist in charge knew just what to do. Within ten minutes, +wrapped in a warm blanket, the boy sat with his feet in a pan of hot +water, with the Salvation Army woman feeding him steaming lemonade. +Between gulps, he told his story and was comforted. Soon he was snugly +tucked into an army cot, and still grasping the Salvationist's hand, was +sleeping peacefully. + +The next day a little investigation assured the Colonel that the boy's +story was a true one, and with a reprimand for leaving his post without +orders he was allowed to return. The delay, however, had absented him, of +course, from morning roll-call, and he was sentenced to thirty days +repairing wire on the front-line trenches, which was often equivalent to a +death sentence, for as many men were shot during the performance of this +duty as came in safely. + +He had done fifteen days of his time at this sentence when the Salvation +Army woman from the Ansauville hut which the boy had visited that rainy +night happened over to his Officers' Headquarters, and by chance learned +of his unhappy fate. It took but a few words from her to his commanding +officer to set matters right; his sentence was revoked, and he was +pardoned. + +Ansauville was a point of peculiar importance in that all the troops +passing into or out from the sector stopped there. It was here that cocoa +and coffee were first provided for the troops. Afterwards it came to be +the habit to serve them with the doughnuts and pie. It was when the +Twenty-sixth Division came into the line. They had marched for hours and +had been without any warm meal for a long time. Detachments of them +reached Ansauville at night, wet and cold, too late to secure supper that +night, and hearing they were coming, the lassies put on great boilers of +coffee and cocoa, and as the men arrived they were given to them freely. + +A hut was established at Mandres. This was some distance in advance of +Ansauville and lay in the valley. At first a wooden building was secured. +It had nothing but a dirt floor but lumber was hauled from Newchateau by +truck--a distance of sixty miles, and the place was made comfortable. + +For some little time the boys enjoyed this hut, but on one occasion the +Germans sent over a heavy barrage; they hit the hut, destroying one end of +it, scattering the supplies, ruining the victrola, and after that the +military authorities ordered that the men should not assemble in such +numbers. + +When this order was given, the Salvation Army had no intention of +discontinuing work at Mandres and so found a cellar under a partially +destroyed building. This cellar was vaulted and had been used for storing +wine. It was wet and in bad condition, but with some labor it was made fit +to receive the men; and tables and benches were placed there, the canteen +established and a range set up. It was at this place that a very wonderful +work was carried on. The Salvation Army Ensign who had charge, for a time, +scoured the country for miles around to purchase eggs, which he +transferred to his hut in an old baby carriage. The eggs were supplied to +the men at cost and they fried them themselves on the range, which was +close at hand. This was considered by the military authorities too far +front for women to come and only men were allowed here. + +The Ensign also mixed batter for pan cakes and established quite a +reputation as a pan-cake maker. Here was a place where the soldiers felt +at home. They could come in at any time and on the fire cook what they +pleased. + +They could purchase at the canteen such articles as were for sale and it +was home to them. Very wonderful meetings were held in this spot and many +men found Christ at the penitent-form, which was an old bench placed in +front of the canteen. + +On the wharf in New York when the soldiers were returning home some +soldiers were talking about the Salvation Army. "Did you ever go to one of +their meetings?" asked one. "I sure did!" answered a big fine fellow--a +college man, by the way, from one of the well known New England +universities. "I sure did!--and it was the most impressive service I ever +attended. It was down in an old wine cellar, and the house over it +_wasn't_ because it had been blown away. The meeting was led by a +little Swede, and he gave a very impressive address, and followed it by a +wonderful prayer. And it wasn't because it was so learned either, for the +man was no college chap, but it stirred me deeply. I used to be a good +deal of a barbarian before I went to France, but that meeting made a big +change in me. Things are going to be different now. + +"The place was lit by a candle or two and the guns were roaring overhead, +but the room was packed and a great many men stood up for prayers. Oh, +I'll never forget that meeting!" + +That meeting was in the old wine cellar in Mandres. + +The town of Mandres was shelled daily and it was an exceptional day that +passed without from one to ten men being killed as a result of this +shelling. + +Here are some extracts from letters written by the Ensign from the old +wine cellar in Mandres: + + "Somewhere in France," May 15, 1918. + +I am still busy in my old wine-cellar in France. I must give you an idea +of my daily routine: Get up early and, go to my cellar. Get wood and make +fire; go for some water to put on stove. Take my mess kit, helmet, gas +mask and cane, walk about one block to the part of the church standing by +the artillery kitchen and get my hand-out mess, go back to my cellar and +have my breakfast, see to the fire, fuel, clean and light the lamps, dip +and carry out some water and mud (but have now found a place to drain off +the water by cutting through the heavy stone wall and digging a ditch +underneath). I dig whenever I have time. Then the boys begin to come in- +some right from the trenches, others who are resting up after a siege in +the trenches. They are all covered with mud when they come in and have to +talk, stand and even sleep in mud. Then I must have the cocoa and coffee +ready and serve also the candy, figs, nuts, gum, chocolate, shaving- +sticks, razors, watches, knives, gun oil, paper, envelopes, etc. I mostly +wear my rubber boots and stand in a little boot "slouched" down so I can +stand straight. Almost every evening we have a little "sing-song" or +regular service, and on Sunday two or three services. + +Our wine-cellar is supposed to be bomb-proof. First the roof, the ceiling, +the floor, then the three-feet stone and concrete under the floor and +along the wine-cellar. I am all alone for all this business. Sometimes the +boys help me to cut wood and keep the fire and carry water, but the +companies are changed so often that they go and come every five days, and +when they come from the trenches they are so tired and sleepy they need +all the rest they can get. Yesterday I had to change the stove and +stovepipes because it smoked so bad that it almost smoked us out. So I had +to run through the ruins and find old stovepipes. I could not find enough +elbows, so I had to make some with the help of an old knife. We ran the +pipes through the low window bars and up the side of the house to the top, +and plastered up poor joints with mud, but it burns better and does not +smoke. The boys claim I make the best coffee they have had in France, and +also cocoa. I am glad I know something of cooking. You see, they don't +permit girls so near the trenches and in the shell fire. + +My dear Major: + +Grace, love and peace unto you! Many thanks for the beautiful letter I +received from you full of love, Christian admonition and encouragement. +Such letters are much Appreciated over here. + +I have been very busy. The last week, in addition to running the ordinary +business, I have used the pick and shovel and wheelbarrow in lowering our +wine-cellar floor (now used as a Salvation Army rest room), so we can walk +straight in. I have also done some white-washing to brighten things up and +have some flowers in bowls, large French wine bottles and big brass +shells, which makes a great improvement. I now expect to pick up pieces +and erect a range, so we can cook and make things faster. I secured two +hams and am having them cooked, and expect to serve ham sandwiches by +Decoration Day, two days hence, when there is to be a great time in +decorating the graves of our heroes. I am also trying to get some lemons +so that I can make lemonade for the boys besides the coffee and cocoa. You +can get an idea of the immensity of our business when I tell you I got +999.25 francs worth of butter-scotch candy alone with the last lot of +goods, besides a dozen other kinds of candy, nuts, toilet articles, etc., +and this will be sold and given out in a very few days. + +We had very good meetings last Sunday. I spoke at night. A glorious time +we had, indeed. Praise God for the opportunity of working among the New +England braves! + + At Menil-la-Tours the French forbade any huts at all to be put up at +first, but finally they gave permission for one hut. The Staff-Captain +wanted to put up two, but as that wasn't allowed he got around the order +by building five rooms on each side of the one big hut and so had plenty +of room. It is pretty hard to get ahead of a Salvation Army worker when he +has a purpose in view. Not that they are stubborn, simply that they know +how to accomplish their purpose in the nicest way possible and please +everybody. + +There were some American railroad engineers here, working all night taking +stuff to the front. They came over and asked if they could help out, and +so instead of taking their day for sleep they spent most of it putting tar +paper on the roof of the Salvation Army hut. + +It was in this place that there seemed to be a strong prejudice among some +of the soldiers against the Salvation Army for some reason. The soldiers +stood about swearing at the Staff-Captain and his helper as they worked, +and saying the most abusive and contemptible things to them. At last the +Staff-Captain turned about and, looking at them, in the kindliest way +said: + +"See here, boys, did you ever know anything about the Salvation Army +before?" + +They admitted that they had not. + +"Well, now, just wait a little while. Give us fair play and see if we are +like what you say we are. Wait until we get our hut done and get started, +and then if you don't like us you can say so." + +"Well, that's fair, Dad," spoke up one soldier, and after that there was +no more trouble, and it wasn't long before the soldiers were giving the +most generous praise to the Salvation Army on every side. + +L'Hermitage, nestled in the heart of a deep woods, was no quiet refuge +from the noise of battle and the troubles of a war-weary world, as one +might suppose. It was surrounded by swamps everywhere. And it had been +raining, of course. It always seems to have been raining in France during +this war. There were duck boards over the swampy ground, and a single mis- +step might send one prone in the ooze up to the elbows. + +It was a very dangerous place, also. + +There was a large ammunition dump in the town, and besides that there was +a great balloon located there which the Boche planes were always trying to +get. It was the nearest to the front of any of our balloons and, of +course, was a great target for the enemy. There was a lot of heavy coast +artillery there, also, and there were monster shell holes big enough to +hold a good audience. + +At last one day the enemy did get the ammunition dump, and report after +report rent the air as first one shell and then another would burst and go +up in flame. It was fourteen hours going off and the military officer +ordered the girls to their billets until it should be over. It was like +this: First a couple of shells would explode, then there would be a +second's quiet and a keg of powder would flare; then some boxes of +ammunition would go off; then some more shells. It was a terrible +pandemonium of sound. Thirty miles away in Gondrecourt they saw the fire +and heard the terrific explosions. + +The Zone Major and one of his helpers had been to Nancy for a truck load +of eggs and were just unloading when the explosions began. Together they +were carefully lifting out a crate containing a hundred dozen eggs when +the mammoth detonations began that rocked the earth beneath them and +threatened to shake them from their feet. They staggered and tottered but +they held onto the eggs. One of the sayings of Commander Eva Booth is, +"Choose your purpose and let no whirlwind that sweeps, no enemy that +confronts you, no wave that engulfs you, no peril that affrights you, turn +you from it." The Zone Major and his helper had chosen the purpose of +landing those eggs safely, and eggs at five francs a dozen are not to be +lightly dropped, so they staggered but they held onto the eggs. + +The girls in the canteen went quietly about their work until ordered to +safety; but over in Sanzey and Menil-la-Tour their friends watched and +waited anxiously to hear what had been their fate. + +The General who was in charge of the Twenty-sixth Division was exceedingly +kind to the Salvation Army girls. He acted like a father toward them: +giving up his own billet for their use; sending an escort to take them to +it through the woods and swamps and dangers when their work at the canteen +was over for a brief respite; setting a sentry to guard them and to give a +gas alarm when it became necessary; and doing everything in his power for +their comfort and safety. + + + + +IV. + +The Montdidier Sector + + + +Spring came on even in shell-torn France, lovely like the miracle it +always is. Bare trees in a day were arrayed in wondrous green. A +camouflage of beauty spread itself upon the valleys and over the hillsides +like a garment sewn with colored broidery of blossoms. Great scarlet +poppies flamed from ruined homes as if the blood that had been spilt were +resurrected in a glorious color that would seek to hide the misery and +sorrow and touch with new loveliness the war-scarred place. Little birds +sent forth their flutey voices where mortals must be hushed for fear of +enemies. + +The British had been driven back by the Huns until they admitted that +their backs were against the wall, and it was an anxious time. Daily the +enemy drew nearer to Paris. + +When the great offensive was started by the Germans in March, 1918, and +American troops were sent up to help the British and French, the Division +was located at Montdidier. Under the rules for the conduct of war, they +were not permitted to know where they were destined to go, and so the +Salvation Army could not secure that information. They knew it was to be +north of Paris, but where, was the problem. + +The French were opposed to any relief organizations going into the Sector, +and rules and regulations were made which were calculated to discourage or +to keep them out altogether. + +It was urgent that the Salvation Army should be there at the earliest +possible moment and as they could not secure permits, especially for the +women, they decided to get there without permits, + +The first contingent was put into a big Army truck, the cover was put down +and they were started on the road, to a point from which they hoped to +secure information of the movements of their outfit. From place to place +this truck proceeded until, finally, detachments of the troops were +located in the vicinity of Gisors. Contact was immediately established. +The girls were received with the greatest joy and portable tents were set +up. It seemed as if every man in the Division must come to say how glad he +was to see them back. The men decided that if it was in their power they +would never again allow the Salvation Army to be separated from them. A +few days later when the Division was ordered to move they took these same +lassies with them riding in army trucks. The troops were on their way to +the front and seldom remained more than three days in one place, and +frequently only one day. On arrival at the stopping-place, fifteen or +twenty of the boys would immediately proceed to erect the tent and within +an hour or two a comfortable place would be in operation, a field range +set up, the phonograph going, and the boys had a home. + +At Courcelles the Salvation Army set up a tent, started a canteen, and had +it going four days in charge of two sisters just come from the States. +Then one morning they woke up and found their outfit gone, they knew not +where, and they had to pick up and go after them. An all-day journey took +them to Froissy, where they found their special outfit. + +There was no place for a tent at Froissy, but there was an old dance hall, +where they had their canteen. The Division stayed there five weeks-under a +roar of guns. But in spite of this there were wonderful meetings every +night in Froissy. + +This work was exceedingly trying on the girls. Permits were never secured +for any of the Salvation Army workers in this Sector. They were applied +for regularly through the French Army. About three months after +application was made, they were all received back with the statement from +the French that, seeing the workers were already there, it was not now +necessary that permits should be issued. It must be reported that the +French Army was opposed to the presence of women in any of the camps of +the soldiers. This prejudice existed for a long time, but it was finally +broken down because of the good work done by Salvation Army women, which +came to be fully recognized by the French Army. + +The work in the Montdidier Sector was particularly hard. Permanent +buildings could not be established. The best that could be done was to +erect portable tents, which were about twenty feet wide and fifty-seven +feet long. Huts were established in partially destroyed buildings or +houses or stores that had been vacated by their owners, and on the extreme +front canteens were established in dugouts and cellars and the entire +district was under bombardment from the German guns as well as from the +airplane bombs. The Salvation Army had no place there that was not under +bombardment continually. The huts were frequently shelled and there was +imminent danger for a long time that the German Army would break through, +which, of course, added to the strain. + +The Zone Major went back and forth bringing more men and more lassies and +more supplies from the Base at Paris to the front, and many a new worker +almost lost his life in a baptism of fire on his way to his post of duty +for the first time. But all these men and women, as a soldier said, were +made of some fine high stuff that never faltered at danger or fatigue or +hardship. + +They rode over shell-gashed roads in the blackest midnight in a little +dilapidated Ford; made wild dashes when they came to a road upon which the +enemy's fire was concentrated, looking back sometimes to see a geyser of +flame leap up from a bend around which they had just whirled. Shells would +rain in the fields on either side of them; cars would leap by them in the +dark, coming perilously close and swerving away just in time; and still +they went bravely on to their posts. + +Everything would be blackest darkness and they would think they were +stealing along finely, when all of a sudden an incendiary bomb would burst +and flare up like a house-on-fire lighting up the whole country for miles +about, and there you were in plain sight of the enemy! And you couldn't +turn back nor hesitate a second or you would be caught by the ever +watchful foe! You had to go straight ahead in all that blare of light! + +The S. A. Adjutant's headquarters were fifty feet below the ground; +sometimes the earth would rock with the explosives. Two of the dugouts +were burrowed almost beneath the trenches and S. A. Officers here looked +after the needs of the men who were actually engaged in fighting. Every +night the shattered villages were raked and torn above them. Such dugouts +could only be left at night or when the firing ceased. The two men who +operated these lived a nerve-racking existence. Of course, all pies and +doughnuts for these places had to be prepared far to the rear, and no fire +could be built as near to the front as this. It was no easy task to bring +the supplies back and forth. It was almost always done at the risk of +life. + +The Staff-Captain and the Adjutant were speeding over a shell-swept road +one cold, black, wet night at reckless speed without a light, their hearts +filled with anxiety, for a rumor had reached them that two Salvation Army +lassies had been killed by shell fire. The night was full of the sound of +war, the distant rumble of the heavy guns, the nervous stutter of machine +guns, the tearing screech of a barrage high above the road. + +Suddenly in front of them yawned a black gulf. The Adjutant jammed on his +brakes, but it was too late. The game little Ford sailed right into a big +shell hole, and settled down three feet below the road right side up but +tightly wedged in. The two travelers climbed out and reconnoitered but +found the situation hopeless. There had been many sleepless nights before +this one, and the men, weary beyond endurance, rolled up in their +blankets, climbed into the car, and went to sleep, regardless of the guns +that thundered all about them. + +They were just lost to the land of reality when a soldier roused them +summarily, saying: + +"This is a heck of a place for the Salvation Army to go to sleep! If you +don't mind I'll just pick your old bus out of here and send you on your +way before it's light enough for Fritzy to spot you and send a calling +card." + +He was grinning at them cheerfully and they roused to the occasion. + +"How are you going to do it?" asked the Adjutant, who, by the way, was +Smiling Billy, the same one the soldiers called "one game little guy." "It +will take a three-ton truck to get us out of this hole!" + +"I haven't got a truck but I guess we can turn the trick all right!" said +the soldier. + +He disappeared into the darkness above the crater and in a moment +reappeared with ten more dark forms following him, and another soldier who +patrolled the rim of the crater on horseback. + +"How do you like 'em?" he chuckled to the Salvation Army men, as he turned +his flashlight on the ten and showed them to be big German prisoners of +war. Under his direction they soon had the little Ford pushed and +shouldered into the road once more. In a little while the Salvationists +reached their destination and found to their relief that the rumor about +the lassies was untrue. + +At Mesnil-St.-Firmin one of the lassies, a young woman well known in New +York society circles, but a loyal Salvationist and in France from the +start, drove a little flivver carrying supplies for several nights, +accompanied only by a young boy detailed from the Army. Every mile of the +way was dark and perilous, but there was no one else to do the work, so +she did it. + +Here they were under shell fire every night. The girls slept in an old +wine cellar, the only comparatively safe place to be found. It was damp, +with a fearful odor they will never forget--moreover, it was already +inhabited by rats. They frequently had to retire to the cellar during gas +attacks, and stay for hours, sometimes having only time to seize an +overcoat and throw it over their night-clothes. They were here through ten +counter-attacks and when Cantigny was taken. + +There seemed to be big movements among the Germans one day. They were +bringing up reinforcements, and a large attack was expected. The airplanes +were dropping bombs freely everywhere and it looked as if there would not +be one brick left on the top of another in a few hours. Then the military +authorities ordered the two girls to leave town. When the boys heard that +the hut was being shelled and the girls were ordered to leave they poured +in to tell them how much they would miss them. They well knew from +experience that their staunch hardworking little friends would not have +left them if they could have helped it. Also, they dreaded to lose these +consecrated young women from their midst. They had a feeling that their +presence brought the presence of the great God, with His protection, and +in this they had come to trust in their hour of danger. Often the boys +would openly speak of this, owning that they attributed their safety to +the presence of their Christian friends. + +One young officer from the officers' mess where the girls had dined once +at their invitation, brought them boxes of candy, and in presenting them +said: + +"Gee! We shall miss you like the devil!" + +The lassie twinkled up in a merry smile and answered: "That sure is some +comparison!" The officer blushed as red as a peony and tried to +apologize: + +"Well, now, you know what I mean. I don't know just how to say how much we +shall miss you!" + +They left at midnight on foot accompanied by one of the Salvation Army men +workers who had been badly gassed and needed to get back of the lines and +have some treatment. It was brilliant moonlight as they hiked it down the +road, the airplanes were whizzing over their heads and the anti-aircraft +guns piling into them. They started for La Folie, the Headquarters of the +Staff-Captain of that zone, but they lost their way and got far out of the +track, arriving at last at Breteuil. Coming to the woods a Military Police +stationed at the crossroads told them: + +"You can't go into Breteuil because they have been shelling it for twenty +minutes. Right over there beyond where you are standing a bomb dropped a +few minutes ago and killed or wounded seven fellows. The ambulance just +took them away." + +However, as they did not know where else to go they went into Breteuil, +and found the village deserted of all but French and American Military +Police. They tried to get directions, and at last found a French mule team +to take them to La Folie, where they finally arrived at four o'clock in +the morning. + +The next day they went on to Tartigny, where they were to be located for a +time. + +One of the lassies left her sister with the canteen one day and started +out with another Officer to the Divisional Gas Officer to get a new gas +mask, for something had happened to hers. As they reached a crossroads a +boy on a wheel called out: "Oh, they're shelling the road! Pull into the +village quick!" + +When they arrived in the village there was a great shell just fallen in +the very centre of the town. The girl thought of her sister all alone in +the canteen, for the shells were falling everywhere now, and they started +to take a short cut back to Tartigny, but the Military Police stopped +them, saying they couldn't go on that road in the daytime as it was under +observation, so they had to go back by the road they had come. The canteen +was at the gateway of a chateau, and when they reached there they saw the +shells falling in the chateau yard and through the glass roof of the +canteen. It was a trying time for the two brave girls. + +They had been invited out to dinner that evening at the Officers' Mess. As +a rule, they did not go much among the officers, but this was a special +invitation. The shells had been falling all the afternoon, but they were +quite accustomed to shells and that did not stop the festivities. During +the dinner the soldier boys sang and played on guitars and banjos. But +when the dinner was over they asked the girls to sing. + +It was very still in the mess hall as the two lovely lassies took their +guitars and began to sing. There was something so strong and sweet and +pure in the glance of their blue eyes, the set of their firm little chins, +so pleasant and wholesome and merry in the very curve of their lips, that +the men were hushed with respect and admiration before this highest of all +types of womanhood. + +It was a song written by their Commander that the girls had chosen, with a +sweet, touching melody, and the singers made every word clear and +distinct: + + Bowed beneath the garden shades, + Where the Eastern--sunlight fades, + Through a sea of griefs He wades, + And prays in agony. + His sweat is of blood, + His tears like a flood + For a lost world flow down. + I never knew such tears could be-- + Those tears He wept for me! + + Hung upon a rugged tree + On the hill of Calvary, + Jesus suffered, death, to be + The Saviour of mankind. + His brow pierced by thorn, + His hands and feet torn, + With broken heart He died. + I never knew such pain could be, + This pain He bore for me! + +Suddenly crashing into the midst of the melody came a great shell, +exploding just outside the door and causing everyone at the table to +spring to his feet. The singers stopped for a second, wavered, as the +reverberation of the shock died away, and then went on with their song; +and the officers, abashed, wondering, dropped back into their seats +marvelling at the calmness of these frail women in the face of death. +Surely they had something that other women did not have to enable them to +sing so unconcernedly in such a time as this! + + Love which conquered o'er death's sting, + Love which has immortal wing, + Love which is the only thing + My broken heart to heal. + It burst through the grave, + It brought grace to save, + It opened Heaven's gate. + I never knew such love could be-- + This love He gave to me! + +It needs some special experience to appreciate what Salvation Army lassies +really are, and what they have done. They are not just any good sort of +girl picked up here and there who are willing to go and like the +excitement of the experience; neither are they common illiterate girls who +merely have ordinary good sense and a will to work. The majority of them +in France are fine, well-bred, carefully reared daughters of Christian +fathers and mothers who have taught them that the home is a little bit of +heaven on earth, and a woman God's means of drawing man nearer to Him. +They have been especially trained from childhood to forget self and to +live for others. The great slogan of the Salvation Army is "Others." Did +you ever stop to think how that would take the coquetry out of a girl's +eyes, and leave the sweet simplicity of the natural unspoiled soul? We +have come to associate such a look with a plain, homely face, a dull +complexion, careless, severe hair-dressing and unbeautiful clothes. Why? + +Righteousness from babyhood has given to these girls delicate beautiful +features, clear complexions that neither faded nor had to be renewed in +the thick of battle, eyes that seemed flecked with divine lights and could +dance with mirth on occasion or soften exquisitely in sympathy, furtive +dimples that twinkled out now and then; hands that were shapely and did +not seem made for toil. Yet for all that they toiled night and day for the +soldiers. They were educated, refined, cultured, could talk easily and +well on almost any subject you would mention. They never appeared to force +their religious views to the front, yet all the while it was perfectly +evident that their religion was the main object of their lives; that this +was the secret source of strength, the great reason for their deep joy, +and abiding calm in the face of calamities; that this was the one great +purpose in life which overtopped and conquered all other desires. And if +you would break through their sweet reserve and ask them they would tell +you that Jesus and the winning of souls to Him was their one and only +ambition. + +And yet they have not let these great things keep them from the pleasant +little details of life. Even in the olive drab flannel shirt and serge +skirt of their uniform, or in their trim serge coats, the exact +counterpart of the soldier boy's, except for its scarlet epaulets, and the +little close trench hat with its scarlet shield and silver lettering, they +are beautiful and womanly. Catch them with the coat off and a great khaki +apron enveloping the rest of their uniform, and you never saw lovelier +women. No wonder the boys loved to see them working about the hut, loved +to carry water and pick up the dishes for washing, and peel apples, and +scrape out the bowl after the cake batter had been turned into the pans. +No wonder they came to these girls with their troubles, or a button that +needed sewing on, and rushed to them first with the glad news that a +letter had come from home even before they had opened it. These girls were +real women, the kind of woman God meant us all to be when He made the +first one; the kind of woman who is a real helpmeet for all the men with +whom she comes in contact, whether father, brother, friend or lover, or +merely an acquaintance. There is a fragrance of spirit that breathes in +the very being, the curve of the cheek, the glance of the eye, the grace +of a movement, the floating of a sunny strand of hair in the light, the +curve of the firm red lips that one knows at a glance will have no +compromise with evil. This is what these girls have. + +You may call it what you will, but as I think of them I am again reminded +of that verse in the Bible about those brave and wonderful disciples: "And +they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus." + +Two of the Salvation Army men went back to Mesnil-St.-Firmin the day after +the lassies had been obliged to leave, to get some of their belongings +which they had not been able to take with them, and one of them, a +Salvation Army Major, stayed to keep the place open for the boys. He was +the only Salvation Army man who is entitled to wear a wound stripe. By his +devotion to duty, self-sacrifice, and contempt of danger, he won the +confidence of the men wherever he was. He chiefly worked alone and +operated a canteen usually in a dugout at the front. + +On one occasion a soldier was badly wounded at the door of a hut, by an +exploding gas-shell. He fell into the dugout and while the Major worked +over him, the Major himself was gassed and had to be removed to the rear +and undergo hospital treatment. For this service he was awarded a wound +stripe. During the St. Mihiel offensive he was appointed in the Toul +Sector and followed up the advancing soldiers, and later was active in the +Argonne. He is essentially a front-line man and always takes the greatest +satisfaction in being in the place of most danger. + + The following is a brief excerpt from his diary when he manned the dugout +hut in Coullemelle: + + May 12 + +"Arrived in Coullemelle Sunday night, May 12. Was busy with my work by +mid-day, Monday, 13. After cleaning our dugout, gave medicine to sick man, +who refused to sleep in my bed because he was not fit. However, I made him +feel fine, helped. I had a long talk with the boys. + +_Tuesday, 14:_ Shell struck opposite to dugout and sent tiles down +steps. The Captain of E Battery visited me to-day, and then I visited the +Battery and had chow with them. Airplane fight: while batteries were +roaring, the Germans came down in flames. + +_Wednesday, 15:_ No coming to dugout in the day-time on account of +shelling. I did good business in the evening and also had long services by +request of the boys. Received a letter from B---- here to-day, I slept +good. + +_Thursday, 16:_ I visited army, the officers and men of F Battery. +Their chow kitchen is in a bad place, all men coming down sick. I had an +arrangement with the doughboys that they might come in my dugout any hour +in the night, whenever they wanted. I visited infantry officers to-day, +Capt. Cribbs and Capt. Crisp. I had a lovely talk with them. I offered to +go to the trenches with my goods, but Capt. Cribbs said I would just be +killed without doing what he knew I wanted to do, namely, serve the boys +with food and encourage them. + +_Friday, 17:_ I was startled by a fearful barrage at four o'clock +when I got up, washed my clothes: was visited by the Y.M.C.A. Secretary: +was shelled from five o'clock till ten o'clock. I went for chow and found +shell ball gone through kitchen. High explosive, black smoke shells +bursting intermittently, tiles fell into my dugout. I took pick shovel in +with me; my kitten ran away but came back. A three-legged cat came to the +ruined home where I am; its leg evidently had been cut off by shrapnel. +Great air fight all day. Incendiary shells were fired into the town and +burnt for a long time. I visited Battery F, and gave the fellows medicine. +To-day both officers and men were in the gun pits and I with them, while +they were deviling with Fritzy. Big business in evening with long service, +gave out Testaments and held service in dugout; got a Frenchman to +interpret the scripture to his comrades. Bequests for prayer. Doughboys +came in 12:30, through a barrage, and got sixty-five bars of chocolate, +others got biscuits. I am very, very tired; artillery is roaring as I go +to sleep. + +_Saturday, 18:_ Capt. Cribbs came down to dugout and said he was +worried to death over me (thought I was killed). I assured him I was all +0. K., and that it was their end of the town that needed looking after. He +laughed and enjoyed it. My supplies are kept up by the courage and +devotion of the Staff-Captain and Billy, who, taking their lives in their +hands, bring the Ford with supplies along the shell-torn road at great +peril. Capt. Corliss also came. + +During the day, the officer of Battery F wanted the Victrola and got the +use of it in their dugout for three days. In the meantime I had furnished +Battery D the use of the Victrola and the day I made the promise, I found +the boys without chow for twelve hours. When about to serve it, the town +was gassed and their food with it and no one was permitted to touch a +thing, they were blessing the Kaiser as only soldiers can under such +circumstances. When I arrived among them, after finding out the way of +things, I suggested to the officers that I should be permitted to supply +them with such food as I had. They assured me it would be a mighty good +thing for them if I would, and I took four boxes of biscuits and six pots +of jam and other things to their trench in the rear of their batteries-- +they surely thought I was an angel and I left them pretty happy. This was +all done under fire and at great risk. I chowed with Battery E and saw +shell hole through building which was new since my last visit--boys offer +to teach me how to work gun, their spirit is wonderful under the terrific +strain which they labor. I visited ruined church and went inside; here +were some graves of the French soldiers, some of the bodies being exposed. +Could not stay very long. Overtook soldier-boy limping, got him to stay +awhile and gave him hot chocolate; persuaded him to let his limb be seen +to, which he did, and was sent to hospital. I visited hospital corps- +fellows and arranged that in case of gas, they would visit and rouse me at +night. They are fine fellows. Doughboys bought lots of goods and blessed +the Salvation Army a thousand times. These lads come in from the trenches +and have some hair-raising stories to tell. + +_Sunday, 19:_ Quiet till the afternoon when a gas barrage started. I +was driven out of my dugout. I had a narrow escape, while reaching the +hospital corps dugout. Lieut. Roolan (since promoted), of the Fifth Field +Artillery, was there for two hours and half. 480 shells, I was informed, +came down, averaging up three and four per minute. All night, from 6 +o'clock to 3 A.M., 3000 shells are sent into the town. I slept in the +Headquarters Signal Corps dugout with my gas mask on all night. + +_Monday, 20:_ Visited Y.M.C.A. and found their dugout had been struck +and the Secretary's eyes were gassed after a man took his place. I saw +Colonel Crane to try and get out of my dugout and get the one he had left. +He gave me permission, assuring me that it was not a very good one at +that. I took my Victrola with two of the battery boys from F Battery. I +carried the records and they the Victrola. We dodged the shelling all the +way and I had the pleasure of hearing the "Swanee River" song at the same +time as the firing of the big guns much to the enjoyment of the boys. I +understand that General Summerall visited and heard the Victrola soon +after I had taken it to the boys. I placed about fifty books among +officers of the Hospital Corps, Infantry officers, Battery officers. They +were highly appreciated. I slept with Signal Corps boys again as Fritzy +decided to continue the bombardment of the town which he did from 5.30 +P.M. to 5.30 A.M. I slept with mask on and had no ill effects of the gas +at all so far; but about five o'clock a terrific crash just outside of my +dugout followed by a man shouting as he rushed down the dugout steps, "Oh, +God, get me to the doctor right away." That shell nearly got me. I was +only eight feet from it. I sprung up and rushed him from the dugout over +to the hospital. I had to chase around from one dugout to another and +finally landed my man (his name was Harry), who was taken to the hospital. + +_Tuesday, 21:_ After taking the man to the doctor, I went to my own +place and found a nine-inch gas shrapnel shell had burst 15 or 20 feet +from my dugout, about fifteen holes were torn through the door, the top of +the shell lay six feet from the top of the steps, pieces of the shell were +scattered down the steps, and my dugout to the gas curtain, was full of +gas. If Staff-Captain and Billy had been visiting me that night, the shell +would have hit the Ford right in the center. Fierce bombardment all the +day. Houses were struck on the entire street from end to end. Shells fell +in the yard, one struck the corner of the house. The soldiers next door +have gone, and my place can only be opened in the evenings. Things are +pretty hot, I started out visiting the batteries to-day, but was driven +back and could get out only by the back entrance to the yard. I am told by +a soldier of the Intelligence Dept., that their bombardment is what is +known as a "Million-Dollar Barrage," and that all were fortunate to have +passed through it, he also told me the number and nature of the shells. I +served hot chocolate this Tuesday night and noticed that my hands were +very red. + +_Wednesday, 22:_ I visited the Battery in their trenches again and +took them food. My eyes are affected by the gas, and I got treatment at +the Evacuating Hospital. Some shells come very close to my dugout--to-day +thirty feet, fifty feet and twenty feet. I gather up a box full of +remnants. I find I am gassed by a contact with the poor fellow coming in +whom I took to the doctor. I get treatment two or three times for my eyes +and throat. My hands begin to crack and smart. The flesh comes off from my +neck and other parts of my body. I had a fine meeting with boys in dugout +and am again visited by the doughboys and officers. I visit the ruined +church area again and get a few relics. + +_Thursday, 23:_ My eyes are very red and becoming painful and also my +throat and nose, etc. I plan to move my dugout and pack up accordingly. +Things are quieter today; had services again in the evening. French +schoolmaster among the number, six requests for prayer. + +_Friday, 24:_ Am all ready to move to a new dugout when Staff-Captain +arrives and tells me I am ordered out by the military." + +Here is the Military Order received by the Staff-Captain: + + +"To Major Coe, + +"Salvation Army: + +"(1) Major Wilson, Chief G1, directs that the Salvation Army evacuate +'Coullemelle' as soon as possible. + +"(2) He desires that they leave to-night if possible. + +"(3) This message was received by me from the office of G1. + + "L. JOHNSON, + "1st Lieut., F. A." + + +Orders also arrived soon for the removal of the Salvation Army workers in +Broyes: + + + "Headquarters, 1st Division, G-1. + "American Expeditionary Forces, + " June 3, 1919. + +"Memorandum: To Mr. L. A. Coe, Salvation Army, La Folie. + +"The hut, which it is understood the Salvation Army is operating in +Broyes, will, for military reasons, be removed from there as soon as +practicable. + +"It is contrary to the desire of the Commanding General that women workers +be employed in huts or canteens east of the line Mory-Chepoix-Tartigny, +and if any are now so located they are to 'be removed. + +"The operations of technical services, Red Cross, Y.M.C.A., and other +similar agencies is a function of this section of the General Staff and +all questions pertaining to your movements and location of huts should in +the future be referred to G.-1. + +"By command of Major General Bullard. + + "G. K Wilson, + "Major, General Staff, + "A. C. of S., G.