War Service Letters 



461 



Cross closing had already begun and Bordeaux couldn't let me do any- 

 thing. So your money arrived just in time. He is such a brave, cheery 

 chap, not more than thirty years old. And his country pays him for his 

 sacrifice four francs a day (less than eighty cents) for the support of 

 himself, his wife and his child ! He is a shoemaker, and a good one, 

 and if he gets some strength back he can make a living still. 



"We had our movie show in Mont de Marsan on Tuesday afternoon, 

 Christmas Eve, and in Dax the Monday before New Year. The convent 

 celebrations I could not get to see, but we carried the things out the 

 week before and paid a farewell visit to the children. Major Brooking 

 went with us to Coudures and St. Sever, and his Dodge and our Lizzie 

 gave the fifty orphans a ride. You never saw such shrieking carloads 

 of arms, legs, sabots and heads all mixed in together! The village 

 hasn't recovered from the shock yet. The Major was as impressed as 

 I have been by the beauty and charm of the Sister Superior of Cou- 

 dures. She is one of the most delightful women I have met in France. 



"We confined our gift-giving to children under fifteen .and old people 

 above sixty-five. But I think every one of the 2258 on my relief list 

 got some little goody — oranges or nuts or a little package of cookies. 

 The movie shows made an immense hit, and the sous-prefet of Dax was 

 dazzled by the display of toys. 



"I was very deeply touched, if a little ashamed, by having the refu- 

 gees present me with a little gold medal in appreciation of the Red 

 Cross work here. It is about the size of a five-dollar gold piece, beauti- 

 ful in design, like all the French medals. On one side is the head of a 

 helmeted warrior-woman — la Gauloise — on the other a crowing cock, the 

 emblem of France, and the inscription 'Reconnaissance, refugies Landes.' 

 I am as proud of it as if it were a croix de guerre, even though I feel 

 like a thief in taking to myself all the gratitude and affection that ought 

 to belong to you at home who are making the sacrifices and putting up 

 the money and getting none of the glorious experience that I am having. 

 But I am on the ground and get the expression of it, and you will have 

 to be satisfied with the knowledge that your sacrifices are appreciated 

 and that the name of America is like the name of Providence to these 

 people. We had a heart-rending morning yesterday, when we held our 

 last sale and they all said good-by to us. Many of the old people cried 

 on our shoulders, and we were much put to it not to weep ourselves. 

 The work is over here. Only accounts and reports and packing to do, 

 and then off for Paris again. Saturday and Sunday I am hoping to 

 sneak down to Lourdes for one look at the Pyrenees." . . . 



January 3, 1919. 



Maison de la Providence, Coudures, Ce. 

 Madame la Presidente du Comite AmSricain: January i, 1919 



Permit me to offer you our thanks for the photographs that we have 

 just received and which have given us so much pleasure. Notwithstand- 



