milestones in the lives of the people ; and in honor of these occa- 

 sions the drab attire of labor is exchanged for the one costume 

 in which the owner will ultimately be laid away beneath the 

 shadow of the churchyard walls. 



7. The New Day. The coming of American troops to billet 

 in the rural communities of Haute Marne marked an epoch in 

 the lives of the native population. Instead of being quartered 

 together in one building the troops were scattered about the 

 village, a few here, a few there, in attics, in lofts, in basements, 

 wherever there was room. As a result of dividing the soldiery 

 into small groups social contact with the villagers became firmly 

 established. By degrees America, the mythical, the land of fabu- 

 lous wealth, became less a strain upon credulity and more of an 

 established fact. Eagerness to learn the language on one hand 

 and native politeness and hospitality on the other worked to- 

 gether for the securing of friendly relations. Especially was this 

 true in regard to the children. Being more approachable and 

 quicker to grasp the meaning of the ideas of the newcomers, the 

 children became the media of communication between parents 

 and troops. To furnish diversion and entertainment for their 

 hosts the battalions frequently gave programs consisting of 

 athletic feats, songs, and music in the village square. During 

 these gala occasions the entire population was present, all keenly 

 enjoying the novel situation. The American private soldier with 

 his dollar a day is looked upon as the real nouveau riche; his 

 money freely spent in the village shops adds greatly to the 

 income of many people living on a precariously narrow margin 

 previous to his arrival. 



8. Family Life. The chief characteristic of family life is 

 its stability. Marriage which is planned and carried out by the 

 parents, the family doctor, and the cure is a social collaboration. 

 This term also applies to family activity. All work together in the 

 garden, the stable, and the field, constituting a harmonious and 

 well-ordered labor unit. Due to a war status of industry nearly 

 all of woman 7 s work lies outside the home. Early and late, 

 women of all ages and conditions toil at tasks often beyond their 

 strength, silently and with ox-like patience. Still, no unrest is 

 evidenced; no complaint is voiced. To keep the hearth warm 

 and the fields cultivated, to share in all sacrifices, to rear their 

 offspring, to care for refugees and orphans, in short to carry on 

 at home as loyal and patriotic soldiers of the second line of 

 defense these are the tasks to which they have wholeheartedly 

 devoted themselves. 



9. Conclusion. The fact should be borne firmly in mind 

 that this study deals with the abnormal situation incidental to 

 war times. To judge the French people and their customs, man- 



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