-1." + + +In Tartigny they found a house with five rooms, one of them very large. +The billeting officer turned this over to the Salvation Army. + +There was plenty of space and the girls might have a room to themselves +here, instead of just curtaining off a corner of a tent or making a +partition of supply boxes in one end of the hut as they often had to do. +There was also plenty of furniture in the house, and they were allowed to +go around the village and get chairs and tables or anything they wanted to +fix up their canteen. The girls had great fun selecting easy-chairs and +desks and anything they desired from the deserted houses, and before long +the result was a wonderfully comfortable, cozy, home-like room. + +"Gee! This is just like heaven, coming in here!" one of the boys said when +he first saw it. + +Just outside Tartigny there was a large ammunition dump, piles of shells +and boxes of other ammunition. It was under the trees and well +camouflaged, but night after night the enemy airplanes kept trying to get +it. The girls used to sit in the windows and watch the airplane battles. +They would stay until an airplane got over the house and then they would +run to the cellar. They came so close one night that pieces of shell from +the anti-aircraft guns fell over the house. + +Sometimes the airplanes would come in the daytime, and the girls got into +the habit of running out into the street to watch them. But at this the +boys protested. + +"Don't do that, you will get hit!" they begged. And one day the nose of an +unexploded shell fell in the street just outside the door. After that they +were more careful. + +In this town one afternoon a whole truck-load of oranges arrived, being +three hundred crates, four hundred oranges to a crate, for the canteen, +and they were all gone by four o'clock! + +The Headquarters of the Division Commander were in a beautiful old stone +chateau of a peculiar color that seemed to be invisible to the airplanes. +There were woods all around it and the house was never shelled. It was +filled with rare old tapestries and beautiful furniture. + +The Count who owned the chateau asked the Major General to get some +furniture that belonged to him out of the village that was being shelled. +Later the Count asked the General if he ever got that furniture. The +General asked his Colonel, "What did you do with that furniture?" "Oh," +the Colonel said, "it's down there all right!" "And where is the piano?" +"Oh, I gave that to the Salvation Army." + +In this area it was one lassie's first bombardment; it came suddenly and +without warning. The soldiers in the hut decamped without ceremony for the +safety of their dugouts. One soldier who had been detailed to help the +lassie, shouted: "Come on! Follow me to your dugout!" Without further talk +he turned and started for cover. The girl had been baking. A tray full of +luscious lemon cream pies stood on the table. She did not want to leave +those pies to the tender mercies of a shell. Also she had some new boots +standing beneath the table, and she was not going to lose those. Without +stopping to think, she seized the shoes in one hand and the tray in the +other and rushed after the soldier. A little gully had to be crossed on +the way to the dugout and the only bridge was a twelve-inch plank. The +soldier crossed in safety and turned to look after the girl. Just as she +reached the middle of the plank a shell burst not far away. The lassie was +so startled that she nearly lost her balance, swaying first one way and +then the other. In an attempt to stop the tray of pies from slipping, she +almost lost the shoes, and in recovering the shoes, the pies just escaped +sliding overboard into the thick mud below. + +The soldier registered deep agitation. + +"Drop the shoes!" he shouted. "I can clean the shoes, but for heaven's +sake don't drop them pies!" And the lassie obeyed meekly. + +In the little town of Bonnet where the rest room was located in an old +barn connected with a Catholic convent, one Salvation Army Envoy and his +wife from Texas began their work. They soon became known to the soldiers +familiarly as "Pa" and "Ma." + +It was in this old barn that the tent top, later made famous at +Ansauville, was first used. Stoves were almost impossible to obtain at +that time, but "Ma" was determined that she would bake pies for the men, +so the Envoy constructed an oven out of two tin cake boxes and using a +small two-burner gasoline stove, "Ma" baked biscuits and pies that made +her name famous. Through her great motherly heart and her willingness to +serve the boys at all times, under all circumstances, she won their +confidence and love. One soldier said he would walk five miles any day to +look into "Ma's" gray eyes. + +From Bonnet they were transferred to command a hut at Ansauville, but "Ma" +could never rest so long as there was a soldier to be served in any way. +She worked early and late, and she made each individual soldier who came +to the hut her special charge as if he were her own son. She could not +sleep when they were going over the top unless she prayed with each one +before he went. + +The meetings which she and her husband held were full of life and power +and were never neglected, no matter how hard the strain might be from +other lines of service. + +It was not long before "Ma's" strength gave out and it was necessary to +move her to a quieter place. She was transferred to Houdelainecourt. She +would not go until they carried her away. + +Houdelainecourt at this time was on the main road travelled by trucks, +taking supplies by train from the railroad at Gondrecourt to the front. +Truck drivers invariably made it a point to stop at "Ma's" hut and here +they were always sure to receive a welcome and the most delicious +doughnuts and pies and hot biscuit which loving hands could make. + +Not satisfied with this service alone, she undertook to fry pancakes for +the officers' breakfast. It was through these kindly services, +ungrudgingly done, at any time of the day or night, that her name was +established as one of the most potent factors in contributing to the +comfort and welfare of the men, and there was no hole or tear of the men's +clothes that "Ma" could not mend. + +A short time after the pie contest over at Gondrecourt, "Ma" and one of +her lassie helpers set out to break the record of 316 pies as a day's +work. Their oven would hold but six pies at a time; their hut had but just +been opened and all their equipment had not yet arrived, so they were +short a rolling pin, which had to be carved from a broken wagon-shaft with +a jack-knife before they could begin; but they achieved the baking of 324 +pies between 6 A.M. and 6 P.M. that day. It is fair to state for the sake +of the doubter, however, that the pie fillers, both pumpkin and apple, +were all prepared and piping hot on the stove ready to be poured into the +pastry as it was put into the oven, which, of course, helped a good deal. + +A sign was put out announcing that pie would be served at seven o'clock, +but the lines formed long before that. + +[Illustration: "Ma"] + +[Illustration: "They had a pie-baking contest in Gondrecourt one day"--the +renowned "Aunt Mary" in the right-hand corner] + +The pies were unusually large and cut into fifths, but even at that they +were much larger pieces than are usually served at the ordinary +restaurant. + +By half-past eight some men were falling in for a second helping, but "Ma" +had been watching long a little company of men off to one side who hovered +about yet never dropped into line themselves, and made up her mind that +these were some of those who perhaps sent much of their money home and +found it a long time between pay-days. Casting her kindly eye +comprehendingly toward these men she mounted a chair and requested: + +"All of the men who have already had pie, please step out of the line; and +all of those boys who want coffee and pie but have no money, step into +line and get some, _anyhow!_" + +She gave the boys one of her beautiful motherly smiles and that made them +feel they had all got home, and they hesitated no longer. "Ma," however, +was more deeply interested in her meetings than in mere pie. The Sunday +before this contest over five hundred soldiers had attended the evening +meeting, and almost as many had been present at the morning service. Also, +there had been twenty-eight members added to her Bible class. Though the +hut was a large one it had been crowded to its utmost capacity in the +evening, with men packed into the open doorways and windows on either +side, and forty of the men who announced their determination to follow +Christ that night could not get inside to come forward. More than a dozen +gave personal testimony of what Christ had done for them. One notable +testimony was as follows: + +"I used to be a hard guy fellers," he said, "and maybe I had some good +reasons when I used to say that nothing was ever going to scare me, but +when we lay out there with a six-hour barrage busting right in front of us +and 'arrivals' busting all around us, I did a whole lot of thinking. It +seemed as though every shell had my number on it! And when we went over +and ran square into their barrage, I'll admit I was scared yellow and was +darned afraid I was going to show it! We were under a barrage for ten +hours. A shell buried me under about a foot of earth, and for the first +time I can remember, while my bunkie was digging me out, I prayed to God. +And I want to say that I believe He answered my prayer, and that is the +only reason I came out uninjured. I promised if I got out I'd call for a +new deal, and I want to say that I'm going to keep that promise!" + +A boy who had been converted in one of the meetings a few nights before +came into the hut and sought her out. He told her he was going over the +top that night, and he had something he wanted to confess before he went. +He had told a lie and he had felt terrible remorse about it ever since he +was converted. He had treated his mother badly, and gone and enlisted, +saying he was eighteen when he was only sixteen. "Now," said he with +relief after he had told the story, "that's all clear. And say, if I'm +killed, will you go through my pockets and find my Testament and send it +to mother? And will you tell my mother all about it and tell her it is all +right with me now? Tell mother I went over the top a Christian. You'll +know what to say to her to help her bear up." + +She promised and the boy went away content. That night he was killed, and, +true to her promise, she went through his pockets when he was brought +back, and found the little Testament close over his heart; and in it a +verse was marked for his mother: + +"The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin." + +During the early days of the Salvation Army work in France, while the work +was still under inspection as to its influence on the men, and one Colonel +had sent a Captain around to the meetings to report upon them to him, +"Ma's" was one of the meetings to which the Captain came. + +She did not know that she was under suspicion, but that night she spoke on +obedience and discipline, taking as her text: "Take heed to the law," and +urging the men to obey both moral and military laws so that they might be +better men and better soldiers. The Captain reported on her sermon and +said that he wished the regiment had a Salvation Army chaplain for every +company. + +The hospital visitation work was started by "Ma" in the Paris hospitals +while she was in that city for several months regaining her strength after +a physical break-down at the front. She was idolized by the wounded. If +she walked along any hospital passageway or through any ward, a crowd of +men were sure to call her by name. They knew her as "Ma," and frequently, +overworked nurses have called up the Paris Salvation Army Headquarters +asking if Ma could not find time to come down and sit with a dying boy who +was calling for her. She observed their birthdays with books and other +small presents, wrote to their mothers, wives and sweethearts, and +performed a multitude of invaluable, precious little services of love. For +weeks after she left Paris, returning to the front, the wounded called for +her. She is one of the outstanding figures of the Salvation Army's work +with the American Expeditionary Forces in France. She is indelibly +enshrined in the hearts of hundreds of American soldiers. + +A Salvation Army lassie bent over the bed of a wounded boy recently +arrived in the Paris hospital from the front, and gave him an orange and a +little sack of candy. + +"I know the Salvation Army," he said with a faint smile, "I knew I should +find you here." + +She asked him his division and he told her he belonged to one that had +been coöperating with the French. + +"But how can that be?" she asked in surprise, "we have never worked with +your division. How do you know about us?" + +"I only saw the Salvation Army once," he replied, "but I'll never forget +it. It was when I came back to consciousness in the Dressing Station at +Cheppy, and the first thing I saw was a Salvation Army girl bending over +me washing the blood and dirt off my face with cold water. She looked like +an angel and she was that to me. She gave me a drink of cold lemonade when +I was burning up with fever, and she lifted my head to pour it between my +lips when I had not strength to move myself. No, I shall not forget!" + +One bright young fellow with a bandaged eye turned a cheerful grin toward +the Salvation Army visitor as she said with compassion: "Son, I'm sorry +you've lost your eye." + +"Oh, that's nothing," was the gay reply, "I can see everything out of the +other eye. I've got seven holes in me, too, but believe me I'm not going +home for the loss of an eye and seven holes! I'll get out yet and get into +the fight!" + +The Salvation Army officer and his wife who were stationed at Bonvillers +visited every man in the local hospital every day, sleeping every night in +the open fields. As they are quite elderly, this was no little hardship, +especially in rainy weather. + +Five lassies stationed at Noyers St. Martin were for several weeks forced +by the nightly shelling and air-raids to take their blankets out into the +fields at night and sleep under the stars. One of these girls was called +"Sunshine" because of her smile. + +On the eve of Decoration Day a military Colonel visited her in the hut. He +seemed rather depressed, perhaps by the ceremonies of the day, and said +that he had come to be cheered up. In parting he said, "Little girl, you +had better get out of town early to-night; I feel as though something is +going to happen." Less than an hour later, while the girls were just +preparing for the night in a field half a mile distant, an aerial bomb +dropped by an aviator on the house in which he was billeted killed him and +two other Captains who were sitting with him at the time. He had been a +great friend of the Salvation Army. + +Out in a little village in Indiana there grew a fair young flower of a +girl. Her mother was a dear Christian woman and she was brought up in her +mother's church, which she loved. When she was only twelve years old she +had a remarkable and thorough old-fashioned conversion, giving herself +with all her childish heart to the Saviour. She feels that she had a kind +of vision at that time of what the Lord wanted her to be, a call to do +some special work for Christ out in the world, helping people who did not +know Him, people who were sick and poor and sorrowful. She did not tell +her vision to anyone. She did not even know that anywhere in the world +were any people doing the kind of work she felt she would like to do, and +God had called her to do. She was shy about it and kept her thoughts much +to herself. She loved her own church, and its services, but somehow that +did not quite satisfy her. + +One day when she was about fourteen years old the Salvation Army came to +the town where she lived and opened work, holding its meetings in a large +hall or armory. With her young companions she attended these meetings and +was filled with a longing to be one of these earnest Christian workers. + +Her mother, accustomed to a quiet conventional church and its way of doing +Christian work, was horrified; and in alarm sent her away to visit her +uncle, who was a Baptist minister. The daughter, dutiful and sweet, went +willingly away, although she had many a longing for these new friends of +hers who seemed to her to have found the way of working for God that had +been her own heart's desire for so long. + +Meantime her gay young brother, curious to know what had so stirred his +bright sister, went to the Salvation Army meetings to find out, and was +attracted himself. He went again and found Jesus Christ, and himself +joined the Salvation Army. The mother in this case did not object, perhaps +because she felt that a boy needed more safeguards than a girl, perhaps +because the life of publicity would not trouble her so much in connection +with her son as with her daughter. + +The daughter after several months away from home returned, only to find +her longing to join the Salvation Army stronger. But quietly and sweetly +she submitted to her mother's wish and remained at home for some years, +like her Master before her, who went down to His home in Nazareth and was +subject to His father and mother; showing by her gentle submission and her +lovely life that she really had the spirit of God in her heart and was not +merely led away by her enthusiasm for something new and strange. + +When she was twenty her mother withdrew her objections, and the daughter +became a Salvationist, her mother coming to feel thoroughly in sympathy +with her during the remaining years she lived. + +This is the story of one of the Salvation Army lassies who has been giving +herself to the work in the huts over in France. She is still young and +lovely, and there is something about her delicate features and slender +grace that makes one think of a young saint. No wonder the soldiers almost +worshipped her! No wonder these lassies were as safe over there ten miles +from any other woman or any other civilian alone among ten thousand +soldiers, as if they had been in their own homes. They breathed the spirit +of God as they worked, as well as when they sang and prayed. To such a +girl a man may open his heart and find true help and strength. + +[Illustration: A letter of inspiration from the commander] + +[Illustration: The Salvation Army boy truck driver who calmly went to +sleep in his truck in a shell hole under fire] + +It was no uncommon thing for our boys who were so afraid of anything like +religion or anything personal over here, to talk to these lassies about +their souls, to ask them what certain verses in the Bible meant, and to +kneel with them in some quiet corner behind the chocolate boxes and be +prayed with, yes, and _pray!_ It is because these girls have let the +Christ into their lives so completely that He lives and speaks through +them, and the boys cannot help but recognize it. + +Not every boy who was in a Salvation hut meeting has given himself to +Christ, of course, but every one of them recognizes this wonderful +something in these girls. Ask them. They will tell you "She is the real +thing!" They won't tell you more than that, perhaps, unless they have +really grown in the Christian life, but they mean that they have +recognized in her spirit a likeness to the spirit of Christ. + +Now and then, of course, there was a thick-headed one who took some +minutes to recognize holiness. Such would enter a hut with an oath upon +his lips, or an unclean story, and straightway all the men who were +sitting at the tables writing or standing about the room would come to +attention with one of those little noisy silences that mean, so much; +pencils would click down on the table like a challenge, and the newcomer +would look up to find the cold glances of his fellows upon him. + +The boys who frequented the huts broke the habit of swearing and telling +unclean stories, and officers began to realize that their men were better +in their work because of this holy influence that was being thrown about +them. One officer said his men worked better, and kept their engines oiled +up so they wouldn't be delayed on the road, that they might get back to +the hut early in the evening. The picture of a girl stirring chocolate +kept the light of hope going in the heart of many a homesick lad. + +One ignorant and exceedingly "fresh" youth, once walked boldly into a hut, +it is said, and jauntily addressed the lassie behind the counter as +"Dearie." The sweet blue eyes of the lassie grew suddenly cold with +aloofness, and she looked up at the newcomer without her usual smile, +saying distinctly: _"What did you say?_" + +The soldier stared, and grew red and unhappy: + +"Oh! I beg your pardon!" he said, and got himself out of the way as soon +as possible. These lassies needed no chaperon. They were young saints to +the boys they served, and they had a cordon of ten thousand faithful +soldiers drawn about them night and day. As a military Colonel said, the +Salvation Army lassie was the only woman in France who was safe +unchaperoned. + +When this lassie from Indiana came back on a short furlough after fifteen +months in France with the troops, and went to her home for a brief visit, +the Mayor gave the home town a holiday, had out the band and waited at the +depot in his own limousine for four hours that he might not miss greeting +her and doing her honor. + +Here is the poem which Pte. Joseph T. Lopes wrote about "Those Salvation +Army Folks" after the Montdidier attack: + + Somewhere in France, not far from the foe, + There's a body of workers whose name we all know; + Who not only at home give their lives to make right, + But are now here beside us, fighting our fight. + What care they for rest when our boys at the front, + Who, fighting for freedom, are bearing the brunt, + And so, just at dawn, when the caissons come home, + With the boys tired out and chilled to the bone, + The Salvation Army with its brave little crew, + Are waiting with doughnuts and hot coffee, too. + When dangers and toiling are o'er for awhile, + In their dugouts we find comfort and welcome their smile. + There's a spirit of home, so we go there each night, + And the thinking of home makes us sit down and write, + So we tell of these folks to our loved ones with pride, + And are thanking the Lord to have them on our side. + + + + +V. + +The Toul Sector Again + + + +When the German offensive was definitely checked in the Montdidier Sector, +the First Division was transferred back to the Toul Sector and the +Salvation Army moved with it. They had in the meantime maintained all the +huts which had been established originally, and with the return of the +First Division, they established additional huts between Font and Nancy. +When the St. Mihiel drive came off, they followed the advancing troops, +establishing huts in the devastated villages, keeping in as close contact +with the extreme front as was possible, serving the troops day and night, +always aiming to be at the point where the need was the greatest, and +where they could be of the greatest service. + +The first Americans to pay the supreme sacrifice in the cause of liberty +were buried in the Toul Sector. + +As it drew near to Decoration Day there came a message from over the sea +from the Commander to her faithful band of workers, saying that she was +sending American flags, one for every American soldier's grave, and that +she wanted the graves cared for and decorated; and at all the various +locations of Salvation Army workers they prepared to do her bidding. + +The day before the thirtieth of May they took time from their other duties +to clear away the mud, dead grass and fallen leaves from the graves, and +heap up the mounds where they had been washed flat by the rains, making +each one smooth, regular and tidy. At the head of each grave was a simple +wooden cross bearing the name of the soldier who lay there, his rank, his +regiment and the date of his death. Into the back of each cross they drove +a staple for a flag, and they swept and garnished the place as best they +could. + +One Salvation Army woman writing home told of the plans they had made in +Treveray for Decoration Day; how Commander Booth was sending enough +American flags to decorate every American grave in France, and how they +meant to gather flowers and put with the flags, and have a little service +of prayer over the graves. + +In the gray old French cemetery of Treveray five American boys lay buried. +The flowers upon their graves were dry and dead, for their regiments had +moved on and left them. The graves had been neglected and only the +guarding wooden crosses remained above the rough earth to show that +someone had cared and had stopped to put a mark above the places where +they lay. It was these graves the Salvation Army woman now proposed to +decorate on Memorial Day. + +The letter went to the Captain for censorship, and soon the Salvation Army +woman had a call from him. + +"I understand by one of your letters that you are thinking of decorating +the American graves," he said. "We would like to help in that, if you +don't mind. I would like the company all to be present." + +The day before Memorial Day this woman with two of the lassies from the +hut went to the cemetery and prepared for the morrow. + +In the morning they gathered great armfuls of crimson poppies from the +fields, creamy snowballs from neglected gardens, and blue bachelor buttons +from the hillsides, which they arranged in bouquets of red, white and blue +for the graves. They had no vases in which to place the flowers but they +used the apple tins in which the apples for their pies had been canned. + +The centuries-old gray cemetery nestled in a curve of the road between +wheat fields on every side. A gray, moss-covered, lichen-hung wall +surrounded it. The five American graves were under the shadow of the +Western wall, and the sun was slowly sinking in his glory as the company +of soldiers escorted the women into the cemetery. They passed between the +ponderous old gray stones, and beaded wreaths of the French graves; and +the officers and men lined up facing the five graves. The women placed the +tricolored flowers in the cans prepared for them, and planted the flags +beside them. Then the elder woman, who had sons of her own, stepped out +and saluted the military commanding officer: "Colonel" said she, "with +your permission we would like to follow our custom and offer a prayer for +the bereaved." Instantly permission was given and every head was uncovered +as the Salvationist poured out her heart in prayer to the Everlasting +Father, commending the dead into His tender Keeping, and pleading for the +sorrow-stricken friends across the sea, until the soldiers' tears fell +unchecked as they stood with rifles stiffly in front of them listening to +the quiet voice of the woman as she prayed. God seemed Himself to come +down, and the living boys standing over their five dead comrades could not +help but be enfolded in His love, and feel the sense of His presence. They +knew that they, too, might soon be sleeping even as these at their feet. +It seemed but a step to the other life. When the prayer was finished a +firing squad fired five volleys over the graves, and then the bugler +played the taps and the little service was over. The lassies lingered to +take pictures of the graves and that night they wrote letters describing +the ceremony, to be sent with the photographs to the War Department at +Washington with the request that they be forwarded to the nearest +relatives of the five men buried at Treveray. + +[Illustration: The centuries-old gray cemetery in Treveray] + +[Illustration: Colonel Barker placing the commander's flowers on +Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt's grave] + +There were exercises at Menil-la-Tour and here they had built a simple +platform in the centre of the ground and erected a flagpole at one corner. + +When the morning came two regimental bands took up their positions in +opposite corners of the cemetery and began to play. The French populace +had turned out en masse. They took up their stand just outside the little +cemetery, next to them the soldiers were lined up, then the Red Cross, +then the Y.M.C.A. Beyond, a little hill rose sloping gently to the sky +line, and over it a mile away was the German front, with the shells coming +over all the time. + +It was an impressive scene as all stood with bared heads just outside the +little enclosure where eighty-one wooden crosses marked the going of as +many brave spirits who had walked so blithely into the crisis and given +their young lives. + +Some French officers had brought a large, beautiful wreath to do honor to +the American heroes, and this was placed at the foot of the great central +flagpole. + +The bands played, and they all sang. It was announced that but for the +thoughtfulness and kindness of Commander Evangeline Booth in sending over +flags those graves would have gone undecorated that day. + +The Commanding General then came to the front and behind him walked the +Salvation Army lassies bearing the flags in their arms. + +Down the long row of graves he passed. He would take a flag from one of +the girls, slip it in the staple back of the cross, stand a moment at +salute, then pass on to the next. It was very still that May morning, +broken only by the awesome boom of battle just over the hill, but to that +sound all had grown accustomed. The people stood with that hush of sorrow +over them which only the majesty of death can bring to the hearts of a +crowd, and there were tears in many eyes and on the faces of rough +soldiers standing there to honor their comrades who had been called upon +to give their lives to the great cause of freedom. + +A little breeze was blowing and into the solemn stillness there stole a +new sound, the silken ripple of the flags as one by one they were set +fluttering from the crosses, like a soft, growing, triumphant chorus of +those to come whose lives were to be made safe because these had died. As +if the flag would waft back to the Homeland, and the stricken mothers and +fathers, sisters and sweethearts, some idea of the greatness of the cause +in which they died to comfort them in their sorrow. + +Out through each line the General passed, placing the flags and solemnly +saluting, till eighty graves had been decorated and there was only one +left; but there was no flag for the eighty-first grave! Somehow, although +they thought they had brought several more than were needed, they were one +short. But the General stood and saluted the grave as he had the others, +and later the flag was brought and put in place, so that every American +grave in the Toul Sector that day had its flag fluttering from its cross. + +Then the General and the soldiers saluted the large flag. It was an +impressive moment with the deep thunder of the guns just over the hill +reminding of more battle and more lives to be laid down. + +The General then addressed the soldiers, and facing toward the West and +pointing he said: + +"Out there in that direction is Washington and the President, and all the +people of the United States, who are looking to you to set the world free +from tyranny. Over there are the mothers who have bade you good-bye with +tears and sent you forth, and are waiting at home and praying for you, +trusting in you. Out there are the fathers and the sisters and the +sweethearts you have left behind, all depending on you to do your best for +the Right. Now," said he in a clear ringing voice, "turn and salute +America!" And they all turned and saluted toward the West, while the band +played softly "My Country 'Tis of Thee!" + +It was a wonderful, beautiful, solemn sight, every man standing and +saluting while the flags fluttered softly on the breeze. + +Behind the little French Catholic church in the village of Bonvilliers +there was quite a large field which had been turned over to the Americans +for a cemetery. The Military Major had caused an arch to be made over the +gateway inscribed with the words: "NATIONAL CEMETERY OF THE AMERICAN +EXPEDITIONARY FORCES." There were over two hundred graves inside the +cemetery. + +On Decoration Day the Regimental Band led a parade through the village +streets to the graveyard, the French women in black and little French +children, with wreaths made of wonderful beaded flowers cunningly +constructed from beads strung on fine wires, marching in the parade. +Arrived at the cemetery they all stood drawn up in line while the Military +Major gave a beautiful address, first in French and then in English. He +then told the French children and women to take their places one at each +grave, and lay down their tributes of flowers for the Americans. Following +this the Salvation Army placed flags on each on behalf of the mothers of +the boys who were lying there. + +It was noon-day. The sun was very bright and every white cross bearing the +name of the fallen glittered in the sun. Even the worst little hovel over +in France is smothered in a garden and bright with myriads of flowers, so +everything was gay with blossoms and everybody had brought as many as +could be carried. + +Over in one corner of the cemetery were two German graves, and one of the +lassies of that organization which proclaims salvation for all men went +and laid some blossoms there also. + +At La Folie one of the Salvation Army lassies going across the fields on +some errand of mercy found three American graves undecorated and bare on +Memorial Day, and turning aside from the road she gathered great armfuls +of scarlet poppies from the fields and came and laid them on the three +mounds, then knelt and prayed for the friends of the boys whose bodies +were lying there. + +The whole world was startled and saddened when the news came that +Lieutenant Quentin Roosevelt had been shot down in his airplane in action +and fallen within the enemy's lines. + +He was crudely buried by the Germans where he fell, near Chambray, and a +rude cross set up to mark the place. All around were pieces of his +airplane shattered on the ground and left as they had fallen. + +When the spot fell into the hands of the Allies, the grave was cared for +by the Salvation Army; a new white cross set up beside the old one, and +gentle hands smoothed the mound and made it shapely. On Decoration Day +Colonel Barker placed upon this grave the beautiful flowers arranged for +by cable by Commander Booth. + +The girls went down to decorate the two hundred American graves at +Mandres, and even while they bent over the flaming blossoms and laid them +on the mounds an air battle was going on over their heads. Close at hand +was the American artillery being moved to the front on a little narrow- +gauge railroad that ran near to the graveyard, and the Germans were firing +and trying to get them. + +But the girls went steadily on with their work, scattering flowers and +setting flags until their service of love was over. Then they stood aside +for the prayer and a song. One of the Salvation Army Captains with a fine +voice began to sing: + + My loved ones in the Homeland + Are waiting me to come, + Where neither death nor sorrow + Invades their holy home; + O dear, dear native country! + O rest and peace above! + Christ, bring us all to the Homeland + Of Thy redeeming love. + +Into the midst of the song came the engine on the little narrow track +straight toward where he stood, and he had to step aside onto a pile of +dirt to finish his song. + +That same Captain went on ahead to the Home Land not long after when the +epidemic of influenza swept over the world; and he was given the honor of +a military funeral. + + + + +VI. + +The Baccarat Sector + + + +Baccarat was the Zone Headquarters for that Sector. + +Down the Main street there hung a sign on an old house labeled "MODERN +BAR." + +Inside everything was all torn up. It had never been opened since the +battles of 1914. The Germans had lived there and everything was in an +awful condition. One wonders how they endured themselves. The Military +detailed two men for two days to spade up and carry away the filth from +the bedrooms, and it took two women an entire week all but one day, +scrubbing all day long until their shoulders ached, to scrub the place +clean. But they got it clean. They were the kind of women that did not +give up even when a thing seemed an impossibility. This was the sort of +thing they were up against continually. They could have no meetings that +week because they had to scrub and make the place fit for a Salvation Army +hut. + +Two of the lassies were awakened early one bright morning by the sound of +an axe ringing rhythmically on wood, just back of their canteen. It was a +cheerful sound to wake to, for the girls had been through a long wearing +day and night, and they knew when they went to sleep that the wood was +almost gone. It was always so pleasant to have someone offer to cut it for +them, for they never liked to have to ask help of the soldiers if they +could possibly avoid it. But there was so much else to be done besides +cutting wood. Not that they could not do that, too, when the need offered. +The sisters looked sleepily at one another, thinking simultaneously of the +poor homesick doughboy who had told them the day before that chopping wood +for them made him think of home and mother and that was why he liked to do +it. Of course, it was he hard at work for them before they were up, and +they smiled contentedly, with a lifted prayer for the poor fellow. They +knew he had received no mail for four months and that only a few days +before he had read in a paper sent to one of his pals of the death of his +sister. Of course, his heart was breaking, for he knew what his widowed +mother was suffering. They knew that his salvation from homesickness just +now lay in giving him something to do, so they lingered a little just to +give him the chance, and planned how they would let him help with the +doughnuts, and fix the benches, later, when the wood was cut. + +In a few minutes the girls were ready for the day's work and went around +to the kitchen, where the sound of the ringing axe was still heard in +steady strokes. But when they rounded the corner of the kitchen and +greeted the wood-chopper cheerily, he looked up, and lo! it was not the +homesick doughboy as they had supposed, but the Colonel of the regiment +himself who smiled half apologetically at them, saying he liked his new +job; and when they invited him to breakfast he accepted the invitation +with alacrity. + +After breakfast the girls went to work making pies. There had been no oven +in the little French town in which they were stationed, and so baking had +been impossible, but the boys kept talking and talking about pies until +one day a Lieutenant found an old French stove in some ruins. They had to +half bury it in the earth to make it strong enough for use, but managed to +make it work at last, and though much hampered by the limitations of the +small oven, they baked enough to give all the boys a taste of pie once a +week or so. Pie day was so welcomed that it almost made a riot, so many +boys wanted a slice. + +They were having a meeting one night at Baccarat. There was a great deal +of noise going on outside the dugout. The shells were falling around +rather indiscriminately, but it takes more than shell fire to stop a +Salvation Army meeting at the front. There is only one thing that will +stop it, and that is a sudden troop movement. It is the same way with +baseball, for the week before this meeting two regimental baseball teams +played seven innings of air-tight ball while the shells were falling not +three hundred yards away at the roadside edge of their ball-ground. During +the seven innings only eight hits were allowed by the two pitchers. The +score was close and when at the end of the seventh a shell exploded within +fifty yards of the diamond and an officer shouted: "Game called on account +of shell fire!" there was considerable dissatisfaction expressed because +the game was not allowed to continue. It is with the same spirit that the +men attend their religious meetings. They come because they want-to and +they won't let anything interfere with it. + +But on this particular night the meeting was in full force, and so were +the shells. It had been a meeting in which the men had taken part, led by +one of the women whose leadership was unquestioned among them, a personal +testimony meeting in which several soldiers and an officer had spoken of +what Christ had done for them. Then there was a solo by one of the +lassies, and the Adjutant opened his Bible and began to read. He took as +his text Isaiah 55:1. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the +waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat." + +Those boys knew what it was to be thirsty, terrible thirst! They had come +back from the lines sometimes their tongues parched and their whole bodies +feverish with thirst and there was nothing to be had to drink until the +Salvation Army people had appeared with good cold lemonade; and when they +had no money they had given it to them just the same. Oh, they knew what +that verse meant and their attention was held at once as the speaker went +on to show plainly how Jesus Christ would give the water of life just as +freely to those who were thirsty for it. And they were thirsty! They did +not wish to conceal how thirsty they were for the living water. + +Just in the midst of the talk the lights went out. Many a church under +like conditions would have had a panic in no time, but this crowded +audience sat perfectly quiet, listening as the speaker went on, quoting +his Bible from memory where he could not read. + +Over there in the corner on a bench sat the lassies, the women who had +been serving them all through the hard days, as quiet and calm in the +darkness as though they sat in a cushioned pew in some well-lit church in +New York. It was as if the guns were like annoying little insects that +were outside a screen, and now and then slipped in, so little attention +did the audience pay to them. When all those who wished to accept this +wonderful invitation were asked to come forward, seven men arose and +stumbled through the darkness. The light from a bursting shell revealed +for an instant the forms of these men as they knelt at the rough bench in +front, one of them with his steel helmet hanging from his arm as he prayed +aloud for his own salvation. No one who was in that meeting that night +could doubt but that Jesus Christ Himself was there, and that those men +all felt His presence. + +In Bertrichamps the Salvation Army was given a large glass factory for a +canteen. It made a beautiful place, and there was room to take care of +eight hundred men at a time. This building was also used by the Y. M. C. +A. as well as the Jews and the Catholics for their services, there being +no other suitable place in town. But everybody worked together, and got +along harmoniously. + +Here there were some wonderful meetings, and it was great to hear the boys +singing "When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder, I'll Be There." Perhaps if +some of the half-hearted Christians at home could have caught the echo of +that song sung with such earnestness by those boyish voices they would +have had a revelation. It seemed as if the earth-film were more than half +torn away from their young, wise eyes over there; and they found that +earthly standards and earthly false-whisperings did not fit. They felt the +spirit of the hour, they felt the spirit of the place, and of the people +who were serving them patiently day by day; who didn't have to stay there +and work; who might have kept in back of the lines and worked and sent +things up now and then; but who chose to stay close with them and share +their hardships. They felt that something more than just love to their +fellow-men had instigated such unselfishness. They knew it was something +they needed to help them through what was before them. They reached +hungrily after the Christ and they found Him. + +Then they testified in the meetings. Often as many as twelve or more +before an audience of five hundred would get up and tell what Jesus had +become to them. In one meeting in this glass factory two hundred soldiers +pledged to serve the Lord, to read their Bibles, and to pray. + +There were in this place some Christian boys who came from families where +they had been accustomed to family worship, and who now that they were far +away from it, looked back with longing to the days when it had been a part +of every day. Things look different over there with the sound of battle +close at hand, and customs that had been, a part of every-day life at home +became very dear, perhaps dearer than they had ever seemed before. They +found out that the Salvation Army people had prayers every night after +they closed the canteen at half-past nine and went to their rooms in a +house not far away, and so they begged that they might share the worship +with them. So every night they took home fifteen or twenty men to the +living-room of the house where they stayed just as many as they could +crowd in, and there they would have a little Bible reading and prayer +together. The Father only knows how many souls were strengthened and how +many feet kept from falling because of those brief moments of worship with +these faithful men and women of God. + +"Oh, if you only knew what it means to us!" one of the men tried to tell +them one day. + +Sometimes men who said they hadn't prayed nor read their Bibles for years +would be found in little groups openly reading a testament to each other. + + When the girls opened their shutters in the morning they could look out +over the spot in No Man's Land which was the scene of such frightful +German atrocities in 1914. + +Our field artillery, stationed in the woods, sent over to the Salvation +Army to know if they wouldn't come over and cook something for them, they +were starving for some home cooking. So two of the women put on their +steel helmets and their gas masks, for the Boche planes were flying +everywhere, and went over across No Man's Land to see if there was a place +where they could open up a hut. They were walking along quietly, talking, +and had not noticed the German plane that approached. They were so +accustomed to seeing them by twos and threes that a single one did not +attract their attention. Suddenly almost over their heads the Boche +dropped a shell, trying to get them. But it was a dud and did not explode. +Two American soldiers came tearing over, crying: "Girls! Are you hurt?" + +"Oh, no," said one of them brightly. "The Lord wouldn't let that fellow +get us." + +The soldiers used strong language as they looked after the fast-vanishing +plane, but then they glanced back at the women again with something +unspoken in their eyes. They believed, those boys, they really did, that +God protected those women; and they used to beg them to remain with their +regiment when they were going near the front, because they wanted their +prayers as a protection. Some of the regiments openly said they thought +those girls' prayers had saved their lives. + +That Boche plane, however, had not far to go. Before it reached Baccarat +the Americans trained their guns on it and brought it down in flames. + +The house occupied by the Salvation Army girls as a billet had a sad story +connected with it. When the Germans had come the father was soon killed +and four German officers had taken possession of the place for their +Headquarters. They also took possession of the two little girls of the +family, nine and fourteen years of age, to wait upon them. And the first +command that was given these children was that they should wait upon the +men nude! The youngest child was not old enough to understand what this +meant, but the older one was in terror, and they begged and cried and +pleaded but all to no purpose. The officer was inexorable. He told them +that if they did not obey they would be shot. + +The poor old grandfather and grandmother, too feeble to do anything, and +powerless, of course, to aid, could only endure in agony. The grandmother, +telling the Salvation Army women the story afterward, pointed with +trembling lingers and streaming eyes to the two little graves in the yard +and said: "Oh, it would have been so much better if he had shot them! They +lie out there as the result of their infamous and inhuman treatment." + + Some most amusing incidents came to the knowledge of the Salvation Army +workers. + +An old French woman, over eighty years of age, lived in one of the +stricken villages on the Vosges front. Her home had been several times +struck by shells and was frequently the target for enemy bombing +squadrons. All through the war she refused to leave the home in which she +had lived from earliest childhood. + +"It is not the guns, nor the bombs which can frighten me," she told a +Salvation Army lassie who was billeted with her for a time, "but I am very +much afraid of the submarines." + +The village was several hundred miles inland. + +The activity was all at night, for no one dared be seen about in the +daytime. It must be a very urgent duty that would call men forth into full +view of the enemy. But as soon, as the dark came on the men would crawl +into the trenches, stick their rifles between the sandbags and get ready +for work. + +It seemed to be always raining. They said that when it wasn't actually +raining it was either clearing off or just getting ready to rain again. +Twenty minutes in the trenches and a man was all over mud, wet, cold, +slippery mud. In his hair, down his neck, in his boots, everywhere. + +Through the trenches just behind the standing place ran a deeper trench or +drain to carry the water away, and this was covered over with a rough +board called a duck-board. Underneath this duck-board ran a continual +stream of water. A man would go along the trench in a hurry, make a +misstep on one end of the duck-board and down he would go in mud and +freezing water to the waist. In these cold, wet garments he must stay all +night. The tension was very great. + +As the soldiers had to work in the night, so the Salvation Army men and +women worked in the night to serve them. + +The Salvation Army men would visit the sentries and bring them coffee and +doughnuts prepared in the dugouts by the girls. It was exceedingly +dangerous work. They would crawl through the connecting trenches, which +were not more than three feet deep, and one must stoop to be safe, and get +to the front-line trenches with their cans of coffee. They would touch a +fellow on the shoulder, fill his mug with coffee, and slip him some +doughnuts. At such times the things were always given, not sold. They did +not dare even to whisper, for the enemy listening posts were close at hand +and the slightest breath might give away their position. The sermon would +be a pat of encouragement on a man's shoulder, then pass on to the next. + +One morning at three o'clock a Salvationist carried a second supply of hot +coffee to the battery positions. One gunner with tense, strained face eyed +his full coffee mug with satisfaction and said with a sigh: "Good! That is +all I wanted. I can keep going until morning now!" + +When the men were lined up for a raid there would be a prayer-meeting in +the dugout, thirty inside and as many as could crowded around the door. +Just a prayer and singing. Then the boys would go to the girls and leave +their little trinkets or letters, and say: "I'm going over the top, +Sister. If I don't come back--if I'm kicked off--you tell mother. You will +know what to say to her to help her bear up." + +Three-quarters of an hour later what was left of them would return and the +girls would be ready with hot coffee and doughnuts. It was heart-breaking, +back-aching, wonderful work, work fit for angels to do, and these girls +did it with all their souls. + +"Aren't you tired? Aren't you afraid?" asked someone of a lassie who had +been working hard for forty consecutive hours, aiding the doctors in +caring for the wounded, and in a lull had found time to mix up and fry a +batch of doughnuts in a corner from which the roof had been completely +blown by shells. + +"Oh, no! It's great!" she replied eagerly. "I'm the luckiest girl in the +world." + +By this time the Salvation Army had acquired many great three-ton trucks, +and the drivers of those risked their lives daily to carry supplies to the +dugouts and huts that were taking care of the men at the front. + +There were signs all over everywhere: "ATTENTION! THE ENEMY SEES YOU!" +Trucks were not allowed to go in daytime except in case of great +emergency. Sometimes in urgent cases day-passes would be given with the +order: "If you have to go, go like the devil!" + +The enemy always had the range on the road where the trucks had to pass, +and especially in exposed places and on cross-roads a man had no chance if +he paused. Once he had been sighted by the enemy he was done for. A man +driving on a hasty errand once dropped his crank, and stopped his truck, +to pick it up. Even as he stooped to take it a shell struck his truck and +smashed it to bits. + +Most of the travelling had to be done at night. Silently, without a light +over roads as dark as pitch, where the only possible guide was the faint +line above where the trees parted and showed the sky; over rough, muddy +roads, filled with shell-holes, the trucks went nightly. Just fall in +line, keep to the right, and whistle softly when something got in the way. +No claxon horns could be used, for that was the gas alarm. A man could not +even wear a radiolight watch on his wrist or a driver smoke a cigarette. + +One very dark night a truck came through with a man sitting away out on +the radiator watching the road and telling the driver where to go. The +only light would be from shells exploding or occasional signal lights for +a moment. + +To get supplies from where they were to where they were needed was an +urgent necessity which often arose with but momentary warning--frequently +with no warning at all. The American front was a matter not of miles, but +of hundreds of miles, and the call for supplies might come from any point +along that front. Sometimes the call meant the immediate shipment of tons +of blankets, oranges, lemons, sugar, flour for doughnuts, lard, chocolate +and other materials, to a point 200 miles distant. At times a railroad may +supply a part of the route, but always there is a long, dangerous truck +haul, and usually the entire route must be covered by truck. + +During the winter there were many thrills added to the already strenuous +task of the Salvation Army truck drivers. One of them driving late at +night in a snowstorm, mistook a river for the road for which he was +searching, and turned from the real road to the snow-covered surface of +the river, which he followed for some little distance before discovering +his mistake. Fortunately, the ice was solid and the truck unloaded-an +unusual combination. + +Another missed the road and drove into a field, where his wheels bogged +down. His fellow-traveller, driving a Ford, went for help, leaving him +with his truck, for if it had been left unguarded it would have soon been +stripped of every movable part by passing truck drivers. Here he remained +for almost forty-eight hours, during which time there was considerable +shelling. + +A Catholic Chaplain told the Salvation Army Staff-Captain that he thought +the reason the Salvation Army was so popular with his men was because the +Salvation Army kept its promises to the men. + +When the Salvation Army officer went to open work in the town of Baccarat +it was so crowded that he was unable to secure accommodations. He was +having dinner in the cafe, but could get no bread because he had no bread +tickets, The local K. of C. man, observing his difficulty, supplied +tickets, and, finding that he had no place to sleep, offered to share his +own meagre accommodations. For several nights he shared his bed with him +and the Salvation Army officer was greatly assisted by him in many ways. +The Salvation Army is popular not alone among the soldiers. + +While the offensive was on in Argonne and north of Verdun, those who were +in the huts in the old training area, which were then used as rest +buildings, decided to do something for the boys, and on one occasion they +fried fourteen thousand doughnuts and took them to the boys at the front. +They traveled in the trucks, and distributed the doughnuts to the boys as +they came from the trenches and sent others into the trenches. + +By the time they were through, the day was far spent and it was necessary +for them to find some place to stay over night. Verdun was the only large +city anywhere near but it had either been largely destroyed or the civil +population had long since abandoned it and there was no place available. + +Underneath the trenches, however, there had been constructed in ancient +times, underground passages. There are fifty miles of these underground +galleries honeycombed beneath the city, sufficiently large to shelter the +entire population. There are cross sections of galleries, between the +longer passage ways, and winding stairways here and there. Air is supplied +by a system of pumps. There are theatres and a church, also. The Army +protecting Verdun had occupied these underground passages. + +When the officer commanding the French troops learned that the Salvation +Army girls were obliged to stay over night, he arranged for their +accommodation in the underground passage and here they rested in perfect +security with such comforts as cots and blankets could insure. + +It was said that they were the only women ever permitted to remain in +these underground passages. + + + + +VII. + +The Chateau-Thierry-Soissons Drive + + + +When the trouble at Seicheprey broke out the Germans began shelling +Beaumont and Mandres, and things took on a very serious look for the +Salvation Army. Then the Military Colonel gave an order for the girls to +leave Ansauville, and loading them up on a truck he sent them to Menil-la- +Tour. They never allowed girls again in that town until after the St. +Mihiel drive. + +That was a wild ride in the night for those girls sitting in an army +truck, jolted over shell holes with the roar of battle all about them; the +blackness of night on every side, shells bursting often near them, yet +they were as calm as if nothing were the matter; finally the car got stuck +under range of the enemy's fire, but they never flinched and they sat +quietly in the car in a most dangerous position for twenty minutes while +the Colonel and the Captain were out locating a dugout. Plucky little +girls! + +The Salvation Army Staff-Captain of that zone went back in the morning to +Ansauville to get the girls' personal belongings, and when he entered the +canteen he stood still and looked about him with horror and thankfulness +as he realized the narrow escape those girls had had. The windows and roof +were full of shell holes. Shrapnel had penetrated everywhere. He went +about to examine and took pieces of shrapnel out of the flour and sugar +and coffee which had gone straight through the tin containers. The vanilla +bottles were broken and there was shrapnel in the vanilla, shrapnel was +embedded in the wooden tops of the tables, and in the walls. + +He went to the billet where two of the girls had slept. Opposite their bed +on the other side of the room was a window and over the bed was a large +picture. A shell had passed through the window and smashed the picture, +shattering the glass in fragments all over the bed. Another shell had +entered the window, passed over the pillows of the bed and gone out +through the wall by the bed. It would have gone through the temples of any +sleeper in that bed. After this they kept men in Ansauville instead of +girls. + +The next day the girls opened up the canteen at Menilla-Tour as calmly as +if nothing had happened the day before. + +The boys were going down to Nevillers to rest, and while they rested the +girls cooked good things for them and used that sweet God-given influence +that makes a little piece of home and heaven wherever it is found. + +The girls did not get much rest, but then they had not come to France to +rest, as they often told people who were always urging them to save +themselves. They did get one bit of luxury in the shape of passes down to +Beauvais. There it was possible to get a bath and the girls had not been +able to have that from the first of April to the first of July. They had +to stand in line with the officers, it is true, to take their turn at the +public bath houses, but it was a real delight to have plenty of water for +once, for their appointments at the front had been most restricted and +water a scarce commodity. Sometimes it had been difficult to get enough +water for the cooking and the girls had been obliged to use cold cream to +wash their faces for several days at a time. Of course, it was an +impossibility for them to do any laundry work for themselves, as there was +neither time nor place nor facilities. Their laundry was always carried by +courier to some near-by city and brought back to them in a few days. + +The Zone Major had supper with the Colonel, who told him that none of the +organizations would be allowed on the drive. The Zone Major asked if they +might be allowed to go as far as Crepy. The Colonel much excited said: +"Man, don't you know that town is being shelled every night?" The next +morning a party of sixteen Salvation Army men and women started out in the +truck for Crepy. It was a beautiful day and they rode all day long. At +nightfall they reached the village of Crepy where they were welcomed +eagerly. The Zone Major had to leave and go back and wanted them all to +stay there, but they were unwilling to do so because their own outfit was +going over the top that night and they wanted to be with them before they +left. They started from Crepy about five o'clock and got lost in the +woods, but finally, after wandering about for some hours, landed in Roy +St. Nicholas where was the outfit to which one of the girls belonged. + +The Salvation Army boys had just pulled in with another truck and were +getting ready for the night, for they always slept in their trucks. The +girls decided to sit down in the road until the billeting officer arrived, +but time passed and no billeting officer came. They were growing very +weary, so they got into the Colonel's car, which stood at the roadside, +and went to sleep. A little later the billeting officer appeared with many +apologies and offered to take them to the billet that had been set aside +for them. They took their rolls of blankets, and climbed sleepily out of +the car, following him two blocks down the street to an old building. But +when they reached there they found that some French officers had taken +possession and were fast asleep, so they went back to the car and slept +till morning. At daylight they went down to a brook to wash but found that +the soldiers were there ahead of them, and they had to go back and be +content with freshening up with cold cream. Thus did these lassies, +accustomed to daintiness in their daily lives, accommodate themselves to +the necessities of war, as easily and cheerfully as the soldier boys +themselves. + +That day the rest of the outfits arrived, and they all pulled into Morte +Fontaine. + +Morte Fontaine was well named because there was no water in the town fit +to use. + +The girls felt they were needed nearer the front, so they went to Major +Peabody and asked permission. + +"I should say not!" he replied vigorously with yet a twinkle of admiration +for the brave lassies. "But you can take anything you want in this town." + +So the girls went out and found an old building. It was very dirty but +they went cheerfully to work, cleaned it up, and started their canteen. + +There was a hospital in the town; they knew that by the many ambulances +that were continually going back and forth; so they offered their services +to the doctors, which were eagerly accepted. After that they took turns +staying in the canteen and going to the hospital. + +The hospital was fearfully crowded, though it was in no measure the fault +of the hospital authorities, for they were doing their best, working with +all their might; but it had not been expected that there would be so many +wounded at this point and they had not adequate accommodations. Many of +the wounded boys were lying on the ground in the sun, covered with blood +and flies, and parched with thirst and fever. There were not enough +ambulances to carry them further back to the base hospitals. + +The girls stretched pieces of canvas over the heads of the poor boys to +keep off the sun; they got water and washed away the blood; and they sent +one of their indefatigable truck drivers after some water to make +lemonade. The little Adjutant twinkled his nice brown eyes and set his +firm merry lips when they told him to get the water, in that place of no +water, but he took his little Ford car and whirled away without a word, +and presently he returned with a barrel of ice-cold water from a spring he +had found two miles away. How the girls rejoiced that it was ice cold! And +then they started making lemonade. They had known that the Adjutant would +find water somewhere. He was the man the doughboys called "one game little +guy," because he was so fearless in going into No Man's Land after the +wounded, so indefatigable in accomplishing his purpose against all odds, +so forgetful of self. + +They had but one crate of lemons, one crate of oranges and one bag of +sugar when they began making lemonade, but before they needed more it +arrived just on the minute. It was almost like a miracle. For a whole car +load of oranges and lemons had been shipped to Beauvais and arrived a day +too late--after the troops had gone. They were of no use there, so the +Zone Major had them shipped at once to the railhead at Crepy, and got a +special permit to go over with trucks and take them up to Morte Fontaine. + +The Salvation Army never does things by halves. Colonel Barker sent to +Paris to get some mosquito netting to keep the flies off those soldiers, +and failing to find any in the whole city he bought $10,000 worth of white +net, such as is used for ladies' collars and dresses--ten thousand yards +at a dollar a yard--and sent it down to the hospital where it was used +over the wounded men, sometimes over a wounded arm or leg or head, +sometimes over a whole man, sometimes stretched as netting in the windows. +And no ten thousand dollars was ever better spent, for the flies +occasioned indescribable suffering as well as the peril of infection. + +Wonderful relief and comfort all these things brought to those poor boys +lying there in agony and fever. How delicious were the cooling drinks to +their parched lips! The doctors afterward said that it was the cool drinks +those girls gave to the men that saved many a life that day. + +There were some poor fellows hurt in the abdomen who were not allowed to +drink even a drop and who begged for it so piteously. For these the girls +did all in their power. They bathed their faces and hands and dipping +gauze in lemonade they moistened their lips with it. + +The other day, after the war was over and a ship came sailing into New +York harbor, one of these same fellows standing on the deck looked down at +the wharf and saw one of these same girls standing there to welcome him. +As soon as he was free to leave the ship he rushed down to find her, and +gripping her hand eagerly he cried out so all around could hear: "You +saved my life that day. Oh, but I'm glad to see you! The doctor said it +was that cold lemonade you gave me that kept me from dying of fever!" + +In one base hospital lay a boy wounded at Chateau-Thierry. Of course, when +wounded, he lost all his possessions, including a Testament which he very +much treasured. The Salvation Army supplied him with another, but it did +not comfort him as the old one had done. He said that it could never be +the same as the one he had carried for so long. He worried so much about +his Testament, that one of the lassies finally attempted to recover it, +and, after much trouble, succeeded through the Bureau of Effects. The +little book, which the soldier had always carried with him, was blood- +soaked and mud-stained; but it was an unmistakable aid in the lad's +recovery. + +But the honor of those days in Morte Fontaine was not all due to the +Salvation Army lassies. The Salvation Army truck drivers were real heroes. +They came with their ambulances and their trucks and they carried the poor +wounded fellows back to the base hospitals. The hospitals were full +everywhere near there, and sometimes they would go from one to another and +have to drive miles, and even go from one town to another to find a place +where there was room to receive the men they carried. Then back they would +come for another load. They worked thus for three days and five nights +steadily, before they slept, and some of them stripped to the waist and +bared their breasts to the sharp night wind so that the cold air would +keep them awake to the task of driving their cars through the black night +with its precious load of human lives. They had no opportunity for rest of +any kind, no chance to shave or wash or sleep, and they were a haggard and +worn looking set of men when it was over. + +While all this was going on the Zone Major kept out of sight of the +Colonel who had told him he couldn't go out on that drive; but two days +later he saw his familiar car coming down the road and the Colonel seemed +greatly agitated. He was shaking his fist in front of him. + +The Zone Major pondered whether he would not better drive right on without +stopping to talk, but he reflected that he would have to take his +punishment some time and he might as well get it over with, so when the +Colonel's car drew near he stopped. The Colonel got out and the Zone Major +got out, and it was apparent that the Colonel was very angry. He forgot +entirely that the Zone Major was a Salvationist and he swore roundly: "I'm +out with you for life" declared the Colonel angrily. "The General's upset +and I'm upset." + +"Why, what's the matter, Colonel?" asked the Zone Major innocently. + +"Matter enough! You had no business to bring those girls up here!" + +The Colonel said more to the same effect, and then got into his car and +drove off. The Zone Major wisely kept out of his way; but a few days later +met him again and this time the Colonel was smiling: + +"Dog-gone you, Major, where've you been keeping yourself? Why haven't you +been around?" and he put out his hand affably. + +"Why, I didn't want to see a man who bawled me out in the public highway +that way," said the Zone Major. + +"Well, Major, you had no business to bring those girls up here and you +know it!" said the Colonel rousing to the old subject again. + +"Why not, Colonel, didn't they do fine?" + +"Yes, they did," said the Colonel with tears springing suddenly into his +eyes and a huskiness into his voice, "but, Major, think what if we'd lost +one of them!" + +"Colonel," said the Zone Major gently, "my girls are soldiers. They come +up here to share the dangers with the soldiers, and as long as they can be +of service they feel this is the place for them." + +The Colonel struggled with his emotion for a moment and then said gruffly: +"Had anything to eat? Stop and take a bite with me." And they sat down +under the trees and had supper together. + +It was at this town that the girls slept in a German-dug cave, in which +our boys had captured seven hundred Germans, the commanding officer of +whom said that according to his rank in Germany he ought to have a car to +take him to the rear. However, he was compelled to leg it at the point of +an American bayonet in the hands of an American doughboy. The cave was of +chalk rock made to store casks of wine. + +The airplanes were bad in this place. One speaks of airplanes in such a +connection in the same way one used to mention mosquitoes at certain +Jersey seashore resorts. But they were particularly bad at Morte Fontaine, +and Major Peabody ordered the canteen to be moved out of the village to +the cave. More Salvation Army girls came to look after the canteen leaving +the first girls free for longer hours at the hospital. + +One beautiful moonlight night the girls had just started out from the +hospital to go to their cave when they heard a German airplane, the +irregular chug, chug of its engine distinguishing it unmistakably from the +smooth whirr of the Allies' planes. The girls looked up and almost over +their heads was an enemy plane, so low that they could see the insignia on +his machine, and see the man in the car. He seemed to be looking down at +them. In sudden panic they fled to a nearby tree and hid close under its +branches. Standing there they saw the enemy make a low dip over the +hospital tents, drop a bomb in the kitchen end just where they had been +working five minutes before, and slide up again through the silvery air, +curve away and dive down once more. + +The scene was bright as day for the moon was full and very clear that +night, and the roads stretched out in every direction like white ribbons. +One block away the girls could see a regiment of Scotch soldiers, the +famous Highland Regiment called "The Ladies From Hell," marching up to the +front that night, and singing bravely as they marched, their skirling +Scotch songs accompanied by a bagpipe. And even as they listened with +bated breath and straining eyes the airplane dipped and dropped another +bomb right into the midst of the brave men, killing thirty of them, and +slid up and away before it could be stopped. These were the scenes to +which they grew daily accustomed as they plied their angel mission, and +daily saw themselves preserved as by a miracle from constant peril. + +We had about eight or ten German prisoners here, who were employed as +litter bearers, and very good workers they were, tickled to death to be +there instead of over on their own side fighting. Most of the prisoners, +except some of the German officers, seemed glad to be taken. + +These German prisoners were sitting in a row on the ground outside the +hospital one day when the Salvation Army girls and men were picking over a +crate of oranges. The Germans sat watching them with longing eyes. + +"Let's give them each one," proposed one of the girls. + +"No! Give them a punch in the nose!" said the boys. + +The girls said nothing more and went on working. Presently they stepped +away for a few minutes and when they came back the Germans sat there +contentedly eating oranges. Questioningly the girls looked at their male +coworkers and with lifted brows asked: "What does this mean?" + +"Aw, well! The poor sneaks looked so longingly!" said one of the boys, +grinning sheepishly. + +There in the hospital the girls came into contact with the splendid spirit +of the American soldier boys, "Don't help me, help that fellow over there +who is suffering!" was heard over and over again when they went to bring +comfort to some wounded boy. + +When the supplies in the canteen would run out, and the last doughnut +would be handed with the words: "That's the last," the boy to whom it was +given would say: "Don't give it to me, give it to Harry. I don't want it." + +It was during that drive and there was a farewell meeting at one of the +Salvation Army huts that night for the boys who were going up to the +trenches. It was a beautiful and touching meeting as always on such +occasions. Starting with singing whatever the boys picked out, it dropped +quickly into the old hymns that the boys loved and then to a simple +earnest prayer, setting forth the desperate case of those who were going +out to fight, and appealing to the everlasting Saviour for forgiveness and +refuge. They lingered long about the fair young girl who was leading them, +listening to her earnest, plain words of instruction how to turn to the +Saviour of the world in their need, how to repent of their sins and take +Christ for their Saviour and Sanctifier. No man who was in that meeting +would dare plead ignorance of the way to be saved. Many signified their +desire to give their lives into the keeping of Christ before they went to +the front. The meeting broke up reluctantly and the men drifted out and +away, expecting soon to be called to go. But something happened that they +did not go that night. Meantime, a company had just returned from the +front, weary, hungry, worn and bleeding, with their nerves unstrung, and +their spirits desperate from the tumult and horror of the hours they had +just passed in battle. They needed cheering and soothing back to normal. +The girls were preparing to do this with a bright, cheery entertainment, +when a deputation of boys from the night before returned. There was a +wistful gleam in the eyes of the young Jew who was spokesman for the group +as he approached the lassie who had led the meeting. + +"Say, Cap, you see we didn't go up." + +"I see," she smiled happily. + +"Say, Cap, won't you have another farewell meeting to-night?" he asked +with an appealing glance in his dark eyes. + +"Son, we've arranged something else just now for the fellows who are +coming back," she said gently, for she hated to refuse such a request. + +"Oh, say, Cap, you can have that later, can't you? We want another meeting +now." + +There was something so pleading in his voice and eyes, so hungry in the +look of the waiting group, that the young Captain could not deny him. She +looked at him hesitatingly, and then said: + +"All right. Go out and tell the boys." + +He hurried out and soon the company came crowding in. That hour the very +Lord came down and communed with them as they sang and knelt to pray, and +not a heart but was melted and tender as they went out when it was over in +the solemn darkness of the early morning. A little later the order came +and they "went over." + +It was a sharp, fierce fight, and the young Jew was mortally wounded. Some +comrades found him as he lay white and helpless on the ground, and bending +over saw that he had not long to stay. They tried to lift him and bear him +back, but he would not let them. He knew it was useless. + +They asked him if he had any message. He nodded. Yes, he wanted to send a +message to the Salvation Army girls. It was this: + +"Tell the girls I've gone West; for I will be by the time you tell them; +and tell them it's all right for at that second meeting I accepted Christ +and I die resting on the same Saviour that is theirs." + +One of our wonderful boys out on the drive had his hand blown off and +didn't realize it. His chum tried to drag him back and told him his hand +was gone. + +"That's nothing!" he cried. "Tie it up!" + +But they forced him back lest he would bleed to death. In the hospital +they told him that now he might go home. + +"Go home!" he cried. "Go home for the loss of a left hand! I'm not left- +handed. Maybe I can't carry a gun, but I can throw hand grenades!" + +He went to the Major and the Major said also that he must go home. + +The boy looked him straight in the eye: + +"Excuse me, Major, saying I won't. But _I won't let go your coat_ +till you say I can stay," and finally the Major had to give in and let him +stay. He could not resist such pleading. + +One poor fellow, wounded in his abdomen, was lying on a litter in a most +uncomfortable position suffering awful pain. The lassie came near and +asked if she could do anything for him. He told her he wanted to lie on +his stomach, but the doctor, when she asked him, said "No" very shortly +and told her he must lie on his back. She stooped and turned him so that +his position was more comfortable, put his gas mask under his head, rolled +his blanket so as to support his shoulders better, and turned to go to +another, and the poor suffering lad opened his eyes, held out his hand and +smiled as she went away. + +The doctors said to the girls: "It is wonderful to have you around." + +The Red Cross men and their rolling kitchens came to the front, but no +women. Somehow in pain and sickness no hand can sooth like a woman's. +Perhaps God meant it to be so. Here at Morte Fontaine was the first time a +woman had ever worked in a field hospital. + +The Salvation Army women worked all that drive. + +It was a sad time, though, for the division went in to stay until they +lost forty-five hundred men, but it stayed two days after reaching that +figure and lost about seventy-five thousand. + +The doctor in charge of the evacuation hospital at Crepy spoke of the +effect of the Salvation Army girls, not alone upon the wounded, but also +upon the medical-surgical staff and the men of the hospital corps who +acted as nurses in that advanced position. "Before they came," he said, +"we were overwrought, everyone seemed at the breaking point, what with the +nervous tension and danger. But the very sight of women working calmly had +a soothing effect on everyone." + +When the drive was over orders came to leave. The following is the +official notice to the Salvation Army officers: + + +G-1 Headquarters, 1st Division, American Expeditionary Forces, July 26, +1918. + +_Memorandum._ + +To Directors, Y.M.C.A., Red Cross, Salvation Army Services, 1st Division. + +1. This division moves by rail to destination unknown beginning at 6.00 +A.M., July 28th. Motor organizations of the Division move overland. Your +motorized units will accompany the advanced section of the Division Supply +Train, and will form a part of that train. + +2. Time of departure and routes to be taken will be announced later. + +3. Secretaries attached to units may accompany units, if it is so desired. + +By command of Major-General Summerall. + + P. E. Peabody, + Captain, Infantry, + G-1 + +Copies: +YMCA +Red Cross +Salvation Army +G-3 +C. of S. +File + + +The girls stowed themselves and their belongings into the big truck. Just +as they were about to start they saw some infantry coming, seven men whom +they knew, but in such a plight! They were unshaven, with white, sunken +faces, and great dark hollows under their eyes. They were simply "all in," +and could hardly walk. + +Without an instant's hesitation the girls made a place for those poor, +tired, dirty men in the truck, and the invitation was gratefully accepted. + +There were more poor forlorn fellows coming along the road. They kept +meeting them every little way, but they had no room to take in any more so +they piled oranges in the back end of the truck and gave them to all the +boys they passed who were walking. + +Now the girls were on their way to Senlis, where they had planned to take +dinner at a hotel in which they had dined before. It was one of the few +buildings remaining in the town for the Germans, when they left Senlis, +had set it on fire and destroyed nearly everything. But as the girls +neared the town they began to think about the boys asleep in the back of +the truck, who probably hadn't had a square meal for a week, and they +decided to take them with them. So they woke them up when they arrived at +the hotel. Oh, but those seven dirty, unshaven soldiers were embarrassed +with the invitation to dinner! At first they declined, but the girls +insisted, and they found a place to wash and tidy up themselves a bit. In +a few minutes into the big dining-room filled with French soldiers and a +goodly sprinkling of French officers, marched those two girls, followed by +their seven big unshaven soldiers with their white faces and hollow eyes, +sat proudly down at a table in the very centre and ordered a big dinner. +That is the kind of girls Salvation Army lassies are. Never ashamed to do +a big right thing. + +After the dinner they took the boys to their divisional headquarters, +where they found their outfit. + +They went on their way from Senlis to Dam-Martin to stay for a week back +of the lines for rest. + +There was a big French cantonment building here built for moving pictures, +which was given to them for a canteen, and they set up their stove and +went to work making doughnuts, and doing all the helpful things they could +find to do for the boys who were soon to go to the front again. + +Then orders came to move back to the Toul Sector. + + Those were wonderful moonlight nights at Saizerais, but the Boche +airplanes nearly pestered the life out of everybody. + +"Gee!" said one of the boys, "if anybody ever says 'beautiful moonlight +nights' to me when I get home I don't know what I'll do to 'em!" + +The boys were at the front, but not fighting as yet. Occasional shells +would burst about their hut here and there, but the girls were not much +bothered by them. The thing that bothered them most was an old "Vin" shop +across the street that served its wine on little tables set out in front +on the sidewalk. They could not help seeing that many of the boys were +beginning to drink. Poor souls! The water was bad and scarce, sometimes +poisoned, and their hearts were sick for something, and this was all that +presented itself. It was not much wonder. But when the girls discovered +the state of things they sent off three or four boys with a twenty-gallon +tank to scout for some water. They found it after much search and filled +the big tank full of delicious lemonade, telling the boys to help +themselves. + +All the time they were in that town, which was something like a week, the +girls kept that tank full of lemonade close by the door. They must have +made seventy-five or a hundred gallons of lemonade every day, and they had +to squeeze all the lemons by hand, too! They told the boys: "When you feel +thirsty just come here and get lemonade as often as you want it!" No +wonder they almost worship those girls. And they had the pleasure of +seeing the trade of the little wine shop decidedly decrease. + +However near the front you may go you will always find what is known over +there in common parlance as a "hole in the wall" where "vin blanche" and +"vin rouge" and all kinds of light wines can be had. And, of course, many +soldiers would drink it. The Salvation Army tried to supply a great need +by having carloads of lemons sent to the front and making and distributing +lemonade freely. + +One cannot realize the extent of this proposition without counting up all +the lemons and sugar that would be required, and remembering that supplies +were obtained only by keeping in constant touch with the Headquarters of +that zone and always sending word immediately when any need was +discovered. There is nothing slow about the Salvation Army and they are +not troubled with too much red tape. If necessity presents itself they +will even on occasion cut what they have to help someone. + +The airplanes visited them every night that week, and sometimes they did +not think it worth while to go to bed at all; they had to run to the +safety trenches so often. It was just a little bit of a village with +dugouts out on the edge. + +One night they had gone to bed and a terrific explosion occurred which +rocked the little house where they were. They thought of course the bomb +had fallen in the village, but they found it was quite outside. It had +made such a big hole in the ground that you could put a whole truck into +it. + +The trenches in which they hid were covered over with boards and sand, and +were not bomb proof, but they were proof against pieces of shell and +shrapnel. + +It was a very busy time for the girls because so many different outfits +were passing and repassing that they had to work from morning early till +late at night. + +At Bullionville the hut was in a building that bore the marks of much +shelling. The American boys promptly dubbed the place "Souptown." + +The Division moved to Vaucouleurs for rest and replacements. At +Vaucouleurs there was a great big hut with a piano, a victrola, and a +cookstove. + +They started the canteen, made doughnuts and pies, and gave +entertainments. + +But best of all, there were wonderful meetings and numbers of conversions, +often twenty and twenty-five at a time giving themselves to Christ. The +boys would get up and testify of their changed feelings and of what Christ +now meant to them, and the others respected them the more for it. + +They stayed here two weeks and everybody knew they were getting ready for +a big drive. It was a solemn time for the boys and they seemed to draw +nearer to the Salvation Army people and long to get the secret of their +brave, unselfish lives, and that light in their eyes that defied danger +and death. In the distance you could hear the artillery, and the night +before they left, all night long, there was the tramp, tramp, tramp of +feet, the boys "going up." + +The next day the girls followed in a truck, stopping a few days at Pagny- +sur-Meuse for rest. + + + + +VIII. + +The Saint Mihiel Drive + + + +The hut in Raulecourt was an old French barracks. Outside in the yard was +an old French anti-aircraft gun and a mesh of barbed wire entanglement. +The woods all around was filled with our guns. To the left was the enemy's +third line trench. Three-quarters of the time the Boche were trying to +clean us up. Less than two miles ahead were our own front line trenches. + +The field range was outside in the back yard. + +One hot day in July a Salvation Army woman stood at the range frying +doughnuts from eleven in the morning until six at night without resting, +and scarcely stopping for a bite to eat. She fried seventeen hundred +doughnuts, and was away from the stove only twice for a few minutes. She +claims, however, that she is not the champion doughnut fryer. The champion +fried twenty-three hundred in a day. + +One day a soldier watching her tired face as she stood at the range +lifting out doughnuts and plopping more uncooked ones into the fat, +protested. + +"Say, you're awfully tired turning over doughnuts. Let me help you. You go +inside and rest a while. I'm sure I can do that." + +She was tired and the boy looked eager, so she decided to accept his +offer. He was very insistent that she go away and rest, so she slipped in +behind a screen to lie down, but peeped out to watch how he was getting +on. She saw him turn over the first doughnuts all right and drain them, +but he almost burned his fingers trying to eat one before it was fairly +out of the fat; and then she understood why he had been so anxious for her +to "_go away_" and rest. + +Often the boys would come to the lassies and say: "Say, Cap, I can help +you. Loan me an apron." And soon they would be all flour from their chin +to their toes. + +They would come about four o'clock to find out what time the doughnuts +would be ready for serving, and the girls usually said six o'clock so that +they would be able to fry enough to supply all the regiment. But the men +would start to line up at half-past four, knowing that they could not be +served until six, so eager were they for these delicacies. When six +o'clock came each man would get three doughnuts and a cup of delicious +coffee or chocolate. A great many doughnut cutters were worn out as the +days went by and the boys frequently had to get a new cutter made. +Sometimes they would take the top of quite a large-sized can or anything +tin that they could lay hands on from which to make it. One boy found the +top of an extra large sized baking powder tin and took it to have a +smaller cutter soldered in the centre. Sometimes they used the top of the +shaving soap box for this. When he got back to the hut the cook exclaimed +in dismay: "Why, but it's too big!" + +"Oh, that's all right," said the doughboy nonchalantly. + +"That'll be all the better for us. We'll get more doughnut. You always +give us three anyway, you know. The size don't count." + +They were always scheming to get more pie and more doughnuts and would +stand in line for hours for a second helping. One day the Salvation Army +woman grew indignant over a noticeably red-headed boy who had had three +helpings and was lining up for a fourth. She stood majestically at the +head of the line and pointed straight at him: "You! With the red head down +there! Get out of the line!" + +"She's got my number all right!" said the red-headed one, grinning +sheepishly as he dropped back. + +The town of Raulecourt was often shelled, but one morning just before +daybreak the enemy started in to shell it in earnest. Word came that the +girls had better leave as it was very dangerous to remain, but the girls +thought otherwise and refused to leave. One might have thought they +considered that they were real soldiers, and the fate of the day depended +upon them. And perhaps more depended upon them than they knew. However +that was they stayed, having been through such experiences before. For the +older woman, however, it was a first experience. She took it calmly +enough, going about her business as if she, too, were an old soldier. + +On the evening of June 14th they made fudge for the boys who were going to +leave that night for the front lines. + +For several hours the tables in the hut were filled with men writing +letters to loved ones at home, and the women and girls had sheets of paper +filled with addresses to which they had promised to write if the boys did +not come back. + +At last one of the men got up with his finished letter and quietly removed +the phonograph and a few of its devotees who were not going up to the +front yet, placing them outside at a safe distance from the hut. A soldier +followed, carrying an armful of records, and the hut was cleared for the +men who were "going in" that night. + +For a little while they ate fudge and then they sang hymns for another +half hour, and had a prayer. It was a very quiet little meeting. Not much +said. Everyone knew how solemn the occasion was. Everyone felt it might be +his last among them. It was as if the brooding Christ had made Himself +felt in every heart. Each boy felt like crying out for some strong arm to +lean upon in this his sore need. Each gave himself with all his heart to +the quiet reaching up to God. It was as if the eating of that fudge had +been a solemn sacrament in which their souls were brought near to God and +to the dear ones they might never see on this earth again. If any one had +come to them then and suggested the Philosophy of Nietzsche it would have +found little favor. They knew, here, in the face of death, that the Death +of Jesus on the Cross was a soul satisfying creed. Those who had accepted +Him were suddenly taken within the veil where they saw no longer through a +glass darkly, but with a face-to-face sense of His presence. They had +dropped away their self assurance with which they had either conquered or +ignored everything so far in life, and had become as little children, +ready to trust in the Everlasting Father, without whom they had suddenly +discovered they could not tread the ways of Death. + +Then came the call to march, and with a last prayer the boys filed +silently out into the night and fell into line. A few minutes later the +steady tramp of their feet could be heard as they went down the street +that led to the front. + +Later in the night, quite near to morning, there came a terrific shock of +artillery fire that heralded a German raid. The fragile army cots rocked +like cradles in the hut, dishes rolled and danced on the shelves and +tables, and were dashed to fragments on the floor. Shells wailed and +screamed overhead; and our guns began, until it seemed that all the sounds +of the universe had broken forth. In the midst of it all the gas alarm +sounded, the great electric horns screeching wildly above the babel of +sound. The women hurried into their gas masks, a bit flustered perhaps, +but bearing their excitement quietly and helping each other until all were +safely breathing behind their masks. + +The next day several times officers came to the hut and begged the women +to leave and go to a place of greater safety, but they decided not to go +unless they were ordered away. On June 19th one of them wrote in her +diary: "Shells are still flying all about us, but our work is here and we +must stay. God will protect us." Once when things grew quiet for a little +while she went to the edge of the village and watched the shells falling +on Boucq, where one of her friends was stationed, and declared: "It looks +awfully bad, almost as bad as it sounds." + +The next morning as the firing gradually died away, Salvation Army people +hurried up to Raulecourt from near-by huts to find out how these brave +women were, and rejoiced unspeakably that every one was safe and well. + +That night there was another wonderful meeting with the boys who were +going to the front, and after it the weary workers slept soundly the whole +night through, quietly and undisturbed, the first time for a week. + +It was a bright, beautiful Sunday morning, June 23, 1918, when a little +party of Salvationists from Raulecourt started down into the trenches. The +muddy, dirty, unpleasant trenches! Sometimes with their two feet firmly +planted on the duck-board, sometimes in the mud! Such mud! If you got both +feet on it at once you were sure you were planted and would soon begin to +grow! + +As soon as they reached the trenches they were told: "Keep your heads +down, ladies, the snipers are all around!" It was an intense moment as +they crept into the narrow housings where the men had to spend so much +time. But it was wonderful to watch the glad light that came into the +men's eyes as they saw the women. + +"Here's a real, honest-to-goodness American woman in the trenches!" +exclaimed a homesick lad as they came around a turn. + +"Yes, your mother couldn't come to-day," said the motherly Salvationist, +smiling a greeting, "so I've come in her place." + +"All right!" said he, entering into the game. "This is Broadway and that's +Forty-second Street. Sit down." + +Of course there was nothing to sit down on in the trenches. But he hunted +about till he found a chow can and turned it up for a seat, and they had a +pleasant talk. + +"Just wait," he said. "I'll show you a picture of the dearest little girl +a fellow ever married and the darlingest little kid ever a man was father +to!" He fumbled in his breast pocket right over his heart and brought out +two photographs. + +"I'd give my right arm to see them this minute, but for all that," he went +on, "I wouldn't leave till we've fought this thing through to Berlin and +given them a dose of what they gave little Belgium!" + +They went up and down the trenches, pausing at the entrances to dugouts to +smile and talk with the men. Once, where a grassy ridge hid the trench +from the enemy snipers, they were permitted to peep over, but there was no +look of war in the grassy, placid meadow full of flowers that men called +"No Man's Land." It seemed hard to believe, that sunny, flower-starred +morning, that Sin and Hate had the upper hand and Death was abroad +stalking near in the sunlight. + +It was a twelve-mile walk through the trenches and back to the hut, and +when they returned they found the men were already gathering for the +evening meeting. + +That night, at the close of a heart-searching talk, eighty-five men arose +to their feet in token that they would turn from the ways of sin and +accept Christ as their Saviour, and many more raised their hands for +prayers. One of the women of this party in her three months in France saw +more than five hundred men give themselves to Christ and promise to serve +Him the rest of their lives. + +A little Adjutant lassie who was stationed at Boucq went away from the +town for a few hours on Saturday, and when she returned the next day she +found the whole place deserted. A big barrage had been put over in the +little, quiet village while she was away and the entire inhabitants had +taken refuge in the General's dugout. Her husband, who had brought her +back, insisted that she should return to the Zone Headquarters at Ligny- +en-Barrios, where he was in charge, and persuaded her to start with him, +but when they reached Menil-la-Tour and found that the division Chaplain +was returning to Boucq she persuaded her husband that she must return with +the Chaplain to her post of duty. + +That night she and the other girls slept outside the dugout in little +tents to leave more room in the dugout for the French women with their +little babies. At half-past three in the morning the Germans started their +shelling once more. After two hours, things quieted down somewhat and the +girls went to the hut and prepared a large urn of coffee and two big +batches of hot biscuits. While they were in the midst of breakfast there +was another barrage. All day they were thus moving backward and forward +between the hut and the dugout, not knowing when another barrage would +arrive. The Germans were continually trying to get the chateau where the +General had his headquarters. One shell struck a house where seven boys +were quartered, wounding them all and killing one of them. Things got so +bad that the Divisional Headquarters had to leave; the General sent his +car and transferred the girls with all their things to Trondes. This was +back of a hill near Boucq. They arrived at three in the afternoon, put up +their stove and began to bake. By five they were serving cake they had +baked. The boys said: "What! Cake already?" The soldiers put up the hut +and had it finished in six hours. + +While all this was going on the Salvation Army friends over at Raulecourt +had been watching the shells falling on Boueq, and been much troubled +about them. + +These were stirring times. No one had leisure to wonder what had become of +his brother, for all were working with all their might to the one great +end. + +Up north of Beaumont two aviators were caught by the enemy's fire and +forced to land close to the enemy nests. Instead of surrendering the +Americans used the guns on their planes and held off the Germans until +darkness fell, when they managed to escape and reach the American lines. +This was only one of many individual feats of heroism that helped to turn +the tide of battle. The courage and determination, one might say the +enthusiasm, of the Americans knew no bounds. It awed and overpowered the +enemy by its very eagerness. The Americans were having all they could do +to keep up with the enemy. The artillerymen captured great numbers of +enemy cannon, ammunition, food and other supplies, which the trucks +gathered up and carried far to the front, where they were ready for the +doughboys when they arrived. One of the greatest feats of engineering ever +accomplished by the American Army was the bridging of the Meuse, in the +region of Stenay, under terrible shell fire, using in the work of building +the pontoons the Boche boats and materials captured during the fighting at +Chateau-Thierry and which had been brought from Germany for the Kaiser's +Paris offensive in July. The Meuse had been flooded until it was a mile +wide, yet there was more than enough material to bridge it. + +As the Americans advanced, village after village was set free which had +been robbed and pillaged by the Germans while under their domination. The +Yankee trucks as they returned brought the women and children back from +out of the range of shell fire, and they were filled with wonder as they +heard the strange language on the tongues of their rescuers. They knew it +was not the German, but they had many of them never seen an American +before. The Germans had told them that Americans were wild and barbarous +people. Yet these men gathered the little hungry children into their arms +and shared their rations with them. There were three dirty, hungry little +children, all under ten years of age, Yvonne, Louisette and Jeane, whose +father was a sailor stationed at Marseilles. Yvonne was only four years of +age, and she told the soldiers she had never seen her father. They climbed +into the big truck and sat looking with wonder at the kindly men who +filled their hands with food and asked them many questions. By and by, +they comprehended that these big, smiling, cheerful men were going to take +the whole family to their father. What wonder, what joy shone in their +eager young eyes! + +Strange and sad and wonderful sights there were to see as the soldiers +went forward. + +A pioneer unit was rushed ahead with orders to conduct its own campaign +and choose its own front, only so that contact was established with the +enemy, and to this unit was attached a certain little group of Salvation +Army people. Three lassies, doing their best to keep pace with their own +people, reached a battered little town about four o'clock in the morning, +after a hard, exciting ride. + +The supply train had already put up the tent for them, and they were +ordered to unfold their cots and get to sleep as soon as possible. But +instead of obeying orders these indomitable girls set to work making +doughnuts and before nine o'clock in the morning they had made and were +serving two thousand doughnuts, with the accompanying hot chocolate. + +The shells were whistling overhead, and the doughboys dropped into nearby +shell holes when they heard them coming, but the lassies paid no heed and +made doughnuts all the morning, under constant bombardment. + +Bouconville was a little village between Raulecourt and the trenches. In +it there was left no civilian nor any whole house. Nothing but shot-down +houses, dugouts and camouflages, Y.M.C.A., Salvation Army and enlisted +men. + +Dead Man's Curve was between Mandres and Beaumont. The enemy's eye was +always upon it and had its range. + +Before the St. Mihiel drive one could go to Bouconville or Raulecourt only +at night. As soon as it was dark the supply outfits on the trucks would be +lined up awaiting the word from the Military Police to go. + +Everyone had to travel a hundred yards apart. Only three men would be +allowed to go at once, so dangerous was the trip. + +Out of the night would come a voice: + +"Halt! Who goes there? Advance and give the countersign." + +Every man was regarded as an enemy and spy until he was proven otherwise. +And the countersign had to be given mighty quick, too. So the men were +warned when they were sent out to be ready with the countersign and not to +hesitate, for some had been slow to respond and had been promptly shot. +The ride through the night in the dark without lights, without sound, over +rough, shell-plowed roads had plenty of excitement. + +Bouconville for seven months could never be entered by day. The dugout +wall of the hut was filled with sandbags to keep it up. It was at +Bouconville, in the Salvation Army hut, that the raids on the enemy were +organized, the men were gathered together and instructed, and trench +knives given out; and here was where they weeded out any who were afraid +they might sneeze or cough and so give warning to the enemy. + +Not until after the St. Mihiel drive when Montsec was behind the line +instead of in front did they dare enter Bouconville by day. + +Passing through Mandres, it was necessary to go to Beaumont, around Dead +Man's Curve and then to Rambucourt, and proceed to Bouconville. Here the +Salvation Army had an outpost in a partially destroyed residence. The hut +consisted of the three ground floor rooms, the canteen being placed in the +middle. The sleeping quarters were in a dugout just at the rear of these +buildings. It was in the building adjoining this hut that three men were +killed one day by an exploding shell, and gas alarms were so frequent in +the night that it was very difficult for the Salvation Army people to +secure sufficient rest as on the sounding of every gas alarm it was +necessary to rise and put on the gas mask and keep it on until the +"alerte" was removed. This always occurred several times during the night. + +[Illustration: Map] + +It was just outside of Bouconville that the famous doughnut truck +experience occurred. The supply truck, driven by two young Salvation Army +men, one a mere boy, was making its rounds of the huts with supplies and +in order to reach Raulecourt, the boy who was driving decided to take the +shortest road, which, by the way, was under complete observation of the +Germans located at Montsec. The truck had already been shelled on its way +to Bouconville, several shells landing at the edge of the road within a +few feet of it. They had not noticed the first shell, for shells were a +somewhat common thing, and the old truck made so much noise that they had +not heard it coming, but when the second one fell so close one of the boys +said: "Say, they must be shooting at _us!_" as though that were +something unexpected. + +They stepped on the accelerator and the truck shot forward madly and tore +into the town with shells breaking about it. Having escaped thus far they +were ready to take another chance on the short cut to Raulecourt. + +They proceeded without mishaps for some distance. Just outside of +Bouconville was a large shell hole in the road and in trying to avoid this +the wheels of the truck slipped into the ditch, and the driver found he +was stuck. It was impossible to get out under his own power. While working +with the truck, the Germans began to shell him again. At first the two +boys paid little heed to it, but when more began to come they knew it was +time to leave. They threw themselves into a communicating trench, which +was really no more than a ditch, and wiggled their way up the bank until +they were able to drop into the main trenches, where they found safety in +a dugout. + +The Germans meantime were shelling the truck furiously, the shells +dropping all around on either side, but not actually hitting it. This was +about two o'clock in the afternoon. + +[Illustration: "It was just outside of Bouconville that the famous +doughnut truck experience occurred"---and this is the Salvation Army boy +who drove it] + +[Illustration: Bullionville, promptly dubbed by the American boys +"Souptown"] + +At Headquarters they were becoming anxious about the non-appearance of the +truck and started out in the touring car to locate it. Commencing at +Jouey-les-Cotes they went from there to Boucq and Raulecourt, which were +the last places the truck was to visit. Not hearing of it at Raulecourt, +the search was continued out to Bouconville, again, by a short road. +Montsec was in full view. There were fresh shell holes all along the road +since the night before. Things began to look serious. + +A short distance ahead was an army truck, and even as they got abreast of +it a shell went over it exploding about twenty-five feet away, and one hit +the side of the road just behind them. It seemed wise to put on all speed. + +But when they reached Bouconville and found that the truck they had passed +was the Salvation Army truck, they were unwilling to leave it to the +tender mercies of the enemy as everybody advised. That truck cost fifty- +five hundred dollars, and they did not want to lose it. + +As soon as it was dark a detail of soldiers volunteered to go with the +Salvation Army officers to attempt to get it out, but the Germans heard +them and started their shelling furiously once more, so that they had to +retreat for a time; but later, they returned and worked all night trying +to jack it up and get a foundation that would permit of hauling it out. +Every little while all night the Germans shelled them. About half-past +four in the morning it grew light enough for the enemy to see, and the top +was taken off the truck so that it would not be so good a mark. + +That day they went back to Headquarters and secured permission for an +ammunition truck to come down and give them a tow, as no driver was +permitted out on that road without a special permit from Headquarters. The +journey back was filled with perils from gas shells, especially around +Dead Man's Curve, but they escaped unhurt. That night they attached a tow +line to the front of the truck, started the engine quietly, and waited +until the assisting truck came along out of the darkness. They then +attached their line without stopping the other truck and with the aid of +its own power the old doughnut truck was jerked out of the ditch at last +and sent on its way. In spite of the many shells for which it had been a +target it was uninjured save that it needed a new top. The knowledge that +the truck was stuck in the ditch and was being shelled aroused great +excitement among all the troops in the Toul Sector and it was thereafter +an object of considerable interest. Newspaper correspondents telegraphed +reports of it around the world. + +In most of the huts and dugouts Salvation Army workers subsist entirely +upon Army chow. At Bouconville the chow was frequently supplemented by +fresh fish. The dugout here was very close to the trenches, less than five +minutes' walk. Just behind the trenches to the left was a small lake. When +there was sufficient artillery fire to mask their attack, soldiers would +toss a hand grenade into this lake, thus stunning hundreds of fish which +would float to the surface, where they were gathered in by the sackful. +The Salvation Army dugout was never without its share of the spoils. + +Before the soldiers began to think, as they do now, that being detailed to +the Salvation Army hut was a privilege, an Army officer sent one of his +soldiers, who seemed to be in danger of developing a yellow streak, to +sweep the hut and light the fires for the lassies. "You are only fit to +wash dishes, and hang on to a woman's skirts," he told the soldier in +informing him that he was detailed. That night the village was bombed. The +boy, who was really frightened, watched the two girls, being too proud to +run for shelter while they were so calm. He trembled and shook while they +sat quietly listening to the swish of falling bombs and the crash of anti- +aircraft guns. In spite of his fright, he was so ashamed of his fears that +he forced himself to stand in the street and watch the progress of the +raid. The next day he reported to his Captain that he had vanquished his +yellow streak and wanted a chance to demonstrate what he said. The +demonstration was ample. The example of these brave lassies had somehow +strengthened his spirit. + +Back of Raulecourt the woods were full of heavy artillery. Raulecourt was +the first town back of the front lines. The men were relieved every eight +days and passed through here to other places to rest. + +The military authorities sent word to the Salvation Army hut one day that +fifty Frenchmen would be going through from the trenches at five o'clock +in the morning who would have had no opportunity to get anything to eat. + +The Salvation Army people went to work and baked up a lot of biscuits and +doughnuts and cakes, and got hot coffee ready. The Red Cross canteen was +better situated to serve the men and had more conveniences, so they took +the things over there, and the Red Cross supplied hot chocolate, and when +the men came they were well served. This is a sample of the spirit of +cooperation which prevailed. One Sunday night they were just starting the +evening service when word came from the military authorities that there +were a hundred men coming through the town who were hungry and ought to be +fed. They must be out of the town by nine-thirty as they were going over +the top that night. Could the Salvation Army do anything? + +The woman officer who was in charge was perplexed. She had nothing cooked +ready to eat, the fire was out, her detailed helpers all gone, and she was +just beginning a meeting and hated to disappoint the men already gathered, +but she told the messenger that if she might have a couple of soldiers to +help her she would do what she could. The soldiers were supplied and the +fire was started. At ten minutes to nine the meeting was closed and the +earnest young preacher went to work making biscuits and chocolate with the +help of her two soldier boys. By ten o'clock all the men were fed and +gone. That is the way the Salvation Army does things. They never say "I +can't." They always CAN. + +In Raulecourt there were several pro-Germans. The authorities allowed them +to stay there to save the town. The Salvation Army people were warned that +there were spies in the town and that they must on no account give out +information. Just before the St. Mihiel drive a special warning was given, +all civilians were ordered to leave town, and a Military Police knocked at +the door and informed the woman in the hut that she must be careful what +she said to anybody with the rank of a second lieutenant, as word had gone +out there was a spy dressed in the uniform of an American second +lieutenant. + +That night at eleven o'clock the young woman was just about to retire when +there came a knock at the canteen door. She happened to be alone in the +building at the time and when she opened the door and found several +strange officers standing outside she was a little frightened. Nor did it +dispel her fears to have them begin to ask questions: + +"Madam, how many troops are in this town? Where are they? Where can we get +any billets?" + +To all these questions she replied that she could not tell or did not know +and advised them to get in touch with the town Major. The visitors grew +impatient. Then three more men knocked at the door, also in uniform, and +began to ask questions. When they could get no information one of them +exclaimed indignantly: + +"Well, I should like to know what kind of a town this is, anyway? I tried +to find out something from a Military Police outside and he took me for a +SPY! Madam, we are from Field Hospital Number 12, and we want to find a +place to rest." + +Then the frightened young woman became convinced that her visitors were +not spies; all the same, they were not going to leave her any the wiser +for any information she would give. + +Several times men would come to the town and find no place to sleep. On +such occasions the Salvation Army hut was turned over to them and they +would sleep on the floor. + +The St. Mihiel drive came on and the hut was turned over to the hospital. +The supplies were taken to a dugout and the canteen kept up there. Then +the military authorities insisted that the girls should leave town, but +the girls refused to go, begging, "Don't drive us away. We know we shall +be needed!" The Staff-Captain came down and took some of the girls away, +but left two in the canteen, and others in the hospital. + +It rained for two weeks in Roulecourt. The soldiers slept in little dog +tents in the woods. + +The meetings held the boys at the throne of God each night, they were the +power behind the doughnut, and the boys recognized it. + +"One hesitated to ask them if they wanted prayers because we knew they +did," said one sweet woman back from the front, speaking about the time of +the St. Mihiel drive. "We couldn't say how many knelt at the altar because +they all knelt. Some of them would walk five miles to attend a meeting." + +It poured torrents the night of the drive and nearly drowned out the +soldiers in their little tents. + +They came into the hut to shake hands and say goodbye to the girls; to +leave their little trinklets and ask for prayers; and they had their +meeting as always before a drive. + +But this was an even more solemn time than usual, for the boys were going +up to a point where the French had suffered the fearful loss of thirty +thousand men trying to hold Mt. Sec for fifteen minutes. They did not +expect to come back. They left sealed packages to be forwarded if they did +not return. + +One boy came to one of the Salvation Army men Officers and said: "Pray for +me. I have given my heart to Jesus." + +Another, a Sergeant, who had lived a hard life, came to the Salvation Army +Adjutant and said: "When I go back, if I ever go, I'm going to serve the +Lord." + +After the meeting the girls closed the canteen and on the way to their +room they passed a little sort of shed or barn. The door was standing open +and a light streaming out, and there on a little straw pallet lay a +soldier boy rolled up in his blanket reading his Testament. The girls +breathed a prayer for the lad as they passed by and their hearts were +lifted up with gladness to think how many of the American boys, fully two- +thirds of them, carried their Testaments in the pockets over their hearts; +yes, and read them, too, quite openly. + +Two young Captains came one night to say good-bye to the girls before +going up the line. The girls told them they would be praying for them and +the elder of the two, a doctor, said how much he appreciated that, and +then told them how he had promised his wife he would read a chapter in his +Testament every day, and how he had never failed to keep his promise since +he left home. + +Then up spoke the other man: + +"Well, I got converted one night on the road. The shells were falling +pretty thick and I thought I would never reach my destination and I just +promised the Lord if He would let me get safely there I would never fail +to read a chapter, and I never have failed yet!" This young man seemed to +think that--the whole plan of redemption was comprised in reading his +Bible, but if he kept his promise the Spirit would guide him. + +On the way back to the hut one morning the girls picked marguerites and +forget-me-nots and put them in a vase on the table in the hut, making it +look like a little oasis in a desert, and no doubt, many a soldier looked +long at those blossoms who never thought he cared about flowers before. + +Within thirty-six hours after the first gun was fired in the St. Mihiel +drive seven Salvation Army huts were established on the territory. + +Three days before the drive opened twenty Salvation Army girls reached +Raulecourt, which was a little village half a mile from Montsec. They had +been travelling for hours and hours and were very weary. + +The Salvation Army hut had been turned over to the hospital, so they found +another old building. + +That night there was a gas alarm sounded and everybody came running out +with their gas masks on. The officer who had them in charge was much +worried about his lassies because some of them had a great deal of hair, +and he was afraid that the heavy coils at the back of their heads would +prevent the masks from fitting tightly and let in the deadly gas, but the +lassies were level-headed girls, and they came calmly out with their masks +on tight and their hair in long braids down their backs, much to the +relief of their officer. + +It had been raining for days and the men were wet to the skin, and many of +them had no way to get dry except to roll up in their blankets and let the +heat of their body dry their clothes while they slept. It was a great +comfort to have the Salvation Army hut where they could go and get warm +and dry once in awhile. + +The night of the St. Mihiel drive was the blackest night ever seen. It was +so dark that one could positively see nothing a foot ahead of him. The +Salvation Army lassies stood in the door of the canteen and listened. All +day long the heavy artillery had been going by, and now that night had +come there was a sound of feet, tramping, tramping, thousands of feet, +through the mud and slush as the soldiers went to the front. In groups +they were singing softly as they went by. The first bunch were singing +"Mother Machree." + + There's a spot in me heart that no colleen may own, + There's a depth in me soul never sounded or known; + There's a place in me memory, me life, that you fill, + No other can take it, no one ever will; + Sure, I love the dear silver that shines in your hair, + And the brow that's all furrowed and wrinkled with care. + I kiss the dear fingers, so toil-worn for me; + O, God bless you and keep you! + Mother Machree! + +The simple pathos of the voices, many of them tramping forward to their +death, and thinking of mother, brought the tears to the eyes of the girls +who had been mothers and sisters, as well as they could, to these boys +during the days of their waiting. + +Then the song would die slowly away and another group would come by +singing: "Tell mother I'll be there!" Always the thought of mother. A +little interval and the jolly swing of "Pack up your troubles in your old +kit bag and smile, smile, smile!" came floating by, and then sweetly, +solemnly, through the chill of the darkness, with a thrill in the words, +came another group of voices: + + Abide with me; fast falls the eventide, + The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide!' + +There had been rumors that Montsec was mined and that as soon as a foot +was set upon it it would blow up. + +The girls went and lay down on their cots and tried to sleep, praying in +their hearts for the boys who had gone forth to fight. But they could not +sleep. It was as though they had all the burden of all the mothers and +wives and sisters of those boys upon them, as they lay there, the only +women within miles, the only women so close to the lines. + +About half-past one a big naval gun went off. It was as though all the +noises of the earth were let loose about them. They could lie still no +longer. They got up, put on their rain-coats, rubber boots, steel helmets, +took their gas masks and went out in the fields where they could see. Soon +the barrage was started. Darkness took on a rosy hue from shells bursting. +First a shell fell on Montsec. Then one landed in the ammunition dump just +back of it and blew it up, making it look like a huge crater of a volcano. +It seemed as if the universe were on fire. The noise was terrific. The +whole heavens were lit up from end to end. The beauty and the horror of it +were indescribable. + +At five o'clock they went sadly back to the hut. + +The hospital tents had been put up in the dark and now stood ready for the +wounded who were expected momentarily. The girls took off their rain-coats +and reported for duty. It was expected there would be many wounded. The +minutes passed and still no wounded arrived. Day broke and only a few +wounded men had been brought in. It was reported that the roads were so +bad that the ambulances were slow in getting there. With sad hearts the +workers waited, but the hours passed and still only a straggling few +arrived, and most of those were merely sick from explosives. There were +almost no wounded! Only ninety in all. + +Then at last there came one bearing a message. There _were_ no +wounded! The Germans had been taken so by surprise, the victory had been +so complete at that point, that the boys had simply leaped over all +barriers and gone on to pursue the enemy. Quickly packing up seven outfits +a little company of workers started after their divisions on trucks over +ground that twenty-four hours before had been occupied by the Germans, on +roads that were checkered with many shell holes which American road makers +were busily filling up and bridging as they passed. + +One of the Salvation Army truck drivers asked a negro road mender what he +thought of his job. He looked up with a pearly smile and a gleam of his +eyes and replied: "Boss, I'se doin' mah best to make de world safe foh +Democrats!" + +They had to stop frequently to remove the bodies of dead horses from the +way so recently had that place been shelled. They passed through grim +skeletons of villages shattered and torn by shell fire; between tangles of +rusty barbed wire that marked the front line trenches. Then on into +territory that had long been held by the Huns. More than half of the +villages they passed were partially burned by the retreating enemy. All +along the way the pitiful villagers, free at last, came out to greet them +with shouts of welcome, calling "Bonnes Americaines! Bonnes Americaines!" +Some flung their arms about the Salvation Army lassies in their joy. Some +of the villagers had not even known that the Americans were in the war +until they saw them. + +In the village of Nonsard a little way beyond Mt. Sec they found a +building that twenty-four hours before had been a German canteen. Above +the entrance was the sign "KAMERAD, tritt' ein." + +The Salvation Army people stepped in and took possession, finding +everything ready for their use. They even found a lard can full of lard +and after a chemist had analyzed it to make sure it was not poisoned they +fried doughnuts with it. In one wall was a great shell hole, and the +village was still under shell fire as they unloaded their truck and got to +work. One lassie set the water to heat for hot chocolate, while another +requisitioned a soldier to knock the head off a barrel of flour and was +soon up to her elbows mixing the dough for doughnuts. Before the first +doughnut was out of the hot fat several hundred soldiers were waiting in +long, patient, ever-growing lines for free doughnuts and chocolate. These +things were always served free after the men had been over the top. + +The lassies had had no sleep for thirty-six hours, but they never thought +of stopping until everybody was served. In that one day their three tons +of supplies entirely gave out. + +The Red Cross was there with their rolling kitchen. They had plenty of +bread but nothing to put on it. The Salvation Army had no stove on which +to cook anything, but they had quantities of jam and potted meats. They +turned over ten cases of jam, some of the cases containing as many as four +hundred small jars, to the Red Cross, who served it on hot biscuits. Some +one put up a sign: "THIS JAM FURNISHED BY THE SALVATION ARMY!" and the +soldiers passed the word along the line: "The finest sandwich in the +world, Red Cross and Salvation Army!" The first day two Salvation Army +girls served more than ten thousand soldiers in their canteen. They did +not even stop to eat. The Red Cross brought them over hot chocolate as +they worked. + +Evening brought enemy airplanes, but the lassies did not stop for that and +soon their own aerial forces drove the enemy back. + +That night the girls slept in a dirty German dugout, and they did not dare +to clean up the place, or even so much as to move any of the _débris_ +of papers and old tin and pasteboard cracker boxes, or cans that were +strewn around the place until the engineer experts came to examine things, +lest it might be mined and everything be blown up. The girls set up their +cots in the clearest place they could find, and went to sleep. One of the +women, however, who had just arrived, had lost her cot, and being very +weary crawled into a sort of berth dug by the Germans in the wall, where +some German had slept. She found out from bitter experience what cooties +are like. + +The next morning they were hard at work again as early as seven o'clock. +Two long lines of soldiers were already patiently waiting to be served. +The girls wondered whether they might not have been there all night. This +continued all day long. + +"We had to keep on a perpetual grin," said one of the lassies, "so that +each soldier would think he had a smile all his own. We always gave +everything with a smile." Yet they were not smiles of coquetry. One had +but to see the beautiful earnest faces of those girls to know that nothing +unholy or selfish entered into their service. It was more like the smile +that an angel might give. + +Here is one of the many popular songs that have been written on the +subject which shows how the soldiers felt: + + SALVATION LASSIE OF MINE. + + "They say it's in Heaven that all angels dwell, + But I've come to learn they're on earth just as well; + And how would I know that the like could be so, + If I hadn't found one down here below? + + CHORUS. + + A sweet little Angel that went o'er the sea, + With the emblem of God in her hand; + A wonderful Angel who brought there to me + The sweet of a war-furrowed land. + The crown on her head was a ribbon of red, + A symbol of all that's divine; + Though she called each a brother she's more like a mother, + Salvation Lassie of Mine. + + Perhaps in the future I'll meet her again, + In that world where no one knows sorrow or pain; + And when that time comes and the last word is said, + Then place on my bosom her band of red." + + _By "Jack" Caddigan and "Chick" Stoy._ + +That day a shell fell on the dugout where they had slept the night before, +and a little later one dropped next door to the canteen; another took +seven men from the signal corps right in the street near by, and the girls +were ordered out of the village because it was no longer safe for them. + +One of the boys had been up on a pole putting up wires for the signal +corps. These boys often had to work as now under shell fire in daytime +because it was necessary to have telephone connections complete at once. A +shell struck him as he worked and he fell in front of the canteen. They +had just carried him away to the ambulance when his chum and comrade came +running up. A pool of blood lay on the floor in front of the canteen, and +he stood and gazed with anguish in his face. Suddenly he stooped and +patted the blood tenderly murmuring, "My Buddy! My Buddy!" Then like a +flash he was off, up the pole where his comrade had been killed to finish +his work. That is the kind of brave boys these girls were serving. + + + + +IX. + +The Argonne Drive + + + +That night they slept in the woods on litters, and the next day they went +on farther into the woods, twelve kilometres beyond what had been German +front. + +Here they found a whole little village of German dugouts in the form of +log cabin bungalows in the woods. It was a beautifully laid out little +village, each bungalow complete, with running water and electric lights +and all conveniences. There were a dance hall, a billiard room, and +several pianos in the woods. There were also fine vegetable gardens and +rabbit hutches full of rabbits, for the Germans had been obliged to leave +too hastily to take anything with them. + +The boys were hungry, some of them half starved for something different +from the hard fare they could take with them over the top, and they made +rabbit stews and cooked the vegetables and had a fine time. + +The girls up at the front had no time for making doughnuts, so the girls +back of the lines made 8000 doughnuts and sent them up by trucks for +distribution. They also distributed oranges to the soldiers. + +News came to the girls after they had been for a week in Nonsard that they +were to make a long move. + +Back to Verdun they went and stopped just long enough to look at the city. +They were much impressed with St. Margaret's school for young ladies, and +a wonderful old cathedral standing on the hill with a wall surrounding it. +Just the face of the building was left, all the rest shot away, and +through the concrete walls were holes, with guns bristling from every one. + +[Illustration: The girls who came down to help in the St. Mihiel drive] + +[Illustration: Here they found a whole little village of German dugouts] + +They did not linger long for duty called them forward on their journey. At +dusk they stopped in a little village, bought some stuff, and asked a +French woman to cook it for them. They inquired for a place in which to +wash and were given a bar of soap and directed to the village pump up the +street. After supper they went on their way to Benoitvaux. Here they found +difficulty in getting quarters, but at last an old French woman agreed to +let them sleep in her kitchen and for a couple of days they were quartered +with her. The word went forth that there were two American girls there and +people were most curious to see them. One afternoon two French soldiers +came to the kitchen to visit them. It was raining, as usual, and the girls +had stayed in because there was really nothing to call them out. The +soldiers sat for some time talking. They had heard that America was a wild +place with _beaucoup_ Indians who wore scalps in their belts, and +they wanted to know if the girls were not afraid. It was a bit difficult +conversing, but the girls got out their French dictionary and managed to +convey a little idea of the true America to the strangers. At last one of +the soldiers in quite a matter of fact tone informed one of the girls that +he was pleased with her and loved her very much. This put a hasty close to +the conversation, the lassie informing him with much dignity that men did +not talk in that way to girls they had just met in America and that she +did not like it. Whereupon the girls withdrew to the other end of the +kitchen and turned their backs on their callers, busying themselves with +some reading, and the crest-fallen gallants presently left. + +They only had a canteen here one day when they were called to go on to +Neuvilly. + +When the offensive was extended to the Argonne the Salvation Army followed +along, keeping in touch with the troops so that they felt that the +Salvation Army was ever with them, sharing their hardships and dangers, +and always ready to serve them. + +Just before a drive, close to the front, there are always blockades of +trucks going either way. + +The Salvation Army truck filled with the workers on their way to Neuvilly +one dark night was caught in such a blockade. They crawled along making +only about a mile an hour and stopping every few minutes until there was a +chance to go on again. At last the wait grew longer and longer, the mud +grew deeper, and the truck was having such a hard time that the little +company of travellers decided to abandon it to the side of the road till +morning and get out and walk to Neuvilly. There was a field hospital there +and they felt sure they could be of use; and anyway, it was better than +sitting in the truck all night. They were then about eight kilometers from +the front. So they all got off and walked. But when they reached the +place, found the hospital, and essayed to go in, the mud was so deep that +they were stuck and unable to move forward. Some soldiers had to rescue +them and carry them to the hospital on litters. + +Their help was accepted gladly, and they went to work at once. There were +many shell-shocked boys coming in who needed soothing and comforting, and +a woman's hand so near the front was gratefully appreciated. + +When at last there was a lull in the stream of wounded men the girls went +to find a place to sleep for a little while. It was early morning, and sad +sights met their eyes as they hurried down what had once been a pleasant +village street. Destruction and desolation everywhere. The house that had +been selected for a Salvation Army canteen was nearly all gone. One end +was comparatively intact, with the floor still remaining, and this was to +be for the canteen. The rest of the building was a series of shell holes +surrounding a cellar from which the floor had been shot away. + +The women reconnoitred and finally decided to unfold their cots and try to +get a wink of sleep down in that cellar. It did not take them long to get +settled. The cots were brought down and placed quickly among the fallen +rafters, stone and tiling. Part of the walls that were standing leaned in +at a perilous slant, threatening to fall at the slightest wind, but the +lassies took off their shoes, rolled up in their blankets, and were at +once oblivious to all about them, for they had been travelling all the day +before and had worked hard all night. + +One hour later, still early in the morning, they were awakened by the +arrival of the truck and the thumping of boxes, tables and supplies as the +Salvation Army truck drivers unloaded and set up the paraphernalia of the +canteen. The girls opened their eyes and looked about them, and there all +around the building were American soldiers, a head in every shell hole, +watching them sleep. There was something thrilling in the silent audience +looking down with holy eyes--yes, I said holy eyes!--for whatever the +American soldier may be in his daily life he had nothing in his eyes but +holy reverence for these women of God who were working night and day for +him. There was something touching, too, in their attitude, for perhaps +each one was thinking of his mother or sister at home as he looked down on +these weary girls, rolled up in the brown blankets, with their neat little +brown shoes in couples under their cots, nothing visible above the +blankets but their pretty rumpled brown hair. + +The women did not waste much more time in sleeping. They arose at once and +got busy. There were five tables in the canteen above and already from +each one there stretched a long line of men waiting silently, patiently +for the time to arrive when there would be something good to eat. The +girls had no more sleep that day, and there simply was no seclusion to be +had anywhere. Everything was shell-riddled. + +When night came on the question of beds arose again. The cellar seemed +hardly possible, and the military officers considered the question. + +Across the road from the most ruined end of the canteen building stood an +old church. All of its north wall was gone save a supporting column in the +middle, all the north roof gone. There were holes in all the other walls, +and all the windows were gone. The floor was covered with _débris_ +and wreckage. It had been used all day for an evacuation hospital. + +Just over the altar was a wonderful picture of the Christ ascending to +heaven. It was still uninjured save for a shot through the heart. + +The military officer stood on the steps of this ruined church, and, +looking around in perplexity, remarked: + +"Well, I guess this is the wholest place in town." Then stepping inside he +glanced about and pointed: + +"And this is the most secluded spot here!" + +The seclusion was a pillar! But the girls were glad to get even that for +there was no other place, and they were very weary. So they set up their +little cots, and prepared to roll themselves in their blankets for a well- +earned rest. + +The boys had built a small bonfire on the stone floor against a piece of +one wall that was still standing, and now they sent a deputation to know +if the girls would bring their guitars over and have a little music. The +boys, of course, had no idea that the girls had not slept for more than +twenty-four hours, and the girls never told them. They never even cast one +wistful glance toward their waiting cots, but smilingly assented, and went +and got their instruments. + +[Illustration: The wrecked house in Neuvilly where the lassies went to +sleep in the cellar and woke up to find the soldiers watching] + +[Illustration: The wrecked church in Neuvilly where the memorable meeting +was held] + +Beneath the picture of the Christ, in front of the altar a few men were at +work in an improvised office with four candles burning around them. In the +rear of the church Lt.-Col. Frederick R. Fitzpatrick of the One Hundred +and Tenth Ammunition Train had his office, and there another candle was +burning. Some wounded men lay on stretchers in the shadowed northwest +corner, and around the little fire the five Salvation Army lassies sat +among two hundred soldiers. They sang at first the popular songs that +everybody knew: "The Long, Long Trail," "Keep the Home Fires Burning," +"Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile! Smile! Smile!" and +"Keep Your Head Down, Fritzie Boy!" + +By and by some one called for a hymn, and then other hymns followed: +"Jesus Lover of My Soul," "When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder," and, as +always, the old favorite, "Tell Mother I'll Be There!" + +They sang for at least an hour and a half, and then they did not want to +stop. Oh, but it was a great sound that rolled through the old broken +walls of the church and floated out into the night! One of the lassies +said she would not change crowds with the biggest choir in New York. + +Then they asked the girls to sing and the room was very still as two sweet +voices thrilled out in a tender melody, speaking every word distinctly: + + Beautiful Jesus, Bright Star of earth! + Loving and tender from moment of birth, + Beautiful Jesus, though lowly Thy lot, + Born in a manger, so rude was Thy cot! + + Beautiful Jesus, gentle and mild, + Light for the sinner in ways dark and wild, + Beautiful Jesus, O save such just now, + As at Thy feet they in penitence bow! + + Beautiful Christ! Beautiful Christ! + Fairest of thousands and Pearl of great price! + Beautiful Christ! Beautiful Christ! + Gladly we welcome Thee, Beautiful Christ! + +Before they had finished many eyes had turned instinctively toward the +picture in the weirdly flickering light. + +Then the young Captain-lassie asked her sister to read the Ninety-first +Psalm, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide +under the shadow of the Almighty," and she told them that was a promise +for those who trusted in God, and she wished they would think about it +while they were going to sleep. + +"This evening has made me think so much of home," she said thoughtfully, +drooping her lashes and then raising them with a sweeping glance that +included the whole group, while the firelight flickered up and lit her +lovely serious face, and touched her hair with lights of gold, "I suppose +it has made every one else feel that way," she went on; "I mean especially +the evenings at home when the family gathered in the parlor, with one at +the piano and brothers with their horns, and the rest with some kind of +instrument, and we had a good 'sing;' and afterward father took the Bible +and read the evening chapter, and then we had family prayers and kissed +Mamma and Papa good night and went to bed. I shouldn't wonder if many of +you used to have homes like that?" + +The lassie raised her eyes again and looked on them. Many of the men +nodded. It was beautiful to see the look that came into their faces at +these recollections. + +"And you used to have family prayers, too, didn't you?" she asked eagerly. + +They nodded once more but some of them turned their faces away from the +light quickly and brushed the back of their hands across their eyes. + +"To-night has been a family gathering," she went on, "We girls are little +sisters to all you big brothers, and we have had a delightful time with +just the family, and the evening chapter has been read, and now I think it +would not be complete if we did not have the family prayers before we +separate and go to sleep." + +Down went the heads in response, with reverent mien, and the place was +very still while the lassie prayed. Afterward the boys joined their gruff +voices, husky now with emotion, into the universal prayer with which she +closed: "Our Father which are in heaven----" + +They were all sorts and conditions of men gathered around the little fire +in that old shell-torn church in Neuvilly that night. To quote from a +letter written by a military officer, Lt-Col. Frederick R. Fitzpatrick, to +his wife: + + "There was the lad who was willing but not strong enough for field work, +who was in the rear with the office; the walking wounded who had stopped +for something to eat; the big, strong mule skinner who could throw a mule +down or lift a case of ammunition, who was rough in appearance and speech +and who would deny that the moisture in his eye was anything but the +effects of the cold. There were the men who had been facing death a +thousand times an hour for the last three days, who had not had a wash or +a chance to take off their shoes and had been lying in mud in shell holes +--men who looked as though they were chilled through and through; men on +their way to the front, well knowing all the hardships and dangers which +were ahead of them, but who were worried only about the delay in the +traffic; doctors who had been working for three days without rest; men off +ammunition and ration trucks, who had been at the wheel so long that they +had forgotten whether it was three or four days and nights; wounded on +their stretchers enjoying a smoke. And as I stepped in the door there were +the feminine voices singing the good old tunes we all know so well, and +not a sound in the church but as an accompaniment the distant booming of +big guns, the rattle of small arms, the whirl of air craft, the passing of +the ever-present column of trucks with rations and ammunition going up, +and the wounded coming back; the shouted directions of the traffic police, +the sound of the ammunition dump just outside the door and the rattle of +the kitchens which surround the church, and which are working twenty-four +hours a day. + +There was the crowd of men, each uncovered, giving absolute undivided +attention to the good, brave girls who were not making a meeting of it; it +was just a meeting which grew--men who in their minds were back with +mother and sister. The girls sang the good old songs, and then one of them +offered a short prayer, in which all the men joined in spirit, and as I +tip-toed out of the church it seemed to me that the four candles at the +altar did not give all the light that was shown on the picture of Christ +our Saviour. Every man in the building that night was in the very presence +of God. It was not a religious meeting; it was a meeting full of religion. +And it was a picture that will ever stand fresh in my memory and which +will be an inspiration in time of doubt. There was nothing there but the +real things, absolutely no sham of any kind. Oh, it was wonderful! I hope +you can get just a little idea of what it was. I wish you would keep this +letter. I want to be able to read it in future years." + +In what remained of another village not far distant from Neuvilly, the +lassies had a tent erected. The rain was endless--a driving drizzle which +quickly soaked through everything but the staunchest raincoats in a very +few moments. The ground was so thickly covered by shell craters that they +could find no clear space wide enough for the tent. It so happened that +almost in the centre of the tent there was a big shell crater. In this the +girls lighted a fire. All through the night, and through nights to follow, +wounded men limping back through the rain and mud to the dressing stations +came in to warm themselves around the fire in the shell hole, and to drink +of the coffee prepared by the girls. As they sat around the blazing wood, +the fire cast strange shadows on the bleached brown canvas of the tent. In +spite of their wounds, they were very cheerful, singing as lightly as +though they were safe at home. + +Everybody had worked hard at Neuvilly, but they felt they must get to +their own outfit as soon as possible at the Field Hospital up in Cheppy +where the wounded were coming in droves and the boys were pouring in from +the front half-starved, having been fighting all night with nothing to eat +except reserve rations. Some had been longer with only such rations as +they took from their dead comrades. The need was most urgent, but the +puzzle was how to get there. The roads had been shelled and ploughed by +explosives until there was no possible semblance of a way, and there were +no conveyances to be had. The Zone Major had gone back for supplies, +telling the girls to get the first conveyance possible going up the road. +That was enough for the girls. "We've _got_ to get there" they said, +and when they said that one knew they would. They searched diligently and +at last found a way. One girl rode on a reel cart, one on a mule team and +one went with an old wagon. They went over roads that had to be made ahead +of them by the engineers, and late in the night, bruised and sore from +head to foot, they arrived at their destination. + +The next morning they reported at the hospital for work and the Major in +charge said: "I never was so glad to see anybody in my life!" + +They went straight to work and served coffee and sandwiches to the poor +half-starved men. The Red Cross men were there, also, with sandwiches, hot +chocolate and candy. + +The wounded men continued to pour in, later to be evacuated to the base +hospital; they kept coming and coming, a thousand men where two hundred +had been expected. There was plenty to be done. The girls were put in +charge of different wards. They were under shell fire continually, but +they were too busy to think of that as they hurried about ministering to +the brave soldiers, who gave never a groan from their white lips no matter +what they suffered. + +The girls worked about eighteen hours a day, and slept from about one or +two at night to five or six in the morning. The hospital was in front of +the artillery and every shell that went over to Germany passed over their +heads. When they had been there five days under continual shell fire from +the enemy the General gave orders that they _must_ leave, that it was +no fit place for women so near to the front. + +When the Salvation Army Zone Major brought this order to the girls +rebellion shone in their eyes and they declared they would not leave! They +knew they were needed there, and there they would stay! The Zone Major +surveyed them with intense satisfaction. He turned on his heel and went +back to the General: + +"General," he said, with a twinkle, "my girls say they won't go." + +The General's face softened, and the twinkle flashed across to his eyes, +with something like a tear behind its fire. Somehow he didn't look like a +Commanding Officer who had just been defied. A wonderful light broke over +his face and he said: + +"Well, if the Salvation Army wants to stay let them stay!" And so they +stayed. + +It was in a German-dug cave that they had their headquarters, cut out of +the side of a hill and opening into the hospital yard. It was a work of +art, that cave. There was a passage-way a hundred feet long with avenues +each side and places for cots, room enough to accommodate a hundred men. + +The German airplanes came in droves. When the bugle sounded every one must +get under cover. There must be nobody in sight for the Germans were out to +get individuals, and even one person was not too insignificant for them to +waste their ammunition upon. They had a mistaken idea, perhaps, that this +sort of thing destroyed our morale. The tents, of course, were no +protection against shells and bombs, and presently the Boche began to +shell the town in good earnest, especially at night. Gas alarms, also, +would sound out in the middle of the night and everybody would have to +rush out and put on their gas masks. They would not last long at a time, +of course, but it broke up any rest that might have been had, and it was +only too evident that the enemy was trying to get the range on the +hospital. + +One morning, standing by the window making cocoa for the boys, one of the +lassies saw an eight-inch shell land between the hospital tents, ten feet +in front of the window, and only five feet from the door of the place +where the severely wounded were lying. These shells always kill at two +hundred feet. All that saved them was that the shell buried itself deep in +the soft earth and was a dud. + +The shells were coming every twenty minutes and there was no time to lose +for now the enemy had their range. At once all hands got busy and began to +evacuate the wounded men into the Salvation Army cave. The cave would +accommodate seventy men, but they managed to get a hundred men inside, +most of them on litters. They were all safe and the girls heard the +whistle of the next shell and made haste toward safety themselves. But +someone had carelessly dropped a whole outfit of blankets and things +across the passageway of the dugout and the first woman to enter fell +across it, shutting out the other two. Before anything could be done the +next shell struck the doorway, partly burying the fallen young woman. +Inside the dugout rocks came down on some of the men on litters, and +anxious hands extricated the lassie from the _débris_ that had fallen +upon her, and lifted her tenderly. She was pretty badly bruised and lamed, +besides being wounded on her leg, but the brave young woman would not +claim her wound, nor let it become known to the military authorities lest +they would forbid the girls to stay at the front any longer. So for three +weeks she patiently limped about and worked with the rest, quietly bearing +her pain, and would not go to the hospital. One lassie outside was struck +on the helmet by a piece of falling rock. If she had not had on her helmet +she would have been killed. + +The shelling continued for six hours. + +The hospital was all the time filled with wounded men and there was plenty +to be done twenty-four hours out of every day. The women moved about among +the men as if they were their own brothers. + +A poor shell-shocked boy lay on his cot talking wildly in delirium, living +over the battle again, charging his men, ordering them to advance. + +"Company H. Advance! See that hill over there? It's full of Germans, but +_we've got to take it_!" + +Then he turned over and began to sob and cry, "Oh God! Oh God!" + +A lassie went to him and soothed him, talking to him gently about home, +asking him questions about his mother, until he grew calm and began to +answer her, and rested back quite rationally. The stretcher-bearers came +to take him to another hospital, and he started up, put out his hand and +cried: "Oh, nurse! I've got to get back to my men! _I'm the only one +left_!" + +Thus the heart-breaking scenes were multiplied. + +One boy came back to the hospital in the Argonne badly wounded. He called +the lassie to him one day as she passed through the ward, and motioned her +to lean down so he could talk to her. He said he knew he was hard hit and +he wanted to tell her something. + +"I was wounded, lying on the ground over there in No Man's Land," he went +on. "It was all dark and I was waiting for someone to come along and help +me. I thought it was all up with me and while I was lying there I felt +something. I can't explain it, but I knew it was there and I saw my mother +and I prayed. Then my Buddy came along and I asked him if he could baptize +me. He said he wasn't very good himself but he guessed the heavenly Father +would understand. So he stooped down and got some muddy water out of a +shell hole close by and put it on my forehead, and prayed; and now I know +it's all right. I wanted you to know." + +Often the boys, just before they went over the top, would come to these +girls and say: + +"We're going up there, now. You pray for us, won't you?" + +One day some boys came to the hut when there were not many about and asked +the girls if they might talk with them. These boys were going over the top +that night. + +"We fellows want to ask you something," they said. "Some of the chaplains +have been telling us that if we go over there and die for liberty that +it'll be all right with us afterward. But we don't believe that dope and +we want to know the truth. Do you mean to tell me that if a man has lived +like the devil he's going to be saved just because he got killed fighting? +Why, some of us fellows didn't even go of our own accord. We were drafted. +And do you mean to tell me that counts just the same? We want to know the +truth!" + +And then the girls had their opportunity to point the way to Jesus and +speak of repentance, salvation from sin, and faith in the Saviour of the +world. + +A lassie was stooping over one young boy lying on a cot, washing his face +and trying to make him more comfortable, and she noticed a hole in his +breast pocket. Stooping closer she examined it and found it was a piece of +high explosive shell that had gone through the cloth of his pocket and was +embedded in his Testament, which he, like many of the boys, always kept in +his breast pocket. + +Another boy lay on a cot biting his lips to bear the agony of pain, and +she asked him what was the matter, was the wound in his leg so bad? He +nodded without opening his eyes. She went to ask the doctor if the boy +couldn't have some morphine to dull the pain. The Sergeant in charge came +over and looked at him, examined the bandage on the boy's leg and then +exclaimed: "Who bandaged this leg?" + +"I did" said the boy weakly, "I did the best I could." + +The poor fellow had bandaged his own leg and then walked to the hospital. +The bandage had looked all right and no one had examined it until then, +but the Sergeant found that it was so tight that it had stopped the +circulation. He took off the bandage and made him comfortable, and the +agony left him. In a little while the Salvation Army lassie passed that +way again and found the boy with a little book open, reading. + +"What is it?" she asked, looking at the book. + +"My Testament," he answered with a smile. + +"Are you a Christian?" + +"Oh, yes," he said with another smile that meant volumes. + +It grew dark in the tent for they dared not have lights on account of the +enemy always watching, but stooping near a little later she could see that +his lips were murmuring in prayer. There was an angelic smile on his +white, dead face in the morning when they came to take him away. + +There was a funeral every day in that place. A hundred boys were buried +that week. Always the girls sang at the graves, and prayed. There would be +just the grave digger, a few people, and some of the boys. Off to one side +the Germans were buried. When the simple services over our own dead were +complete one of the girls would say: "Now, friends, let us go and say a +prayer beside our enemy's graves. They are some mother's boys, and some +woman is waiting for them to come home!" + +And then the prayers would be said once more, and another song sung. + +Those were solemn, sorrowful times, death and destruction on every side. +The fighting was everywhere. United States anti-aircraft guns firing at +German planes; Germans firing at us; air fights in the sky above. + +And in the midst of it all the boys had meetings every night on log piles +out in the open. These meetings would begin with popular songs, but the +boys would soon ask for the hymns and the meetings would work themselves +out without any apparent leading up to it. The boys wanted it. They wanted +to hear about religious things. They hungered for it. So they were held at +the throne of God each night by the wonderful men and girls who had +learned to know human hearts, and had attained such skill in leading them +to the Christ for whom they lived. + +It was not alone the doughnut that bound the hearts of the boys to the +Salvation Army in France, it was what was behind the doughnut; and here, +in these wonderful God-led meetings they found the secret of it all. Many +of them came and told the girls they did not believe in the so-called +"trench religion" and wanted to know the truth from them. And those girls +told them the way of eternal life in a simple, beautiful way, not mincing +matters, nor ignoring their sins and unworthiness, but pointing the way to +the Christ who died to save them from sin, and who even now was waiting in +silent Presence to offer them Himself. Great numbers of the men accepted +Christ, and pledged themselves to live or die for Him whatever came to +them. + +How close the Salvation Army people had grown to the hearts and lives of +the men was shown by the fact that when they came back from the fight they +would always come to them as if they had come to report at home: + +"We've escaped!" they would say. "We don't know how it is, but we think +it's because you girls were praying for us, and the folks at home were +praying, too!" + +There were three cardinal principles which were deemed necessary to +success in this work. The first and most important depended upon winning +the confidence of the boys. This was a prime requisite in any work with +the boys, especially by a religious organization. + +_The first quality_ looked for in a person professing religion is +always consistency. It was felt that if the boys saw that the Salvation +Army was consistent, that it stood only for those things in France which +it was known to stand for in the United States, that the first step would +be established in winning the confidence of the boy. It was therefore +determined that the Salvation Army would not, under any circumstances, +compromise, and that it should stand out in its religious work and adhere +to its teachings as firmly and as vigorously as it was known to do at +home. + +A stand upon the tobacco question was, therefore, highly important. Other +organizations were encouraging the use of tobacco but those who had come +in contact with the Salvation Army at home knew that it had always +discouraged its use, and although the officers had to go against the +judgment of many high military authorities who thought they should handle +it, they decided that the Salvation Army would not handle tobacco and that +no one wearing its uniform should use it. The consistency of the Salvation +Army and the careful conduct of its workers won the esteem of the boys. + +_The second requisite_ was that the Salvation Army should be willing +to share their hardships. To accomplish this, it was made a rule that +Salvation Army workers should not mess with the officers but should draw +their rations at the soldiers' mess, also that they should not associate +with the officers more than was absolutely necessary and that in the huts. +It was neither possible nor desirable that officers should be kept out of +the huts, but as far as possible soldiers were made to feel that the +Salvation Army was in France to serve them and not for its own pleasure or +convenience. + +_The third requisite_ was that the Salvation Army should be willing +to share their dangers and this was proved to them when they went to the +trenches--the Salvation Army moved to the trenches with them and +established huts and outposts as close to the front line as was permitted. + + + +X. + +The Armistice + + + +After the Armistice was signed, on November 11th, it was a great question +what disposition would be made of the troops. It was concluded that they +would be sent home as rapidly as possible and that the three ports--Brest, +St. Nazaire and Bordeaux--would be used for that purpose. Immediately +arrangements were made for the opening of Salvation Army work at the base +ports with a view to letting the boys have a last sight of the Salvation +Army as they left the shores of France. The Salvation Army had served them +in the training area and at the front and were still serving them as they +left the shores of the old world and it would meet them again when they +arrived on the shores of the home-land. In this way the contact of the +Salvation Army would be continuous, so that when they returned, it would +be able to reach their hearts and affect their lives with the Gospel of +Christ. + +The problem of buildings was, of course, the first one and a very +difficult one. To secure buildings of adequate size, which could be +constructed in a short space of time, was almost out of the question, but +it occurred to the officers that the aviation section would be +demobilizing and that they had brought over portable steel buildings, for +use as hangars. The matter was taken up at once with the military +authorities and twenty of these steel buildings were secured--each of them +sixty-six feet wide by one hundred feet long. It was planned to place +eight of them at Bordeaux, six at St. Nazaire and six at Brest. By placing +two of them end to end it was possible to secure one auditorium sixty-six +feet wide by two hundred feet long--capable of seating three thousand men. +Adjoining that could be another building sixty-six feet by one hundred +feet, to be used for canteen and rest room. + +It was planned to proceed with a religious campaign at these Base Ports, +holding Salvation meetings in these extensive departments. + +When the Army of Occupation was started for Germany, two Salvation Army +trucks were assigned to go along with the Army. Whenever the Army of +Occupation stopped for a space of two or three days, places were secured +where doughnuts could be fried, pies made, and at all times hot coffee and +chocolate were available for the men. + +When the American soldiers marched through the villages of Alsace-Lorraine +the Salvationists marched with them. At Esch and Luxemburg they were in +all the rejoicing and triumph of the parade, bringing succor and comfort +wherever they could find an opportunity. + +When the men arrived at Coblenz the Salvation Army was there before them, +and on their crossing the Rhine, arrangements had been made for the +location of the Salvation Army work at the principal points in the Rhine- +head. They are now conducting Salvation Army operations with the Army of +Occupation. + +One of the occasions when President Wilson clapped for the Salvation Army +was at the inauguration of the Soldiers' Association in Paris. The Y had +invited all the other organizations to be present. The meeting was held in +the Palais de Glace, which seats about ten thousand people. + +President and Mrs. Wilson were present, accompanied by many prominent +American officials. Representatives of the various War Work Organizations +spoke. + +The Salvationist who had been selected to represent the Army at this +meeting had been in the United States Navy for twelve years and was a +chaplain. + +When he was called upon to speak the boys with one accord as if by +preconcerted action arose to their feet and gave him an ovation. Of +course, it was not given to the man but to the uniform. + +A soldier of the Rainbow Division sitting next to one of the Salvation +Army workers over there, kept telling him what the boys thought of the +Salvation Army, and when the cheering began he poked the Salvationist in +the ribs and whispered joyously: + +"I told you! I told you! We've just been waiting for eight months to pull +this off! Now, you see!" + +The speaker when given opportunity did not attempt to make a great speech. +He told in simple, vivid sentences of the services of the Salvation Army +just back of the trenches under fire; and President Wilson sat listening +and applauding with the rest. + +The chaplain paid a tribute to President Wilson, finishing with these +words: + +"President Wilson was not man-elected, but God-selected!" + + + +CHAPLAINS. + + For some little time after the War started it was a question as to +whether the Salvation Army was entitled to any representation in the realm +of Chaplaincies of the United States forces. During the progress of the +consideration Adjutant Harry Kline secured an appointment with the +Nebraska National Guard, and his regiment being made a part of the +National Army, he was received as an officer of the same and thus became +our first Army Chaplain. + +The War Office decided favorably with regard to the question of our +general representation, and shortly thereafter Adjutant John Allan, of +Bowery fame, was given a first lieutenancy and then followed, in the order +given, Captain Ernest Holz, Adjutant Ryan and Captain Norman Marshall. + +The exceptional service that these men have rendered is of sufficient +importance to have a much wider notice than where only the barest of +reference is possible. Shortly after arrival in France Chaplain Allan was +being very favorably noticed because of the character of the work which he +was doing, and it was gratifying to learn that this confidence was +reflected in his appointment as Senior Chaplain of his regiment and his +assignment to special service where probity and wisdom were essential. +Shortly thereafter he was taken to the Army Headquarters, where up to the +present time he is most highly esteemed as a co-laborer with Bishop Brent, +the Chaplain-General of the overseas forces. + +Typical of the enthusiasm of each of the five men appointed as Chaplains, +the following story is told of First Lieutenant Ernest Holz, who was +inducted into his office as Senior Chaplain of his regiment right at the +commencement of his career. + +At the beginning of the year, when Chaplain Holz knew his Salvation Army +comrades would, as usual, be engaged in special revival work, he thought +it would be a worthy thing to time a similar effort among the men of his +regiment. Approaching the Colonel, he found him in hearty agreement +concerning the effort, and so securing the assistance of his fellow +chaplains they arranged for a series of meetings nightly for one week, +with the result that two hundred of the men of the regiment confessed +Christ and practically all of them were deeply interested. + +The effort was wholly directed to the uplift of the men and God commanded +His blessing in a most gratifying manner. + + + + +XI. + +Homecoming + + + +The boat docked that morning, and one soldier at least, as he stood on the +deck and watched the shores of his native land draw nearer, felt mingling +with the thrill of joy at his return a vague uneasiness. He was coming +back, it is true, but it had been a long time and a lot of things had +happened. For one thing he had lost his foot. That in itself was a pretty +stiff proposition. For another thing he was not wearing any decorations +save the wound stripes on his sleeve. Those would have been enough, and +more than enough, for his mother if she were alive, but she had gone away +from earth during his absence, and the girl he had kissed good-bye and +promised great things was peculiar. The question was, would she stand for +that amputated foot? He didn't like to think it of her, but he found he +wasn't sure. Perhaps, if there had been a croix de guerre! He had promised +her to win that and no end of other honors, when he went away so buoyant +and hopeful; but almost on his first day of real battle he had been hurt +and tossed aside like a derelict, to languish in a hospital, with no more +hope of winning anything. And now he had come home with one foot gone, and +no distinction! + +He hadn't told the girl yet about the foot. He didn't know as he should. +He felt lonely and desolate in spite of his joy at getting back to "God's +Country." He frowned at the hazy outline of the great city from which tall +buildings were beginning to differentiate themselves as they drew nearer. +There was New York. He meant to see New York, of course. He was a +Westerner and had never had an opportunity to go about the metropolis of +his own country. Of course, he would see it all. Perhaps, after he was +demobilized he would stay there. Maybe he wouldn't send word he had come +back. Let them think he was killed or taken prisoner, or missing, or +anything they liked. There were things to do in New York. There were +places where he would be welcome even with one foot gone and no cross of +war. Thus he mused as the boat drew nearer the shore and the great city +loomed close at hand. Then, suddenly, just as the boat was touching the +pier and a long murmur of joy went up from the wanderers on board, his +eyes dropped idly to the dock and there in her trim little overseas +uniform, with the sunlight glancing from the silver letters on the scarlet +shield of her trench cap and the smile radiating from her sweet face, +stood the very same Salvation Army lassie who had bent over him as he lay +on the ground just back of the trenches waiting to be put in the ambulance +and taken to the hospital after he had been wounded. He could feel again +the throbbing pain in his leg, the sickening pain of his head as he lay in +the hot sun, with the flies swarming everywhere, the horrible din of +battle all about, and his tongue parched and swollen with fever from lying +all night in pain on the wet ground of No Man's Land. She had laid a soft +little hand on his hot forehead, bathed his face, and brought him a cold +drink of lemonade. If he lived to be a hundred years old he would never +taste anything so good as that lemonade had been. Afterward the doctor +said it was the good cold drink that day that saved the lives of those +fever patients who had lain so long without attention. Oh, he would never +forget the Salvation lassie! And there she was alive and at home! She +hadn't been killed as the fellows had been afraid she would. She had come +through it all and here she was always ahead and waiting to welcome a +fellow home. It brought the tears smarting to his eyes to think about it, +and he leaned over the rail of the ship and yelled himself hoarse with the +rest over her, forgetting all about his lost foot. It was hours before +they were off the ship. All the red tape necessary for the movement of +such a company of men had to be unwound and wound up again smoothly, and +the time stretched out interminably; but somehow it did not seem so hard +to wait now, for there was someone down there on the dock that he could +speak to, and perhaps--just perhaps--he would tell her of his dilemma +about his girl. Somehow he felt that she would understand. + +He watched eagerly when he was finally lined up on the wharf waiting for +roll-call, for he was sure she would come; and she did, swinging down the +line with her arms full of chocolate, handing out telegraph blanks and +postal cards, real postal cards with a stamp on them that could be mailed +anywhere. He gripped one in his big, rough hand as if it were a life +preserver. A real, honest-to-goodness postal card! My it was good to see +the old red and white stamp again! And he spoke impulsively: + +"You're the girl that saved my life out there in the field, don't you +remember? With the lemonade!" Her face lit up. She had recognized him and +somehow cleared one hand of chocolate and telegrams to grasp his with a +hearty welcome: "I'm so glad you came through all right!" her cheery voice +said. + +All right! _All right!_ Did she call it all right? He looked down at +his one foot with a dubious frown. She was quick to see. She understood. + +"Oh, but that's nothing!" she said, and somehow her voice put new heart +into him. "Your folks will be so glad to have you home you'll forget all +about it. Come, aren't you going to send them a telegram?" And she held +out the yellow blank. + +But still he hesitated. + +"I don't know," he said, looking down at his foot again. "Mother's gone, +and------" + +Instantly her quick sympathy enveloped his sore soul, and he felt that +just the inflection of her voice was like balm when she said: "I'm so +sorry!" Then she added: + +"But isn't there somebody else? I'm sure there was. I'm sure you told me +about a girl I was to write to if you didn't come through. Aren't you +going to let her know? Of course you are." + +"I don't know," said the boy. "I don't think I am. Maybe I'll never go +back now. You see, I'm not what I was when I went away." + +"Nonsense!" said the lassie with that cheerful assurance that had carried +her through shell fire and made her merit the pet name of "Sunshine" that +the boys had given her in the trenches. "Why, that wouldn't be fair to +her. Of course, you're going to let her know right away. Leave it to me. +Here, give me her address!" + +Quick as a flash she had the address and was off to a telephone booth. +This was no message that could wait to go back to headquarters. It must go +at once. + +He saw her again before he left the wharf. She gave him a card with two +addresses written on it: + +"This first is where you can drop in and rest when you are tired," she +explained. "It's just one of our huts; the other is where you can find a +good bed when you are in the city." + +Then she was off with a smile down the line, giving out more telegraph +blanks and scattering sunshine wherever she went. He glanced back as he +left the pier and saw her still floating eagerly here and there like a +little sister looking after more real brothers. + +The next day, when he was free and on a few days leave from camp, he +started out with his crutch to see the city, but the thought of her kept +him from some of the places where his feet might have strayed. Yet she had +not said a word of warning. Her smile and the look in her eyes had placed +perfect confidence in him, and he could remember the prayer she had +uttered in a low tone back there at the dressing station behind the +trenches in the ear of a companion who was not going to live to get to the +Base Hospital, and who had begged her to pray with him before he went. +Somehow it lingered with him all day and changed his ideas of what he +wanted to see in New York. + +But it was a long hard tramp he had set for himself to see the town with +that one foot. He hadn't much money for cars, even if he had known which +cars to take, so he hobbled along and saw what he could. He was all alone, +for the fellows he started with went so fast and wanted to do so many +things that he could not do, that he had made an excuse to shake them off. +They were kind. They would not have left him if they had known; but he +wasn't going to begin his new life having everybody put out on his +account, so he was alone. And it was toward evening. He was very tired. It +seemed to him that he couldn't go another block. If only there were a +place somewhere where he could sit down a little while and rest; even a +doorstep would do if there were only one near at hand. Of course, there +were saloons, and there would always be soldiers in them. He would likely +be treated, and there would be good cheer, and a chance to forget for a +little while; but somehow the thought of that Salvation lassie and the +cheery way she had made him send that telegram kept him back. When a girl +with painted cheeks stopped and smiled in his face he passed her by, and +half wondered why he did it. He must go somewhere presently and get a bite +to eat, but it couldn't be much for he wanted to save money enough and +hunt up that lodging house where there were nice beds. How much he wanted +that bed! + +[Illustration: Right in the midst of the busy hurrying throng of Union +Square] + +[Illustration: "Smiling Billy" "One Game Little Guy"] + +It was quite dark now. The lights were lit everywhere. He was coming to a +great thoroughfare. He judged by his slight knowledge of the city that it +might be Broadway. There would likely be a restaurant somewhere near. He +hurried on and turned into the crowded street. How cold it was! The wind +cut him like a knife. He had been a fool to come off alone like this! Just +out of the hospital, too. Perhaps he would get sick and have to go to +another hospital. He shivered and stopped to pull his collar up closer +around his neck. Then suddenly he stood still and stared with a dazed, +bewildered expression, straight ahead of him. Was he getting a bit leary? +He passed his hand over his eyes and looked again. Yes, there it was! +Right in the midst of the busy, hurrying throng of Union Square! He made +sure it was Union Square, for he looked up at the street sign to be +certain it wasn't Willow Vale--or Heaven--right there where streets met +and crossed, and cars and trolleys and trucks whirled, and people passed +in throngs all day, just across the narrow road, stood the loveliest, most +perfect little white clapboard cottage that ever was built on this earth, +with porches all around and a big tree growing up through the roof of one +porch. It stood out against the night like a wonderful mirage, like a +heavenly dove descended into the turmoil of the pit, like home and mother +in the midst of a rushing pitiless world. He could have cried real tears +of wonder and joy as he stood there, gazing. He felt as though he were one +of those motion pictures in which a lone Klondiker sits by his campfire +cooking a can of salmon or baked beans, and up above him on the screen in +one corner appears the Christmas tree where his wife and baby at home are +celebrating and missing him. It seemed just as unreal as that to see that +little beautiful home cottage set down in the midst of the city. + +The windows were all lit up with a warm, rosy light and there were +curtains at the windows, rosy pink curtains like the ones they used to +have at the house where his girl lived, long ago before the War spoiled +him. He stood and continued to gaze until a lot of cash-boys, let loose +from the toil of the day, rushed by and almost knocked his crutch from +under him. Then he determined to get nearer this wonder. Carefully +watching his opportunity he hobbled across the street and went slowly +around the building. Yes, it was real. Some public building, of course, +but how wonderful to have it look so like a home! Why had they done it? + +Then he came around toward the side, and there in plain letters was a +sign: "SOLDIERS AND SAILORS IN UNIFORM WELCOME." What? Was it possible? +Then he might go in? What kind of a place could it be? + +He raised his eyes a little and there, slung out above the neatly shingled +porch, like any sign, swung an immense fat brown doughnut a foot and a +half in diameter, with the sugar apparently still sticking to it, and +inside the rough hole sat a big white coffee cup. His heart leaped up and +something suddenly gave him an idea. He fumbled in his pocket, brought out +a card, saw that this was the Salvation Army hut, and almost shouted with +joy. He lost no time in hurrying around to the door and stepping inside. + +There revealed before him was a great cozy room, with many easy-chairs and +tables, a piano at which a young soldier sat playing ragtime, and at the +farther end a long white counter on which shone two bright steaming urns +that sent forth a delicious odor of coffee. Through an open door behind +the counter he caught a glimpse of two Salvation Army lassies busy with +some cups and plates, and a third enveloped in a white apron was up to her +elbows in flour, mixing something in a yellow bowl. By one of the little +tables two soldier boys were eating doughnuts and coffee, and at another +table a sailor sat writing a letter. It was all so cozy and homelike that +it took his breath away and he stood there blinking at the lights that +flooded the rooms from graceful white bowl-like globes that hung suspended +from the ceiling by brass chains. He saw that the rosy light outside had +come from soft pink silk sash curtains that covered the lower part of the +windows, and there were inner draperies of some heavier flowered material +that made the whole thing look real and substantial. The willow chairs had +cushions of the same flowered stuff. The walls were a soft pearly gray +below and creamy white above, set off by bands of dark wood, and a dark +floor with rush mats strewn about. He looked around slowly, taking in +every detail almost painfully. It was such a contrast to the noisy, +rushing street, a contrast to the hospital, and the trenches and all the +life with which he had been familiar during the past few dreadful months. +It made him think of home and mother. He began to be afraid he was going +to cry like a great big baby, and he looked around nervously for a place +to get out of sight. He saw a fellow going upstairs and at a distance he +followed him. Up there was another bright, quiet room, curtained and +cushioned like the other, with more easy willow chairs, round willow +tables, and desks over by the wall where one might write. The soldier who +had come up ahead of him was already settled writing now at a desk in the +far corner. There were bookcases between the windows with new beautifully +bound books in them, and there were magazines scattered around, and no +rules that one must not spit on the floor, or put their feet in the +chairs, or anything of the sort. Only, of course, no one would ever dream +of doing anything like that in such a place. How beautiful it was, and how +quiet and peaceful! He sank into a chair and looked about him. What rest! + +And now there were real tears in his eyes which he hastened to brush +roughly away, for someone was coming toward him and a hand was on his +shoulder. A man's voice, kindly, pleasant, brotherly, spoke: + +"All in, are you, my boy? Well, you just sit and rest yourself awhile. +What do you think of our hut? Good place to rest? Well, that's what we +want it to be to you, Home. Just drop in here whenever you're in town and +want a place to rest or write, or a bite of something homelike to eat." + +He looked up to the broad shoulders in their well-fitting dark blue +uniform, and into the kindly face of the gray-haired Colonel of the +Salvation Army who happened to step in for a minute on business and had +read the look on the lonesome boy's face just in time to give a word of +cheer. He could have thrown his arms around the man's neck and kissed him +if he only hadn't been too shy. But in spite of the shyness he found +himself talking with this fine strong man and telling him some of his +disappointments and perplexities, and when the older man left him he was +strengthened in spirit from the brief conversation. Somehow it didn't look +quite so black a prospect to have but one foot. + +He read a magazine for a little while and then, drawn by the delicious +odors, he went downstairs and had some coffee and doughnuts. He saw while +he was eating that the front porch opened out of the big lower room and +was all enclosed in glass and heated with radiators. A lot of fellows were +sitting around there in easy-chairs, smoking, talking, one or two sleeping +in their chairs or reading papers. It had a dim, quiet light, a good place +to rest and think. He was more and more filled with wonder. Why did they +do it? Not for money, for they charged hardly enough to pay for the +materials in the food they sold, and he knew by experience that when one +had no money one could buy of them just the same if one were in need. + +Later in the evening he took out the little card again and looked up the +other address. He wanted one of those clean, sweet beds that he had been +hearing about, that one could get for only a quarter a night, with all the +shower-bath you wanted thrown in. So he went out again and found his way +down to Forty-first Street. + +There was something homelike about the very atmosphere as he entered the +little office room and looked about him. Beyond, through an open door he +could see a great red brick fireplace with a fire blazing cheerfully and a +few fellows sitting about reading and playing checkers. Everybody looked +as if they felt at home. + +When he signed his name in the big register book the young woman behind +the desk who wore an overseas uniform glanced at his signature and then +looked up as if she were welcoming an old friend: + +"There's a telegram here for you," she said pleasantly. "It came last +night and we tried to locate you at the camp but did not succeed. One of +our girls went over to camp this afternoon, but they said you were gone on +a furlough, so we hoped you would turn up." + +She handed over the telegram and he took it in wonder. Who would send him +a telegram? And here of all places! Why, how would anybody know he would +be here? He was so excited his crutch trembled under his arm as he tore +open the envelope and read: + + "Dear Billy (It was a regular letter!): + +"I am leaving to-night for New York. Will meet you at Salvation Hostel day +after to-morrow morning. What is a foot more or less? Can't I be hands and +feet for you the rest of your life? I'm proud, proud, proud of you! + + Signed "Jean" + + He found great tears coming into his eyes and his throat was full of +them, too. It didn't matter if that Salvation Army lassie behind the +counter did see them roll down his cheeks. He didn't care. She would +understand anyway, and he laughed out loud in his joy and relief, the +first joy, the first relief since he was hurt! + +Some one else was coming in the door, another fellow maybe, but the lassie +opened a door in the desk and drew him behind the counter in a shaded +corner where no one would notice and brought him a cup of tea, which she +said was all they had around to eat just then. She didn't pay any +attention to him till he got his equilibrium again. + +She was the kind of woman one feels is a natural-born mother. In fact, the +fellows were always asking her wistfully: "May we call you Mother?" Young +enough to understand and enter into their joys and sorrows, yet old enough +to be wise and sweet and true. She mothered every boy that came. + +A sailor boy once asked if he might bring his girl to see her. He said he +wanted her to see her so she could tell his mother about her. + +"But can't you tell her about your girl?" she asked. + +"Oh, yes, but I want you to tell her." he said. "You see, whatever you say +mother'll know is true." + +So presently she turned to this lonely boy and took him upstairs through +the pleasant upper room with its piano and games, its sun parlor over the +street, lined with trailing ferns, with cheery canaries in swinging +tasseled cages, who looked fully as happy and at home as did the soldier +boys who were sitting about comfortably reading. She found him a room with +only one other bunk in it. Nice white beds with springs like air and +mattresses like down. She showed him where the shower-baths were, and with +a kindly good-night left him. He almost wanted to ask her to kiss him +good-night, so much like his own mother she seemed. + +Before he got into that white bed he knelt beside it, all clean and +comfortable and happy like a little child that had wandered a long way +from home and got back again, and he told God he was sorry and ashamed for +all the way he had doubted, and sinned, and he wanted to live a new life +and be good. Then he lay down to sleep. To-morrow morning Jean would be +there. And she didn't mind about the foot! She didn't mind! How wonderful! + +And then he had a belated memory of the little Salvation Army lassie on +the wharf who had brought all this about, and he closed his eyes and +murmured out loud to the clean, white walls: "God bless her! Oh, God bless +her!" + +This is only one of the many stories that might be told about the boys who +have been helped by the various activities of the Salvation Army, both at +home and abroad. + +It would be well worth one's while to visit their Brooklyn Hospital and +their New York Hospital and all their other wonderful institutions. In +several of them are many little children, some mere infants, belonging to +soldiers and sailors away in the war. In some instances the mother is +dead, or has to work. If she so desires she is given work in the +institution, which is like a real home, and allowed to be with her child +and care for it. Where both mother and father are dead the child remains +for six years or until a home elsewhere is provided for it. Here the +little ones are well cared for, not in the ordinary sense of an +institution, but as a child would be cared for in a home, with beauty and +love, and pleasure mingling with the food and shelter and raiment that is +usually supplied in an institution. These children are prettily, though +simply, dressed and not in uniform; with dainty bits of color in hair +ribbon, collar, necktie or frock; the babies have wee pink and blue wool +caps and sacks like any beloved little mites, they ride around on Kiddie +Cars, play with doll houses and have a fine Kindergarten teacher to guide +their young minds, and the best of hospital service when they are ailing. +But that is another story, and there are yet many of them. If everybody +could see the beautiful life-size painting of Christ blessing the little +children which is painted right on the very wall and blended into the +tinting, they could better comprehend the spirit which pervades this +lovely home. + +The New York Hospital, which has just been rebuilt and refurnished with +all the latest appliances, is in charge of a devoted woman physician, who +has given her life to healing, and has at the head of its Board one of the +most noted surgeons in the city, who gives his services free, and boasts +that he enjoys it best of all his work. Here those of small means or of no +means at all, especially those belonging to soldiers and sailors, may find +healing of the wisest and most expert kind, in cheery, airy, sanitary and +beautiful rooms. But here, too, to understand, one must see. Just a peep +into one of those dainty white rooms would rest a poor sick soul; just a +glance at the room full of tiny white basket cribs with dainty blue satin- +bound blankets--real wool blankets--and white spreads, would convince +one. + +And what one sees in New York in the line of such activities is duplicated +in most of the other large cities of the United States. + +Not the least of the Salvation Army service for the returning soldiers is +the work that is done on the docks by the lassies meeting returning troop +ships. They send telegrams free, not C.O.D., for them, give the men +stamped postal cards, hunt up relatives, answer questions, and give them +chocolate while they wait for the inevitable roll call before they can +entrain. Often these girls will sit up half the night after having met +boats nearly all day, to get the telegrams all off that night. It is +interesting to note that on one single day, April 20th, 1919, the +Salvation Army Headquarters in New York sent 2900 such free telegrams for +returning soldiers. + +The other day the father of a soldier came to Headquarters with an anxious +face, after a certain unit from overseas had returned. It was the unit in +which his boy had gone to France, but he had written saying he was in the +hospital without stating what was the matter or how serious his wound. No +further word had been received and the father and mother were frenzied +with grief. They had tried in every way to get information but could find +out nothing. The Salvation Army went to work on the telephone and in a +short time were able to locate the missing boy in a Casual Company soon to +return, and to report to his anxious father that he was recovering +rapidly. + +Another soldier arrived in New York and sent a Salvation Army telegram to +his father and mother in California who had previously received +notification that he was dead. A telegram came back to the Salvation Army +almost at once from the West stating this fact and begging some one to go +to the camp where the boy's Casual Company was located and find out if he +were really living. One of the girls from the office went over to the +Debarkation Hospital immediately and saw the boy, and was able to +telegraph to his parents that he was perfectly recovered and only awaiting +transportation to California. He was overjoyed to see someone who had +heard from his parents. + +A portion of one troop ship had been reserved for soldiers having +influenza. These men were kept on board long after all the others had left +the ship. A Salvation Army worker seeing them with the white masks over +their faces went on board and served them with chocolate, distributing +post cards and telegraph blanks. When she was leaving the ship a Captain +said to her rather brusquely: "Don't you realize that you have done a +foolish thing? Those men have influenza and your serving them might mean +your death!" + +Looking up into the man's eyes the Salvationist said: "I am ready to die +if God sees fit to call me." + +The officer laughed and told her that was the first time in his life he +had known anyone to say they were ready to die and would willingly expose +themselves to such a contagious disease. + +"Aren't you ready to die?" asked the girl. "Certainly not," replied the +Captain. "Sometimes I think I am hardly fit to live, much less die." + +"Don't you realize that there is a Power which can enable you to live in +such a way as to make you ready to die?" + +"Oh, well, I don't bother about going to church, in fact, I don't bother +about religion at all, although I must say once or twice when I was up the +line over there I wished I did know something about religion, that is, the +kind that makes a fellow feel good about dying; but I don't want to go to +church and go through all that business." + +"It is possible to accept Christ here and now on this very spot--on this +ship--if you'll only believe," said the girl wistfully. + +The Captain could not help being interested and thoughtful. When she left, +after a little more talk he put out his hand and said: + +"Thank you. You've done me more good than any sermon could have done me, +and believe me, I am going to pray and trust God to help me live a +different life." + +Sad things are seen on the docks at times when the ships come into port, +and the boys are coming home. + +A soldier in a basket, with both arms and both legs gone and only one eye, +was being carried tenderly along. + +"Why do you let him live?" asked one pityingly of the Commanding Officer. + +The gruff, kindly voice replied: + +"You don't know what life is. We don't live through our arms and legs. We +live through our hearts." + +Some of our boys have learned out there amid shell fire to live through +their hearts. + +One of these lying on a litter greeted the lassie from Indiana, just come +back to New York from France to meet the boys when they landed: + +"Hello, Sister! _You here?_" + +Her eyes filled with tears as she recognized one of her old friends of the +trenches, and noticed how helpless he was now, he who had been the +strongest of the strong. She murmured sympathetically some words of +attempted cheer: + +"Oh, that's all right, Sister," he said, "I know they got me pretty hard, +but I don't mind that. I'm not going to feel bad about it. I got something +better than arms and legs over in one of your little huts in France. I +found Jesus, and I'm going to live for Him. I wanted you to know." + +A few days later she was talking with another boy just landed. She asked +him how it seemed to be home again, and to her surprise he turned a +sorrowful face to her: + +"It's the greatest disappointment of my life," he said sadly, "the folks +here don't understand. They all want to make me forget, and I don't want +to forget what I learned out there. I saw life in a different way and I +knew I had wasted all the years. I want to live differently now, and +mother and her friends are just getting up dances and theatre parties for +me to help me to forget. They don't understand." + +Forty miles west of Chicago is Camp Grant and there the Salvation Army has +put up a hut just outside of the camp. + +During the days when the boys were being sent to France, and were under +quarantine, unable to go out, no one was allowed to come in and there was +great distress. Mothers and sisters and friends could get no opportunity +to see them for farewells. + +The Salvation officer in charge suggested to the military authorities that +the Salvation Army hut be the clearing place for relatives, and that he +would come in his machine and bring the boys to the hut, taking them back +again afterwards, that they might have a few hours with their friends +before leaving for France. + +This offer was readily accepted by the authorities, and so it was made +possible for hundreds and hundreds of mothers to get a last talk with +their boys before they left, some of them forever. + +One day a young man came to the Salvation Army officer and told him that +his regiment was to depart that night and that he was in great distress +about his wife who on her way to see him had been caught in a railroad +wreck, and later taken on her way by a rescue train. "I think she is in +Rockford somewhere," he said anxiously, "but I don't know where, and I +have to leave in three hours!" + +The Ensign was ready with his help at once. He took the young soldier in +his car to Rockford, seven miles away, and they went from hotel to hotel +seeking in vain for any trace of the wife. Then suddenly as they were +driving along the street wondering what to try next the young soldier +exclaimed: "There she is!" And there she was, walking along the street! + +The two had a blessed two hours together before the soldier had to leave. +But it was all in the day's work for the Salvation Army man, for his main +object in life is to help someone, and he never minds how much he puts +himself out. It is always reward enough for him to have succeeded in +bringing comfort to another. + +One of the Salvation Army Ensigns who was assigned to work at Camp Grant +hut had been an all-round athlete before he joined the Salvation Army, a +boxer and wrestler of no mean order. + +The fame of the Ensign went abroad and the doctor at the Base Hospital +asked him to take charge of athletics in the hospital. He was also +appointed regularly as chaplain in the hospital. Every day he drilled the +five hundred women nurses in gymnastics, and put the men attendants and as +many of the patients as were able through a set of exercises. Thus +mingling his religion with his athletics he became a great power among the +men in the hospital. + +The Salvation Army asked the hospital if there was anything they could do +for the wounded men. The reply was, that there were eighty wards and not a +graphophone in one of them, nothing to amuse the boys. The need was +promptly filled by the Salvation Army which supplied a number of +graphophones and a piano. Then, discovering that the nurses who were +getting only a very small cash allowance out of which they had to furnish +their uniforms, were short of shoes, the indefatigable good Samaritan +produced a thousand dollars to buy new shoes for them. The Salvation Army +has always been doing things like that. + +The Salvation Army built many huts, locating them wherever there was need +among the camps. They have a hut at Camp Grant, one at Camp Funston, one +at Camp Travis, San Antonio, one at Camp Logan, Houston, Texas, one at +Camp Bowie, Fort Worth, one at Camp Cody, Deming, New Mexico, one at Camp +Lewis, Tacoma, a Soldiers' Club at Des Moines, a Soldiers' Club with +Sitting Room, Dining Room, and rooms for a hundred soldiers just opened at +Chicago. There is a charge of twenty-five cents a night and twenty-five +cents a meal for such as have money. No charge for those who have no +money. There is such a Soldiers' Club at St. Louis, Kansas City, St. Paul +and Minneapolis. All of these places at the camps have accommodations for +women relatives to visit the soldiers, and all of the rooms are always +full to the limit. + +In Des Moines the Army has an interesting institution which grew out of a +great need. + +The Federal authorities have placed a Woman's Protective Agency in all +Camp towns. At Des Moines the woman representative of the Federal +Government sent word to the Salvation Army that she wished they would help +her. She said she had found so many young girls between the ages of +fourteen and sixteen who were being led into an immoral life through the +soldiers, and she wished the Salvation Army would open a home to take care +of such girls. + +With their usual swiftness to come to the rescue the Salvation Army opened +such a home. The Brigadier up in Chicago gave up his valued private +secretary, a lovely young girl only twenty-four years old, to be at the +head of this home. It may seem a pretty big undertaking for so young a +girl, but these Salvation Army girls are brought up to be wonderfully wise +and sweet beyond others, and if you could look into her beautiful eyes you +would have an understanding of the consecration and strength of character +that has made it possible for her to do this work with marvellous success, +and reach the hearts and turn the lives of these many young girls who have +come under her influence in this way. In her work she deals with the +individual, always giving immediate relief for any need, always pointing +the way straight and direct to a better life. The young girls are kept in +the home for a week or more until some near relative can be sent for, or +longer, until a home and work can be found for them. Every case is dealt +with on its own merits; and many young girls have had their feet set upon +the right road, and a new purpose in life given to them with new ideals, +from the young Christian girl whom they easily love and trust. + +So great has been the success of the Salvation Army hut and women's hostel +at Camp Lewis that the United States Government has asked the Salvation +Army to put up a hundred thousand dollar hotel at that camp which is +located twenty miles out of Tacoma. The Salvation Army hut at this place +was recently inspected by Secretary of War Baker and Chief of Staff who +highly complimented the Salvationists on the good work being done. + +A Christmas box was sent by the Salvation Army to each soldier in every +camp and hospital throughout the West. Each box contained an orange, an +apple, two pounds of nuts, one pound of raisins, one pound of salted +peanuts, one package of figs, two handkerchiefs in sealed packets, one +book of stamps, a package of writing paper, a New Testament, and a +Christmas letter from the Commissioner at Headquarters in Chicago. + +No Officer in the Salvation Army has been more successful in ingenious +efforts to further all activities connected with the work than +Commissioner Estill in command of the Western forces. He is an +indefatigable and tireless worker, is greatly beloved, and his efforts +have met with exceptional success. + +It was a new manager who had taken hold of the affairs of the Salvation +Army Hostel in a certain city that morning and was establishing family +prayers. A visitor, waiting to see someone, sat in an alcove listening. + +There in the long beautiful living-room of the Hostel sat a little +audience, two black women-the cooks-several women in neat aprons and caps +as if they had come in from their work, a soldier who had been reading the +morning paper and who quietly laid it aside when the Bible reading began, +a sailor who tiptoed up the two low steps from the café beyond the living- +room where he had been having his morning coffee and doughnuts--the young +clerk from behind the office desk. They all sat quiet, respectful, as if +accorded a sudden, unexpected privilege. + +[Illustration: Thomas Estill Commissioner of the Western Forces] + +[Illustration: The hut at Camp Lewis] + +The reading was a few well-chosen verses about Moses in the mount of +vision and somehow seemed to have a strange quieting influence and carried +a weight of reality read thus in the beginning of a busy day's work. + +The reader closed the book and quite familiarly, not at all pompously, he +said with a pleasant smile that this was a lesson for all of them. Each +one should have his vision for the day. The cook should have a vision as +she made the doughnuts--and he called her by her name--to make them just +as well as they could be made; and the women who made the beds should have +a vision of how they could make the beds smooth and soft and fine to rest +weary comers; and those who cleaned must have a vision to make the house +quite pure and sweet so that it would be a home for the boys who came +there; the clerk at the desk should have a vision to make the boys +comfortable and give them a welcome; and everyone should have a vision of +how to do his work in the best way, so that all who came there for a day +or a night or longer should have a vision when they left that God was +ruling in that place and that everything was being done for His praise. + +Just a few simple words bringing the little family of workers into touch +with the Divine and giving them a glimpse of the great plan of laboring +with God where no work is menial, and nothing too small to be worth doing +for the love of Christ. Then the little company dropped upon their knees, +and the earnest voice took up a prayer which was more an intimate word +with a trusted beloved Companion; and they all arose to go about that work +of theirs with new zest and--a vision! + +In her alcove out of sight the visitor found refreshment for her own soul, +and a vision also. + +This is the secret of this wonderful work that these people do in France, +in the cities, everywhere; they have a vision! They have been upon the +Mountain with God and they have not forgotten the injunction: + +"See that thou do all things according to the pattern given thee in the +Mount" + +But the stories multiply and my space is drawing to a close. I am minded +to say reverently in words of old: + +"And there are also many other things which these disciples of Jesus did, +the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the +world itself could not contain the books that should be written;" but are +they not graven in the hearts of men who found the Christ on the +battlefield or the hospital cot, or in the dim candle-lit hut, through +these dear followers of His? + + + +XII. + +Letters of Appreciation + + + +MY DEAR MISS BOOTH: + +You may be sure that your telegram of November fifteenth warmed my heart +and brought me very real cheer and encouragement. It is a message of just +the sort that one needs in these trying times, and I hope that you will +express to your associates my profound appreciation and my entire +confidence in their loyalty, their patriotism, and their enthusiasm for +the great work they are doing. + +Cordially and sincerely yours, +Woodrow Wilson. +Nov. 30,1917. + + +MY DEAR MISS BOOTH: + +I am very much interested to hear of the campaign the Salvation Army has +undertaken for money to sustain its war activities, and want to take the +opportunity to express my admiration for the work that it has done and my +sincere hope that it may be fully sustained. + +(Signed) WOODROW WILSON. +The President of the United States of America. + + +Commander Evangeline Booth, +Paris, 7 April, 1919. +122 W. 14th Street, New York, U.S.A. + +I am very much interested to know that the Salvation Army is about to +enter into a campaign for a sustaining fund. + +I feel that the Salvation Army needs no commendation from me. The love and +gratitude it has elicited from the troops is a sufficient evidence of the +work it has done and I feel that I should not so much commend as +congratulate it. + +Cordially and sincerely yours, +Woodrow Wilson. + + +British Delegation, Paris, 8th April, 1919. + +DEAR MADAM: + +I have very great pleasure in sending you this letter to say how highly I +think of the great work which has been done by the Salvation Army amongst +the Allied Armies in France and the other theatres of war. From all sides +I hear the most glowing accounts of the way in which your people have +added to the comfort and welfare of our soldiers. To me it has always been +a great joy to think how much the sufferings and hardships endured by our +troops in all parts of the world have been lessened by the self-sacrifice +and devotion shown to them by that excellent organization, the Salvation +Army. + +Yours faithfully, +W. Lloyd George. + + +General J. J. Pershing, France. + +The Salvation Army of America will never cease to hail you with devoted +affection and admiration for your valiant leadership of your valiant army. +You have rushed the advent of the world's greatest peace, and all men +honor you. To God be all the glory! + +Commander Evangeline Booth. + + + +Commander Evangeline Booth, New York City. + +"Many thanks for your cordial cable. The American Expeditionary Forces +thank you for all your noble work that the Salvation Army has done for +them from the beginning." + +General Pershing. + + +With deep feeling of gratitude for the enormous contribution which the +Salvation Army has made to the moral and physical welfare of this +expedition all ranks join me in sending heartiest Christmas greetings and +cordial best wishes for the New Year. + +(Signed) Pershing. + + +Salvation, New York. +Paris, April 22, 1919. + +The following cable received, Colonel William S. Barker, Director of the +Salvation Army, Paris: My dear Colonel Barker--I wish to express to you my +sincere appreciation, and that of all members of the American +Expeditionary Forces, for the splendid services rendered by the Salvation +Army to the American Army in France. You first submitted your plans to me +in the summer of 1917, and before the end of that year you had a number of +Huts in operation in the Training Area of the First Division, and a group +of devoted men and women who laid the foundation for the affectionate +regard in which the workers of your organization have always been held by +the American soldiers. The outstanding features of the work of the +Salvation Army have been its disposition to push its activities as far as +possible to the Front, and the trained and experienced character of its +workers whose one thought was the well-being of its soldiers they came to +serve. While the maintenance of these standards has necessarily kept your +work within narrow bounds as compared to some of the other welfare +agencies, it has resulted in a degree of excellence and self-sacrifice in +the work performed which has been second to none. It has endeared your +organization and its individual men and women workers to all those +Divisions and other units to which they have been attached and has +published their good name to every part of the American Expeditionary +forces. Please accept this letter as a personal message to each one of +your workers. Very sincerely, + +John J. Pershing. + + +Marshal Foch, Paris, France: + +Your brilliant armies, under blessing of God, have triumphed. The +Salvation Army of America exults with war-worn but invincible France. We +must consolidate for God of Peace all the good your valor has secured. +Commander Evangeline Booth. + + +[Illustration: Western Union cablegram (transcription below)] + +WESTERN UNION +ANGLO-AMERICAN DIRECT UNITED STATES +CABLEGRAM +34 Broadway N.Y. +Received at 16 BROAD STREET, NEW YORK + +193 F8 PZ +FRANCE 31 + +EVANGELINE BOOTH +COMMANDER SALVATION ARMY +IN AMERICA NEW YORK + +TRÈS TOUCHÉ DU SENTIMENT ÉLEVÉ QUI A INSPIRÉ VOTRE +TÉLÉGRAMME JE VOUS ADRESSE AINSI QU'À VOS ADHÉRENTS MES +SINCÈRES REMERCIEMENTS + + MARECHAL FOCH + + +I am deeply touched by the high sentiment which inspired +your cablegram, and I tender you and your adherents sincere +thanks. + + MARSHAL FOCH + + + +Letter from Sir Douglas Haig + + +Just before leaving London on Thursday for his provincial campaigns, +General Booth received the following letter from Field Marshal Sir Douglas +Haig. The generous tribute will be read with intense satisfaction by +Salvationists the world over: + + +General Headquarters, British Armies in France. +March 27, 1918. + +I am glad to have the opportunity of congratulating the Salvation Army on +the service which its representatives have rendered during the past year +to the British Armies in France. + +The Salvation Army workers have shown themselves to be of the right sort +and I value their presence here as being one of the best influences on the +moral and spiritual welfare of the troops at the bases. The inestimable +value of these influences is realized when the morale of the troops is +afterwards put to the test at the front. + +The huts which the Salvation Army has staffed have besides been an +addition to the comfort of the soldiers which has been greatly +appreciated. + +I shall be glad if you will convey the thanks of all ranks of the British +Expeditionary Forces in France to the Salvation Army for its continued +good work. + +D. Haig, Field Marshal, +Commanding British Armies in France. + + +The Following Message from Marshal Joffre: + +Miss Evangeline Booth, +Apr. 9, 1919. +New York City. + +"President Wilson has said that the work of the Salvation Army on the +Franco-American front needs no praise in view of the magnificent results +obtained and remains only to be admired and congratulated. I cannot do +better than to use the same words which I am sure express the sentiments +of all French soldiers. "J. Joffre." + + +From Field Marshal Viscount French. + +"Of all the organizations that have come into existence during the past +fifty years none has done finer work or achieved better results in all +parts of the Empire than the Salvation Army. In particular, its activities +have been of the very greatest benefit to the soldiers in this war." + + +June 16, 1918. + +Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, writing from Oyster Bay, Long Island, under +date of April 11, 1918, has the following to say to the War Work Executive +of the Salvation Army: + +"I was greatly interested in your letter quoting the letter from my son +now with Pershing in France. His testimony as to the admirable work done +by the Salvation Army agrees with all my own observations as to what the +Salvation Army has done in war and in peace. You have had to enlarge +enormously your program and readjust your work in order to meet the need +of the vast number of soldiers and sailors serving our country overseas; +and you must have funds to help you. I am informed that over 40,000 +Salvationists are in the ranks of the Allied armies. I can myself bear +testimony to the fact that you have a practical social service, combined +with practical religion, that appeals to multitudes of men who are not +reached by the regular churches; and I know that you were able to put your +organization to work in France before the end of the first month of the +World War. I am glad to learn that you do not duplicate or parallel the +work done by any other organization, and that you are in constant touch +with the War Work Councils of such organizations as the Y. M. C. A. and +the Bed Cross. I happen to know that you are now maintaining and operating +168 huts behind the lines in France, together with 70 hostels, and that +you have furnished 46 ambulances, manned and officered by Salvationists. I +am particularly interested to learn that 6000 women are knitting under the +direction of the Salvation Army, and with materials furnished by this +organization here in America, in order to turn out garments and useful +articles for the soldiers at the Front. + +"Faithfully yours, + +"(Signed) Theodore Roosevelt." + + + +April 21st, 1919. + +Commander Evangeline Booth, +120 West 14th Street, New York, N. Y. + +Dear Commander Booth: + +I have known the Salvation Army from its beginning. + +The mother of the Salvation Army was Mrs. Catherine Booth, and her common +sense and Christian spirit laid the foundations; while her husband, +General William Booth, in his impressive frame, fertility of ideas, and +invincible spirit of evangelism always seemed to me as if he were closely +related to St. Peter, the fisherman--the man of ideas and many questions, +of the Lord's family. + +General William Booth was of a discipleship that kept him always on the +"long, long trail" with a self-sacrificing spirit, but with a cheerfulness +that heard the nightingales in the early mornings that awakened him to +duty and service. He was never tired. The Salvation Army under the present +leadership of your brother, Bramwell Booth, has "carried on" along the +same roads, and with the same methods, as the great General who has passed +into the Beyond. + +The Salvation Army has been itself true to the spirit of its mighty +originator during the present war. No work was too hard; no day was long +enough; no duty too simple, no self-denial was too great. + +Prom my personal knowledge, the Salvation Army workers were consecrated to +their work. Just as the brave boys who carried the Flag, they were +soldiers fighting a battle, to find comforts, and a song to put music into +the hearts of the noble fellows that now lie sleeping on the ridges of the +Marne, with their graves unmarked save with a cross. + +The sleepless vigilance of the Salvation Army extended from their kitchens +where they cooked for the boys, to the hospitals where they prayed with +them to the last hour when life ended in a silence, the stillest of all +slumbers. + +The Armies of every country in which they labored have a record of their +faithfulness and devotion which will be sealed in the hearts of the many +thousands they helped in the days of the struggle for peace. + +The question is, what can we do now to perpetuate the Salvation Army and +its work, and my reply is, that there is nothing they ask or want that +should be refused to them. They are worthy; they are competent; they can +be trusted with responsibility; and their splendid leader seems to have +almost a miraculous power for management in the work which her father +committed to her so far as America is concerned. + +Very sincerely yours, + +(Signed) John Wanamaker. + + + +Cardinal's Residence, 408 Charles Street, Baltimore. +April 16, 1919. + +Hon. Charles S. Whitman, New York City. + +Honorable and Dear Sir: + +I have been asked by the local Commander of the Salvation Army to address +a word to you as the National Chairman of the Campaign about to be +launched in behalf of the above named organization. This I am happy to do, +and for the reason that, along with my fellow American citizens, I rejoice +in the splendid service which the Salvation Army rendered our Soldier and +Sailor Boys during the war. Every returning trooper is a willing witness +to the efficient and generous work of the Salvation Army both at the +Front, and in the camps at home. I am also the more happy to commend this +organization because it is free from sectarian bias. The man in need of +help is the object of their effort, with never a question of his creed or +color. + +I trust, therefore, your efforts to raise $13,000,000 for the Salvation +Army will meet with a hearty response from our generous American public. + +Faithfully yours, +James, Cardinal, Gibbons. + + + +Commissioner Plenipotentiary of the United States of America. + +Paris, April 7th, 1919. + +My Dear Commander Booth: + +Those of us who have been fortunate enough to see something of the work of +the Salvation Army with the American troops have been made proud by the +devotion and self-sacrifice of the workers connected with your +organization. + +I congratulate you and, through you, your associates, and I wish you the +best of fortune in the continuance of your splendid work. + +Very sincerely yours, +L. M. House. + + + +Commander Evangeline Booth, Salvation Army. + +Evangeline Booth, +Salvation Army Headquarters, New York. + +I have seen the work of the Salvation Army in France and consider it very +helpful and valuable. I trust you will be able to secure the means not +only for its maintenance but for the enlargement of its scope. It is a +good work and should be encouraged. + +Leonard Wood. +Camp Funston, Kansas. + + + +Brigadier-General Duncan wrote to Colonel Barker the +following letter: + +December 7, 1917. + +The Salvation Army in this its first experience with our troops has +stepped very closely into the hearts of the men. Your huts have been open +to them at all times. They have been cordially received in a homelike +atmosphere and many needs provided in religious teachings. Your efforts +have the honest support of our chaplains. I have talked with many of our +soldiers who are warm in their praise and satisfaction in what is being +done for them. For myself I feel that the Salvation Army has a real place +for its activities with our Army in France and I offer you and your +workers, men and women, good wishes and thanks for what you have done and +are doing for our men. + +G. B. Duncan, Brigadier-General. + + + +The Salvation Army is doing a great work in France and every soldier bears +testimony to the fact. + +Omar Bundy, Major-General. + + + +Headquarters First Division, +American Expeditionary Forces. + +France, September 15, 1918. + +From: Chief of Staff. + +To: Major L. Allison Coe, Salvation Army. + +Subject: Service in Operation against St. Mihiel Salient. + +1. The Division Commander desires me to express to you his appreciation of +the particularly valuable service that the Salvation Army, through you and +your assistants, has rendered the Division during the recent operation +against the St. Mihiel salient. + +2. You have furnished aid and comfort to the American soldier throughout +the trying experiences of the last few days, and in accomplishing this +worthy mission have spared yourself in nothing. + +3. The Division Commander wishes me to thank you for the Division and for +himself. + +CK/T. Campbell King, Chief of Staff. + + + +CABLEGRAM. + +Paris, December 17,1917. + +Commander Miss E, Booth, 120 W. 14th St., New York. + +I am glad to be able to express my appreciation of the work done by the +Salvation Army in the way of providing for the comfort and welfare of the +Command. I think the efforts of the Salvation Army are admirable and +deserving of appreciation and commendation, and I consider the effort is +made without advertisement and that it reaches and is appreciated by those +for whom it is most needed. + +L. P. MURPHY, Lieut.-Colonel of Cavalry. + + + +CABLEGRAM. + +Paris, December 17,1917. + +Commander Miss E. Booth, +120 W. 14th Street, New York City. + +I wish to express my most sincere appreciation of the work of your +organization with my regiment. Your Officer has done everything that could +be expected of any organization in carrying on his work with the soldiers +of this command, and has surpassed any such expectations. He has assisted +the soldiers in every way possible and has gained their hearty good will. +He has also shown himself willing and anxious to carry out regulations and +orders affecting his organization. As a matter of fact, all the officers +and soldiers of this command are most enthusiastic about the help of the +Salvation Army, and you can hear nothing but praise for its work. The work +of your organization, both religious and material, has been wholesome and +dignified, and I desire you to know that it is appreciated. + +J. L. HINES, +Colonel, Sixteenth Infantry. + + + +In sending a contribution toward the expenses of the War Work, Colonel +George B. McClellan wrote: + +Treasurer, Salvation Army, July 24, 1918. +120 West 14th Street, New York City. + +DEAR SIR: + +All the Officers I have talked with who have been in the trenches have +enthusiastically praised the work the Salvation Army is doing at the +front. They are agreed that for coolness under fire, cheerfulness under +the most adverse conditions, kindness, helpfulness and real efficiency, +your workers are unsurpassed. + +Will you accept the enclosed check as my modest contribution to your War +Fund, and believe me to be + +Yours very truly, +GEO. B. MCCLELLAND Lt.-Col. Ord. Dept., N. A. + + + +CABLEGRAM. + +Paris, December 17,1917. + +Commander Miss B. Booth, +120 West 14th Street, New York City, N. Y. + +I have carefully observed the work of the Salvation Army from their first +arrival in Training Area First Division American Expeditionary Force to +date. The work they have done for the enlisted men of the Division and the +places of amusement and recreation that they have provided for them, are +of the highest order. I unhesitatingly state that, in my opinion, the +Salvation Army has done more for the enlisted men of the First Division +than any other organization or society operating in France. + +F. G. LAWTON, +Colonel, Infantry, National Army. + + + +To WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: + +The work of the Salvation Army as illustrated by the work of Major S. H. +Atkins is duplicated by no one. He has been Chaplain and more besides. He +has the confidence of officers and men. Major Atkins, as typifying the +Salvation Army, has been forward at the very front with what is even more +important than the rear area work. + +THEODORE ROOSEVELT. + + + +The following letter was sent to Major Atkins of the Salvation Army: + +Headquarters, 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, +France, December 26, 1917. + +I wish to thank you for the great work you have been +doing here among the men of this battalion. You have +added greatly to the happiness and contentment of us all; giving, as you +have, an opportunity for good, clean entertainment and pleasure. + +In religious work you have done much. As you know, this regiment has no +chaplain, and you have to a large extent taken the place of one here. + +For myself, and on behalf of the officers stationed here, I wish to +express my appreciation of the work that you have been doing here, and the +hope that you can accompany the battalion wherever the fortune of war may +lead us. + +Wishing you a very happy and successful New Year, I am + +Yours sincerely, +(Signed) THEODORE ROOSEVELT, JR., +Major (U.S.R.), 26th Infantry. + + + +When Captain Archibald Roosevelt was lying wounded +in Red Cross Hospital No. 1 he wrote the following letter +to the same officer: + +Red Cross Hospital No. 1. + +July 10, 1918. + +"You have, by your example, helped the men morally and physically. By your +continued presence in the most dangerous and uncomfortable periods, you +have made yourself the comrade and friend of every officer and man in our +battalion. It is in this way that you have filled a position which the +other charitable organizations had left vacant. + +"Let me also mention that, perfect Democrat that you are, you have +realized the necessity of discipline, and have helped make the discipline +understood by these men and officers. + +"If all the Salvation Army workers are like you, I sincerely hope to see +the time when there is a Salvation Army officer with each battalion in the +camp." + + + +Before leaving France for the United States, two Salvation +Army lassies received the following letter: + +I was very sorry to hear that you had been taken from this division, and +desire to express my appreciation of the excellent assistance you have +been to us. + +In all of our "shows" you have been with us, and I wish that I knew of the +many sufferers you have cheered and made more comfortable. They are many +and, I am positive, will always have grateful thoughts of you. + +I have seen you enduring hardships--going without food and sleep, working +day and night, sometimes under fire, both shell and avion--and never have +you been anything but cheerful and willing. + +I thank you and your organization for all of this, and assure you of the +respect and gratitude of the entire division. + +J. I. MABEE, Colonel, Medical Corps, +Division Surgeon. + + + +CABLE. + +January 17, 1918. + +The Salvation Army, New York: + +As Inspector General of the First Division I have inspected all the +Salvation Army huts in this Division area and I am glad to inform you that +your work here is a well-earned success. Your huts are warm, dry, light, +and, I believe, much appreciated by all the men in this Division. To make +these huts at all homelike under present conditions requires energy and +ability. I know that the Salvation Army men in this Division have it and +am very willing to so testify. + +CONRAD S. BABCOCK, Lieut.-Colonel, +Inspector General, First Division. + + + +"The Salvation Army keeps open house, and any time that a body of men come +back from the front lines, in from a convoy, there is hot coffee and +sometimes home-made doughnuts (all free to the men). I was in command of a +town where the hut never closed till 3 or 4 in the morning, and their +girls baked pies and made doughnuts up to the front, under shell fire, for +our infantrymen. A Salvation Army lassie is safe without an escort +anywhere in France where there is an American soldier. That speaks for +itself. I am for any organization that is out to do something for my men, +and I think that it is the idea of the American people when they give +their money. What we want is someone who is willing to come over here and +do something for the boys, regardless of the fact that it may not net any +gain--in fact, may not help them to gather enough facts for a lecture tour +when they return home." + + + +Headquarters, Third Division, +September 5,1918. + +MY DEAR MR. LEFFINGWELL: + +Your letter of July 22d just received. It has, perhaps, been somewhat +delayed in reaching me, owing to the fact that I have recently been +transferred to another division. I only wish things had been so that I +might have granted you or a representative of the Salvation Army an +interview when I was in the States recently, but, being under orders, I +could wait for nothing. Whatever I may have said, in a casual way, of the +work of the Salvation Army in France, I assure you was all deserved. Your +organization has been doing a splendid work for the men of my former +division and other troops who have come in contact with it. I have often +remarked, as have many of the officers, that after the war the Salvation +Army is going to receive such a boom from the boys who have come in touch +with it over here that it will seem like a veritable propaganda! Why +shouldn't it? For your work has been conducted in such a quiet, +unostentatious, unselfish way that only a man whose sensibilities are dead +can fail to appreciate it. I have found several of your workers, whose +names at this moment I am unable to recall, putting up with all sorts of +hardships and inconveniences, working from daylight until well into the +night that the boys might be cheered in one way or another. Your shacks +have always been at the disposal of the chaplains for their regimental +services. Whether Mass for the Catholic chaplains or Holy Communion for an +Episcopalian chaplain, they always found a place to set up their altars in +the Salvation Army huts; and the Protestant chaplains, also the Jewish, +always, to my knowledge, were given its use for their services. I have +found your own services have been very acceptable to the boys, in general, +but perhaps your doughnut program, with hot coffee or chocolate, means as +much as anything. Not that, like those of old, we follow the Salvation +Army because we can get filled up, but we all like their spirit. More than +on one occasion do I know of troops moving at night--and pretty wet and +hungry--that have been warmed and fed and sent on their way with new +courage because of what some Salvation Army worker and hut furnished. And +as they went their way many fine things were said about the Salvation +Army. I am sure, as a result of this work, you have won the favor and +confidence of hundreds of these soldier lads, and, if I am not terribly +mistaken, when we get home the Salvation tambourine will receive greater +consideration than heretofore. + +I am glad to express my feelings for your work. God bless you in it, and +always! + +Sincerely yours, + +LYMAN BOLLINS, Division Chaplain, +Headquarters, Third Division, A. E. F., via New York. + + + +At the Front in France, June 12, 1918. + +Commissioner Thomas Estill, +Salvation Army, Chicago. + +MY DEAR COMMISSIONER: + +We are engaged in a great battle. My time is all taken with our wounded +and dead. Still I cannot resist the temptation to take a few moments in +which to express our appreciation of the splendid aid given our soldiers +by the Salvation Army. + +The work of the Salvation Army is not in duplication of that of any other +organization. It is entirely original and unique. It fills a long-felt +want. Some day the world will know the aid that you have rendered our +soldiers. Then you will receive every dollar you need. + +Your work is also greatly appreciated by the French people. I have never +heard a single unfavorable comment on the Salvation Army. They are +respected everywhere. Their unselfish devotion to our well, sick, wounded +and dead is above any praise that I can bestow. God will surely greatly +reward them. + +I heartily congratulate you on the class of workers you have sent over +here. I pray that your invaluable aid may be extended to our troops +everywhere. God bless you and yours, + +In His name, +(Signed) THOMAS J. DICKSON, +Chaplain with rank of Major, +Sixth Field Artillery, First Division, U. S. Army. + + + +An appreciation written concerning the first Salvation +Army chaplain that was appointed after the war started: + +Camp Cody, New Mexico, + +January 16, 1918. + +Major E. C. Clemans, +136th Infantry, Camp Cody, N. M. + +Commissioner Thomas Estill, Chicago, Ill. + +I have been associated with the chaplain now for nearly four months. I +have found him a Christian soldier and gentleman. He is "on the job" all +the time and no Chaplain in this Division is doing more faithful and +effective work. He is thoroughly evangelistic, is burdened for the souls +of his men and is working for their salvation not in but from their sins. +He is a "man's man," knows how to approach men and knows how and does get +hold of their affections in such a way that he is a help and a comfort to +them. He brings things to pass. + +The Salvation Army may be well pleased that it is so well represented in +the Army as it is by Chaplain Kline. + +Sincerely yours, + +(Signed) EZRA C. CLEMANS, +Senior Chaplain, 34th Division. + + + +July 11, 1918. + +I have been familiar with the work of the Salvation Army for years, and +the organization from the beginning of the war has been doing a wonderful +work with the Allied forces and since the entering of the United States +into the struggle has given splendid aid and coöperation not only in +connection with the war activities at home but also with our forces +abroad. Their work is entitled to the sincere admiration of every American +citizen. + +MAJOR EDWIN F. GLENN. + + + +TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: + +It gives me the greatest pleasure to testify to the very excellent work of +the Salvation Army as I have seen it in this division. I have seen the +work done by this organization for ten months, under all sorts of +conditions, and it has always been of the highest character. At the start, +the Salvation Army was handicapped by lack of funds, but even under +adverse conditions, it did most valuable work in maintaining cheerful +recreation centres for the men, often in places exposed to hostile shell- +fire. The doughnut and pie supply has been maintained. This seems a little +thing, but it has gone a long way to keep the men cheerful. All the +Salvation Army force has been untiring in its work under very trying +conditions, and as a result, I believe it has gained the respect and +affection of officers and men more than any similar organization. + +ALBERT J. MYERS, JR., Major, National Army. +1st Div., A. E. F. (Captain, Cavalry, U.S.A.) + + + +Extract from letter from Captain Charles W. Albright: +Q. M., R. C., France. + +"As to the Salvation Army, well, if they wanted our boys to lie down for +them to walk on, to keep their feet from getting muddy, the boys would +gladly do so. + +"From everyone, officers and men alike, nothing but the highest praise is +given the Salvation Army. They are right in the thick of danger, +comforting and helping the men in the front line, heedless of shot, shell +or gas, the U. S. Army in France, as a unit, swears by the Salvation Army. + +"I am proud to have a sister in their ranks." + + + +An old regular army officer who returned to Paris last week said: + +"I wish every American who has stood on street corners in America and +sneered at the work of the Salvation Army could see what they are doing +for the boys in France. + +"They do not proclaim that they are here for investigation or for getting +atmosphere for War romances. They have not come to furnish material for +Broadway press agents. They do not wear, 'Oh, such becoming uniforms,' +white shoes, dainty blue capes and bonnets, nor do they frequent Paris tea +rooms where the swanky British and American officers put up. + +"Take it from me, these women are doing almighty fine work. There are +twenty-two of them here in France. We army men have given them shell- +shattered and cast-off field kitchens to work with, and oh, man, the +doughnuts, the pancakes and the pies they turn out! + +"I'm an old army officer, but what I like about the Salvation Army is that +it doesn't cater to officers. It is for the doughboys first, last and all +the time. The Salvation Army men do not wear Sam Browne belts; they do as +little handshaking with officers as possible. + +"They cash the boys' checks without question, and during the month of +April in a certain division the Salvation Army sent home $20,000 for the +soldiers. The Rockefeller Foundation hasn't as yet given the Salvation +Army a million-dollar donation to carry on its work. Fact is, I don't know +just how the Salvation Army chaplains and lassies do get along. But get +along they do. + +"Perhaps some of the boys and officers give them a lift now and then when +the sledding is rough. They don't aim to make a slight profit as do some +other organizations. + +"Ever since Cornelius Hickey put up 'Hickey's Hut,' the first Salvation +Army hut in France, they have been working at a loss. I saw an American +officer give a Salvation Army chaplain 500 francs out of his pay at a +certain small town in France recently. + +"The work done in 'Hickey's Hut' did much to endear the Salvation folks to +the doughboys. When a letter arrived in France some months ago addressed +only to 'Hickey's Hut, France,' it reached its destination _toute de +suite_, forty-eight hours after it arrived. + +"The French climate has hit our boys hard. It is wet and penetratingly +cold. Goes right to the marrow, and three suits of underwear are no +protection against it. When the lads returned from training camp or the +trenches, wet, cold, hungry and despondent, they found a welcome in +'Hickey's Hut.' + +"Not a patronizing, holier-than-thou, we-know-we-are-doing-a-good-work- +and-hope-you-doughboys-appreciate-it sort of a welcome, but a good old +Salvation Army, Bowery Mission welcome, such as Tim Sullivan knew how to +hand out in the old days. + +"Around a warm fire with men who spoke their own language and who did not +pretend to be above them in the social scale the doughboys forgot that +they were four thousand miles from home and that they couldn't 'sling the +lingo.' + +"I saw a group of lads on the Montdidier front who had not been paid in +three months, standing cursing their luck. They had no money, therefore, +they could not buy anything. + +"The Salvation Army had been apprised by telegraph that the doughboys were +playing in hard luck. Presto! Out from Paris came a truck loaded with +everything to eat. The truck was unloaded and the boys paid for whatever +they wanted with slips of paper signed with their John Hancocks. The +Salvation Army lassies asked no questions, but accepted the slips of paper +as if they were Uncle Sam's gold. + +"And one of the most useful institutions in Europe where war rages is one +that has no publicity bureau and has no horns to toot. This is the +Salvation Army. In the estimation of many, the Salvation Army goes way +ahead of the work of many of the other war organizations working here. I +see brave women and young women of the Salvation Army every day in places +that are really hazardous." + + + +First Lieutenant Marion M. Marcus, Jr., Field Artillery, +wrote to one of our leading officers: + +October 9, 1918. + +"If the people at home could see the untiring and absolute devotion of the +workers of the Salvation Army, in serving and caring for our men, they +would more than give you the support you ask. The way the men and women +expose themselves to the dangers of the front lines and hardships has more +than endeared them to every member of the American Expeditionary Forces, +and they are always in the right spot with cheer of hot food and drink +when it is most appreciated." + + + +EXTRACT FROM LETTER. + +"Away up front where things break hard and rough for us, and we are hungry +and want something hot, we can usually find it in some old partly +destroyed building, which has been organized into a shack by--well, guess +--the Salvation Army. + +"They are the soldier's friend. They make no display or show of any kind, +but they are fast winning a warm corner in the heart of everyone." + + + +"I feel it is my duty to drop you a few lines to let you know how the boys +over here appreciate what the Salvation Army is doing for them. It is a +second home to us. There is always a cheerful welcome awaiting us there +and _I have yet to meet a sour-faced cleric behind the counter_. One +Salvation Army worker has his home in a cellar, located close to the +front-line trenches. He cheerfully carries on his wonderful work amid the +flying of shells and in danger of gas. He is one fine fellow, always +greeting you with a smile. He serves the boys with hot coffee every day, +free of charge, and many times he has divided his own bread with the tired +and hungry boys returning from the trenches. In the evening he serves +coffee and doughnuts at a small price. Say, who wouldn't be willing to +fight after feasting on that? + +"In the many rest camps you will find the Salvation Army girls. They are +located so close to the front-line trenches that they have to wear their +gas masks in the slung position, and they also have their tin hats ready +to put on. The girls certainly are a fine, jolly bunch, and when it comes +to baking pies and doughnuts they are hard to beat. The boys line up a +half hour before time so as to be sure they get their share. I had the +pleasure of talking to a mother and her daughter and they told me they had +sold out everything they had to the boys with the exception of some salmon +and sardines on which they were living--salmon for dinner and sardines for +supper. They stood it all with big smiles and those smiles made me smile +when I thought of my troubles. + +"In the trenches the boys become affected with body lice, known as +cooties. A good hot bath is the only real cure for them. While on the way +to a bath-house a Salvation Army worker overtook us. He was riding in a +Ford which had seen better days. The springs on it were about all in and +it made a noise like someone calling for mercy. The Salvation Army worker +pulled up in front of us and with a broad smile on his face said: "Room +for half a ton!" We did not need a second invitation and we soon had poor +Henry loaded down. I thought sure it would give out, but the worker only +laughed about it and kept on feeding the machine more gas as we cheered +until it started away with us. + +"I want to tell you what the Salvation Army does for the moral side of the +soldier. The American soldier needs the guidance of God over here more +than he ever did in his whole life. Away from home and in a foreign land +in every corner, one must have Divine guidance to keep him on the narrow +path of life. If it was not for the _workers of God over here the boys +would gradually break away and then I'm afraid we would not have the right +kind of fighters to hold up our end_. Of course, prayers alone won't +satisfy the appetite of the American soldier, and the Salvation Army girls +get around that by baking for the boys. They believe in satisfying the +cravings of the stomach as well as the craving of the soul and mind. I +always enjoy the sermons at the Salvation Army. A good, every-day sermon +is always appreciated. The Salvation Army helps you along in their good +old way, and they don't believe in preaching all day on what you should do +and what you shouldn't do. The girls are a fine bunch of singers and their +singing is enjoyed very much by all of the boys. It is a treat to see an +American girl so close to the front and a still better treat to listen to +one sing. + +"The Salvation Army does much good work in keeping the boys in the right +spirit so that they are glad to go back to the trenches when their turn +comes. There is no Salvation Army hut on this front. I often wish there +was one on every front. I believe the Salvation Army does not get its full +credit over in the States. Perhaps the people over there do not understand +the full meaning of the work it is doing over here. I want the Salvation +Army to know that it has all of the boys over here back of it and we want +to keep up the good work. We will go through hell, if necessary, because +we know the folks back home are back of us. We want the Salvation Army to +feel the same way. The _boys over here are really back of it and we want +you to continue your good work_." + + + +"There is just one thing more I wish to speak of, and that is the little +old Salvation Army. You will never see me, nor any of the other boys over +here, laugh at their street services in the future, and if I see anyone +else doing that little thing that person is due for a busted head! I +haven't seen where they are raising a tenth the money some of the other +societies are, but they are the topnotchers of them all as the soldiers' +friend, and their handouts always come at the right time. Some of those +girls work as hard as we do." + +"The Salvation Army over here is doing wonderful work. _They haven't any +shows or music, but they certainly know what pleases the boys most_, +and feed us with homemade apple pie or crullers, with lemonade--a great +big piece of pie or three crullers, with a large cup of lemonade, for a +franc (18-1/2 cents). + +"These people are working like beavers, and the people in the States ought +to give them plenty of credit and appreciate their wonderful help to the +men over here." "We were in a bomb-proof semi-dugout, in the heart of a +dense forest, within range of enemy guns, my Hebrew comrade and I. We were +talking of the fate that brought us here--of the conditions as we left +them at home. There was the thought of what 'might' happen if we were to +return to America minus a limb or an eye; we were discussing the great +economic and moral reform which is a certainty after the war, when through +the air came the harmonious strumming of a guitar accompanying a sweet, +feminine voice, and we heard: + + Lead, Kindly Light, amid the encircling gloom; + Lead Thou me on; + The night is dark and I am far from home, + Lead Thou me on. + Keep Thou my feet; I do not ask to see + The distant scene-- + One step enough for me. + +"It was the Salvation Army! In a desert of human hearts, many of them +wounded with heartache, these brave, brave servants of the Son of David +came to cheer us up and make life more bearable. + +"In our outfit are Greeks, Italians, Bohemians, Irish, Jews--all of them +loyal Americans--and the Salvation Army serves each with an impartial +self-sacrifice which should forever still the voices of critics who +condemn sending Army lassies over here. + +"Those in the ranks are men. The Salvation Army women are admired--almost +worshipped--but respected and safe. Men by the thousands would lay down +their lives for the Salvationists, and not till after the war will the +full results of this sacrifice by Salvation Army workers bear fruit. But +now, with so many strong temptations to go the wrong way, here are noble +girls roughing it, smiling at the hardships, singing songs, making +doughnuts for the doughboys, and always reminding us, even in danger, that +it is not all of 'life to live,' bringing to us recollections of our +mothers, sisters, and sweethearts, and if anyone questions, 'Is it worth +while?' the answer is: 'A thousand times yes!' and I cannot refrain from +sending my hearty thanks for all this service means to us. + +"A few miles in back of us now, a half dozen Connecticut girls +representing the Salvation Army are doing their bit to make things +brighter for us, and say, maybe those girls cannot bake. Every day they +furnish us with real homemade crullers and pies at a small cost, and their +coffee, holy smoke! it makes me homesick to even write about it. The girls +have their headquarters in an old tumble-down building and they must have +some nerve, for the Boche keeps dropping shells all around them day and +night, and it would only take one of those shells to blow the whole outfit +into kingdom come." + + + +In a letter from a private to his mother while he was lying wounded in the +hospital, he says of the Salvation Army and Red Cross: + +"Most emphatically let me say that they both are giving real service to +the men here and both are worthy of any praise or help that can be given +them. This is especially so of the Salvation Army, because it is not fully +understood just what they are doing over here. They are the only ones +that, regardless of shells or gas, feed the boys in the trenches and bear +home to them the realization of what God really is at the very moment when +our brave lads are facing death. Their timely phrases about the Christ, +handed out with their doughnuts and coffee, have turned many faltering +souls back to the path and they will never forget it. 'Man's extremity is +God's opportunity' surely holds good here. You may not realize or think it +possible, but a large majority of the boys carry Bibles and there are +often heated arguments over the different phrases. + +"I have just turned my pockets inside out and the tambourine could hold no +more, but it was all I had and I am still in debt to the Salvation Army. + +"For hot coffee and cookies when I was shivering like an aspen, for +buttons and patches on my tattered uniform, for steering me clear of the +camp followers; but more than all for the cheery words of solace for those +'gone West,' for the blessed face of a woman from the homeland in the +midst of withering blight and desolation--for these I am indebted to the +Salvation Army." + + + +CABLEGRAM. + +Paris, December 17, 1917. + +Commander Miss E. Booth, +120 W. 14th Street, New York, N. Y. + +Being a Private, I am one of the many thousands who enjoy the kindnesses +and thoughtful recreation in the Salvation hut. The huts are always +crowded when the boys are off duty, for 'tis there we find warmth of body +and comradeship, pleasures in games and music, delight in the palatable +refreshments, knowledge in reading periodicals, convenience in the writing +material at our disposal, and other home-like touches for enjoyment. The +courtesy and good-will of the hut workers, combined with these good +things, makes the huts a resort of real comfort with the big thought of +salvation in Christ predominating over all. Appreciation of these huts, +and all they mean to the soldier in this terrible war, rises full in all +our hearts. + +CLINTON SPENCER, +Private, Motor Action. + +"I just used to love to listen to the Salvation Army at 6th and Penn +Streets, but I never dreamed of seeing them over here. And when I first +saw four girls cooking and baking all day I wondered what it was all +about. + +"But I didn't have long to find out, for that night I saw these same girls +put on their gas masks at the alert and start for the trenches. Then I +started to ask about them. I never spoke to the girls, but fellows who had +been in the trenches told me that they came up under shell fire to give +the boys pies or doughnuts or little cakes or cocoa or whatever they had +made that day. I thought that great of the Salvation Army. And many a boy +who got help through them has a warm spot in his heart for them. + +"You can see by the paper I write on who gave it to us. It is Salvation +Army paper. Altogether I say give three hearty cheers for the Salvation +Army and the girls who risk their own lives to give our boys a little +treat." + + + +"I am going to crow about our real friends here--and it is the verdict of +all the boys--it is the Salvation Army, Joe. _That is the boys' mother +and father here. It is our home_. They have a treat for us boys every +night--that is, cookies, doughnuts or pie--about 9 o'clock. But that is +only a little of them. The big thing is the spirit--the feeling a boy gets +of being home when he enters the hut and meets the lassies and lads who +call themselves the soldiers of Christ, and we are proud to call them +brother soldiers. We think the world of them! So, Joe, whenever you get a +chance to do the Salvation Army a good turn, by word or deed, do so, as +thereby you will help us. When we get back we are going to be the +Salvation Army's big friend, and you will see it become one of the United +States' great organizations." + +"My life as a soldier is not quite as easy as it was in Rochester, but +still I am not going to give up my religion, and I am not ashamed to let +the other fellows know that I belong to the Salvation Army. Sometimes they +try to get me to smoke or go and have a glass of beer with them, but I +tell them that I am a Salvationist. There are twenty fellows in a hut, so +they used to make fun at me when I used to say my prayers. Once in awhile +I used to have a _pair of shoes_ or a coat or something, thrown at +me. I used to think what I could do to stop them throwing things at me, so +I thought of a plan and waited. It was two or three nights before they +threw anything again. One night, as I was saying my prayers, someone threw +his shoes at me. After I got through I picked up the shoes and took out my +shoe brushes and polished and cleaned the shoes thrown at me, and from +that night to now I have never had a thing thrown at me. The fellow came +to me in a little while and said he was sorry he had thrown them. There +are four or five Salvationists in our company--one was a Captain in the +States. The Salvation Army has three big huts here among the soldier boys. +We have some nice meetings here, and they have reading-rooms and writing +and lunch-rooms, so I spend most of my time there." + + + +LETTER OF COMMENDATION RE SALVATION ARMY. + +U.S.S. Point Bonita, 15 October, 1918. + +Miss Evangeline Booth, Commander, +Care of Salvation Army Headquarters, +14th Street, New York City. + +DEAR MISS BOOTH:-- + +We want to thank you for presenting our crew with an elegant phonograph +and 25 records. We are all going to take up a collection and buy a lot of +records and I guess we will be able to pass the time away when we are not +on watch. + +We have a few men in the crew who have made trips across on transports and +they say that every soldier and sailor has praised the Salvation Army way- +up-to-the-sky for all the many kindnesses shown them. + +We also want to thank you for the kindness shown to one of our crew. The +Major who gave us the present was the best yet and so was the gentleman +who drove the auto about ten miles to our ship. That is the Salvation Army +all over. During the war or in times of peace, your organization reaches +the hearts of all. + +We all would like to thank Mr. Leffingwell for his great kindness in +helping us. + +The undersigned all have the warmest sort of feeling for you and the +Salvation Army. + +Many, many thanks, from the ship's crew. + + + +"I was down to the Salvation Army the other day helping them cook +doughnuts and they sure did taste good, and the fellows fairly go crazy to +get them, too. Anything that is homemade don't last long around here, and +when they get candy or anything sweet there is a line about a block long. + +"Notice the paper this is written on? Well, I can't say enough about them. +They sure are a treat to us boys, and almost every night they have good +eats for us. One night it is lemonade, pies and coffee, and the next it is +doughnuts and coffee, and they are just like mother makes. There are two +girls here that run the place, and they are real American girls, too. The +first I have seen since I have been in France, and I'll say they are a +treat! + +"Hogan and I have been helping them, and now I cook pies and doughnuts as +well as anyone. We sure do have a picnic with them and enjoy helping out +once in awhile. One thing I want you to do is to help the Salvation Army +all you can and whenever you get a chance to lend a helping hand to them +do it, for they sure have done a whole lot for your boy, and if you can +get them a write-up in the papers, why do it and I will be happy." + + + +FROM LORD DERBY. + +"The splendid work which the Salvation Army has done among the soldiers +during the war is one for which I, as Secretary of State for War, should +like to thank them most sincerely; it is a work which is deserving of all +support." + + + +STATE OF NEW JERSEY +EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT +TRENTON. + +MY DEAR MR. BATTLE: December 27, 1917. + +I have learned of the campaign of the Salvation Army to raise money for +its war activities. The work of the Salvation Army is at all times +commendable and deserving, but particularly so in its relation to the war. + +I sincerely hope that the campaign will be very successful. +Cordially yours, + +(Signed) WALTER B. EDGE, + +Mr. George Gordon Battle, Governor. +General Chairman, 37 Wall Street, New York City. + + + +GOVERNOR CHARLES S. WHITMAN'S ADDRESS AT LUNCHEON +AT HOTEL TEN EYCK, ALBANY, NEW YORK, DECEMBER 8, 1917. + +"I take especial pleasure in offering my tribute of respect and +appreciation to the Salvation Army. I have known of its work as intimately +as any man who is not directly connected with the organization. In my +position as a judge and a district attorney of New York City for many +years, I always found the Salvation Army a great help in solving the +various problems of the poor, the criminal and distressed. + +"Frequently while other agencies, though good, hesitated, there was never +a case where there was a possibility that relief might be brought--never +was a case of misery or violence so low, that the Salvation Army would not +undertake it. + +"The Salvation Army lends its manhood and womanhood to go 'Over There' +from our States, and our State, to labor with those who fight and die. +There is very little we can do, but we can help with our funds." + + + +"The Salvation Army is worthy of the support of all right-thinking people. +Its main purpose is to reclaim men and women to decency and good +citizenship. This purpose is being prosecuted not only with energy and +enthusiasm but with rare tact and judgment. + +"The sphere of the Army's operations has now been extended to the +battlefields of Europe, where its consecrated workers will coöperate with +the Y.M.C.A., K. of C., and kindred organizations. + +"It gives me pleasure to commend the work of this beneficent organization, +and to urge our people to remember its splendid service to humanity. + +"Very truly yours, +"ALBERT E. SLEEPER, +"Governor." + + + +Endorsement of January 25, 1918. +Governor Hugh M. Dorsey, of Georgia. + +The Salvation Army has been a potent force for good everywhere, so far as +I know. They are rendering to our soldiers "somewhere in France" the most +invaluable aid, ministering not only to their spiritual needs, but caring +for them in a material way. This they have done without the blare of +trumpets. + +Many commanding officers certify to the fact that the Salvation Army is +not only rendering most effective work, but that this work is of a +distinctive character and of a nature not covered by the activities of +other organizations ministering to the needs of the soldier boys. In other +words, they are filling that gap in the army life which they have always +so well filled in the civil life of our people. + + + +STATE OF UTAH +EXECUTIVE OFFICE + +Salt Lake City, January 21, 1918. + +"I have learned with a great deal of interest of the splendid work being +done by the Salvation Army for the moral uplift of the soldiers, both in +the training camps and in the field. I am very glad to endorse this work +and to express the hope that the Salvation Army may find a way to continue +and extend its work among the soldiers." + +(Signed) SIMON BAMBERG, +Governor. + + + +FROM A PROCLAMATION BY GOVERNOR BRUMBAUGH. + +To the People of Pennsylvania: + +I have long since learned to believe in the great, good work of the +Salvation Army and have given it my approval and support through the +years. This mighty body of consecrated workers are like gleaners in the +fields of humanity. They seek and succor and save those that most need and +least receive aid. Now, THEREFORE, I, Martin G. Brumbaugh, Governor of +the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do cordially commend the work of the +Salvation Army and call upon our people to give earnest heed to their call +for assistance, making liberal donations to their praiseworthy work and +manifesting thus our continued and resolute purpose to give our men in +arms unstinted aid and to support gladly all these noble and sacrificing +agencies that under God give hope and help to our soldiers. + +[SEAL] + +GIVEN under my hand and the great seal of the State, at the City of +Harrisburg, this seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord one +thousand nine hundred and eighteen, and of the Commonwealth the one +hundred and forty-second. + +By the Governor: +Secretary of the Commonwealth. +copy/h + + + +The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, +Executive Department, +State House, Boston, February 15, 1918. + +It gives me pleasure to add my word of approval to the very noble work +that is being done by the Salvation Army for the men now serving the +country. The Salvation Army has for many years been doing very valuable +work, and the extension of its labors into the ranks of the soldiers has +not lessened in any degree its power of accomplishment. The Salvation Army +can render most efficient service. It should be the aim of every one of us +in Massachusetts to assist in every way the work that is being done for +the soldiers. We cannot do too much of this kind of work for them--they +deserve and need it all. I urge everybody in Massachusetts to assist the +Salvation Army in every way possible, to the end that Massachusetts may +maintain her place in the forefront of the States of the Union who are +assisting the work of the Army. + +(Signed) SAMUEL W. McCALL, +Governor. + + +PROCLAMATION. + +To the People of the State of Maryland: + +I have been very much impressed with the good work which is being done in +this country by the Salvation Army, and I am not at all surprised at the +great work which it is doing at the front, upon or near the battlefields +of Europe. It is doing not only the same kind of work being done by the +Y.M.C.A. and the Knights of Columbus, but work in fields decidedly their +own. + +It is now undertaking to raise $1,000,000 for the National War +Service and it is preparing a hutment equipped with libraries, daily +newspapers, games, light refreshments, etc., in every camp in +France. + +Now, THEREFORE, I, Emerson C. Harrington, Governor of Maryland, +believing that the effect and purposes for which the Salvation Army is +asking this money, are deserving of our warmest support, do hereby call +upon the people of Maryland to respond as liberally as they can in this +war drive being made by the Salvation Army to enable them more efficiently +to render service which is so much needed. + +[The Great Seal of the State of Maryland] + +IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be hereto +affixed the Great Seal of Maryland at Annapolis, Maryland, this fourteenth +day of February, in the year one thousand nine hundred and eighteen. + +EMERSON C. HARRINGTON. + + +By the Governor, +THOS. W. SIMMONS, Secretary of State. + +"The Salvation Army is peculiarly equipped for this kind of service. I +have watched the career of this organization for many years, and I know +its leaders to be devoted and capable men and women. + +"Of course, any agency which can in any way ameliorate the condition of +the boys at the front should receive encouragement." + +(Signed) FRANK C. LOWDEN, +Governor of Illinois. + + + +"I join with thousands of my fellow citizens in having a great admiration +for the splendid work which has already been accomplished by the Salvation +Army in the alleviation of suffering, the spiritual uplift of the masses, +and its substantial and prayerful ministrations. + +"The Salvation Army does its work quietly, carefully, persistently and +effectively. Our patriotic citizenry will quickly place the stamp of +approval upon the great work being done by the Salvation Army among the +private soldiers at home and abroad." + +(Signed) Governor BROUGH of Arkansas. + +Lansing, Michigan, June 13, 1918. + + + +TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: + +Among the various organizations doing war work in connection with the +American Army, none are found more worthy of support than the Salvation +Army. Entering into its work with the whole-hearted zeal which has +characterized its movement in times of peace, it has won the highest +praise of both officers and soldiers alike. + +It is an essential pleasure to commend the work of the Salvation Army to +the people of Michigan with the urgent request that its war activities be +given your generous support. + +ALBERT E. SLEEPER, +Governor of the State of Michigan. + +MARK E. McKEE, +Secretary, Counties Division, Michigan War Board. + + + +STATE OF KANSAS +ARTHUR CAPPER, GOVERNOR, +TOPEKA + +August 8, 1917. + +I have been greatly pleased with the war activities of the Salvation Army +and want to express my appreciation of the splendid service rendered by +that organization on the battlefield of Europe ever since the war began. +It is a most commendable and a most patriotic thing to do and I hope the +people of Kansas will give the enterprise their generous support. + +Very respectfully, +(Signed) ARTHUR CAPPER, Governor. + + + +"Best wishes for the success of your work. As the Salvation Army has done +so much good in time of peace, it has multiplied opportunities to do good +in the horrors of war, if given the necessary means." + +(Signed) MILES POINDEXTER, +Senator from Washington. +HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES +WASHINGTON, D. C. + + +January 8, 1918. + +Colonel Adam Gifford, Salvation Army, +8 East Brookline Street, Boston, Mass. + +MY DEAR COLONEL GIFFORD: + +I desire to write you in highest commendation of the work the Salvation +Army is doing in France. During last November I was behind the French and +English fronts, and unless one has been there they cannot realize the +assistance to spirit and courage given to the soldiers by the "hut" +service of the Salvation Army. + +The only particular in which the Salvation Army fell short was that there +were not sufficient huts for the demands of the troops. The huts I saw +were crowded and not commodious. + +Behind the British front I heard several officers state that the service +of the Salvation Army was somewhat different from other services of the +same kind, but most effective. + +With kindest regards, I remain, +Very sincerely yours, + +(Signed) GEOEGE HOLDEN TINKHAM, +Congressman. + + + +This Condolence Card conveyed the sympathy of the Commander to the friends +of the fallen. Forethought had prepared this some time before the first +American had made the supreme sacrifice. + +[Illustration (Condolence Card): +GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT + +122 W. 14th Street New York + +My dear Friend: + +I must on behalf of The Salvation Army, take this opportunity to say how +deeply and truly we share your grief at this time of your bereavement. It +will be hard for you to understand how anything can soothe the pain made +by your great loss, but let me point you to the one Jesus Christ, who +acquainted Himself with all our griefs so that He might heal the heart's +wounds made by our sorrows and whose love for us was so vast that He bled +and died to save us. + +It may be some solace to think that your loved one poured out his life in +a War in which high and holy principles are involved, and also that he was +quick to answer the call for men. + +Believe me when I say that we are praying and will pray for you. + +Yours in sympathy. + +(Signed) Evangeline Booth +COMMANDER + +A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS] + + + +"COMMANDER EVANGELINE BOOTH: + +"The comfort and solace contained in the beautiful card of sympathy I +recently received from you is more than you can ever know. With all my +heart I am very grateful to you and can only assure you feebly of my deep +appreciation. + +"It has made me realize more than ever before the fundamental principles +of Christianity upon which your Army is built and organized, for how truly +does it comfort the widow and fatherless in their affliction. + +"Tucked away as my two babies and I are in a tiny Wisconsin town, we felt +that our grief, while shared in by our good friends, was just a passing +emotion to the rest of the world. But when a card such as yours comes, +extending a heart of sympathy and prayer and ferrets us out in our sorrow +in our little town, you must know how much less lonely we are because of +it. It surely shows us that a sacrifice such as my dear husband made is +acknowledged and lauded by the entire world. + +"I am, oh! so proud of him, so comforted to know I was wife to a man so +imbued with the principles of right and justice that he counted no +sacrifice, not even his life, too great to offer in the cause. Not for +anything would I ask him back or rob him of the glory of such a death. Yet +our little home is sad indeed, with its light and life taken away. + +"The good you have done before and during the war must be a very great +source of gratification for you, and I trust you may be spared for many +years to stretch out your helping hand to the sorrowing and make us better +for having known you. + +With deepest gratitude," + + + +"COMMANDER EVANGELINE BOOTH: + +"I have just seen your picture in the November _Pictorial Review_ and +I do so greatly admire your splendid character and the great work you are +doing. + +"I want to thank you for the message of Christian love and sympathy you +sent to me upon the death of my son in July, aeroplane accident in +England. + +"Without the Christian's faith and the blessed hope of the Gospel we would +despair indeed. A long time ago I learned to pray Thy will be done for my +son--and I have tested the promises and I have found them true. + +"May the Lord bless you abundantly in your own heart and in your world +wide influence and the splendid Salvation Army." + + + +"DEAR FRIENDS: + +"Words fall far short in expressing our deep appreciation of your +comforting words of condolence and sympathy. Will you accept as a small +token of love the enclosed appreciation written by Professor --------- of +the Oberlin College, and a quotation from a letter written August 25th by +our soldier boy, and found among his effects to be opened only in case of +his death, and forwarded to his mother? + +I am +Yours truly," + + +Enclosure: + +"November 16, 1918. + +"If by any chance this letter should be given to you, as something coming +directly from my heart; you, who are my mother, need have no fear or +regret for the personality destined not to come back to you. + +"A mother and father, whose noble ideals they firmly fixed in two sons +should rather experience a deep sense of pride that the young chap of +nearly twenty-one years does not come back to them; for, though he was +fond of living, he was also prepared to die with a faith as sound and +steadfast as that of the little children whom the Master took in His arms. + +"And more than that, the body you gave to me so sweet and pure and strong, +though misused at times, has been returned to God as pure and undefiled as +when you gave it to me. I think there is nothing that should please you +more than that. + + "In My Father's House are many mansions, + I go to prepare a place for you; + If it were not so, I would have told you. + +"Your Baby boy," +(Signed) PAUL. +Chatereaux, France. +August, 1918. + +N. B.--Written on back of the envelope: +"To be opened only in case of accident." + + +"COMMANDER EVANGELINE BOOTH: + +"Permit me to express through you my deep appreciation of the consoling +message from the Salvation Army on the loss of my brother, Clement, in +France. I am indeed grateful for this last thought from an organization +which did so much to meet his living needs and to lessen the hardships of +his service in France. I shall always feel a personal debt to those of you +who seemed so near to him at the end." + + + +"Miss EVANGELINE BOOTH: + +"I was greatly touched by the card of sympathy sent me in your name on the +occasion of my great sorrow--and my equally great glory. The death of a +husband for the great cause of humanity is a martyrdom that any soldier's +wife, even in her deep grief, is proud to share. + +"Thanking you for your helpful message," + + + +"Miss EVANGELINE BOOTH: + +"Of the many cards of condolence received by our family upon the death of +my dear brother, none touched us more deeply than the one sent by you. + +"We do indeed appreciate your thoughtfulness in sending words of comfort +to people who are utter strangers to you. + +"Accept again, the gratitude of my parents as well as the other members of +our family, including myself. + +"May our Heavenly Father bless you all and glorify your good works." + +Miss Evangeline Booth, + +Commander of the Salvation Army, New York City, +N. Y. + +DEAR MISS BOOTH: + +I beg of you to pardon me for writing you this letter, but I feel that I +must. On the 17th day of March I received a letter from my boy in France, +and it reads as follows: + +"Somewhere in France, Jan. 15, 1918. +"MY DEAR MOTHER: + +"I must write you a few lines to tell you that you must not worry about me +even though it is some time since I wrote you. We don't have much time to +ourselves out here. I have just come out of the trenches, and now it is +mud, mud, mud, up to one's knees. I often think of the fireplace at home +these cold nights, but, mother, I must tell you that I don't know what we +boys would do if it was not for the Salvation Army. The women, they are +just like mothers to the boys. God help the ones that say anything but +good about the Army! Those women certainly have courage, to come right out +in the trenches with coffee and cocoa, etc., and they are so kind and +good. Mother, I want you to write to Miss Booth and thank her for me for +her splendid work out here. When I come home I shall exchange the U. S. +uniform for the S.A. uniform, and I know, ma, that you will not object. +Well, the Germans have been raining shells to-day, but we were unharmed. I +passed by an old shack of a building--a poor woman sat there with a baby, +lulling it to sleep, when a shell came down and the poor souls had passed +from this earthly hell to their heavenly reward. Only God knows the +conditions out here; it is horrible. Well, I must close now, and don't +worry, mother, I will be home some day. + +"Your loving son," + +Well, Miss Booth, I got word three weeks ago that Joseph had been killed +in action. I am heart-broken, but I suppose it was God's will. Poor boy! +He has his uniform exchanged for a white robe. I am all alone now, as he +was my only boy and only child. Again I beg of you to pardon me for +sending you this letter. + + + +December 10, 1917. + +Commander Evangeline C. Booth, New York City. + +MY DEAR COMMANDER: + +I have just read in the New York papers of your purpose and plan to raise +a million dollars for your Salvation Army work carried on in the interests +of the soldiers at home and abroad, and I cannot refrain from writing to +you to express my deep interest, and also the hope that you may be +successful in raising this fund, because I know that it will be so well +administered. + +From all that I have heard of the Salvation Army work in connection with +the soldiers carried on under your direction, I think it is simply +wonderful, and if there is any service that I can render you or the Army, +I should be exceedingly pleased. + +I have read "Souls in Khaki," and I wish that everyone might read it, for +could they do so, your million-dollar fund would be easily raised. + +With ever-increasing interest in the Salvation Army, I am, Cordially +yours, + +(Signed) J. WILBUR CHAPMAN. +Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian +Church in the U.S.A. + + +SALVATION ARMY IS THE MOST POPULAR ORGANIZATION +IN FRANCE. + +Raymond B. Fosdick, chairman of the War Recreation Commission, on his +return from a tour of investigation into activities of the relief +organizations in France, gave out the following: + +"Somewhat to my surprise I found the Salvation Army probably the most +popular organization in France with the troops. It has not undertaken the +comprehensive program which the Y.M.C.A. has laid out for itself; that is, +it is operating in three or four divisions, while the Y. M. C. A. is +aiming to cover every unit of troops. + +"But its simple, homely, unadorned service seems to have touched the +hearts of our men. The aim of the organization is, if possible, to put a +worker and his wife in a canteen or a centre. The women spend their time +making doughnuts and pies, and sew on buttons. The men make themselves +generally useful in any way which their service can be applied. + +"I saw such placed in dugouts way up at the front, where the German shells +screamed over our heads with a sound not unlike a freight train crossing a +bridge. Down in their dugouts the Salvation Army folks imperturbably +handed out doughnuts and dished out the 'drink.'" + + + +WAR DEPARTMENT +COMMISSION ON TRAINING CAMP ACTIVITIES, WASHINGTON + +45, Avenue Montaigne, Paris. + +Commander Evangeline Booth, Apr. 8, 1919. +Salvation Army, New York City. + +MY DEAR COMMANDER BOOTH: + +The work of the Salvation Army with the armed forces of the United States +does not need any word of commendation from me. Perhaps I may be permitted +to say, however, that as a representative of the War and Navy Departments +I have been closely in touch with it from its inception, both in Europe +and in the United States. I do not believe there is a doughboy anywhere +who does not speak of it with enthusiasm and affection. Its remarkable +success has been due solely to the unselfish spirit of service which has +underlain it. Nothing has been too humble or too lowly for the Salvation +Army representative to do for the soldier. Without ostentation, without +advertising, without any emphasis upon auspices or organization, your +people have met the men of the Army as friends and companions-in-arms, and +the soldiers, particularly those of the American Expeditionary Force, will +never forget what you have done. + +Faithfully yours, +(Signed) RAYMOND B. FOSDICK. + + + +From Honorable Arthur Stanley, +Chairman British Red Cross Society. + +BRITISH RED CROSS SOCIETY +JOINT WAR COMMITTEE + +83 Pall Mall, London, S. W., + +December 22, 1917. + +General Bramwell Booth. + +DEAR GENERAL BOOTH: + +I enclose formal receipt for the cheque, value £2000, which was handed to +me by your representative. I note that it is a contribution from the +Salvation Army to the Joint Funds to provide a new Salvation Army Motor +Ambulance Unit on the same conditions as before. + +I cannot sufficiently thank you and the Salvation Army for this very +generous donation. + +I am indeed glad to know that you are providing another twenty drivers for +service with our Ambulance Fleet in France. This is most welcome news, as +whenever Salvation Army men are helping we hear nothing but good reports +of their work. Sir Ernest Clarke tells me that your Ambulance Sections are +quite the best of any in our service, and the more Salvation Army men you +can send him, the better he will be pleased. I would again take this +opportunity of congratulating you, which I do with all my heart, upon the +splendid record of your Army. + +Yours sincerely, + +(Signed) ARTHUR STANLEY. + + + +Extract from Judge Ben Lindsey's picture of the Salvation Army at the +Front: + +"A good expression for American enthusiasm is: 'I am crazy about'--this, +or that, or the other thing that excites our admiration. Well, 'I am crazy +about the Salvation Army'--the Salvation Army as I saw it and mingled with +it and the doughboys in the trenches. And when I happened to be passing +through Chicago to-day and saw an appeal in the _Tribune_ for the +Salvation Army, I remembered what our boys so often shouted out to me as I +passed them in the trenches and back of the lines: 'Judge, when you get +back home tell the folks not to forget the Salvation Army. They're the +real thing.' + + "And I know they are the real thing. I have shared with the boys the +doughnuts and chocolate and coffee that seemed to be so much better than +any other doughnuts or coffee or chocolate I have ever tasted before. And +when it seemed so wonderful to me after just a mild sort of experience +down a shell-swept road, through the damp and cold of a French winter day, +what must it be to those boys after trench raids or red-hot scraps down +rain-soaked trenches under the wet mists of No Man's Land?... Listen to +some of the stories the boys told me: 'You see, Judge, the good old +Salvation Army is the real thing. They don't put on no airs. There ain't +no flub-dub about them and you don't see their mugs in the fancy magazines +much. Why, you never would see one of them in Paris around the hotels. +You'd never know they existed, Judge, unless you came right up here to the +front lines as near as the Colonel will let you!' + +"And one enthusiastic urchin said: 'Why, Judge, after the battle +yesterday, we couldn't get those women out of the village till they'd seen +every fellow had at least a dozen fried cakes and all the coffee or +chocolate he could pile in. We just had to drag 'em out--for the boys love +'em too much to lose 'em--we weren't going to take no chances--not much-- +for our Salvation ladies!'" + + +HARRY LAUDER'S ENDORSEMENT. + +In speaking of the Salvation Army's work before the Rotary Club of San +Francisco, Harry Lauder said: + +"There is no organization in Europe doing more for the troops than the +Salvation Army, and the devotion of its officers has caused the Salvation +Army to be revered by the soldiers." + +Mr. Otto Kahn, one of America's most prominent bankers, upon his return to +this country after a tour through the American lines in France, writes, +among other things: + +"I should particularly consider myself remiss if I did not refer with +sincere admiration to the devoted, sympathetic, and most efficient work of +the Salvation Army, which, though limited in its activities to a few +sectors only, has won the warm and affectionate regard of those of our +troops with whom it has been in contact." + + * * * * * + +Mr. David Lawrence, special Washington correspondent of the _New York +Evening Post_ and other influential papers, in an article in which he +comments on the work of all the relief agencies, says of the Salvation +Army in France: + +"Curiously enough the Salvation Army is spoken of in all official reports +as the organization most popular with the troops. Its organization is the +smallest of all four. Its service is simple and unadorned. It specializes +on doughnuts and pie, which it gives away free whenever the ingredients of +the manufacture of those articles are at hand. + +"_The policy of the organization_ is to place a worker and his wife, +if possible, with a unit of troops. The woman makes doughnuts and sews on +buttons, while the man helps the soldiers in any way he can. + +"_The success of the Salvation Army_ is attributed by commanding +officers to the fact that the workers know how to mix naturally. _In +other cases there had been sometimes an air of condescension not unlike +that of the professional settlement house worker_." + + * * * * * + +In a recent issue of the _Saturday Evening Post_, Mr. Irvin Cobb, who +has just returned from France, has this to say of the Salvation Army: + +"Right here seems a good-enough place for me to slip in a few words of +approbation for the work which another organization has accomplished in +France since we put our men into the field. Nobody asked me to speak in +its favor because, so far as I can find out, it has no publicity +department. I am referring to the Salvation Army. May it live forever for +the service which, without price and without any boasting on the part of +its personnel, it is rendering to our boys in France! + +"A good many of us who hadn't enough religion, and a good many more of us +who, mayhap, had too much religion, looked rather contemptuously upon the +methods of the Salvationists. Some have gone so far as to intimate that +the Salvation Army was vulgar in its methods and lacking in dignity and +even in reverence. Some have intimated that converting a sinner to the tap +of a bass drum or the tinkle of a tambourine was an improper process +altogether. Never again, though, shall I hear the blare of the cornet as +it cuts into the chorus of hallelujah whoops, where a ring of blue- +bonneted women and blue-capped men stand exhorting on a city street-corner +under the gaslights, without recalling what some of their enrolled +brethren--and sisters--have done, and are doing, in Europe! + +"The American Salvation Army in France is small, but, believe me, it is +powerfully busy! Its war delegation came over without any fanfare of the +trumpets of publicity. It has no paid press agents here and no impressive +headquarters. There are no well-known names, other than the names of its +executive heads, on its rosters or on its advisory boards. None of its +members are housed at an expensive hotel and none of them have handsome +automobiles in which to travel about from place to place. No campaigns to +raise nation-wide millions of dollars for the cost of its ministrations +overseas were ever held at home. I imagine it is the pennies of the poor +that mainly fill its war chest. I imagine, too, that sometimes its +finances are an uncertain quantity. Incidentally, I am assured that not +one of its male workers here is of draft age unless he holds exemption +papers to prove his physical unfitness for military service. The +Salvationists are taking care to purge themselves of any suspicion that +potential slackers have joined their ranks in order to avoid the +possibility of having to perform duties in khaki. + +"Among officers, as well as among enlisted men, one occasionally hears +criticism--which may or may not be based on a fair judgment--for certain +branches of certain activities of certain organizations. But I have yet to +meet any soldier, whether a brigadier or a private, who, if he spoke at +all of the Salvation Army, did not speak in terms of fervent gratitude for +the aid that the Salvationists are rendering so unostentatiously and yet +so very effectively. Let a sizable body of troops move from one station to +another, and hard on its heels there came a squad of men and women of the +Salvation Army. An army truck may bring them, or it may be they have a +battered jitney to move them and their scanty outfits. Usually they do not +ask for help from anyone in reaching their destinations. They find +lodgment in a wrecked shell of a house or in the corner of a barn. By main +force and awkwardness they set up their equipment, and very soon the word +has spread among the troops that at such and such a place the Salvation +Army is serving free hot drinks and free doughnuts and free pies. It +specializes in doughnuts--the Salvation Army in the field does--the real +old-fashioned home-made ones that taste of home to a homesick soldier boy! + +"I did not see this, but one of my associates did. He saw it last winter +in a dismal place on the Toul sector. A file of our troops were finishing +a long hike through rain and snow over roads knee-deep in half-thawed icy +slush. Cold and wet and miserable they came tramping into a cheerless, +half-empty town within sound and range of the German guns. They found a +reception committee awaiting them there--in the person of two Salvation +Army lassies and a Salvation Army Captain. The women had a fire going in +the dilapidated oven of a vanished villager's kitchen. One of them was +rolling out the batter on a plank, with an old wine-bottle for a rolling +pin, and using the top of a tin can to cut the dough into circular strips; +the other woman was cooking the doughnuts, and as fast as they were cooked +the man served them out, spitting hot, to hungry, wet boys clamoring about +the door, and nobody was asked to pay a cent! + +"At the risk of giving mortal affront to ultradoctrinal practitioners of +applied theology, I am firmly committed to the belief that by the grace +and the grease of those doughnuts those three humble benefactors that day +strengthened their right to a place in the Heavenly Kingdom." + + + +MY DEAR COLONEL JENKINS: + +I take pleasure in sending you a copy of my report as Commissioner to +France, in which I made reference to the work of the Salvation Army with +our American Expeditionary Forces. + +I cannot recall ever hearing the slightest criticism of the work of the +Salvation Army, but I heard many words of enthusiastic appreciation on the +part not only of the Generals and officers but of the soldiers. + +I saw many evidences showing that the unselfish, sometimes reckless, +abandon of your workers had a great effect upon our men. + +I am sure that the Salvation Army also stands in high respect for its +religious influence upon the men. + +It was pleasant still further to hear such words of appreciation as I did +from General Duncan regarding the work of Chaplain Allan, the divisional +chaplain of General Duncan's unit. He has evidently risen to his work in a +splendid way. It is a pleasure to have this opportunity of rendering this +testimony to you. + +Faithfully yours, + +CHARLES S. MACFARLAND, +General Secretary. + + + +The _New York Globe_ printed the following: + +HUNS DON'T STOP SALVATION ARMY. MEETING HELD IN +DEEP DUGOUT UNDER RUINED VILLAGE--MANDOLIN +SUPPLANTS THE ORGAN. + +By Herbert Corey. + +JUST BEHIND THE SOMME FRONT, May 3l.--Somewhere in the tangle of smashed +walls there was a steely jingle. At first the sound was hard to identify, +so odd are acoustics in this which was once a little town. There were stub +ends of walls here and there--bare, raw snags of walls sticking up--and +now and then a rooftree tilted pathetically against a ruin, or a pile of +dusty masonry that had been a house. A little path ran through this +tangle, and under an arched gateway that by a miracle remained standing +and down the steps of a dugout. The jingling sound became recognizable. +Some one was trying to play on a mandolin: + +"Jesus, Lover of My Soul." + +It was grotesque and laughable. The grand old hymn refused its cadences to +this instrument of a tune-loving bourgeoise. It seemed to stand aloof and +unconquered. This is a hymn for the swelling notes of an organ or for the +great harmonies of a choir. It was not made to be debased by association +with this caterwauling wood and wire, this sounding board for barbershop +chords, this accomplice of sick lovers leaning on village fences. Then +there came a voice: + +"By gollies, brother, you're getting it! I actually believe you're getting +it, brother. We'll have a swell meeting to-night." + +I went down the steps into the Salvation Army man's dugout. A large +soldier, cigarette depending from his lower lip, unshaven, tin hat tipped +on the back of his head, was picking away at the wires of the mandolin +with fingers that seemed as thick and yellow as ears of corn. As I came in +he stated profanely, that these dam' things were not made to pick out +condemn' hymn tunes on. The Salvation Army man encouraged him: + +"You keep on, brother," said he, "and we'll have a fine meeting for the +Brigadier when he comes in to-night." + + +TAKING HIS CHANCES. + +Another boy was sitting there, his head rather low. The mandolin player +indicated him with a jerk. "He got all roughed up last night," said he. +"We found a bottle of some sweet stuff these Frogs left in the house where +we're billeted. Tasted a good deal like syrup. But it sure put Bull out." + +Bull turned a pair of inflamed eyes on the musician. + +"You keep on a-talkin', and I'll hang somep'n on your eye," said Bull, +hoarsely. + +Then he replaced his head in his hands. The Salvation Army man laughed at +the interlude and then returned to the player. + +"See," said he, "it goes like this----" He hummed the wonderful old hymn. + +The floor of the dugout was covered with straw. The stairs which led to it +were wide, so that at certain hours the sun shone in and dried out the +walls. There were few slugs crawling slimily on the walls of the Salvation +Army's place. Rats were there, of course, and bugs of sorts, but few +slugs. On the whole it was considered a good dugout, because of these +things. The roof was not a strong one, it seemed to me. A 77-shell would +go through it like a knife through cheese. I said so to the Salvation Army +man. + +"Aw, brother," said he. "We've got to take our chances along with the +rest." + +At the foot of the stairs was a table on which were the few things the +Salvation Army man had to sell, up here under the guns. There were some +figs and a handful of black licorice drops and a few nuts. Boys kept +coming in and demanding cookies. Cookies there were none, but there was +hope ahead. If the Brigadier managed to get in to-night with the fliv, +there might be cookies. + + +NO MONEY, BUT GOOD CHEER. + +"Just our luck," said some morose doughboy, "if a shell hit the fliv. It's +a hell of a road----" + +"No shell has hit it yet, brother," said the Salvation Army man, cheerily. + +Fifteen dollars would have bought everything he had in stock. One could +have carried away the whole stock in the pockets of an army overcoat. The +Salvation Army has no money, you know. It is hard to buy supplies for +canteens over here, unless a pocket filled with money is doing the buying. +The Salvation Army must pick up its stuff where it can get it. Yesterday +there had been sardines and shaving soap and tin watches. To-day there +were only figs and licorice drops and nuts. + +"But if the Brigadier gets in," said the Salvation Army man, "there will +be something sweet to eat. And we'll have a little meeting of song and +praise, brother--just to thank God for the chance he has given us to +help." + +Here there is no one else to serve the boys. Other organizations have more +money and more men, but for some reason they have not seen fit to come to +this which was once a town. Shells fall into it from six directions all +day and all night long. Now and then it is gassed. A few kilometres away +is the German line. One reaches town over a road which is nightly torn to +pieces by high explosives. No one comes here voluntarily, and no one stays +willingly--except the Salvation Army man. He's here for keeps. + +Men come down into his little dugout to play checkers and dominoes and buy +sweet things to eat. He is here to help them spiritually as well as +physically and they know it, and yet they do not hear him. He talks to +them just as they talk to each other, except that he does not swear and he +does not tell stories that have too much of a tang. He never obtrudes his +religion on them. Just once in a while--on the nights the Brigadier gets +in--there is a little song and praise meeting. They thank God for the +chance they have to help. + +That night the Brigadier got in with his cookies and chocolates and his +message that salvation is free. Perhaps a dozen men sat around +uncomfortably in the little dugout and listened to him. The man of the +mandolin had refused at the last moment. He said he would be dam' if he +could play a hymn tune on that thing. But the old hymn quavered cheerily +out of the little dugout into the shell-torn night. The husky voices of +the Brigadier and the Ensign and Holy Joe carried it on, while the little +audience sat mute. + + While the nearer waters roll, + While the tempest still is high. + +Then there was a little prayer and a few straight, cordial words from the +Brigadier and then, somewhere in that perilous night outside, "taps" +sounded and the men were off to bed. They had no word of thanks as they +shook hands on parting. They did not speak to each other as they picked +their way along the path through the ruins. But when they reached the +street some one said very profanely and very earnestly: + +"I can lick any man's son who says THEY ain't all right." + + + +"I have just received your letter of the 30th of July, and it has cheered +my heart to know you take an interest in a poor Belgian prisoner of war. + +"Since I wrote to you last we have been changed to another camp; the one +we are now in is quite a nice camp, with lots of flowers, and we are +allowed more freedom, but it is very bad regarding food. We have so very +little to eat, it is a pity we can't eat flowers! We rise up hungry and go +to bed hungry, and all day long we are trying to still the craving for +food. So you will understand the longing there is in our hearts to once +again be free--to be able to go to work and earn our daily bread! But the +one great comfort that I find is since I learned to know Jesus as my +Saviour and Friend I can better endure the trials and even rejoice that I +am called to suffer for His sake, and while around me I see many who are +in despair--some even cursing God for all the misery in which we are +surrounded, some trying to be brave, some giving up altogether--yet to a +number of us has come the Gospel message, brought by the Salvation Army, +and I am so glad that I, for one, listened and surrendered my life to this +Jesus! Now I have real peace, and He walks with me and gives me grace to +conquer the evil. + +"When I lived in Belgium I was very worldly and sinful--I lived for +pleasure and drink and sin. I did not then know of One who said, 'Come +unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.' +I did not know anything about living a Christian life, but now it is all +changed and I am so thankful! Salvation Army officers visit us and bring +words of cheer and blessing and comfort. You will be glad to know that I +have applied to our Commissioner to become a Salvation Army officer when +the war is over. I want to go to my poor little stricken country and tell +my people of this wonderful Saviour that can save from all sin! + +"On behalf of my comrades and myself, I want to thank the American nation +for all they have done, and are still doing, for my people. May God bless +you all for it, and may He grant that before long there will be peace on +earth! + +"I remain, faithfully yours, + +"REMY MEERSMAN." + + + +THE "STARS AND STRIPES" SPEAKS FROM FRANCE FOR THE +SALVATION ARMY. + +A copy of the "Stars and Stripes," the official publication of the +American Expeditionary Forces published in Prance by the American soldiers +themselves, just received in Chicago, contains the following: + +"Perhaps in the old days when war and your home town seemed as far apart +as Paris, France, and Paris, Ill., you were a superior person who used to +snicker when you passed a street corner where a small Salvation Army band +was holding forth. Perhaps--Heaven forgive you--you even sneered a little +when you heard the bespectacled sister in the poke-bonnet bang her +tambourine and raise a shrill voice to the strains of 'Oh death, where is +thy sting-a-ling.' Probably--unless you yourself had known the bitterness +of one who finds himself alone, hungry and homeless in a big city--you did +not know much about the Salvation Army. + +Well, we are all homeless over here and every American soldier will take +back with him a new affection and a new respect for the Salvation Army. +Many will carry with them the memories of a cheering word and a friendly +cruller received in one of the huts nearest of all to the trenches. There +the old slogan of 'Soup and Salvation' has given way to 'Pies and Piety.' +It might be 'Doughnuts and Doughboys.' These huts pitched within the shock +of the German guns, are ramshackle and bare and few, for no organization +can grow rich on the pennies and nickels that are tossed into the +tambourines at the street-corners of the world. But they are doing a work +that the soldiers themselves will never forget, and it is an especial +pleasure to say so here, because the Salvation Army, being much too simple +and old-fashioned to know the uses of advertisement, have never asked us +to. You, however, can testify for them. Perhaps you do in your letters +home. And surely when you are back there and you pass once more a +'meeting' at the curb, you will not snicker. You will tarry awhile--and +take off your hat." + + + +We have received a letter from Mr. Lewis Strauss, Secretary to Mr. Herbert +Hoover, who has just returned from France, and he says that Mr. Hoover's +time while in Europe was spent almost wholly in London and Paris, and that +he had no opportunity for observing our War Relief Work at the front. The +concluding paragraph of the letter, however, is as follows: + +"Mr. Hoover has frequently heard the most complimentary reports of the +invaluable work which your organization is performing in invariably the +most perilous localities, and he is filled with admiration for those who +are conducting it at the front." + + +THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE (MAY 17, 1918), QUOTING FROM THE +ABOVE, ALSO SPEAKS EDITORIALLY. + +The acid test of any service done for our soldiers in France is the value +the men themselves place upon it. No matter how excellent our intentions, +we cannot be satisfied with the result if the soldiers are not satisfied. +Without suggesting any invidious distinctions among organizations that are +working at the front, it is nevertheless a pleasure to record that the +Salvation Army stands very high in the regard of American soldiers. + +The evidence of the Salvation Army's excellent work comes from many +sources. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +A Few Facts about the Salvation Army + + + +It has been truly said that within four days after the German Army entered +Belgium, another Army entered also--the Salvation Army! One came to +destroy, the other to relieve distress and minister to the wounded and +dying. + +The British Salvation Army furnished a number of Red Cross Ambulances, +manned by Salvationists when the Red Cross was in great need of such. When +these arrived in France and people first saw the big cars with the +"Salvation Army" label it attracted a good deal of attention. The drivers +wore the Red Cross uniform, and were under its military rules, but wore on +their caps the red band with the words, "Salvation Army." + +There is a story of a young officer in sportive mood who left a group of +his companions and stepped out into the street to stop one of these +ambulances: + +"Hello! Salvation Army!" he cried. "Are you taking those men to heaven?" + +Amid the derisive laughter of the officers on the sidewalk the +Salvationist replied pleasantly: + +"I cannot say I am taking them to heaven, but I certainly am taking them +away from the other place." + +One of the good British Salvationists wrote of meeting our American boys +in England. He said: + +"Oh, these American soldiers! One meets them in twos and threes, all over +the city, everlastingly asking questions, by word of mouth and by wide- +open trustful eyes, and they make a bee-line for the Salvation Army +uniform on sight. I passed a company of them on the march across London, +from one railroad station to another, the other, day. They were obviously +interested in the sights of the city streets as they passed through at +noon, but as they drew nearer one of the boys caught sight of the red band +around my cap among the hate crowning the sidewalk crowd. My! but that one +man's interest swept over the hundred odd men! Like the flame of a prairie +fire, it went with a zip! They all knew at once! They had no eyes for the +crowd any more; they did not stare at the façade of the railway terminus +which they were passing; they saw nothing of the famous 'London Stone' set +in the wall behind its grid on their right hand. What they saw was a +Salvation Army man in all his familiar war-paint, and it was a sight for +sore eyes! Here was something they could understand! This was an American +institution, a tried, proved and necessary part of the life of any +community. All this and much more those wide-open eyes told me. It was as +good to them as if I was stuck all over with stars and stripes. I +belonged--that's it--belonged to them, and so they took off the veil and +showed their hearts and smiled their good glad greeting. + +"So I smiled and that first file of four beamed seraphic. Two at least +were of Scandinavian stock, but how should that make any difference? Again +and again I noticed their counterpart in the column which followed.... It +was all the same; file upon file those faces spread out in eager +particular greeting; those eyes, one and all, sought mine expecting the +smile I so gladly gave. And then when the last was past and I gazed upon +their swaying forms from the rear I wondered why my eyes were moist and +something had gone wrong with my swallowing apparatus. Great boys! Bonny +boys!" + +The Salvation Army was founded July 5, 1865, as a Christian Mission in +East London by the Reverend William Booth, and its first Headquarters +opened in Whitechapel Road, London. Three years later work was begun in +Scotland. + +In 1877 the name of the Christian Mission was altered to the Salvation +Army, and the Reverend William Booth assumed the title of General. + +December 29, 1879, the first number of the official organ, "The War Cry," +was issued and the first brass band formed at Consett. + +In 1880 the first Training School was opened at Hackney, London, and the +first contingent of the Salvation Army officers landed in the United +States. The next year the Salvation Army entered Australia, and was +extended to France. 1882 saw Switzerland, Sweden, India and Canada +receiving their first contingent of Salvation Army officers. A London +Orphan Asylum was acquired and converted into Congress Hall, which, with +its large Auditorium, with a seating capacity of five thousand, still +remains the Mammoth International Training School for Salvation Army +officers, for missionary and home fields all over the world. The first +Prison-Gate Home was opened in London in this same year. + +The Army commenced in South Africa, New Zealand and Iceland in 1883. + +In 1886 work was begun in Germany and the late General visited France, the +United States and Canada. The First International Congress was held in +London in that year. + +The British Slum work was inaugurated in 1887, and Officers sent to Italy, +Holland, Denmark, Zululand, and among the Kaffirs and Hottentots. The next +year the Army extended to Norway, Argentine Kepublic, Finland and Belgium, +and the next ten years saw work extended in succession to Uruguay, West +Indies, Java, Japan, British Guiana, Panama and Korea, and work commenced +among the Lepers. + +The growing confidence of the great of the earth was manifested by the +honors that were conferred upon General Booth from time to time. In 1898 +he opened the American Senate with prayer. In 1904 King Edward received +him at Buckingham Palace, the freedom of the City of London and the City +of Kirkcaldy were conferred upon him, as well as the degree of D. C. L. by +Oxford, during 1905. The Kings of Denmark, Norway, the Queen of Sweden, +and the Emperor of Japan were among those who received him in private +audience. + +On August 20, 1912, General William Booth laid down his sword. + +He lay in state in Congress Hall, London, where the number of visitors who +looked upon his remains ran into the hundreds of thousands. + +His son, William Bramwell Booth, the Chief of the Staff, by the +appointment of the late General, succeeded to the office and came to the +position with a wealth of affection and confidence on the part of the +people of the nations such as few men know. + + +SALVATION ARMY WAR ACTIVITIES. + +77 Motor ambulances manned by Salvationists. + +87 Hotels for use of Soldiers and Sailors. + +107 Buildings in United States placed at disposal of Government for war +relief purposes. + +199 Huts at Soldiers' Camps used for religious and social gatherings and +for dispensing comfort to Soldiers and Sailors. + +300 Rest-rooms equipped with papers, magazines, books, etc., in charge of +Salvation Army Officers. + +1507 Salvation Army officers devote their entire time to religious and +social work among Soldiers and Sailors. + +15,000 Beds in hotels close to railway stations and landing points at +seaport cities for protection of Soldiers and Sailors going to and from +the Front. + +80,000 Salvation Army officers fighting with Allied Armies. + +100,000 Parcels of food and clothing distributed among Soldiers and +Sailors. + +100,000 Wounded Soldiers taken from battlefields in Salvation Army +ambulances. + +300,000 Soldiers and Sailors daily attend Salvation Army buildings. + +$2,000,000 Already spent in war activities. + +45 Chaplains serving under Government appointment. + +40 Camps, Forts and Navy Yards at which Salvation Army services are +conducted or which are visited by Salvation Army officers. + +2184 War Widows assisted (legal and other aid, and visited). + +2404 Soldiers' wives cared for (including medical help). + +442 War children under our care. + +3378 Soldiers' remittances forwarded (without charge). + +$196,081.05 Amount remitted. + +600 Parcels supplied Prisoners of War. + +1300 Cables sent for Soldiers. + +275 Officers detailed to assist Soldiers' wives and relatives; number +assisted, 275. + +40 Military hospitals visited. + +360 Persons visiting hospitals. + +147 Boats met. + +324,052 Men on board, + +35,845 Telegrams sent. + +24 Salvationists detailed for this work. + +20 Salvationists detailed for this work outside of New York City. + + +SALVATION ARMY WORK IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. + +1218 Buildings in use at present. + +2953 Missing friends found. + +6125 Tons of ice distributed. + +12,000 Officers and non-commissioned officers actively employed. + +11,650 Accommodations in institutions. + +68,000 Children cared for in Rescue Homes and Slum Settlements. + +22,161 Women and girls cared for in Rescue Homes. + +30,401 Tons of coal distributed. + +175,764 Men cared for in Industrial Homes. + +342,639 Poor families visited. + +399,418 Outings given poor people. + +668,250 Converted to Christian life. + +984,426 Jobs found for unemployed poor. + +1,535,840 Hours spent in active service in slum districts. + +6,900,995 Poor people given temporary relief. + +40,522,990 Nights' shelter and beds given to needy poor. + +52,674,308 Meals supplied to needy poor. Constituency reached with appeal +for Christian citizenship. + +132,608,087 Out-door meeting attendance. + +134,412,564 In-door meeting attendance. + + +NATIONAL WAR BOARD. + +Commander Evangeline C. Booth, President. + +EAST. +Peart, Col. William, Chairman. +Reinhardsen, Col. Gustave S., Sec'y and Treas. +Damon, Col. Alexander M., +Parker, Col. Edward J., +Jenkins, Lt.-Col. Walter F., +Stanyon, Lt.-Col. Thomas, +Welte, Brigadier Charles + +WEST +Estill, Commissioner Thos., Chairman +Gauntlett, Col. Sidney, +Brewer, Lt.-Col. Arthur T., +Eynn, Lt.-Col. John T., +Dart, Brigadier Wm. J., Sec'y. + +FRANCE. +Barker, Lt.-Col. William S., Director of War Work. + +As indicated in the above list, the National War Board functions in two +distinct territories--East and West--the duty of each being to administer +all War Work in the respective territories. The closest supervision is +given by each War Board over all expenditure of money and no scheme is +sanctioned until the judgment of the Board is carried concerning the +usefulness of the project and the sound financial proposals associated +therewith. After any plan is initiated, the Board is still responsible for +the supervision of the work, and for the Eastern department Colonel Edward +J. Parker is the Board's representative in all such matters and Lieut- +Colonel Arthur T. Brewer fills a similar office in the Western department. +Each section of the National Board takes responsibility in connection with +the overseas work, under the presidency of COMMANDER EVANGELINE C. BOOTH +for the raising, equipping and sending of thoroughly suitable people in +proper proportion. Joint councils are occasionally necessary, when it is +customary for proper representatives of each section of the Board to meet +together. + +The National Board is greatly strengthened through the adding to its +special councils all of the Provincial Officers of the country. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The War Romance of the Salvation Army +by Evangeline Booth and Grace Livingston Hill + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WAR ROMANCE *** + +This file should be named 8warm10.txt or 8warm10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, 8warm11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, 8warm10a.txt + +Produced by Curtis A. Weyant +and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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